Former Gov. Bill Weld said Monday that the national Republican Party is "playing on a smaller field" and that he may have been more inclined to endorse Republican presidential nominee John McCain had he selected fellow former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney as his running mate.

Weld, who endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama last week, appeared on MSNBC's Morning Joe Monday morning, shortly after Romney also appeared on the show. Weld endorsed Romney during his presidential run this year and was immediately asked if he thought McCain should have tapped Romney as his running mate.

"Well that would have been a running start," Weld said. "I think what Mitt Romney and Barack Obama have in common, and not too many people would see a common thread there, I think they both process a lot of new information and respond to conditions on the ground."

"Of course the thing I loved about Gov. Romney is he knows so much about the economy," he added.

Weld, however, dismissed criticisms of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has come under fire for polling that suggests she is no longer helping the GOP ticket.

The former governor added his endorsement of Obama had more to do with the positive characteristics he sees in Obama than anything negative about McCain.

"My endorsement of Barack Obama really has more to do with Sen. Obama then it does with Sen. McCain or the Republican Party," he said. "I just think that Sen. Obama has a kit basket of talent that I've seldom if ever seen...I think he's a once in a generation combination of extreme intelligence and great balance and calm. I just look forward to seeing that degree of calm and balance in the Oval Office."

Weld, who served as governor of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997, was also somewhat critical of the national GOP. Weld said he had concerns as far back as the early 1990s that the Republican Party was narrowing its focus, rather than expanding it.

"I think there is some indication that in this election, the Republican Party has been playing on a smaller field so, as Bill Parcells used to say, ‘let's elongate that playing field and we'll put more points on the board,'" Weld said.

Weld also said he supports governing from the middle, and advised both McCain and Obama to select three members from the opposite party for their cabinet, if elected.

On Palin, Weld said he doesn't buy the criticism that has been leveled toward her.

"I think she's fresh," he said. "I think anyone that can get themselves elected governor against all odds in a U.S. state is probably qualified to be president. She beat a very good, very well-regarded former governor to get there, when people were throwing bombs at her."