Donald Trump Hitting The Michigan Airwaves For Mitt Romney
ABC News' Michael Falcone reports:
With just over a week to go before Michigan voters head to the polls, Mitt Romney is enlisting the help of one of his highest-wattage surrogates: Donald Trump.
The real estate mogul is preparing to spread his pro-Romney, anti-Rick Santorum message in a series of radio interviews this week on local stations from Traverse City to Detroit.
Trump's effort begins Monday morning with an interview on the "Art Lewis Show," on WSGW news radio in the Flint-Saginaw media market.
On Tuesday he will call into the "Ron Jolly Show" on WTCM in Traverse City. On Wednesday it's the "Paul Smith Show" on WJR in Detroit. And on Thursday, Trump will talk to Michael Patrick Shiels, host of a drive-time radio program on WJIM in Lansing.
In recent interviews, Trump has not been shy about his distaste for Santorum, who appears to be locked in a close race with Romney in Michigan - a high stakes contest for both candidates.
"All of a sudden, he says, 'let's become president?' Trump said in an interview with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren earlier this month. "Give me a break."
Trump, who endorsed Romney at the opulent Las Vegas hotel that bears his name earlier this month, has not appeared with the former Massachusetts governor in public on the campaign trail since then.
"For Mr. Trump it wasn't merely a symbolic gesture," said Michael Cohen, special counsel at the Trump Organization. "Mr. Trump has pledged to assist Governor Romney in anything that he deems beneficial to his bid for the Republican nomination."
Trump, whose show, "The Celebrity Apprentice" had its season premiere Sunday night, joined Romney at a New York City law firm last week to make fundraising calls to high-dollar donors.
Trump is not the only national surrogate Romney has called into Michigan to help with his campaign's effort there. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty campaigned for Romney over the weekend and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is slated to address a local Republican dinner in Grand Rapids on Monday.