McCain Cranks Up Attacks on Romney as Fla. Polls Put Them in Dead Heat
John McCain, shown here at a national security forum in Tampa, Fla., Friday, has stepped up his attacks on rival Mitt Romney in Florida. Pictured from left to right: former Navy Secretary John Lehman; former Vice Chief of Naval Operations Jerry Johnson; McCain; former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. (AP Photo)
Just as the GOP candidates were starting to go easy on each other, John McCain cranked up the volume against his top Florida competitor, Mitt Romney, on Friday, suggesting the former venture capitalist is more of a desk jockey than a president.
Following a mostly cordial debate Thursday night in Boca Raton, McCain called a press conference Friday morning to slap down Romney’s argument that his time in the private sector makes him equipped to handle the economic problems that have Washington scrambling to head off a potential recession.
“I think everybody knows the difference between leadership and management,” McCain said. “You can hire managers all the time … leadership is people who inspire.”
Asked what he was specifically suggesting about Romney, McCain answered, “I’m suggesting Gov. Romney is touting his qualities and his experience and resume as a manager. I am telling the American people, and they know it, that I am a leader.”
McCain still defended his own economic credentials at the Florida debate, saying, “I’m very well-versed in economics. I was there at the Reagan revolution. I was there … after we enacted the first tax cuts and the restraints on spending.”
His new rhetorical tack comes as Romney swiftly catches up to him in Florida polls following McCain’s momentum building victories in South Carolina and New Hampshire. The GOP race has sharply turned from focusing on national security and illegal immigration toward the economy, a twist Romney has used to his advantage.
Even though McCain has tried to look past the primaries and cast himself as the most formidable challenger in the general election, the Tuesday vote is the last major contest before Super Tuesday Feb. 5, making it a critical opportunity to pick up steam on the road to the nomination.
Rudy Giuliani, who’s staked his campaign on Florida, has recently been idling in third in state polls. But poll averages show McCain and Romney just fractions of a point apart.
Romney is sticking to the economic argument, asserting Friday in Miami that “the only way to get America on track economically is to have a president who actually understands how the economy works.”
Promises to turn around the economy and fix a broken Washington have driven his campaign of late and were major themes before he won Michigan and Nevada.
He responded to McCain’s attacks at a rally in Pensacola, Fla., saying, “I guess Senator McCain didn’t think as positively about last night’s debate as I did.”
He ridiculed his competitor as a Washington insider who’s admitted he’s not an expert on the economy.
“That’s straight talk,” Romney said. “Now he’s engaging in Washington talk … And I’ll tell you this — somebody who’s been in the real economy, who’s created real jobs, someone who’s been on Main Street knows a lot more about the jobs and the economy of this nation than someone who’s spent his time in K Street and in Washington, DC.”
Romney headed the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and was Massachusetts governor from 2003 to 2007, but spent most of his career as a business consultant and later founded Bain Capital.
The two Florida frontrunners have started going at it in advertisements, too. The campaigns launched dueling Web ads Thursday night that mocked each other to the backdrop of the waltz “The Blue Danube,” a popular tune among political ad-makers.
Romney’s campaign put out the first hit — an ad showing McCain appearing to take contrasting positions over tax cuts.
Then the McCain campaign put out a response ad, “Mittsurfing.”
The ad shows a man windsurfing with Romney’s head superimposed on another body. It also tries to cast him as a flip-flopper, focusing again on fluctuating positions over tax cuts.
The ad was a throwback to the infamous 2004 ad from the George W. Bush campaign that showed rival John Kerry windsurfing in different directions, as the narrator mocked his allegedly shifting stances on the Iraq war.
“Mitt Romney says he’s a leader, but how do we know which direction he wants to lead? Mitt Romney seems to change positions like the wind,” the McCain ad says.
McCain also picked up the endorsement of Florida Sen. Mel Martinez Friday. Martinez was born in Cuba and his endorsement could give the Arizona senator a boost with the state’s Cuban Americans, a cross-section Giuliani was trying to court.
Giuliani still says he’s going to win Tuesday, and on Friday joined the chorus of criticism. He struck at both McCain and Romney for not supporting tax cuts consistently, and for not fully embracing a disaster relief fund that he’s been promoting.
Mike Huckabee, who won the Iowa caucuses, is polling behind Giuliani in Florida, but says he hasn’t given up on the state.
The winner of Florida’s primary on Tuesday will get 57 GOP delegates; over 1,000 more will be chosen in more than 20 primaries and caucuses a week later.
FOX News’ Shushannah Walshe, Malini Bawa and Carl Cameron and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
I believe Mitt Romney to be the best choice for President. The reason is electability. The liberal msm would have you believe the McCain is the most electable, but I think they see that Romney is truly the most electable and so they spin it. They say they run tests to prove this, but how many things has the press been right about so far? The answer is no one can predict it even if the msm wants you to believe they can. McCain is their media darling, why because he is not electable against the dems. He is not electable for the following reasons:
1. The dems will play the age card. He is getting older and health could be a big factor down the road.
2. The dems will play the dumb card as McCain graduated in the lower part of his Naval class and has little idea about the economy.
3. The dems will show his record of not turning around the problems in a broken washington.
4. The dems will show a broken family life with his philandering new trophy wife.
With Romney the only card they can play is the religion card and the so called flip-flopping which seems to be grossly twisted rhetoric. These things will backfire on the dems if they try it.
Romney is the best one suited to clean up the economy & international trade. That must be our strength first. When we have that, then our military will and can be strong.
Go Mitt 08
Has the legitimate “Washington is broken” theme of Mitt Romney’s campaign inspired the Republican establishment to rally around John McCain and his good old boy network? It is frightening that they would put forth John McCain and his left leaning policies rather than risk losing control of Washington. It seems they will do anything to prevent the rise of a candidate for change and the return of power to the people. I think it is far more important that the American people win in this election then a victory for the Republicans while compromising their principles.
John Mccain will win in november because he is a consistant conservative. The DMC has publicy stated that they are looking forward to using the flip flop ploy to easily discredit Willard (yes he changed his name too) Romney. infact the DNC is auctioning off a Mitt Romney flip flop kit on Ebay.
Mitt Romney is the best man that I could ever imagine to be our next president. But obviously Fox News wants John McCain with all the air time they continuously give him. The lead stories are often filled with shots of John McCain and interviews with those who have recently endorsed him? And, these stories are repeated constantly. Why not try interviewing Rush Limbaugh, or Sean Hannity and others who know who the best choice is namely Mitt Romney. But No, instead you, Fox News, shamefuly focus on the words of (R) Martinez a pro-illegal immigation Senator from Florida and their new moderate Governor…take a look at their recrods and you will see why they support McCain. They are clones of one another. Do we need more of these mutants?
We need a net work who will treat each candidate with reverance and not support one in particular. It isnt fair and balanced is it? You might as well call yourself NYTimesFox News.
Anyone who could ever vote for McCain hasnt examined his record carefully - and let them pay for all the social services for the illegals…social security, medical, crowded schools, etc…the list is endless…vote for a man who wants to clean up this mess and really secure the border. That is Mitt Romney. McCain has proven he cannot do this. He isnt a leader he’s just a shrinking balloon filled with hot air. Someone please give me a pin. Oh and a few extra pins please…
Gave my mother a Hillary voodoo doll. Sticking her often..where is a voodoo doll for McCain?
Great deal at less than 20 dollars! LMAO! Send it ASAP!
The very thought of putting the same “old people” in power, let a alone the White House, causes me to shake. I believe Mitt Romney gives us the best hope for change. He has a great record to prove it. We need somebody that will come in, shake things up, and then put things back in ORDER. I think this is why Obama is surging in the poles and won SC. Even liberals are tired of the old and want something new.
I am a conservative. I’m sorry, but if it comes down to it I will not vote for Mccain for President. I Believe he is a wolf in sheeps clothing. I’m not saying this in the context that he is a bad man, just that he is a liberal dressed in conservative clothing. His passed politics and hopefully not his future politics will poison the Republican party. I am slowly feeling very lonely as a Conservative Republican. I heard it once said “By their fruits ye shall know them”. I guess what I’m really saying is that I don’t like Mccains “Fruits” regardless of his promises.