Mitt Romney: "I don't know why" Newt is angry enough to call him a liar

Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Republican presidential candidate and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

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Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Tuesday Newt Gingrich must be angry for calling him a liar, but he does not know why.

Earlier Tuesday, the former House speaker said on CBS' "The Early Show" that Romney is a liar because he pretends he does not have anything to do with a so-called Super PAC that has run television ads sharply critical of Gingrich.

"This is a man whose staff created the PAC. His millionaire friends fund the PAC. He pretends he has nothing to do with the PAC. It's baloney," Gingrich told CBS' "The Early Show."

Asked to respond to the charge by conservative radio host Laura Ingraham, Romney said, "well, I don't know why he's so angry."

"I think he's mad for a lot of reasons, but I think he is a good guy. I like his wife Callista, wish him well," Romney added.

The Republican front-runner insisted that he is powerless to tell the Super PAC what it should do with its television advertisements.

"Of course the Super PAC that is working for me, I know the people there. Of course I helped raise money for it, but the law says I can't tell them what kind of ads to run or when to run them or where to run them. That's the law that we have to live by, we're not allowed to coordinate with these entities," he said.

"And if they make mistakes or say things that are wrong, I decry that. Don't say things that are dishonest. But the idea of being upset about contrast, and people pointing out the record of other people, that's part of politics. This has gone on since, well, Jefferson versus Adams," Romney added.

Asked if Gingrich was just being thin-skinned as his support plummeted in the wake of the negative advertisements, Romney said he does not think it is productive to engage in personal attacks.

"This is obviously a tough time for the speaker, and I wish him well. And we will see how this develops. I can't guarantee who is going to be the nominee. I hope it's me. But it could be him. It could be Rick Santorum. Rick is doing well," Romney said, adding that he would support the Republican nominee, whoever it turns out to be.

Gingrich had earlier said he would support Romney if he wins the Republican nomination.

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Mitt Romney on the trail

[flameworker]

The two-time adulterer calling the other guy a liar. That's rich.

[karek40]

There is an old saying "it takes one to know one"

[MANFROMOZ]

Perhaps it is just his Karma.

[Happy_Holidays1]

Gingrich is a Catholic, and they support hiding their child molesters from detection by authorities.

That's a good-enough reason to vote against Gingrich, in my book.

Ron Paul 2012!

[mykelbarber]

Both complete liars for their mythological deities, fakirs for their politics, and just plain jackasses.

[karek40]

You error in calling the deity mythological, he established his existance by telling (and having recorded) the future that has now become history.

[Kestrel88]

I don't know why Mitt is such a two-face and a liar, except he wants to be president so bad he'll apparently say whatever it takes to get votes.

[Happy_Holidays1]

"golfer in chief"???

Are you talking about "terrorists are bad, now watch this drive" Bush? The same guy who has the record for vacation days as pres?

[karek40]

He is a politician, typical behavior for all of them. Hope this helps you to know why.

[shockerpsl]

That's really funny. This guy's been a low-life his entire life, and then gets pissed when someone calls him on it. Every one of these candidates are a joke. Which is great for the home team.

[nearl451]

I don't know why Romney has that vacant grin on his face all the time either. Frankly it would be refreshing to see him angry a time or two....to prove he's human or hasn't had a lobotomy.

[lchaks]

Because he is vacant. No one smiles that much...it's an act and he wants to be "positve" in the campaign. But I think he doth protest too much (The negative PAC ads do come from Romney camp). So we now see that he is also a bold-faced liar in print right here.

[euge005]

Demand to see his income tax statments, he really does not like that. Or find out why no one in his family has served in the military. It sounds like Newt, all that rules, laws, work and sacrifice stuff is ok for little people, not me. Romney has been a career candidate for 10 years like the I am not a witch woman, just more wealthy.

[forsanity1]

Mitt Romney doesn't know WHY Newt Gingrich is angry....? And this man wants to be our Commander in Chief, with the ability to launch nukes...?

Damn.

[HarmoniousBotch]

Gingrich hates him because of his freedom and prosperity.

[lchaks]

Gingrich is not angry, he is being serious in getting his points across. Many analytical people do not smile much...they are thinking. At least Gingrich doesn't have zoom-white teeth with a perpetual smile stuck on this face. That's always a turn off for me...too slick...swooooosh, down he goes!

[sensible_shoes]

What a clown show. I long for a reasonable presentation of plans to fix the country I love instead of name calling and relentless negativity directed by big money special interests.

[lchaks]

Then listen to Newt. He is straight-forward serious. Romney has lied so much about his cronies' (PAC) very negative ads towards Gingrich, yet he denies he has any part of it. Also, if I hear Romney say "private sector" one more time...let's just say he has not much else to say.

[euge005]

Newt needs to stop whining and understand that telling the truth aboutn him is not a negative ad, just responsible information. That must be the word he does not understand, responsible.

[ubroc]

"the law says I can't tell them what kind of ads to run or when to run them or where to run them. That's the law that we have to live by, we're not allowed to coordinate with these entities," Romney said."

What Romney doesn't and is careful never to say is that he can't tell them WHAT TO SAY.

Do we really want a president who will game the system like this

[lchaks]

He;s as slick as an Alaskan oil field...and he'll fall down.