Yeah Mitt, that's the way to cry.
Posted on 01/31/2008 1:51:45 PM PST by fallingwater
Mitt Romney compared rival John McCain with late President Richard Nixon Thursday, accusing McCain of persistently misrepresenting Romney’s position on the Iraq war for political gain in a style “reminiscent of the Nixon era.”
Romney’s sharp criticism spilled over from the GOP debate in California the night before, where he said McCain was resorting to old-style “dirty tricks” by claiming Romney supported a timetable for troop withdrawal.
Romney’s campaign announced Thursday it would be going on air in several major states voting Feb. 5, when 21 states hold GOP contests.
McCain leveled the troop-withdrawal charge the weekend before Tuesday’s Florida primary, which he won, and repeated it at the debate. But Romney has persistently said he does not support a timetable for withdrawal.
“I think he took a sharp detour off the straight-talk express by stooping to the attack he did, and then of course by him continuing to say it is a very strange thing. And as I mentioned last night, every independent voice that I’ve seen has pointed out that what he’s done is disingenuous and not honorable,” Romney said in Long Beach, Calif., Thursday.
“Had he a question about this he could have raised it any time between April and now, but to raise it outside a debate and to do it … to people in Florida was something reminiscent of the Nixon era and I don’t think I want to see our party go back to that kind of campaigning. “
Romney is locked in a taut contest with McCain, and is trying to derail the Arizona senator’s mounting momentum off his wins in Florida, South Carolina and New Hampshire.
(Excerpt) Read more at youdecide08.foxnews.com ...
“I would say that Senator McCain has, over his career in Washington, demonstrated in very remarkable ways strong leadership, which has tended to be his most notable accomplishments, leadership … for liberal causes,” he said, citing his immigration reform package and other legislation. “I’m not calling him a liberal, but I’m saying those particular accomplishments were liberal.”
At Wednesday’s debate, Romney blasted McCain’s conservative credentials and said that by repeating the charge about troop withdrawal his rival was turning to “dirty tricks that I think Ronald Reagan would have found reprehensible.”
The debate was held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., where the site’s namesake was frequently invoked.
“I have never, ever supported a specific timetable” for withdrawing troops, Romney said.
McCain stuck to his guns, saying, “of course he said he wanted a timetable” for a withdrawal. Last April, Romney said U.S. and Iraqi leaders “have to have a series of timetables and milestones that they speak about” in private.
But Romney said he was not calling for a specific withdrawal date.
“It’s simply wrong, and the senator knows it,” he said. “I will not pull our troops out until we have brought success in Iraq.”
FOX News’ Shushannah Walshe and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Well, that ought to get his dander up.
This crap has got to stop.
It’s taking away from my Hillary Hating Time.
Yeah Mitt, that's the way to cry.
Good for Mitt. At least with Mitt we will have a good communicator who won’t stand by and let the RATS attack. McCain will just give them a big, wet kiss.
Choir Boys Need Not Apply for the Republican Nomination.
I do think Romney is being slandered by McCain, but this is not a bean bag toss here.
Myth Romney 2007 campaign's dirty tricks included phoney State Troopers caught in two states
before he was caught using push polls, fake and deceptive stories to the Press about others,
and other dirty tricks on a daily basis.
FAKE TROOPER (and Chief of Operations)
More here - Romney aide is the focus of probe
Romney aide accused of faking badges
Romney aide’s bogus badges: Sources detail ‘illegal’ security tactic
" Boston Herald - Friday, July 20, 2007
In an apparent violation of the law, a controverisal aide to ex-Gov. Mitt Romney
created phony law enforcement badges that he and other staffers used on the campaign trail
to strong-arm reporters, avoid paying tolls and trick security guards
into giving them immediate access to campaign venues, sources told the Herald.
“They (the aides) knew the badges were fake and probably illegal,”
said a presidential campaign source who asked for anonymity
because the story could damage the individual’s career.
Two additional sources confirmed that the badges - described as bright silver plates with a state seal attached -
were first created and used by Garrity while Romney was still governor."
Why raise the dishonorable, back stabbing old devil to the level of Nixon. He’s not fit to lick the soles of Nixon’s shoes.
I’ll vote for the “R” who ever it is. Until then it’s all “D” for drama. More popcorn!
To a great extent I couldn’t care if Hitler was President.
There are greater, long cycle trends going on, way stronger than any of these political clowns.
They are not that important.
I like that.
Is Mitt threatening the people with an Ed Muskie, Part II?
Below is a CNN transcript of the exchange. If Romney said “Nixon” or “Nixon era” I can’t find it. I watched the debate, Idon’t remember him using the words then either. Therefore Fox has a misleading headline and the writer is putting words in Romney’s mouth. Be that as it may, Romney was right. McCain was misquoting him and twisting his words. To put it frankly, McCain got caught in a lie.
.............................................................
COOPER: Let’s talk about foreign policy. You’re all going to be able to weigh in on the question of Iraq.
(APPLAUSE)
Let’s go right now to Janet for the first question.
HOOK: Yes. I’d like to start with Governor Romney.
Obviously, Iraq is still a major issue in this campaign, and over the last few days there’s been a real back-and-forth going on here. Senator McCain has said over and over again that you supported a timetable for a phased withdrawal from Iraq.
Is that true?
ROMNEY: Absolutely, unequivocal — if I can get that word out — unequivocably, absolutely no. I have never, ever supported a specific timetable for exit from Iraq.
ROMNEY: And it’s offensive to me that someone would suggest that I have.
And I have noted that everyone from Time magazine to Bill Bennett over there to actually CNN’s own analysts, he said it was a lie and it’s absolutely wrong.
I do not support that, never have. We’ve had — we’ve — and Senator McCain pointed to an interview I had back in April with ABC, when I said that our president and their prime minister should have timetables and milestones.
We have timetables and milestones for progress that we’re making together. But I never suggested a date specific to withdraw and, were to give you a date specific for withdrawal, would you, Senator, veto it?” I said I’d veto it.
I’m opposed to setting a specific date for withdrawal. By the way, we’ve had, since that time, 10-12 debates. Senator McCain never raised that question in any of those debates.
If he ever wondered what my position was, he could have raised it. I instead have pointed out time and time again, and let me make it absolutely clear again tonight, I will not pull our troops out until we have brought success in Iraq, and that means, for me, that we do not have safe havens for al Qaeda or Hezbollah or anyone else, that our troops have secured the population from that kind of threat, that they will not have safe havens from which they could launch attacks against us.
And if there’s any misunderstanding, those words should make it perfectly clear, as have every single debate that I’ve attended...
COOPER: Senator...
ROMNEY: ... 15 debates. I do not propose nor have I ever proposed a public or secret date for withdrawal. It’s just simply wrong.
And by the way, raising it a few days before the Florida primary, when there was very little time for me to correct the record, when the date of withdrawal,” sort of falls in the kind of dirty tricks that I think Ronald Reagan would have found to be reprehensible.
(APPLAUSE)
COOPER: Senator McCain, tough words.
MCCAIN: Well, of course, he said he wanted a timetable. Before that, we have to understand that we lost the 2006 election and the Democrats thought that they had a mandate. They thought they had a mandate to get us out of Iraq.
And I was prepared to sacrifice whatever was necessary in order to stand up for what I believed in.
Now, in December of 2006, after the election, Governor Romney was won’t weigh in. I’m a governor.”
At the time, he didn’t want to weigh in because he was a governor, I was out there on the front lines with my friends saying, “We not only can’t withdraw, but we’ve got to have additional troops over there in order for us to have a chance to succeed.”
Then in April, April was a very interesting year (sic) in 2007. That’s when Harry Reid said the war is lost and we’ve got to get out. And the buzzword was “timetables, timetables.”
Governor, the right answer to that question was “no,” not what you said, and that was we don’t want to have them lay in the weeds until we leave and Maliki and the president should enter into some kind of agreement for, quote, “timetables.”
“Timetables” was the buzzword for the...
ROMNEY: Why don’t you use the whole quote, Senator?
MCCAIN: ... withdrawal. That...
ROMNEY: Why don’t you use the whole quote? Why do you insist on...
MCCAIN: I’m using the whole quote, where you said “I won’t”...
ROMNEY: ... not using the actual quote? That’s not what I said.
MCCAIN: The actual quote is, “We don’t want them to lay in the weeds until we leave.” That is the actual quote and I’m sure...
ROMNEY: What does that mean?
MCCAIN: ... fact-checkers —
ROMNEY: What is the meaning?
MCCAIN: It means a timetable until we leave.
ROMNEY: Listen, Senator, let’s...
COOPER: Let me jump in, because the quote that I have...
ROMNEY: Is it not fair — is it not fair to have the person who’s being accused of having a position he doesn’t have be the expert on what his position is?
How is it that you’re the expert on my position, when my position has been very clear?
(APPLAUSE)
I’ll tell you, this is...
MCCAIN: I’m the expert. I’m the expert on this. When you said...
ROMNEY: This is the kind — this is the kind — this is...
MCCAIN: ... “I won’t weigh in. I’m a governor.” You couldn’t weigh in because you were a governor...
ROMNEY: That’s a separate point.
MCCAIN: ... back when we were having the fight over it.
ROMNEY: That’s a separate point.
MCCAIN: The fact is...
ROMNEY: That’s a separate point.
MCCAIN: ... that I have fought for this surge. I have said we need to have this succeed. I know the situation in Iraq and I am proud to have supported this president and supported the fact that we are succeeding in Iraq today.
ROMNEY: There’s...
MCCAIN: If we had done — if we had waited and laid in the weeds until we leave, then al Qaeda would have won and we would be facing a disastrous situation in the...
COOPER: There’s two separate issues being discussed...
MCCAIN: ... today.
COOPER: ... and I just want to clarify both of them. First of all...
MCCAIN: These are...
COOPER: ... Senator McCain...
MCCAIN: ... quotes that I am giving you that are direct quotes.
COOPER: So, Senator McCain, the quote is from Governor Romney on GMA that you’ve been quoting. The actual quote is, “Well, there’s no question that the president and Prime Minister al-Maliki have to have a series of timetables and milestones”...
MCCAIN: Timetables and milestones.
COOPER: ... “that they speak about, but those shouldn’t be for public pronouncement. You don’t want the enemy to understand how long they have to wait in the weeds until you’re going to be gone.”
MCCAIN: You don’t have to...
COOPER: He does not say he is supporting a withdrawal.
MCCAIN: ... wait until the enemy lays in the weeds until we leave. That means that we were leaving.
COOPER: It’s open to interpretation.
MCCAIN: If we weren’t leaving, how could the enemy lay in the weeds?
(CROSSTALK)
ROMNEY: Senator, if you have question on this, if you have a question on this, you can just ask it.
MCCAIN: I’m sorry you did not have — could not weigh in as governor on the surge when it was the critical issue. And I’m sorry...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: ... so let me just allow you to respond to the issue of the going to be gone, laying in the weeds question.
MCCAIN: Timetables was the buzzword for those that wanted to get out.
COOPER: OK.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: And you’re saying, point blank, you did not want to get out then. What did you mean by that statement?
ROMNEY: That we have a series of timetables and milestones for working on the progress that they’re making, the progress we’re making, the rule of law, what their soldiers are doing, what our soldiers are doing.
COOPER: OK.
ROMNEY: How many troops they’re able to recruit, how well the following question, “do you have a specific time, would you support Congress if they gave you a specific time?” I said “absolutely not.”
COOPER: Let me — OK, on the...
ROMNEY: By the way, this has been around. If this was a question, it could have been raised in April or May.
COOPER: On the second issue...
ROMNEY: But it was raised...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: I want to give you an opportunity...
MCCAIN: It was raised many times. I raised it many times, as to whether you have the experience and the judgment to lead this country in the war against radical Islamic extremism. I’ve raised that many times.
ROMNEY: Senator McCain...
MCCAIN: And I will continue to raise it.
COOPER: I want to give you, Governor Romney...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: ... a chance to respond to the other accusation.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: All right. Let’s just focus on this, the second one, which is the issue that Senator McCain raised, which was actually back in the surge, when you were a governor, and you did say you would not take a position.
This was in January — excuse me — December of 2006. Two months later, you announced you were running for president.
Why two months before you were running for president were you not willing to take a position on supporting or not supporting a surge?
ROMNEY: Look, as governor of the state, there are a lot of issues of a federal nature that I didn’t take a position on. I was running a state. My responsibility was for running a state. When I became a governor, I took a whole series of positions on national issues. That’s normal and natural.
With regard to the surge, the briefing that I received — I received an early briefing from Fred Kagan on the size of our military. After I received that, I said I support increasing our military by at least 100,000. And then just prior to the president’s announcement of the surge, I spoke again with Fred Kagan, and he laid out the philosophy of the surge, his vision for it. As you know, many consider him one of the authors of the surge idea. And when he gave me that report, I met with my staff and announced that day that I supported a surge. The president announced later that day the entire program.
So I supported it as a candidate for president, No. 1.
No. 2, with regards to this idea that I favor a specific date for withdrawal — I do not. We’ve had, I believe since that interview that the senator quotes, we’ve had 10 or 12 debates. He’s never raised that issue with me. He’s never said, “are you for a date specific?” had, I said I will not leave Iraq until we have secured Iraq, make sure it will never become a safe haven.
And what’s interesting here is it’s an attempt to do the Washington-style old politics, which is lay a charge out there, regardless of whether it’s true or not, don’t check it, don’t talk to the other candidate, just throw it out there, get it in the media and the stream.
There’s not a single media source that I’ve seen that hasn’t said it wasn’t reprehensible. Even the New York Times said it was wrong. The Washington Post — they endorsed you — The Washington Post gave you three Pinocchios for it. It’s simply — it’s simply wrong, and the senator knows it.
COOPER: I want to give, Senator, final comment on this subject, and then we have a lot more about Iraq that we are going to talk to the other candidates about as well.
(CROSSTALK)
MCCAIN: ... in the debate. It wasn’t — it wasn’t — and when he said what he said in December, it was after the election. President Bush fired Rumsfeld, and we announced that we are going to have a new strategy. That was the critical time.
Timetables was the buzzwords. Timetables were the ones.
And as far as Washington politics is concerned, I think my friend Governor Huckabee, sir, will attest the millions of dollars of attack ads and negative ads you leveled against him in Iowa, the millions of dollars of attack ads you have attacked against me in New Hampshire, and have ever since.
A lot of it is your own money. You’re free to do with it what you want to. You can spend it all. But the fact is that...
(LAUGHTER)
... your negative ads, my friend, have set the tone, unfortunately, in this campaign.
I say to you again: The debate after the election of 2006 was whether we were going to have timetables for withdrawal or not. Timetables were the buzzword. That was the Iraq Study Group. That was what the Democrats said we wanted to do.
Your answer should have been no.
COOPER: I want to go to Jim VandeHei with a question for, I believe, Congressman Paul.
“this is not a bean bag toss here.”
You’re absolutly right.
Romney needs to quit taking it and start dishin. (I love a down and dirty political battle)
Only liberal Democrats would talk about Nixon like this.
The media hated Nixon with more passion than they hate Bush.
Anything you have ever heard about Nixon from the media is a big fat lie.
Mitt is revealing his true self here. He is a Nixon-hater clone who cannot be trusted with any truth.
Romney made a mistake here. He should have accused McCain of CLINTON tactics.
Seriously, these guys lack the instincts of a conservative.
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