Mitt Romney

Multimillionaire Mitt Romney, a wealthy venture capitalist who has refused to release his tax returns while running for president, has a tougher time than some candidates forging a common-man connection with primary voters.

Case in point: This moment in New Hampshire yesterday.

Romney said during a rally, “I know what it’s like to worry whether you’re going to get fired. There were a couple of times I wondered if I was going to get a pink slip.”

Cute pundits and political opponents’ eyes rolling en masse:

Romney Says He Feared Getting Fired

A Romney spokeswoman  had no specific dates or jobs to support this claim, but said his “pink slip” fears occurred “while he worked his way up the career ladder.”

University of New Hampshire political science professor Andy Smith said: “He’s trying to identify with regular folks, but he’s seen as somebody who’s wealthy.”

The former Bay State governor, dubbed a “career politician” by his rivals, also sought to play down his long-held presidential ambitions at Exeter High School.

“I never imagined I’d get a chance to run for president,” said Romney.

At the same rally, Romney faced Occupy protesters chanting “Mitt kills jobs.” On the sump with him, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie responded as only he can.

If nothing else, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie always livens things up.

Campaigning in Iowa last week on behalf of Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, he threatened to return "Jersey style" if the state's caucus-goers let him down.

Yesterday in New Hampshire, he handled some hecklers in typical fashion. While he didn't threaten to have them whacked, he did smack them down, Jersey style.

After a chant broke out involving Christie killinh jobs, he turned it right back around ... with a reference to oral sex. Romney could not have looked more uncomfortable.

Listen to the exchange between Christie and his hecklers below:

Chris Christie at Mitt Romney Rally

Mitt Romney has a sizable lead in most New Hampshire polls heading into the first primary of the Republican nomination race, but did he take on water today?

With the election set for Tuesday, Romney is expected to win, with Ron Paul in second in every survey to date. Thus, the rest of the field is playing catch-up.

Newt Gingrich, in particular, took Mitt to task today twice over:

1. Romney's insistence that he is not a career politician
2. His connection to Super PACs running attack ads

GOP Debate - Romney vs. Gingrich, Santorum

After Rick Santorum asked Romney why he didn't run for reelection in 2006 if he was such a successful governor, Newt told him to cut the "pious baloney."

Later, Gingrich chastised the deluge of negative ads run by pro-Romney PACs, and specifically Mitt's failure to disavow them in a public setting. Watch:

New Hampshire GOP Debate - Mitt Romney vs. Newt Gingrich

GOP candidate and frontrunner Mitt Romney emerged largely unscathed from Saturday night's debate in New Hampshire, which holds its primary on Tuesday.

At one point, though, he fielded a question from ABC News' George Stephanopoulos about the constitutionality of contraception and his view on Roe vs. Wade.

Asked if the constitution permits states to ban contraception, Mitt was a bit baffled - even asking Ron Paul for clarification in one of the best lines of the night.

Mostly, however, he seemed baffled at why such a question was even asked (and likely wasn't alone there). Watch the lengthy, awkward back-and-forth below:

New Hampshire Debate - Mitt Romney Baffled By Contraception Question

Honest mistake or Freudian slip?

Sen. John McCain mixed up Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney, who he endorsed this week, in a campaign appearance on the latter's behalf.

Speaking on Romney's behalf in South Carolina, the 2008 GOP nominee opined that he has little doubt President Obama will get the country going again.

Pretty funny.

McCain Mixes Up Obama, Romney

Normally unflappable Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney got into it with The Associated Press' Glenn Johnson today after basically being called a liar.

While attempting to brand himself as a Washington outsider, Mitt enjoys strong support from the GOP establishment, as well as lobbyists, Johnson pointed out.

Their exchange grew very testy after Johnson pressed Romney on whether one major lobbyist runs his campaign. Mitt insists the lobbyist is merely an "advisor."

Watch the video of the back-and-forth below:

Mitt Romney Spars With Reporter

Timid.

That sums up Mitt Romney in one word, according to Newt Gingrich, who touts himself as a bold, conservative leader for America's future in this new ad spot.

Coming out hard after Romney derailed him in Iowa, where he once held a sizable edge, Newt calls Mitt's economic plan "timid" and "virtually identical to Obama's."

Newt Gingrich Attack Ad

Gingrich, despite a disappointing fourth-place finish in the first Republican caucus of the primary season, is showing no signs he'll drop out, at least for now.

"Timid won't create jobs, and timid certainly won't defeat Barack Obama," the narrator says, quickly delivering on Gingrich's promise to draw a sharp contrast.

"Newt Gingrich's bold leadership balanced the budget, reformed welfare and helped create millions of new jobs. The Gingrich jobs plan is a powerful plan to grow our economy and create jobs, rebuilding the America we love with bold conservative leadership."

You buying it?

Is Rick Santorum's “Google Problem” website - the one that ranks first when you Google Rick Santorum, and produces a hilariously revolting definition of the former Senator's surname - sponsored by fellow Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney?

It certainly looks that way:

Lovely. As if that weren't bad enough, the ad shown here is from Mitt Romney's official campaign (as opposed to the Super PAC he benefits from but disavows).

The image above is not Photoshopped either. Check out the video here:

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The GOP is coalescing around its perceived frontrunner in the presidential race.

John McCain, who battled bitterly with Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination four years ago, is endorsing him in advance of the 2012 New Hampshire primary.

Romney flew to New Hampshire Wednesday after his narrow Iowa caucus win to begin campaigning in the New England state, where he holds sizable leads in polls.

He was joined on stage today by McCain, who he called one of America's heroes and a great friend. McCain won the N.H. primary in 2000 and again in 2008.

Will McCain's endorsement help him lock up the nomination early?

Can the two-time candidate help Mitt fend off challengers Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum in the coming days and beyond? Does he even need it?

It can't hurt in New Hampshire, where he's clearly the man to beat, for better or worse. Here's Romney's speech to supporters last night in Iowa:

Mitt Romney Iowa Caucus Speech

The closest Iowa caucus results in history produced a near draw, with Mitt Romney winning by just eight votes over Rick Santorum and Ron Paul a close third.

Romney, considered the favorite in the Republican presidential race quest, did not notch a commanding win that could have ended the primary process early.

However, a win's a win, and after a year in which one candidate after another sought to be the conservative alternative to him, a pretty impressive one at that.

Even more remarkable was the finish of Rick Santorum, whose candidacy was so moribund just weeks ago that many wondered why he was still in the race.

The former Pennsylvania Senator was neck-and-neck with Romney, the one-time Governor of Massachusetts, for all of Tuesday night and into this morning.

Romney being declared the winner by a mere eight ballots early Wednesday. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was a close third with 21 percent of the caucus votes.

“We will go on,” he said in an upbeat speech. “There is nothing to be ashamed of.”

The race was so close, Romney couldn't even claim victory in his speech. With 99 percent of the vote counted, he and Santorum each had 24.6 percent.

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