Governor Romney was in New York today, but talked with us via satellite about some of the big issues in the 2012 campaign -- chief among them were jobs, the economy and energy.
As President Obama pushes Congress to pass his jobs bill, some GOP opponents are pushing back. Governor Romney Wednesday said the president's bill won't fix anything.
"Well the president's plan is really not a jobs plan so much as it is another stimulus. And we saw the results of his first stimulus and those were not good," Romney told us. "That huge weight of new regulations has slowed down the economy, has stalled what would otherwise be an extraordinary boom and expansion in energy and well as in health care."
Romney, speaking to us in response to Dave Ward's interview with the president in the White House on Tuesday, says his seven point plan, which focuses on stimulating business and balancing the budget, is far better. Both men also talked energy.
"We're at the highest levels of oil and gas production that we've ever been. And I am a big proponent of energy independence," President Obama told Eyewitness News on Tuesday.
Romney agrees with independence, but thinks it should be expanded domestic exploration and not government subsidies.
"Government subsidy of its favorite flavor of the month energy source is simply not the right way to get our energy sector thriving and providing the energy that America needs to be competitive," Romney said.
He also discussed the addition of a pipeline from Canadian oilfields to Houston area refineries.
"I believe we should bring in the shale oil that's available to us from Canada. Let's bring the pipeline in. We need to bring additional energy resources from friendly sources like Canada," Romney said.
For his part, the president is undecided about the TransCanada pipeline, citing environmental concerns.
Romney also discussed his campaign's contention that Texas Governor Rick Perry's stand on tuition help for undocumented immigrants is both too liberal and wrong.
"Governor Perry and I disagree with regard to instate tuition breaks for illegal aliens. I think it was a bad idea for Texas to pioneer the idea of a Dream Act which gives some 14,000 illegals a tuition break for college that's funded by taxpayers. I think that's a very bad idea," Romney told us.
While most of Romney's attacks these days are focused on the president and not other Republicans, he says the race is far from over.
When we asked Romney how he would characterize himself given that some have characterized him as the inevitable nominee for the Republican party, he replied, "I'm still the guy battling trying to get this nomination. I learned enough about politics over the years to learn there's a lot of up and down."
