Christie: Santorum criticism of Romney ‘naked opportunism’

by Jeremy Herb - 02/26/12 6:43 PM ET

Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) accused Republican presidential
candidate Rick Santorum of “naked opportunism” for questioning rival Mitt
Romney’s conservative values.

Christie, who has endorsed Romney for president, brought up
Santorum’s own endorsement of Romney back in 2008, during an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation” Sunday.

{mosads}Christie also said Santorum was “over the line” when he
called President Obama a “snob” for wanting everyone to go to college.

“If Sen. Santorum is against that, then I don’t think
that makes any sense,” Christie said. “I don’t think the president is a snob
for saying that. I think that’s probably over the line.”

The New Jersey governor said that he believes Romney will win
the Michigan primary on Tuesday and will become the Republican nominee, but he
held out the possibility of a contested convention.

“Is there a possibility, if Governor Romney were to lose
Michigan, for a contested election, a contested convention? Sure,” Christie said. That’s a possibility. I still don’t think it’s a likelihood, though.”

Christie said that the election is ultimately going to be
focused on the economy, and the recent foray into social issues is largely a
result of Santorum’s rise.

He said there have been numerous Republican frontrunners in
the race, and people “have to be patient as Republicans take a deep breath
and let this process work its way out.”

“Gov. Romney has not taken his eye off the ball,” Christie
said. “He’s been talking about tax cuts, simplifying the code, cutting spending
and getting our country back on the right track to have an entrepreneurial
economic explosion in this country.”

While Christie said he fully expects to be governor of New
Jersey in 2013 and not a vice presidential candidate, he held out the possibility
he could be tapped for the VP slot.

“If Gov. Romney were to come and talk to me about it,
I’d listen because I love my party enough and I love my country enough to
listen,” Christie said.

Tags