politics

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a polarizing figure who has become a star among conservative voters for her strict opposition to illegal immigration, Sunday endorsed Mitt Romney for the GOP presidential nomination.

Brewer's backing comes as Romney holds a sizeable lead in Arizona two days before the state's primary. Announcing her endorsement on NBC's "Meet the Press," Brewer said she was drawn to Romney's candidacy because of his "pro-business background" and ability to win.

"It was a difficult decision, but I think Mitt by far is the person who can go in and win," she said.

NOT OUT OF TOUCH?

Romney defended himself against the charge that he is a member of an out-of-touch elite. He drew criticism last week when he casually mentioned during an appearance that his wife, Ann, has two Cadillacs.

"We have a car in California; we have a car back in Boston where our other home is," Romney said on Fox. "If people think there's something wrong with being successful, they should vote for the other guy."

On that issue, Romney got some assistance Sunday morning from New Jersey's Republican Governor Chris Christie, who appeared on CBS's "Face the Nation." "So he has a number of cars. Many people who've made a lot of money over time do," he said.

TAKE ON OBAMA

Both Romney and Rick Santorum, in Sunday talk show appearances, criticized President Obama for apologizing for the burning of Qur'ans by U.S. troops at Bagram Air Field near Kabul, which sparked violent protests and led to the killing of two American military advisers and the injuring of service members.

"A mistake was made -- he should not have apologized for something that wasn't done deliberately," Santorum said on ABC's "This Week." "It shows weakness." Romney, on "Fox News Sunday," said the president's apology "is very difficult for the American people to countenance."

Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," Robert Gibbs, a senior adviser to the Obama campaign, said Obama is trying to "defuse the tension that's there" so that Afghanistan does not become a "safe haven" for Al-Qaida.

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