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Giuliani Speaks Out On Potential Romney VP Picks

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- As speculation continues to grow over who Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will choose as his running mate, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani weighed in on who he thinks is qualified for the job.

Speaking Thursday on "CBS This Morning," Giuliani said he prefers Sen. Marco Rubio from Florida.

"Marco Rubio is more qualified than President Obama was when President Obama ran for president," he said.

Giuliani, who ran against Romney in the 2008 Republican presidential primary, said Rubio "adds the element of outreach to the Hispanic vote and outreach to young people."

"The party needs help in both of those areas," he said.

In addition to Rubio, there are several others who are considered top contenders for Romney's VP.

Among them, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty from Minn., Sen. Rob Portman from Ohio, Rep. Paul Ryan from Wis., Gov. Bobby Jindal from La., and Gov. Bob McDonnell from Va., to name of few.

One of the names most talked about for VP is New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Mitt Romney and NJ Gov. Chris Christie
Gov. Chris Christie endorses Mitt Romney in January 2012 (credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)

Christie endorsed Romney last year and has been traveling around the country campaigning for the Republican candidate ever since.

At a New Jersey fundraising event in June, Romney praised Christie, telling a crowd of about 200 people that the Garden State's governor "really is something."

Romney has also called Christie an "extraordinary person" and "one of the leading figures in the Republican party."

But while Christie's name has been floating around as potential vice presidential pick for some time, he has said he's not even expecting to be asked.

"I have no idea who Mitt Romney's going to pick," he said last month. "Do I look like a vice president? I don't know."

While it's still unclear who Romney will pick as his running mate and when, there are clues that a decision may not be far away.

On Tuesday, Romney tweeted "Soon, I'll be announcing my choice for VP."

Romney is in New York Thursday for fundraising events before heading on a bus trip through battleground states.

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