Circa January 2008:

“Never get into a wrestling match with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.” - Senator John McCain after reporters asked him about Mr. Romney. 

“What I have to do is make sure that my anger with a guy like Romney, whose teeth I want to knock out, doesn’t get in the way of my thought process.” - Ed Rollins Republican campaign consultant.

“[Romney] looks like the guy who fires you, not the guy who hires you.” - Mike Huckabee

“[A]nyone who tries to correct the record, somehow that is supposed to be a personal attack”. … “It just didn’t come across as authentic at all.” - Mike Huckabee 

“The glee the other candidates go after Romney with is really unique.” - Dan Schnur, Republican strategist.

“He doesn’t play by the same rules the rest of us do.” - Charlie Black, 2008 senior McCain strategist.

“But I consider these guys friends.” - Mitt Romney

(NYTimes and Politico)