Palin, Romney Teams Trade Barbs, Make Peace

Former governors Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin may eventually face off against each other for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, but for right now, it's in the best interest of Republican leaders to keep a united front. The two potential candidates and their aides acknowledged as much in a dust up over the past 24 hours.

Palin, the former governor of Alaska and 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate, recently released a polished web video suggesting she could still be interested in running for president.

In a column for Time Magazine, however, an unnamed Romney adviser says of Palin, "She's not a serious human being." Another unnamed source close to Romney is quoted saying, "If she's standing up there in a debate and the answers are more than 15 seconds long, she's in trouble."

A Palin aide, who spoke to Politico on the condition of anonymity, condemned the anonymous remarks made to Time.

"For Washington consultants to sit around and personally disparage the governor anonymously to reporters is unfortunate and counterproductive and frankly immature," the aide said.

The aide, however, emphasized that Republican leaders should stay focused on 2010 before attacking other potential 2012 contenders.

Palin has "stated publicly that her goal is to turn the tide on Obama's agenda starting in 2010," the aide said. "We need to all come together in what should be a great year for us in November."

Romney, apparently, agrees.

He sent a message via Twitter today that read, "TIME says unnamed advisors disparaged @SarahPalinUSA. Anonymous numbskulls. She's proven her smarts; they've disproven theirs."