Rick Santorum Previews Fresh Attack On Mitt Romney: ‘He’s Resolutely Liberal’

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ABC News’ Michael Falcone reports:

DETROIT — Rick Santorum’s campaign, which rarely sends out prepared remarks of their candidate’s speeches, is circulating comments that Santorum plans to weave into his public appearances between now and the Feb. 28 Michigan primary.

He will take on Mitt Romney about as forcefully as ever.

Santorum’s comments paint Romney as a “liberal” who supported “activist judges,” who granted marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, who allowed “$50 dollar abortions” and who fought “against the 2nd Amendment” and for “radical environmental regulations.”

Santorum has made some of the points before, however several of the new lines attempt to turn Romney’s words at Wednesday night’s Arizona debate against him.

“Governor Romney described himself as resolute on that debate stage,” Santorum will say, referring to a word Romney used to describe himself. “There’s no question that he’s resolute — trouble is he’s resolutely liberal, and I have, and will continue, to fight for conservatives and all Americans.”

Notably, Santorum is also trying to have a “do-over” with some of the lines were not his strongest in Arizona like when he said he was “taking one for the team” by voting in favor of President George W. Bush’s “No Child Left Behind Policy” as a U.S. Senator. Romney took aim at Santorum over those comments at a campaign appearance in Arizona on Thursday.

“We saw, in this case, Senator Santorum explain most of the night why he did or voted for things he disagreed with and he talked about this as taking one for the team,” Romney said in Arizona. ”I wonder which team he was taking it for. My team is the American people, not the insiders in Washington, and I’ll fight for the people of America, not special interests.”

Santorum’s new retort:

“Mitt Romney has criticized me for taking one for the Republican team and we all know why, because Mitt Romney’s teammates are all Democrats.  It’s pretty clear what team Mitt Romney is on when he passed socialized medicine that included $50 dollar abortions – bragged about not lining up with the NRA – appointed liberal activist judges to the Massachusetts bench, and was hanging out at Planned Parenthood events celebrating the pro-choice agenda. No wonder working with a Republican President’s team is foreign to Mitt Romney - Mitt’s whole career he’s been working for liberals.”

Santorum, who arrives in Michigan on Friday for campaign events, will use the fresh lines in media appearances as well as on the stump, according to campaign aides.

From fiscal issues to social issues, Santorum plans to attack Romney on all fronts today. Here are additional excerpts from his remarks as prepared for delivery:

While Mitt Romney was fighting for a government run healthcare that raises your health care costs, lowers quality of health care, and forces you to rely on the government    - I fought to lower costs, raise quality and give people more choices and control over their own healthcare.

While Mitt Romney was pushing for the Wall Street Bailouts – I was fighting for the free-market system to work.

While Mitt Romney was fighting against the 2^nd Amendment and saying exactly ‘he didn’t line up with the NRA’ I was working with NRA and getting a A+ rating.

While Mitt Romney was supporting the confirmation of liberal activist judges to the Massachusetts court, I was fighting to confirm conservative justices Roberts, and Alito and Thomas.

While Mitt Romney was signing 189 marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, I was traveling the country fighting for traditional marriage between one man and one woman.

While Mitt Romney was allowing $50 dollar abortions and hanging out at Planned Parenthood events, I was standing on the floor of the US Senate fighting to end partial birth abortions.

While Mitt Romney was listening to the radical environmentalists about global warming and pushing taxpayer dollars to green energy companies – I was fighting to open up drilling in Alaska and expand natural gas exploration.

While Mitt Romney was listening to his energy czar, who now works for Obama’s energy team – I was listening to you and fighting to keep coal fire plants open so energy prices would be lower.

While Mitt Romney was fighting to pass radical environmental regulations on coal fire plants – I was fighting to keep coal fire plants open so energy prices would be lower.

When he had the chance, at every turn, Mitt Romney supported his teammates – but the problem is his teammates were the Democrats.