Mitt Romney to Republicans: Stop attacking Republicans
Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney wants Republicans -- particularly those vying for the 2016 nomination for the White House -- to all just get along.
"It's harmful if you have Republicans attacking Republicans," Romney said Sunday on NBC News. "It's important to talk about our views instead of going back to one another."
"Going back to Reagan's 11th commandment makes sense for our party," Romney added, referring to an edict from Ronald Reagan's 1966 campaign for California governor that stated "Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican."
After reports that the 2012 Republican presidential candidate wanted the GOP field to avoid any ugly primary fights similar to his own long road to the nomination, Romney chose to use his Sunday show appearance to encourage the "strong contenders" in his party.
"What surprised most folks this time is how many strong contenders there are in the Republican party," the former Massachusetts governor continued. "It's a good opportunity for Americans to see what the Republicans have to offer.
Romney also praised former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who is expected to announce his White House bid on Monday, for his "strong record."
"Bush is a person of real integrity who is well known," the former presidential contender said. "He has a strong record. He cut taxes, and improved education. He gave more choices for schools, particularly in grade schools, students were able to go other schools if there schools were failing. He doesn't need to speech his way through this campaign."
But just as Romney cautioned against GOP infighting in the 2016 race, some candidates took to the Sunday political talk shows to criticize some in their own party over their qualifications for the White House.
Republican presidential candidate and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, for instance, bashed the foreign policy credentials of fellow contender Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky.
When criticizing Hillary Clinton's "delusional" belief that the U.S. is well-positioned to deal with global threats, Graham added Sunday that any Republican in the 2016 field would handily trump her as commander-in-chief. Anyone, that is, except for the Kentucky senator.
"You would have to suspend disbelief to believe that America is well-positioned against Iran, against Syria, against ISIL, against Russia, against China. We're in terrible position," Graham told CBS News' "Face the Nation". "You'd have to suspend disbelief to believe her statement we're well-positioned. No, she would be beat by all of us, except Rand Paul."
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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has not yet declared an Oval Office bid, also used his appearance on a Sunday talk show to tout his own political muscle over other 2016 Republican hopefuls.
When asked about his qualifications for the presidency, Christie said that as a governor, he's learned how to deal with a Democratic legislature -- a struggle Jeb Bush never faced.
"He had a legislature of his own party," Christie told ABC News of the former Florida governor. "It's a much different thing."
"I have great respect for Jeb," Christie added. "He was a very good governor. But if you're asking one of the things that makes me different is I think I'm combat-ready for Washington, D.C., and you need to be in order to know how to work with people, how to bring people together."