POL-santorum-romney

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum battled each other for months, trading attacks over the Massachusetts health care plan, who was the true fiscal conservative and each other's records. Now the one-time foes for the Republican presidential nomination are sitting down Friday in Pittsburgh not to hash over their differences, but instead to get to know each other better and discuss what role Santorum may play in helping Romney, according to Santorum aides. The two had a phone conversation when Santorum suspended his campaign on April 10, and they briefly chatted when they both spoke to the National Rifle Association meeting. No photo-op of the two hand-shaking their differences away is planned. The campaigns are trying to make sure the session is completely private. Don't expect any statements to the cameras after showing how much they now agree on. Only Romney and Santorum are expected to be in the room during the meeting, and there is no planned agenda.

POL-Santorum-Aide-Meeting

John Brabender, a senior strategist to former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum, said Friday if the ex-GOP candidate endorses his former top rival Mitt Romney it will be "in the next week or so."

POL-Santorum-Indiana-Endorsement

Former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum has made an endorsement - but it's not the one Mitt Romney may be waiting for. The former senator from Pennsylvania tweeted his support Friday for State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who is challenging the seat's long-time holder, Sen. Dick Lugar.

POL-BTN-GOP-Campaign

With Newt Gingrich's withdrawal earlier this week, the Republican presidential race is winding down. Although Ron Paul continues his quest -- all the way to the convention, he says -- Mitt Romney has turned his campaign toward President Barack Obama. Here's a look at how the GOP campaign broke down by the numbers.

POL-Jobs-Report-Politics

Hands down, it's the most important monthly economic report in the race for the White House. And April's numbers from the Labor Department didn't provide President Obama a lot to brag about.

POL-DNC-RNC-Videos

The Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee were on the attack Friday morning, armed with videos critical of the other party's presidential candidate.

POL-Republicans-React-Jobs

Both the presumptive GOP presidential nominee and the chairman of the Republican National Committee were quick to use April's unemployment numbers to criticize President Barack Obama's job on creating jobs.

POL-Graham-Marriage-Amendment

The Rev. Billy Graham, the world's best-known evangelist, has endorsed a ballot initiative to constitutionally ban gay marriage in his home state of North Carolina, a rare move for a preacher who has typically avoided political fights. North Carolinians will vote on the state's Marriage Amendment Act before North Carolina voters next Tuesday.

POL-Romney-Unemployment-Rate

Mitt Romney, slamming President Barack Obama for his performance creating jobs, said Friday any unemployment figure above 4% shouldn't be cause for celebration.

POL-Romney-Adviser-Comments

Mitt Romney said Friday his team encouraged Richard Grenell, a spokesman who resigned after less than two weeks on the job, to stay with the campaign.

POL-Romney-Delegates-Ohio

Governor Mitt Romney will drop his challenge for the four remaining delegates in Ohio, effectively giving them to Rick Santorum.

POL-Indiana-Senate-Race-Ads

With less than four days before the Indiana Senate primary, incumbent Sen. Dick Lugar and his challenger Richard Mourdock made their closing arguments in new television ads released Friday - the final spots of a long, often-times ugly nomination battle.

POL-Romney-Ohio-Letter