NBC News confirms that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will make a surprise appearance today and endorse GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney this afternoon in New Hampshire before tonight's debate.

Romney and Christie will be holding a joint press conference at 3:00 pm ET.

Christie announced last week that he would not be getting into the race, and at that time said he was waiting to endorse down the road. Christie and Romney have had a good relationship for many years, but it is a surprise that it is happening so quickly.

Ironically, the endorsement comes on the heels of a recent "Saturday Night Live" skit, in which the comedian playing Christie tried to convince Republican donors to give Romney a chance.

Asbury Park Press/AP

Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) didn't lead on Sunday as to whether he'd run for president as he reviewed the National Guard in a stop in Sea Girt, N.J.

SEA GIRT, N.J. -- On a bright, clear day along the Jersey Shore, Gov. Chris Christie seemed to enjoy reviewing the National Guard here, one of his duties as New Jersey's commander in chief, but shed no light on whether he planned to seek the role of the nation's top commander.

Instead, after pinning on medals and riding in the back of an open Humvee to review several units scattered across the parade grounds, he gave a five-minute, wholly apolitical speech, in which he thanked the service members and their families for the sacrifices they have endured, and told them it was an honor to serve with them.

He also pointed out the New Jersey guard's exemplary service during Hurricane Irene. Christie accepted two gifts from the Guard -- a statuette commemorating his leadership during Irene, and a howitzer shell.

Despite shouted questions from the media during his departure, Christie chose not to answer whether he was running for president.

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Mitt Romney welcomed the potential entry of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie into the GOP race for the White House, saying "it will be fun" if he gets in, and added he'd be on a "long list" for his vice-presidential picks.

"Chris is a great friend," Romney told reporters after a town-hall meeting here at Saint Anselm College today. "Great guy, colorful character. He is a governor I'd love to see in more political settings, and who knows, maybe he'll get in. It will be fun if he got in."

Romney hailed Christie as a "remarkable leader in the Republican Party," but stopped short of inviting him aboard a potential Romney presidential ticket, saying it would be "presumptuous" to discuss vice-presidential prospects. Less than a minute later, Romney acknowledged Christie would make his list of options.

"There's a long list of people who would be considered for such a thing, but anyone would have to look at the governor of New Jersey as being a remarkable leader in the Republican Party," said Romney.

In the town hall of 250 people -- with his oversized debt clock as a backdrop -- Romney addressed perceptions and concerns that he is "a flip flopper."

"In the private sector," he said, "if you don't change your view when the facts change, well you'll get fired for being stubborn and stupid. Winston Churchill said, 'When the facts change I change too, Madam." What do you do?"

That's different from what he said a week ago, when he said he doesn't change positions.

The American people "can tell when people are being phony and are pandering to an audience," he said, "and you’ll see that in politics. You’re not going to see that in my campaign."

Romney did not address exactly which facts have changed, but has given responses on climate change this cycle.

Today he said, "I think the planet's getting warmer. I think we contribute to that -- could be a lot, could be a little."

Earlier this summer, however, he seemed to cast doubt on humans' impact: "Do I think the world's getting hotter? Yeah, I don't know that, but I think that it is. I don't know if it's mostly caused by humans."

Also today, the former Massachusetts governor also seized on David Axelrod's description of a "titanic struggle" ahead for President Obama's reelection campaign in 2012, made in the exact same venue just yesterday.

"A titanic struggle? How appropriate an adjective that is," Romney told voters. "The captain of the ship has been inattentive, otherwise occupied or asleep for most of the voyage. It's going to sink!"

Romney also casually mentioned new policies to alleviate educational costs for graduates who go into public service.

"We ought to help those people particularly, who, after college, decide to become involved in teaching or serving in our military or serving in our communities in important ways," he said. "Perhaps a very different interest rate" for those who go into those fields.

Romney will also be raising money in Boston today.

Chris Christie's brother says the New Jersey governor is still not running for president -- despite increased calls for him to enter the race and former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean lending credence to the notion that he's considering a bid.

"I'm sure that he's not going to run," said Chris Christie's brother Todd, a prominent GOP fundraiser, the (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger reports. "If he's lying to me, I'll be as stunned as I've ever been in my life."

Chris Christie delivers a speech tonight at the Reagan Library in California and has said repeatedly he would not run.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) office shot down news -- reported by Newsweek’s Bloomberg’s Jonathan Alter -- that the governor is conducting focus groups in preparation of a possible White House bid.

"It's absolutely not true," Christie spokeswoman Maria Comella told First Read.

What is true, however, is that some members of the Republican establishment -- like Karl Rove -- are unsatisfied with a GOP presidential field consisting of Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, and Michele Bachmann.

That's why the buzz around Christie and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan has grown a little bit louder in recent days. There's an opening for another Republican to get into the race. The question -- about five months until the Iowa caucuses -- is whether it's too late.

AP

Chris Christie (R-NJ) was hospitalized after experience difficulty breathing, related to asthma, his office says.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) was hospitalized with “difficulty breathing,” his office confirms to WNBC’s Brian Thompson.

Here’s a statement from Christie Press Secretary Michael Drewniak:

"Governor Christie was having difficulty breathing this morning and out of an abundance of caution he went to Somerset Medical Center to be checked out. In line with someone dealing with asthma, he is being given routine tests as a precautionary measure. The Governor is extremely grateful for the quality of care he is receiving this morning and has nothing but praise for the world-class doctors, nurses and staff."

*** UPDATE *** Thompson has more:
While it is not known if this is an asthmatic attack at this point, a source close to the governor confirms Christie has suffered from asthma for years.

"He carries an inhaler with him," this source told NBC New York.

He also noted that the governor's weight doesn't help his health issues.

***UPDATE*** WNBC's Pat Battle has more:
The Christie team is attributing this incident to complications from asthma. He will reportedly be released this evening and will return to the state house tomorrow.

His wife, Mary Pat, is expected to attend their son's baseball game tonight, as planned.

 ***UPDATE***
Christie has left the hospital. He tells reporters he will be back to work Friday.

This morning, we wrote about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) dinner with Iowa Republican donors last night. But it was his ride to his son's baseball game -- before the dinner -- that's raising questions about his fiscal-conservative credentials.

COURTESY CHRISTOPHER COSTA/PATCH.COM

Yesterday's Newark Star-Ledger:

Gov. Chris Christie arrived at his son's baseball game this afternoon aboard a State Police helicopter.

Right before the lineup cards were being exchanged on the field, a noise from above distracted the spectators as the 55-foot long helicopter buzzed over trees in left field, circled the outfield and landed in an adjacent football field. Christie disembarked from the helicopter and got into a black car with tinted windows that drove him about a 100 yards to the baseball field.

The Wall Street Journal adds:

Use of the state helicopter is a frequent target of political gadflies, an easy way to make the chief executive seem like big spenders hopelessly out of touch with their auto-bound constituents.

Former Gov. Jim McGreevey came under fire for using the state helicopter 277 times in his first year in office, but cut back later on. The state Democratic party and other groups reimbursed New Jersey for some of his 19 helicopter trips in 2004 at a rate of $1,830 per hour... A Christie official, speaking on background Tuesday evening, said that the governor is not required to reimburse the state for his trip to the baseball game.

Some Republicans may be looking for someone to swoop in to energize the 2012 presidential field, but Chris Christie said again this morning it's not going to be him.

NBC's Lauren Selsky reports that when asked at an education forum in Washington if he will run, the Republican New Jersey governor rolled his eyes and said, emphatically, "No, I'm NOT running for president."

In November 2010, Christie even invoked suicide to stress he's not running. "Short of suicide," Christie said, "I don't really know what I'd have to do to convince you people that I'm not running."