Mitt Romney "Mr. Mud" and King of Attack Ads Complains About Santorum Calls

Romney once said he was "a big boy" and could take the heat. I guess that was when he was in the lead!

A few days before Christmas, Mitt Romney told Newt Gingrich to stop complaining about the avalance of attack ads his the Romney campaign and PAC were directing at Gingrich in key states:

“I’m a big boy,” Romney told reporters today at the Stage Restaurant, referring to Gingrich’s complaints about the barrage of negative advertising against him. “That’s the nature of a campaign, to point out distinctions with one another.

“And with regards to the heat associated with ads, you know, if you can’t stand the relatively modest heat in the kitchen right now wait until Obama’s hell’s kitchen shows up,” Romney added.
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“The American people, I trust, will be able to look through those things that are said, determine what’s true and what’s not true, and make the decision on an informed basis,” he said. “It’s probably a good thing for us to get this out in the air right now so people can have the chance to know what is going to come down the road if any one of us happens to become the nominee.”

That last line has been echoed by many others who want Mitt Romney fully vetted. Rick Santorum is one candidate trying to do just that. Listen to the robocall Santorum is running in Michigan:

"Michigan Democrats can vote in the Republican primary on Tuesday. Why is it so important? Romney supported the bailout for his Wall Street billionaire buddies, but opposed the auto bailouts. That was a slap in the face to every Michigan worker, and we're not going to let Romney get away with it. On Tuesday, join Democrats who are going to send a loud message to Massachusetts' Mitt Romney by voting for Rick Santorum for president.

"This call is supported by hard-working Democratic men and women and paid for by Rick Santorum for president.

Romney outraged by Santorum "dirty trick"

ROMNEY: "It’s a dirty trick," he said on Fox News' Fox & Friends. "It’s outrageous to see Rick Santorum team up with the Obama people and go out after union labor in Detroit and try and get them to vote against me. Look, we don’t want Democrats deciding who our nominee is going to be, we want Republicans to decide who our nominee is going to be."

"I just think it’s outrageous and disgusting," he said of Santorum's attempt to take advantage of the state's open primary.

"I think Rick Santorum has a lot of explaining to do," he added, calling the robocall "a new low for his campaign—and that's saying something."

So much for being a "big boy" who could take the heat. And it comes from a candidate whose own scorched earth campaign tactics used vile robo calls and mailings against Newt Gingrich in SC and bombarded Florida airwaves with negative ads that ran 65 to 1 against Gingrich.

Now, Santorum has Romney on the ropes in Michigan and he whines about ads? PLEASE!

If Romney can't take the heat now, will he fold like a cheap suit when "Obama's hell's kitchen shows up?"