Silent Santorum ad uses Mitt Romney’s words against him

Rick Santorum has a new ad out in Michigan that uses a simple trick — quotes on a black screen — to paint Mitt Romney as a phony conservative.

The former Pennsylvania governor’s ad is hardly the first to highlight Romney’s moderate stances as governor of Massachusetts. But it comes as the two are engaged in a bitter fight in Michigan, where Santorum has a narrow lead in polls.

“I don’t line up with the National Rifle Association.”

“I will preserve and protect a women’s right to choose.”

“I’d be embarrassed if I didn’t ask for federal dollars every chance I had.”

Those are all quotes from Romney himself. “Say What?” also quotes from newspaper articles and Romney critics.

"Since Mitt Romney refuses to talk about his own liberal record - we figured we'd show people what Mitt Romney says about Mitt Romney,” Santorum spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement. “We wanted to give Governor Romney's long-held positions and statements an opportunity to be heard."

Romney spokesman Ryan Williams shot back: “Senator Santorum’s dishonest attack ad is a desperate attempt to distract from his long career in Washington and his decision to repeatedly increase the debt ceiling and his own pay.”

Santorum has bought $612,589 in cable time in Michigan through the Tuesday primary.