Mitt Romney Laughs Off Talk of 2012 Bid in Interview with Jay Leno

In an interview on NBC's "Tonight Show" Wednesday night, Mitt Romney played coy about a prospective presidential bid, declining to say whether or not he planned to enter the race but noting, in a sly dig at Republicans like Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee (both of whom are on the payroll at Fox News), "if you ever see me sign up for a gig on Fox News, it'll be a clear indication that I've decided to run for president."

The former Massachusetts governor, who waged an unsuccessful campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, kept the conversation playful when questioned about controversial political issues: When asked about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Romney joked, "I have no intention of either asking or telling with regards to my plans for 2012."

Of recent ire-inducing TSA security measures, Romney offered his own alternative. "I have an idea," Romney said. "The TSA and the IRS ought to be merged - because the IRS has had their hands in our pants pockets for years."

The politician spoke more seriously about his term as governor of Massachusetts, however, and indicated that, unlike Sarah Palin, he couldn't imagine having quit the job in the middle of his term.

"It's hard to imagine a circumstance where I'd have quit," Romney told "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno. "It's a great job. I loved it. But [Palin] had her reasons."

Romney, however, made it clear that he would not be baited into criticizing the former vice presidential nominee: "If someone's looking for me to say something negative about Sarah Palin, why, that's not gonna come from me," he said. "I mean, did you see what she did to the halibut the other night on her show? I'm not in for that..."

"She's a remarkable, energetic, powerful figure in my party. And attractive, too," Romney said of Palin. "She's a qualified, capable person."

Romney did note that if he were to launch a 2012 presidential bid, he would make sure at least one major change in his tactics: "If I were to do it again, I'd have to make sure that I got more votes than the other guy," he laughed.

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2012 Republican Contenders

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Lucy Madison is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

[stn_sage]

These type of interviews by Romney are HUGE mistakes! To sit there and pretend he isn't interested, is a LIE! And, it makes him look like a shiftless politician! He wants it, and he should just come out and say so! Everybody knows it! There's no point in being coy about it! There's nothing so offensive as a man who pretends to be humble...when he's not!

[wxwizard]

I haven't been voting for any GOPers of late, but as far as what candidates the GOP can field, Romney is a pretty good choice for a lot of reasons. He has a keen business background and isn't overly conservative on social issues.

Unfortunately I'm now of the opinion that WHO EVER becomes president, they quickly change when they learn about all the insidious problems the rest of us are blind too. So with that, we should put much faith in campaign promises, but instead vote for the person who has the strongest intellect and character to handle the highest pressure job in the world.

As much as people complain about Obama, I'm very thankful he is our president over McCain. No disrespect to McCain, I like him, but he's quite on in years now, and I think the pressures of being a 21st century president would have shortened his time with us. And THAT is a fearful thought.

[Ni_Hao]

"She's a remarkable, energetic, powerful figure in my party. And attractive, too," Romney said of Palin. "She's a qualified, capable person." I will take that as evidence that Romney lacks the critical judgement skills to be the President of the United States.

[kcjwind]

oh spare us, you would say that about any republican. grow up.

[nicmonson]

It's called politics troll. You know as well as anyone why Romney said the words he said. Palin comes from the same group as Huck who caused Romney's loss in the primaries last time and Romney is not about to irritate the demographic that might vote for Palin/Huck.

[mjlewis6]

If ROmney thinks Palin is a good candidate in 2012, then he is on par with the IQ-challenged GOP goddess.

As it stands, there is NOT A SINGLE REPUBLICAN who can defend the BUSH/CHENEY mismanagement with a Republican dominated Congress to have effected the economic meltdown, the loss of jobs, the war crimes of Abu Gharib and Guantanamo, the erosion of American Civil Liberties and the use of torture widely condemned by the Western World and forw hich the leaders have NOT been brought to justice at the Hague.

Obama or Hillary for me !!

Republicans and Tea Partiers are liars who want to get at Social Security and destroy the fabric of social responsibility of corporate America and to allow unfettered GREED to continue at the expense of suceeding generations in education, environmental quality and safety regulation. Oh....and refight the same Civil War as a Class War citing participatory democracy...LINCOLN did away with that one, guys.
And he was a REPUBLICAN !!!

[kcjwind]

when did you lose your job?

[magicwolf1]

Oh Yeah, I'm laughing off Romney too...

[san850]

Romney, like McCain, is delusional. Note that he didn't say what Palin is qualified FOR. She does not have the intellectual capacity to be President and the GOP knows it. Most are steadily working back room politics to make sure she is not on the ticket.

[kcjwind]

yet she is smarter than you are

[san850]

Golly gosh kcjwind...looks like you also have the same intellectual capacity that Palin has...is the phrase "she is smarter than you are" the best you can come up with? You sure do use it a lot. You do realize that if her IQ gets any lower, we're gonna have to start watering her twice a day.

[merlgrey]

the republican strategy among the contenders seems to be taking shape. pump up palin so she has no enemies within to publicly fight, and has to stand on her house of cards on her own merits, or lack thereof.

[brian_norwood]

Slick Mitt. Empty Suit.

[tsigili]

The thought of him running again, is laughable!

[kcjwind]

why?

[Doctor_Bones]

"She's a remarkable, energetic, powerful figure in my party. And attractive, too," Romney said of Palin. "She's a qualified, capable person."

Funny! Mitt did not say anything about her IQ. If Mitt thinks that Sara is qualified to be president, we should question his ability to be president.

[kcjwind]

yet they are both smarter than you are