Romney Tussles With Reporter

Mitt Romney had a dust-up with a reporter in South Carolina today, CBS News reports, when the reporter essentially accused the candidate of lying. As Romney was saying he was not beholden to lobbyists and didn’t have one “running his campaign,” the reporter interjected, “That’s not true,” referring to Romney ally and lobbyist Ron Kaufman. Video shows the back-and-forth get more animated.

Romney called Kaufman a friend and adviser who was not part of his senior strategy team. AP reporter Glen Johnson pressed the issue and called Romney’s defense “utterly untrue.” After the brief gathering inside a Staples store, Johnson and Romney kept at it until Romney’s press secretary took Johnson aside and told him to “act professionally.” (More Mitt Romney stories.)