Mitt Romney Predicts Gas Prices Will Stay High

Mitt Romney predicted Friday morning that gas prices were unlikely to drop dramatically, taking an indirect hit at Newt Gingrich, who's promised to lower the cost to $2.50 a gallon if he were to become president.

In speaking with New Orleans radio host Tommy Tucker, Romney clarified a 2006 comment that gas prices would probably remain high. "Of course, gasoline prices are high and have stayed high over the years, and I'm not predicting they're going to go down to $2 a gallon," Romney said.

"I mean, I know there are some who think that's possible -- anything's possible in this world. But I think gasoline prices are going to be high," Romney said. "However, they don't have to be as high as we're seeing under this president if we develop our own energy resources and provide them to the refiners."

Romney said that drilling and using natural gas resources in the United States would have a "moderating effect" on gas prices, but "I'm not going to predict they're going to go down to nice, low levels that we'd all hope for."

Gingrich has argued that a drop in natural gas prices shows that oil prices could be similarly lowered.