FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Mitt Romney hit the beach yesterday to line up against his real opponent — the media — in a flag football game that pitted his campaign staff against the people who cover him.
Romney came to watch the top of the contest and oversaw the opening coin toss.
“Where’s Chris Christie when we need him? He’s our line,” Romney joked after looking over his team, which included Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and aides Gail Gitcho and Eric Fehrnstrom, at the Delray Beach near where Romney is staying.
It was the candidate’s wife, Ann, who dazzled on the field, throwing a touchdown to tie the game against Romney’s traveling press.
Reporters tried lobbing questions at Romney, but Romney dodged one about whether he would support one-on-one talks with Iran, after a news report that post-election talks could be in the offing.
“I thought you were talking about one-on-one talks with the president. I was about to answer,” he joked. Asked whether he was ready for tonight’s debate, Romney responded: “I’m ready for football.”
“Figure out which of their players is best, and take them out early,” Romney joked with his team before kickoff. “That’s right — don’t worry about injuries, guys. This counts.” The final score was 14-14.