SWEETWATER, Fla. - Mitt Romney sought to lock up the Florida Republican primary by refusing to talk yesterday about little else but the economic jitters confronting the nation. His rivals took different tacks toward the same goal as they fanned out across the Sunshine State.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, lashed top rival John McCain for admitting less familiarity with the economy than foreign affairs, telling an earsplitting rally outside Miami: "No one needs to give me a briefing on the economy. I won't need to choose a vice president that understands the economy - because I know the economy."
A day after McCain accused him of supporting a timetable for withdrawing US troops from Iraq, Romney also told a reporter McCain was "lying" before catching himself and saying, "I'm saying he made a dishonest comment. I misspoke."
McCain defended himself at a town hall meeting in Polk City when a questioner challenged his votes in 2001 and 2003 against Bush administration tax cuts. McCain now says those tax cuts should be made permanent.
"I opposed the tax cuts because I saw no restraint in the growth of spending. We let spending get out of control," said the self-styled maverick.
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani contrasted himself with the two in both style and substance.
"Senator McCain and Governor Romney are doing such a good job of attacking each other, how about voting for somebody who's not attacking? Vote for me, Rudy Giuliani," he said while visiting the Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach. "Presidential election is not about name-calling."
In Vero Beach, he said: "I've traveled up and down the state of Florida, talked to a lot of people and listened to you. That's why I support a national catastrophe fund. I'm the only Republican candidate in this race supporting it - and I need your vote in order to accomplish it."
Polls show McCain and Romney atop the field, with Giuliani and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee lagging. At stake tomorrow are 57 delegates to the national convention, and momentum heading into the Super Tuesday contests, when more than 20 states hold nominating events on Feb. 5.
A C-Span camera crew also caught Romney saying of McCain "he's lying," before changing his wording and then returning to the reporter who had asked him about McCain's criticism on Saturday. "Make sure you correct that, OK?" Romney said.
McCain made one stop with Governor Charlie Crist, a fellow Republican who endorsed him Saturday night. They greeted diners at a Tampa cafe.
"I think it's going to give us momentum in order for us to win next Tuesday," McCain said of Crist's backing.
Before hitting Florida's streets, Romney, McCain, Giuliani, and Huckabee took advantage of the free media available to them on the Sunday morning talk shows.
Giuliani, who appeared on "Face the Nation" on CBS, acknowledged being surprised by Crist's endorsement of McCain. He also deflected a question about whether he would drop out if he loses Florida, since he previously had said the winner would become the Republican nominee.
"We're going to win in Florida," Giuliani said, laughing.
Huckabee said he was not surprised by Bill Clinton's aggressive tone toward Senator Barack Obama in recent weeks. The Illinois senator ended up routing Clinton's wife, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, in South Carolina's Democratic primary on Saturday.
"There are not two people who are better at street-fighting politics than Bill and Hillary Clinton. I've been telling people a long time, don't underestimate the scrappiness with which they'll approach this race," said Huckabee, who grew up in Bill Clinton's hometown of Hope, Ark.
