text: Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is the latest GOP presidential hopeful to announce he will not be participating in the December 27th debate schedule to be moderated by Donald Trump. 
   
   Tuesday afternoon, Romney told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto that, without a doubt, he will not be a part of that debate. 
   
   no, I’m not participating. We have two debates in December I have agreed to participate in. The rest of the month is going to be spent campaigning, doing the political work you have to do to get the support of people in Iowa and New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, so we’ll be hitting the trail. I spoke with Donald Trump earlier today and indicated that we just can’t make this debate and we foe cuts on the other two we’ve got and some campaigning. 
   
   “He understood my perspective and wished me well,” Romney added. 
   
   “It wasn’t more colorful than that?” Cavuto wanted to know. 
   
   Have a look at the segment, via Fox News: ||||| December 06, 2011 
   
   Mitt Romney said that he called Donald Trump to tell him that he will not be participating in the Trump-moderated debate that was proposed for late December.Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman have also declined. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have confirmed their attendance.
target: – More time for the Donald to voice his views: Mitt Romney says he will skip the GOP debate to be moderated by Trump later this month, notes the Political Wire blog. He joins Jon Huntsman and Ron Paul in turning down the event, though they did so with more fireworks. Romney announced the move on Neil Cavuto's show on Fox, saying he couldn't cram it in on top of two other debates in December and a heavy campaign schedule, notes Mediaite. "I spoke with Donald Trump earlier today and indicated that we just can’t make this debate," he said. "We're going to focus on the other two we’ve got and on some campaigning." Romney said Trump understood and "wished me well." So far, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have accepted the invitation.