Santorum hits Romney on role in 2002 Olympics

AAA??Feb. 18, 2012?11:30 AM ET
Santorum hits Romney on role in 2002 Olympics
AP

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, arrives for a Tea Party rally, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, arrives for a Tea Party rally, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A donation bucket and bumper sticker are seen a Tea Party rally for Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, shakes hands during a Tea Party rally, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney talks with Paula Huber, of Melba, Idaho who presented him with a scrapbook of photos from his father George's political career, Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, at Guerdon Enterprises in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2001, file photo Mitt Romney, president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, announces there are 70,000 additional tickets available for purchase for the 2002 Winter Games during a news conference in Salt Lake City. Romney will put his time running the Olympics back in the spotlight Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, when he speaks at a major celebration honoring the 10-year anniversary of the games. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, File)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum is attacking Mitt Romney's leadership at the Salt Lake City Olympics.

Romney regularly promotes his role in the 2002 Winter Games and cites it during his White House bid.

But Santorum tells a tea party rally in Columbus, Ohio, that Romney's rescue was made possible only because Romney "heroically" went to Congress and asked for tens of millions of dollars for the Olympics.

The Romney campaign doesn't dispute that congressional earmarks helped save the games. But his campaign notes that Santorum voted for the money when he was in the Senate ? and backed other pet projects.

Romney plans to attend a 10th anniversary celebration in Salt Lake City on Saturday night.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-02-18-Santorum-Olympics/id-9badc662b16e4d4288a44eccfca2ddc3

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