Romney Brushes off Talk of a Christie Candidacy

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitt Romney is brushing aside fresh speculation about whether New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will jump into the Republican presidential sweepstakes, saying "I can't decide what other folks do."

The former Massachusetts governor tells MSNBC in an interview he believes the talk of a Christie entry is all part of the glaring media spotlight on politics. He says, "You've got to find some excitement. You've got to have some intrigue."

Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry are dueling at the top of a GOP candidate field that includes one woman, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota.

In the interview, Romney says he can't control whether Christie chooses to get into the race. The New Jersey governor repeated to an audience in California Tuesday night that he wasn't planning to run.