Mitt, McCain intensify fight
In his quest to get Florida's 57 Republican delegates, Romney took his "Economic Turnaround" tour to three businesses and a living room to explain how he wants to get the economy back on track. Meanwhile McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee also held events in the state.
McCain, a Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war playing to his military experience, accused Romney of wanting to withdraw troops from Iraq — which Romney immediately denied.
McCain said, "If we surrender and wave a white flag, like Senator Clinton wants to do, and withdraw, as Governor Romney wanted to do, then there will be chaos, genocide, and the cost of American blood and treasure would be dramatically higher."
Romney called McCain's statement "dishonest" and asked for an apology.
"It's fine for him to express his view on different topics, and I know he's trying desperately to change the topic from the economy and trying to get back to Iraq. But to say something that's not accurate is simply wrong, and he knows better," Romney said, standing on the lawn of the Guenette family's home in Land O' Lakes.
The couple said rising gas prices have forced them to cut back on savings, including putting money into college funds for their children. Romney said that if elected, his idea of eliminating taxes on savings for those making under $200,000 a year would help them. Romney also used the opportunity to continue to push for innovation, saying newer, more fuel-efficient and electric cars coming out of Michigan could help lower their gas bills in the future.
Romney won the Michigan primary earlier this month, also by focusing on the economy and saying he wanted to rejuvenate the state's auto industry. Romney used Saturday's sit-down to discuss the housing market, health-care costs and retirement plans.
The photo-op at the Guenette house came between stops at factories, where Romney touted his plan to give businesses a bigger tax break to make investments for such things as new machines or updated technology. He continued to play up his status as a Washington outsider and businessman, tying McCain's long tenure in the Senate to his overall "Washington is broken" theme.
Recent comments
Mitt Romney earned his millions fair and square, honestly, by his...
Re: Mitt, the Invincible | Jan. 31, 2008 at 8:05 p.m.
dcc -
couldn't happen to a nicer group of people.
Anonymous | Jan. 31, 2008 at 4:35 p.m.
I love watch Republicans turn on each other.
dcc | Jan. 31, 2008 at 4:34 p.m.
