Romney: I speak with Gingrich more than Santorum
(CNN) – Mitt Romney, making a post-Easter appearance on the radio show of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, said he was in touch with rival Newt Gingrich more often than Rick Santorum, despite Santorum's advantage in the delegate count.
Romney said he wasn't surprised by Gingrich's sentiment, expressed over the weekend on "Fox News Sunday," that the former Massachusetts governor had all but wrapped up the GOP presidential nomination.
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"It was not a surprise, he and I have spoken from time to time, and actually we have also gotten together with our wives and spoken," Romney said. "We're pretty open-eyed about this, as we talk about where we are at this stage. In all likelihood I will be the one that gets the delegates to become the nominee."
Monday's interview took place on Huckabee's inaugural radio program, which occupies an overlapping midday timeslot as The Rush Limbaugh Show, hosted by the conservative firebrand who came under fire in March for sexist remarks about a young woman. On Monday, Huckabee said his show would focus on "confronting the issues, not the listeners."
Romney said there was "no question" in his view that Gingrich would ultimately help campaign for the Republican nominee in the hopes of defeating President Barack Obama in November.
As for his closest competitor Santorum, Romney said he didn't speak with the former Pennsylvania senator as often.
"We haven't had as much interaction, although at each contest's conclusion we speak with each other," Romney said. "I call him, he calls me, we exchange congratulations. And we've had a chance to chat from time to time, and we continue to have a personal respect for one another."
Romney added he had no doubt Santorum would also help the eventual nominee campaign in the general election.
In the interview, Romney reserved his only harsh criticism for Obama, who he slammed as weak in preventing a nuclear Iran.
Citing a Sunday article in the New York Times detailing his long personal relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Romney said Obama had allowed America's relationship with Israel to deteriorate.
"This president has disrupted that relationship with Israel, by criticizing Israel at the United Nations in his inaugural address, throwing Israel under the bus by demanding we return to the 1967 borders, and then there's the personal disrespect that was shown to Benjamin Netanyahu," Romney said.
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Mitt McCain has the teabagger bullseye on his back. Tampa will be big fun to watch.
If Romney is talking with his rivals from time to time, why hasn't he been able to persuade them to leave the race. Can this man persuade any leader incase he is elected president??? It seems he doesn't have such a skill.
More lies from Rmoney. The vast majority of Jewish voters in the US are perfectly happy with the President's Middle East policies.
Willard Milton Romney keeps spreading falsehoods about our relationship with Israel. I wonder was he watching the same AIPAC convention as I was. Apparently Isrealis don't believe this President has thrown them under the bus.
A man that cannot show leadership in his GOP cannot lead a divided and partisan nation.
Gingrich is pitching for Callisa everytime he opens his mouth which appears to be a snub to his ex's who are probably laughing at the two.
BFD Mitt. So you talk to the serial philanderer. Big news!! Maybe gonna put him on the ticket? If you do, you can kiss the election goodbye NOW
Mitt is going to have to start drawing more of a crowd than he's been able to thus far ... bit embarrassing on his part that he can't get others motivated enough to listen to his "speeches", even when he utilizes his handy dandy teleprompter.
"...then there's the personal disrespect that was shown to Benjamin Netanyahu.."
**********
Glad to know Romney is more concerned with Netanyahu than the "personal disrespect" that has been shown
President Obama by everyone from Netanyahu himself, to Congressional members, to the bloggers who
comment here on Ticker. If nominated, we will be sure to remember that we owe Romney the same lack of
respect he has for his(our) President.
We also know that the plan was for Gingrich to stay in the race long enough to take consrevative voters away
from Santorum. Mr. Adelson virtually said as much. So their "contact" is planned and you can bet
Gingrich will not walk away empty handed.
More lies about President Obama from Mr Etch-A-Sketch.
What a tool.
romney is the only alternative to president obama in 2012, and the future of US.
What this means is that Santorum is not part of the innermost loop of the Good Ole' Politicians network. He still doesn't have that country club membership, yet. Ya' gotta buy your way into that one.
The boob from Boston continues to vacillate.