McCain hits Romney and Clinton on Iraq war

By Sasha Issenberg and Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. -- John McCain today suggested that there was little
difference in the positions of Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton on the
Iraq war and that both would bear responsibility for catastrophic
consequences there.

"If we surrender and wave the white flag like Sen. Clinton wants to do,
and withdraw as Gov. Romney wanted to do, then there will be chaos,
genocide, and the cost in American blood and treasure will be
dramatically higher," McCain said to reporters after a town-hall
meeting here.

This week in Florida, McCain has repeated a pledge Clinton made at a
debate that she would begin pulling out troops in the first 60 days of
her presidency. Yesterday in Miami, McCain cited a remark Romney made
last April indicating he supported a timetable for withdrawal.

Told of McCain's remarks, Romney vigorously denied ever having called
for a withdrawal from Iraq and demanded an apology from McCain.

"I don't know why he's being dishonest. But that's dishonest," Romney
told reporters in Land O'Lakes. "To say that I have a specific date is
simply wrong and is dishonest and he should apologize. That is not the
case. I have never said that."

Romney accused McCain of unfairly trying to change the political discussion.

"I know he is trying desperately to change the topic from the economy
and trying to get back to Iraq but to say something that is not
accurate is simply wrong and he knows better," Romney said.