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http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/romney/2008/01/31/69077.html
Romney Says McCain Used Nixon-Like Tactic
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused his rival John McCain
of adopting underhanded tactics from Richard Nixon, the GOP president who
resigned in disgrace.
"I don't think I want to see our party go back to that kind of campaigning,"
Romney said in his most pointed rebuttal yet to front-runner McCain's claim
that the former Massachusetts governor favors a timetable for withdrawing
troops from Iraq. Romney denies this charge and most media analyses have
disputed it.
McCain's decision to level the timetable charge during the Florida primary
before Romney could rebut it "was reminiscent of the Nixon era," Romney
said. McCain ended up winning the Florida contest Tuesday.
Despite the incendiary reference to Nixon, Romney said of McCain: "I think
he's a man of character." But he added: "I think he took a sharp detour off
the `Straight Talk Express,'" _ the name of the Arizona senator's campaign
bus.
A prominent Romney surrogate, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of
Illinois, also chimed in Thursday with a reference to McCain's own scandal
history. Hastert told reporters that he had worked with McCain on
legislation early in his congressional career but "after the Keating Five
scandal, he changed." By contrast, Hastert said Romney has "never been
involved in scandal."
McCain was one of five senators involved in the Keating Five
savings-and-loan scandal. The Senate Ethics Committee cited McCain for "poor
judgment" but recommended no further action.
Both camps readied ad campaigns for the Super Tuesday contests in 21 states.
Both called the buys significant, but it was not immediately clear just how
far-reaching they would be.
At this point, Romney is preparing to run between $2 million and $3 million
for five days of ads in most media markets in California and either on cable
channels or local networks targeted to other key states, according to aides
with knowledge of the deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity
because the plans were not final.
McCain aides said he, too, was preparing to run a high volume of commercials
on national cable channels and in key states.
But was no immediate dollar figure for McCain's buys and no detail on where
Romney's spending will land. A substantial weeklong broadcast campaign
throughout California can cost $3 million or more. Running ads coast to
coast is even more expensive, so both campaigns were choosing states or
districts they think they can win.
Romney is trying to get back on track after two losses to McCain in South
Carolina and Florida. The Florida victory gave McCain a lead in the delegate
count as well as the momentum in the GOP race.
After seven contests, Romney is down 83-59, with 1,191 delegates needed for
the nomination and 1,023 at stake Tuesday.
California offers 170 delegates Tuesday; candidates are awarded three for
each congressional district they win. McCain is leading in California polls,
but Romney aides think he can win some districts.
Romney will run an ad in California starting Friday in which he portrays
himself as the Republican most able to take on Hillary Rodham Clinton, the
Democratic front-runner.
"She hasn't run a corner store. She hasn't run a state. She hasn't run a
city," Romney says in the ad. "I have spent my life running things. I've
learned how to run a business. I've learned how to run a state. I ran the
Olympics. In each case I've brought change."
Romney's strategy calls for seeking votes in states with heavy
concentrations of Romney's fellow Mormons: California, Arizona, and Utah,
home of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Romney, trying to become the first Mormon elected president, will attend the
funeral of the church President Gordon B. Hinckley on Saturday in Utah. He
will also campaign Friday in Colorado, followed by visits to Minnesota,
Illinois and Missouri, key midwestern battlegrounds. In Missouri, a classic
swing state, Romney enjoys the strong support of Gov. Matt Blunt.
Also on the tentative schedule were Tennessee and Georgia, Southern states
where Romney has shown strength. Romney was likely to bypass delegate-rich
New York and New Jersey after former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani decided to
drop out of the race and support McCain.
Romney's home state of Massachusetts also votes Tuesday. His campaign
tentatively planned to receive the Super Tuesday returns there. If he were
to fail, Boston would be the most likely sight of his campaign goodbye.
Along with targeted ads, McCain is planning to rely on momentum and "free"
news coverage that comes with it by holding rallies and news conferences in
California and big winner-take-all delegates states, including New York and
Illinois. McCain picked up the endorsement of California Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger on Thursday, an event sure to garner loads of publicity.
With winner-take-all states his first priority, McCain's tentative travel
schedule calls for him to travel coast to coast for general-election style
rallies in Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts,
New Jersey and New York.
Romney Says McCain Used Nixon-Like Tactic
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused his rival John McCain
of adopting underhanded tactics from Richard Nixon, the GOP president who
resigned in disgrace.
"I don't think I want to see our party go back to that kind of campaigning,"
Romney said in his most pointed rebuttal yet to front-runner McCain's claim
that the former Massachusetts governor favors a timetable for withdrawing
troops from Iraq. Romney denies this charge and most media analyses have
disputed it.
McCain's decision to level the timetable charge during the Florida primary
before Romney could rebut it "was reminiscent of the Nixon era," Romney
said. McCain ended up winning the Florida contest Tuesday.
Despite the incendiary reference to Nixon, Romney said of McCain: "I think
he's a man of character." But he added: "I think he took a sharp detour off
the `Straight Talk Express,'" _ the name of the Arizona senator's campaign
bus.
A prominent Romney surrogate, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of
Illinois, also chimed in Thursday with a reference to McCain's own scandal
history. Hastert told reporters that he had worked with McCain on
legislation early in his congressional career but "after the Keating Five
scandal, he changed." By contrast, Hastert said Romney has "never been
involved in scandal."
McCain was one of five senators involved in the Keating Five
savings-and-loan scandal. The Senate Ethics Committee cited McCain for "poor
judgment" but recommended no further action.
Both camps readied ad campaigns for the Super Tuesday contests in 21 states.
Both called the buys significant, but it was not immediately clear just how
far-reaching they would be.
At this point, Romney is preparing to run between $2 million and $3 million
for five days of ads in most media markets in California and either on cable
channels or local networks targeted to other key states, according to aides
with knowledge of the deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity
because the plans were not final.
McCain aides said he, too, was preparing to run a high volume of commercials
on national cable channels and in key states.
But was no immediate dollar figure for McCain's buys and no detail on where
Romney's spending will land. A substantial weeklong broadcast campaign
throughout California can cost $3 million or more. Running ads coast to
coast is even more expensive, so both campaigns were choosing states or
districts they think they can win.
Romney is trying to get back on track after two losses to McCain in South
Carolina and Florida. The Florida victory gave McCain a lead in the delegate
count as well as the momentum in the GOP race.
After seven contests, Romney is down 83-59, with 1,191 delegates needed for
the nomination and 1,023 at stake Tuesday.
California offers 170 delegates Tuesday; candidates are awarded three for
each congressional district they win. McCain is leading in California polls,
but Romney aides think he can win some districts.
Romney will run an ad in California starting Friday in which he portrays
himself as the Republican most able to take on Hillary Rodham Clinton, the
Democratic front-runner.
"She hasn't run a corner store. She hasn't run a state. She hasn't run a
city," Romney says in the ad. "I have spent my life running things. I've
learned how to run a business. I've learned how to run a state. I ran the
Olympics. In each case I've brought change."
Romney's strategy calls for seeking votes in states with heavy
concentrations of Romney's fellow Mormons: California, Arizona, and Utah,
home of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Romney, trying to become the first Mormon elected president, will attend the
funeral of the church President Gordon B. Hinckley on Saturday in Utah. He
will also campaign Friday in Colorado, followed by visits to Minnesota,
Illinois and Missouri, key midwestern battlegrounds. In Missouri, a classic
swing state, Romney enjoys the strong support of Gov. Matt Blunt.
Also on the tentative schedule were Tennessee and Georgia, Southern states
where Romney has shown strength. Romney was likely to bypass delegate-rich
New York and New Jersey after former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani decided to
drop out of the race and support McCain.
Romney's home state of Massachusetts also votes Tuesday. His campaign
tentatively planned to receive the Super Tuesday returns there. If he were
to fail, Boston would be the most likely sight of his campaign goodbye.
Along with targeted ads, McCain is planning to rely on momentum and "free"
news coverage that comes with it by holding rallies and news conferences in
California and big winner-take-all delegates states, including New York and
Illinois. McCain picked up the endorsement of California Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger on Thursday, an event sure to garner loads of publicity.
With winner-take-all states his first priority, McCain's tentative travel
schedule calls for him to travel coast to coast for general-election style
rallies in Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts,
New Jersey and New York.
