Rough Day for Romney — Flip-Flopper Charges Come From All Sides
With the days dwindling until the leadoff primaries and caucuses in New Hampshire and Iowa, Mitt Romney found himself fending off flip-flopping charges Saturday on both political fronts.
The Concord Monitor in New Hampshire, which doesn’t formally endorse candidates until after Christmas, posted an editorial Saturday on its Web site urging voters to reject Romney, saying he’s like a “Republican presidential candidate from a kit,” and “surely must be stopped.”
Meanwhile, American Right to Life Action — a political committee known as a 527 – launched a TV ad in Iowa ridiculing the former Massachusetts governor for changing his position on abortion.
In response to the editorial, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said in a statement Saturday that “The Concord Monitor has a very liberal editorial board. (Republican New Hampshire Sen.) Judd Gregg speaks for a lot of conservative Republicans in New Hampshire, and he thinks Mitt Romney is the best person to cut taxes, control spending and strengthen the American economy.”
Click here to read the Concord Monitor editorial.
The editorial attempted to paint a portrait of two Romneys: Romney, the governor, and Romney, the presidential candidate.
“If you followed only his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, you might imagine Romney as a pragmatic moderate with liberal positions on numerous social issues and an ability to work well with Democrats,” the article said. “If you followed only his campaign for president, you’d swear he was a red-meat conservative, pandering to the religious right, whatever the cost. Pay attention to both, and you’re left to wonder if there’s anything at all at his core.”
The 527 ad latched on to similar themes, saying he “magically became pro-life” after previously pledging to protect a woman’s right to choose.
Click here to see the American Right to Life Action ad.
Asked at a stop in New Hampshire about the ad, Romney said he didn’t know much about the group behind it.
“My record in being pro-life is very clear as the governor of Massachusetts, and my guess is that there is some group that is pulling for another candidate and is trying to find someway to go after me, and that is just the nature of politics,” he said.
Romney is battling former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for the top spot in Iowa, which holds its caucuses Jan. 3. But in New Hampshire, which holds its primary Jan. 8, Romney is suddenly facing intense competition from Arizona Sen. John McCain.
An American Research Group poll of 600 Republican and independent voters taken Dec. 16-19 showed the two tied at 26 percent in New Hampshire. The margin of error was 4 points.
FOX News’ Shushannah Walshe contributed to this report.
Yeah! We need a president who was saved when he was 10! Not one who says he is a Christian just because he diligently follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. I don’t want any other wanna be Christians ether of the thousands of “Christian” sects who teach something different from what I believe (even though my preacher teaches some things I don’t completely agree with). So what if Romney’s house is in order along with every other aspect of his life. Mike Huckabee hates Mormons just as much as I do. He will be a great president.
Why the heck is this flip flop story from Dec. 22, 2008, being linked from Romney’s Neveda win on Fox’s home page. Shame on you Fox News!
The haters of mitt romney are out. Jealous folks and mormon haters!
MITT ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT.
Comes on as a serious candidate and the Press refuses to even mention it.
Why is Fox News reporting McCain 2nd and Paul 3rd? All other news reports have Paul 2nd and McCain 3rd.
Romney has 2 lobbyist helping run his campaign. John Mcain thinks we should be in Iraq for 100 years. Neither of them will do anything to help our country in the ways that matter. On another note, i wonder how many of you who have posted are Fox Noise employees.