Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks to members of the media after a Republican presidential debate at North Charleston Coliseum, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

(CNSNews.com) - Former Sen. Rick Santorum, seeking to distinguish himself from the another conservative in the presidential race, called Newt Gingrich a "friend" Thursday night -- but said he doesn't want a nominee "that I have to worry about...what he's going to say next."

"Grandiosity has never been a problem with Newt Gingrich. He -- he handles it very, very well" Santorum said, drawing cheers from the debate audience. "And that's really one of the issues here, folks. I mean, a month ago, he was saying that, oh, I'm -- it's inevitable that I'm going to win the election and I'm destined to do it.

"I don't want a nominee that I have to worry about going out and looking at the paper the next day and figuring out what is he -- worrying about what he's going to say next."

Santorum criticized Gingrich for suggesting that Santorum (and Perry) should drop out of the race, noting that he -- Santorum -- "eventually won" the Iowa caucuses and finished ahead of Gingrich in New Hampshire.

"Let's just be honest," Santorum said. "I mean, Newt's a friend, I love him, but at times you just got to -- you know, sort of that, you know, worrisome moment that something's going to pop. And we can't afford that in a nominee. We need someone -- I'm not the most flamboyant and I don't get the biggest applause lines here, but I'm steady. I'm solid. I'm not going to go out and do things that you're going to worry about. I'm going to be out there and I'm going to make Barack Obama the issue in this campaign."

Santorum was cheered for that comment.

Gingrich, in response, told Santorum, "You're right: I think grandiouse thoughts. This is a grandiose country of big people doing big things, and we need leadership prepared to take on big projects."

Santorum credited Gingrich with having "grandiose ideas and grandiose projects." But he said Gingrich falls short on executing those projects -- "which is exactly what the president of the United States is supposed to do."

Drawing on his personal experience with Gingrich, Santorum noted that "Four years into his speakership, he was thrown out by the conservatives. There was a coup against him in '03. I served with him. I was there. I knew what the problems were going on in the House of Representatives, and Newt Gingrich was leading this -- leading there. It was an idea-a-minute -- no discipline, no ability to be able to pull things together."