Romney Campaign Press Release - In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney On Last Night's Debate

Governor Mitt Romney Interview With Fox News' Carl Cameron

Fox News' "America's Newsroom"

Governor Romney On The Republican Three-Legged Stool:

Fox News' Carl Cameron: "Good morning. It is the morning after, but it's not a political hangover. It puts a spring in your step when you've got a debate in New Hampshire, and one of the frontrunners in the race, Governor Mitt Romney joins us. Well, so last night, 120 minutes of debating with your rivals. Give us your thumb-nail assessment."

Governor Mitt Romney: "Well, I was very pleased. A couple of things happened. One was Senator McCain and I were able to distinguish ourselves on the issue of immigration in a way that I think will be lasting in people's minds. The other was with regards to Mayor Giuliani. I speak about three-legs to the Republican stool being necessary to win a general election, which is a conservative base in terms of military, economic and family and family values. And he talks about a two-legged stool. And so I think those distinctions are going to be memorable and probably set a bit of the course for the future of this campaign."

Cameron: "He says his two-legged stool is economic and national security. You add family values to the three pegs of the stool. What does that omission to you say about Rudy Giuliani?"

Governor Romney: "He has a different view with regards to the matter of life and other issues. For me, the most important work that's going on in America that affects our future is the work that goes on within the four walls of the American home. And you either believe that or you believe no, it's mostly policy and government. And I believe in policy and government, but I also believe the home is where the action is for the future of this country. And that we, as a society, are going to need to strengthen the American home. Schools, health care, environment all come together to strengthen our homes."

Cameron: "Does the absence of that emphasis on the family weaken his candidacy as a Republican candidate?"

Governor Romney: "I think we're better if we have a three-legged stool and if we have all parts of our campaign focused on those issues and that's exactly what I intend to do."

To watch Governor Romney speak about the three-legged Republican stool, please see:

Governor Romney On Immigration Reform:

Cameron: "You mention the distinctions between yourself and Senator McCain on immigration. Obviously, he's pushing the immigration reform bill in Congress, one of the sponsors of it, and you're opposed to that. We were led to believe that yesterday was going to be a bit of a confrontation between the two of you and it might have been a bit feisty and yet it didn't happen. It seemed to be much more decorous. Why?"

Governor Romney: "Well, I like John McCain and he campaigned for me as I pointed out during the debate. There's no particular reason for us to be angry with one another. We just have a differing view on basically one major part of the bill, and that's the idea that all of those that are here illegally today would be able to stay and have permanent residency in this country. And he points to the fact that well, it's going to take them 12 years to get citizenship. Well, that's not the point. The point is they all get to stay and that's something which I think is just unfair to the many, many immigrants who would like to come here to get joined with family members to bring skill and education to our society. We just have an agreement to disagree, and I think the great majority of the Republicans, and I think the entire country that focuses on this, will come to agree that that's just not fair."

Cameron: "He might quibble with the idea that there's an agreement. Yesterday, he made it very clear that he thinks those who are criticizing the proposals, it's time to put up or shut up and come up with a plan. When do we see Mitt Romney's immigration treatise?"

Governor Romney: "No candidate for president drafts legislation. That doesn't go on, you talk about what your positions are. My position is this: enforce the current law, that's a plan. You don't have to draft any new legislation for that. You can enforce the current law and that includes securing the border and having an employment verification system. That's in the current law. Alternatively, if you want to fix the bill that's before Congress right now, simply take that Z visa which can be extended indefinitely and make it temporary. Don't allow it to be extended indefinitely. You make that change, you improve the bill a lot."

To watch Governor Romney address the need for immigration reform, please see: