EmailABC News’ Teddy Davis Reports: Mitt Romney’s campaign is raising Sen. John McCain’s "temperament" in a robo call recorded by one of the former Massachusetts governor’s supporters, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. The call is going out to voters in Alaska, California, Colorado and a few other Feb 5 states.
"As a conservative I don’t agree with McCain on many issues and I don’t think he has the temperament and leadership ability to move the country in the right direction," Santorum says in the call.
Some political observers see Santorum’s reference to "temperament" as a polite way to raise McCain’s temper, an issue that has been raised about the Arizona senator and former prisoner of war for years.
Among the issues raised by Santorum in the call are taxes, immigration, and same-sex marriage.
McCain allies note that Santorum did not raise the Arizona senator’s "temperament" in 2006 when McCain stumped on behalf of Santorum’s unsuccessful re-election bid.
Here is a script:
SANTORUM: "Hello, this is Senator Rick Santorum calling to let you know I am supporting Mitt Romney and urging you to support him next Tuesday. "
SANTORUM: "As Republican leader in the U.S. Senate, I worked hard to stop the Democrats and help pass a conservative agenda. A few senators like John McCain stood in our way. John McCain voted against the president’s tax cuts, worked with Ted Kennedy to pass what many people call amnesty for illegal aliens and he even opposes the marriage amendment that says that marriage is between man and woman. "
SANTORUM: "As a conservative I don’t agree with McCain on many issues and I don’t think he has the temperament and leadership ability to move the country in the right direction. Please join me and other conservatives in voting for Mitt Romney this Tuesday."