GOP debate: Romney tries to regain initiative
By Michael Kranish
Globe Staff
MANCHESTER, N.H. _ Mitt Romney sought to seize back the initiative in his presidential campaign tonight, using a final Republican debate and a meeting with voters to hammer at rivals John McCain and Mike Huckabee on taxes and other issues. But with just two days before the crucial New Hampshire primary, McCain struck back, charging that Romney has "changed his position on almost every major issue," while Huckabee said Romney was making misleading attacks.
After a day of campaigning, the Republican candidates held their second debate in two nights and tussled repeatedly over taxes, always a central issue in the first-primary state. Romney charged that McCain opposed President Bush's tax cuts and "continues to believe that was the right vote to take." McCain responded that he wanted to couple tax cuts with spending cuts in order to stop what he called unnecessary spending.
Romney then went after Huckabee on taxing and spending, repeatedly asking the former Arkansas governor to admit that he raised taxes in Arkansas by a net $500 million over 10 years. When Huckabee declined to respond directly, Romney interjected, "You know, Mike, you make facts faster than you talk." Huckabee answered that his record should be put in perspective. He said he cut taxes and that voters approved a tax to pay for roads and that court order on school funding required higher taxes.
"It is not about the politics of saying `I never raised a tax.' It is about `I made government work,' " said Huckabee, who won Iowa's Republican caucuses on Thursday.
The two other candidates also tangled on the issue, with Rudy Giuliani defending his tax record as former mayor of New York City and former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee defending his plan to save Social Security, which would cut now-planned benefits for future retirees.
Romney was put on the defensive about his prior statement that he doesn't need to be a foreign policy expert in order to be president. Romney responded that his leadership experience is more important, but McCain said that his work on foreign policy and national security would make him better qualified to lead.
Change of Heart
I love John Mccain
but he can be too much of
a wise a-s for my taste.
and he mismanaged his campaign funds
over this past summer.
Mitt Romney can pay the bills
he ran a successful business
and America's Business is Business
what's so bad about being a business man anyways?
and that's all the change i need!
good luck Mitt Romney in New Hampshire
Credibility is THE issue; The Change we want is to believe our political leaders.
Our political leader’s utter loss of credibility makes the solution to most of America’s toughest problems unreachable. When most anyone in power speaks you just can’t believe them. Over and over they parse words. The reason everyone is turning on Mitt is not the religion or even just the flipping, it’s because he lacks credibility across the board. Obama is winning because he is more credible than the Clintons. He can’t beat Obama because Obama is more credible hands down. If somehow he could beat any Democrat, I simply can stand the idea or another 4 years of dishonesty. America can’t stand this. Our world wide prestige took a huge hit from this when with the events of 9/11 we should have had a bank of goodwill. It was simply because of credibility. Mitt simply is not authentic.
Mitt is fabricated. Last night he even said he never claimed that McCain wanted Amnesty. Does he think we are suckers? Do you think he will get more honest once elected? John McCain and the other are authentic. What separates McCain from the others is experience and a demonstration of courage under fire.
NH won’t be bought. Return credibility to our government. Vote McCain with me on January 8th.
Fox did everything they can do to prop up Willard. This is bad for Republicans and wont get them in the Whitehouse.
The questions setup Mitt to dominate and gave him a pass on all his credibility issues. Mitt will not become more honest when elected.
I am one NH Independent voting McCain and I will work to bring everyone I know. We need McCain for America more than the Republican establishment needs to control the party by promoting someone with no content.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7y1HMZNJy0&NR=1
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Romney_wasnt_aware_what_his_TV_0106.html
I agree that credibility is the issue.
But, it's not what you say, it's what you DO that defines your credibility.
McCain has voted for a living. His main pieces of legislation that were supposed to be the crowning glory of his career were McCain-Feingold and a bill that lets illegals stay in the states until their citizenship papers go through. Talk about out of touch.
But what has Romney done? Only rescued everything he ever met that was in trouble. Olympics, Businesses, and Mass all have romney to thank. Romney is the turnaround artist that we need right now.
Why wasn't Miitt Romney or the others questioned on Healthcare reform? He was not a good governor and ruined our State with this chapter 58 mandate.Why wasn't he questioned about this important issue.I waited and waited and nothing.Chris Wallace came across as bias and I Think Mitt Romney is a con artist.The State of Massachusetts did not benefit from his term as governor thats for sure.
Why wasn't Miitt Romney or the others questioned on Healthcare reform? He was not a good governor and ruined our State with this chapter 58 mandate.Why wasn't he questioned about this important issue.I waited and waited and nothing.Chris Wallace came across as bias and I Think Mitt Romney is a con artist.The State of Massachusetts did not benefit from his term as governor thats for sure.
Why wasn't Miitt Romney or the others questioned on Healthcare reform? He was not a good governor and ruined our State with this chapter 58 mandate.Why wasn't he questioned about this important issue.I waited and waited and nothing.Chris Wallace came across as bias and I Think Mitt Romney is a con artist.The State of Massachusetts did not benefit from his term as governor thats for sure.
Type your comment here...
I agree we need a business man in charge. I think there are many terrible problems facing us--- but we need to change our fiscal mess. If we fall it will because we've bankrupted ourselves. Social Security, huge deficits, banking industry, oil dependency. I also believe we will be more credible in the world when we are financially credible. I like McCain but he has not done this with all those years of experience. Mitt has repeatedly. On attacks at least his are political not personal.
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