SARASOTA, Fla., Jan. 26 -- Sen. John McCain of Arizona accused former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney of having once supported a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, sparking an angry demand for an apology from Romney, who called the statement "dishonest."
Both Republicans abandoned all pretense of civility as they campaigned across central Florida in advance of the state's primary Tuesday. Recent polls show a dead heat between McCain and Romney, and the winner here will gain a huge advantage as the nomination fight moves to 21 states a week later.
Stumping in Fort Myers on Saturday, McCain went on the attack first, linking Romney with Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.): "If we surrender and wave a white flag, like Senator Clinton wants to do, and withdraw, as Governor Romney wanted to do, then there will be chaos, genocide, and the cost of American blood and treasure would be dramatically higher."
He added to reporters that "one of my opponents wanted to set a date for withdrawal that would have meant disaster."
Romney, who said in April that the military should consider a "private timetable" but not public deadlines, shot back: "That's dishonest, to say that I have a specific date. That's simply wrong. . . . I know he's trying desperately to change the topic from the economy and trying to get back to Iraq, but to say something that's not accurate is simply wrong, and he knows better."
Later, Romney added that McCain's comment on Iraq is "simply wrong and it's dishonest, and he should apologize."
The heightened tension between the two men represented a climax of sorts that has been building for months as they sparred for advantage in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina. While other candidates have been in that mix, the constant has been a battle between Romney and McCain -- two men who have not become friends on the trail.
I'm rather surprised that McCain linked Romney with Senator Hillary Clinton on supporting a troop withdrawal from Iraq, resulting in Romney demanding that McCain apologize for his "dishonest" remark. It seems both candidates are beating each other senseless over the Iraq war, when American voters are shifting their worries to the economy. But McCain and Romney are focusing their fight to the hard-core conservatives that are still supporting the Bush war in Iraq.
And not is it getting nasty, but also rather fun. Going back to the WaPost article:
McCain not only refused to apologize to Romney yesterday, but at his next campaign appearance McCain lashed out at his rival, saying: "The apology is owed to the young men and women serving this nation in uniform, that we will not let them down in hard times or good. That is who the apology is owed to."
His campaign then issued a statement in which McCain said that Romney may have changed his mind on the idea of a buildup of troops in Iraq but that "the fact is, like on so many other issues, Governor Romney has hedged, equivocated, ducked and reversed himself."
Asked why he was bringing up Romney's quotes nearly a year after he made them, McCain replied, "I've been criticizing him for months." He added that it makes sense to highlight them in Florida, noting: "I'm in a state that has enormous military involvement. I'm trying to convince them that I'm best qualified to be commander in chief."
McCain has been pushing this argument that he is the best candidate for commander-in-chief and for continuing President Bush's war in Iraq, for almost two years. In fact, McCain's calls for increasing the U.S. war in Iraq had nearly doomed his campaign a year ago, when the war became prominent in the news. Now that the war has somewhat diminished in the news media, McCain's campaign has somewhat surged as he has consistently campaigned on this pro-war stance. The other candidates have had to play catch-up by stating their own pro-war stance in Iraq. But looking at the Florida polls, there is a statistical tie between McCain and Romney. And Iraq is the issue that the McCain campaign is targeting against Romney, thinking that voters will consider McCain the stronger candidate on defense issues. Continuing with the WaPost article:
McCain's emphasis on Iraq also returns the focus of the campaign to foreign policy and the military, issues that the longtime senator and military hero believe play into his strengths. Voters have said they are most concerned about the economy, a strong point for Romney, who made millions as a businessman.
The dislike between the candidates was evident on Friday, when McCain's campaign released an online-only ad featuring Romney's face superimposed on the figure of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) windsurfing -- an ad from the 2004 presidential campaign that caricatured Kerry as an inveterate flip-flopper.
In the ad, titled "Mittsurfing," an announcer asks: "Which way does Mitt Romney stand? Whichever way the wind blows."
Romney is trying to shift the emphasis of the GOP away from Iraq, and towards the economy, where Romney thinks he is the stronger of the candidate. I'm not sure if McCain's biting at Romney on the economic issues, considering the especially negative ad the McCain campaign released imposing Romney's head to John Kerry's windsurfing body. Then again, the McCain campaign may want to downplay the economic issues for the primary season, considering the bad economic news that has been coming out for January. Either way, it is certainly fun watching these two beat each other up over who is the more warmongering president.
Pass the popcorn.
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