Santorum: Romney, Paul have backroom deal

By: Lindsey Boerma
Topics: Campaign 2012

(Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay)

ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. - Rick Santorum on Saturday suggested two of his rivals for the GOP presidential nomination are trying to strike a backroom, running-mate deal.

Asked at a Tea Party rally here why former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas seemed to be ganging up on Santorum during Wednesday's debate in Arizona, the former senator from Pennsylvania quipped, "Yeah, look, I didn't know we picked president and vice president before the election.

"The coordination that I felt at that debate was pretty clear," he said. "I felt like messages were being slipped behind my chair. It's pretty remarkable that in 20 debates, Ron Paul never attacked Mitt Romney."

It's not the first time Santorum has made the charge. Right after the CNN-sponsored debate on Wednesday, he told reporters, "You have to ask Congressman Paul and Governor Romney what they've got going together. Their commercials look a lot alike, and so do their attacks."

Paul on Friday flatly denied there is any coordination between the two campaigns. In an appearance on CNBC, Paul said, "Absolutely not." And then, quoting former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Paul said, "I thought Pawlenty cleared it up pretty well. He said, 'If you think Ron Paul's going to do a backroom deal, you've got another thought coming,' something along those lines."

Also on Saturday, Santorum did some attacking of his own, calling Romney "uniquely unqualified to take on government control," during a speech at an Americans for Prosperity conference in Troy, Mich.

Earlier, in St. Clair Shores, he called Romney's criticisms that Santorum isn't conservative "laughable," and mocked Romney's campaign record.

"He's had to be what he wants to be," Santorum said. "'Oh, I'm running for the Senate against Ted Kennedy, I'll be a liberal.' 'I'm running for governor of Massachusetts, so I'll be a moderate.' ... And now, 'Oh, I'm gonna run for the Republican nomination for president, I'll be a conservative today.' What's he gonna be tomorrow?"

Lindsey Boerma
Lindsey Boerma covers the 2012 presidential campaign for CBS News and National Journal.
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by Freepress1111 February 26, 2012 10:32 PM EST: What do you expect, Rick? Are you really surprised that your rivals are all liberal, pinko commie socialist fascists? After all, they did all go to college.; Reply to this comment


by slatep February 26, 2012 1:57 PM EST: I cannot believe Santorum is so naive that he does not realize all politicians and the US government have more 'backroom deals' than the equivalent of the national debt.

GOD, please help us.!!; Reply to this comment


by Barracuda_Trader February 26, 2012 8:37 AM EST: Once again, Satantorum lives up to his nickname. He is the most consistant liar of all the candidates except maybe Barracchio the puppet with the growing nose.
Satantorum's voting record is more like a rap sheet than a Sentorial vote record. He always voted in the direction of the money he stood to gain. He hasn't really been faithful to any of the principles he SAYS he stands for. Sure sounds like a conman to me. And there are plenty of suckers out there who want to vote for him.; Reply to this comment


by irrationalnumber February 26, 2012 8:26 AM EST: What are people getting their panties in a wad about? What difference does Obama fascism make from Santorum fascism (some national socialists have different ideas abourt which is better - but if you are a fascist: Obama or Santorum are great candidates: drop the "family values" for "fair share" - it is just fine).; Reply to this comment


by democracy8 February 26, 2012 7:53 AM EST: Paranoia much, whiner? He disgusts me.; Reply to this comment

by MsmCorrupt February 26, 2012 6:51 AM EST

1. Supporter of the Patriot Act - Rick Santorum and Barack Obama.

2. Supporter of NDAA which includes indefinite detention of American citizens without a trial - Mitt Romney and Barak Obama (Rick Santorum won't say.)

3. Considers the Patriot Act and NDAA unconstitutional - Ron Paul.

I like freedom, (it is apparent many don't) Ron Paul 2012

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by sdstate February 26, 2012 3:20 PM EST: Paul will never be president. Get over it.


by MsmCorrupt February 26, 2012 6:38 AM EST: Santorum is a typical Washington, "take one for the team" politician. During the last debate Ron Paul called Santorum a fake which was funny and true. Now Santorum is angry because he looks like a loser and a liar. At the end of the last debate he shook Paul's hand in an extremely harsh, exagerated manner; that action said it all.; Reply to this comment

by roark183 February 26, 2012 5:31 AM EST

Rick Santorum sure is a whiner. He's like a little kid, who feels ganged up on, when in reality there is no ganging up. Romney is at least not whining. Romney is a crook, but at least he's a grownup crook. Santorum is a whiny kid, not getting his way after stealing money out of his father's wallet. Santorum's time in the US Senate has lead us into the economic difficulties we are in. Gingrich contributed to that, as well. Romney says he would repeal Obamacare. Who believes any of these three. None of them know the meaning of integrity. None of them have any consistency from their time in office to their current campaign rhetoric.

Ron Paul is the only GOP candidate with integrity and consistency. He has a better chance of beating Barack Obama than any of the other candidates. He is the only one who would not continue Obama's policies. Santorum wants more wars. Romney has no credibility about health care, because he installed state run health care in Massachusetts. He is trying to live it down just as Santorum is trying to live down his Senatorial voting record. They are both fakes.

Ron Paul in 2012.

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by sdstate February 26, 2012 3:21 PM EST: Paul will never be president. Get over it.


by longtree-2009 February 26, 2012 5:04 AM EST: santorum should either produce evidence of a deal or shut his pie hole. santorum has stooped to name calling and now this charge of a deal. next up, santorum is going to discover a bogeyman under his bed or in his closet. how can anyone in their right mind support santorum or gingrich with their style of campaigning? neither of them have an ice cube's chance in a blazing fire of defeating obama. if santorum or newt are on the ballot, my tiny vote will have to go to obama and not an obama fan by any stretch of the imagination!; Reply to this comment

by val5000 February 26, 2012 4:00 AM EST

Oh, Paul fans. It must burn to know that your candidate is scratching the back of Wall St. Romney. Ron Paul is a politician. He's more consistent than the other (cartoonishly pathetic) GOP presidential candidates, but he is a REPUBLICAN POLITICIAN, not the Messiah.

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by roark183 February 26, 2012 5:38 AM EST: You've been listening to Bill O'Reilly / Dick Morris too much. You are obviously not familiar with Ron Paul. In 30 years in Congress, he has not once sacrificed his moral values. And you believe some nonsense news story that he would do it now? No, perhaps it's Romney coming over to Ron Paul's viewpoints, to save himself from his impending arrest over his treacherous and conniving dealings against Ed Falcone.


by sdstate February 26, 2012 3:26 PM EST: Paul is, of course, just that...a Republican politician who will scratch the back of the nominee so he can either push his son into a better position or get some of his 19th century economic ideas on the GOP platform, not that the platform isn't already regressive enough.