McCain hits rival sharply on Iraq

Speculation grows about Romney

Senator John McCain appeared at a town hall meeting yesterday at the Opera House in Rochester, N.H. He said his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, "would rather lose a war in order to win a campaign." (Mark Wilson/Globe Staff)

ROCHESTER, N.H. - Senator John McCain yesterday launched one of his toughest attacks yet on Senator Barack Obama, saying his Democratic rival "would rather lose a war in order to win a campaign," and intensified speculation that he could name a running mate soon, heaping more praise on former rival Mitt Romney.

Asked whether he had forgiven the former Massachusetts governor for his attacks during the primary campaign, the presumptive Republican nominee told a packed town hall meeting in New Hampshire that Romney "has been a tremendous help to my campaign."

Repeating a quip that has heightened the speculation around Romney, McCain said Romney "has done a better job for me than he did for himself." McCain also sought to allay concerns that bitterness remained between them, saying the Republican Party is united and adding that "the entire Romney family has been wonderful."

Senator Lindsey O. Graham of South Carolina, a McCain confidant, added to the Romney buzz, telling The Hill newspaper in Washington yesterday: "I think he's very much a contender for the job. They have a good relationship. That's all I'll say."

Romney fought a bitter primary race against McCain in New Hampshire and elsewhere, but recently has been one of McCain's most enthusiastic surrogates and has been increasingly mentioned as a leading vice presidential possibility.

"There's a lot of guessing and speculation going on, but the fact is that Governor Romney expects to be campaigning for John McCain as a supporter and not as a member of the ticket," Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said yesterday.

While Romney is vacationing in Canada with his family this week, McCain is scheduled to meet today with another vice presidential prospect, Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, who along with Romney spent a weekend in May at McCain's ranch in Arizona.

Asked whether this was a good week to pick his running mate with Obama drawing intense media coverage overseas, McCain chuckled and told reporters, "We have the same answer we always have. . . . We'll let you know when we have an announcement."

Returning to his favorite venue, the town hall meeting, the Arizona senator reverted to the form that helped his once-moribund campaign stage a comeback and win the New Hampshire primary last January, a victory that put him on the road toward winning the Republican nomination.

"Coming back to New Hampshire is like coming home," said McCain, who frequently acknowledged the many familiar faces among the several hundred supporters at Rochester's restored Opera House as he stood before a sign that said, "New Hampshire Welcomes Back John McCain."

McCain spoke just hours after Obama held a news conference in Amman, Jordan, where the Illinois Democrat said there is growing support for his proposal to withdraw most US troops from Iraq over a 16-month period. During the visit, Iraqi officials said they would like most US troops to leave by the end of 2010, generally in line with Obama's timetable.

Obama told reporters in Jordan that he wanted to "avoid a colloquy with the McCain campaign" this week over the issue.

But McCain, aggravated by Obama's trumpeting of his pullout plan, is doing his best to stoke the debate.

In a speech interrupted numerous times by standing ovations, McCain told the audience in the town hall that Obama refuses to acknowledge that US troops might be able to come home soon because of the surge of troops that McCain supported and Obama opposed.

"We cannot let that all disappear by doing what Senator Obama wants to do," McCain said. He said Obama would risk defeat by pulling out troops before victory is assured.

"He was wrong then, he's wrong now," McCain said, adding that he wants to bring US troops home as well - but only when conditions on the ground allow.

"They will come home in honor and victory," he vowed.

Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, came to Obama's defense, ridiculing McCain's remark about Obama being willing to "lose a war" to win the White House.

"That is just ridiculous and insulting," Kerry said on MSNBC. "Of course Barack Obama wants America to be successful."

Kerry said McCain is "flailing around on Iraq" now that Iraqi officials have generally agreed to Obama's timetable.

Later in the town meeting, McCain responded to an aggressive questioner who asserted that the war and "occupation" of Iraq is illegal.

When the woman was shouted down by many in the audience, McCain came to her defense, asking that she be allowed to speak. "You obviously represent the views of many Americans, and I respect those views," McCain replied.

He insisted, however, that his policy had "succeeded in Iraq." He also sought to turn the question to his advantage, saying he did not support the war for political reasons.

"My first obligation is my country, not my political ambitions," McCain said.

When the senator allowed the woman to respond, she suggested that the United States is in Iraq to "steal their oil."

McCain responded, "In all due respect . . . that is not what Americans are fighting for."

He then let the woman speak a third time, giving her a chance to suggest that the US presence in Iraq was inflaming the Muslim world.

McCain disagreed, saying that "if we had been defeated in Iraq, the radical elements in the Muslim world would have been dramatically encouraged."

But his willingness to let her present an opposing view at length has long been a trademark of his town hall events. He then took a question from a Vietnam veteran before turning back to the woman and thanking her for the "respectful" discussion.

Michael Kranish can be reached at kranish@globe.com.