(ThyBlackMan.com) After a week that saw rumors explode of a possible alliance between Republican presidential candidates Ron Paul and Mitt Romney, rival candidate Rick Santorum accused Mr. Paul of being Mr. Romney’s “wing man” on Saturday.
“If ( Ron Paul is) really trying to transform Washington, then why is he being the wing man for Mitt Romney?” said Mr. Santorum, The Detroit News reports.
Mr. Santorum’s made the “wing man” comment during a campaign appearance at a rally for Tea Party Republicans in St. Claire Shores, Michigan on Saturday.
The former U.S. senator’s comments are similar to the thoughts of several political pundits who raised questions of a possible alliance between Ron Paul and Mr. Romney earlier this week.
Following the nationally televised debate in Arizona on Wednesday, conservative radio show host Rush Limbaugh, NBC News political director Chuck Todd, and even Romney surrogate Tim Pawlenty gave their opinions on a possible agreement between Ron Paul and Mr. Romney not to attack each other in ads, debates, and interviews along the campaign trail. 
During the debate in Arizona, both Ron Paul and Mr. Romney took shots at Mr. Santorum’s congressional record of voting for earmarks.
What further sparked the speculation though, was that the Texas congressman has engaged in this type of non-Romney bashing etiquette in previous debates.
In early December, when former House speaker Newt Gingrich surged in popularity and emerged as the favorite to win the Iowa caucuses, GOP Ron Paul increased his attacks against him in debates and interviews regarding his past consulting relationship with failed mortgage giant Freddie Mac.
Following the seemingly double team attack of Mr. Gingrich by Ron Paul and Mr. Romney leading up to Iowa, the former House speaker plummeted in polls and finished fourth behind Ron Paul in the Iowa caucuses.
Now, with Mr. Santorum still riding momentum from his three victories in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado two weeks ago, it seems as if he is getting the same kind of double team attack from Ron Paul and Mr. Romney.
“He’s not campaigning in Michigan, yet he’s running ads against me,” said Mr. Santorum on Saturday.
The former Pennsylvania senator also told the crowd of Tea Party Republicans in St. Claire Shores that he felt like “messages were being slipped behind my chair” at the CNN moderated debate this week.
While it is true that Ron Paul recently released an ad attacking Mr. Santorum, he actually will be making several campaign stops in Michigan this weekend. He’s scheduled to make stops at Central Michigan University on Saturday, and Michigan State University on Monday, with several appearances throughout the state in between the two college events.
Further increasing the speculation of a deal between Mr. Romney and Ron Paul this week was the Texas congressman’s son, Kentucky senator Rand Paul. After a speech in Louisville, Kentucky on Wednesday, reporters asked the Kentucky Republican if he would hypothetically accept a vice presidential running mate offer from Mr. Romney in 2012.
“I don’t know if I can answer that question, but I can say it would be an honor to be considered,” said the younger Paul, WFPL News reports.
Rep. Ron Paul still has not achieved a primary or caucus victory thus far in the primary race, which has caused political pundits to question whether he has a non-attack pledge with the Romney camp in an effort to secure a cabinet position for himself or his son under a possible Romney presidency.
On Friday, Mr. Pawlenty sought to quell those rumors in an apperance on MSNBC by telling viewers that a candidate of Ron Paul’s character would never agree to such an alliance.
“Think about Ron Paul cutting a deal as an insider to get some political favors,” said Mr. Pawlenty. “Probably the last person to ‘cut a back room deal’ in American politics would be Ron Paul.”
Via AP
