From The Road
December 22, 2007 3:26 PM

Romney: McCain's Rhetoric Sounds Like Kerry, Kennedy

By
Scott Conroy
Topics
Mitt Romney
(CBS)
From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

TUFTONBORO, N.H. -- Mitt Romney continued to bring the heat against John McCain over the Arizona senator's record on fiscal policy. While hammering McCain for his vote against the Bush tax cuts, Romney dropped a pair of names that are anathema to Republican primary voters.

"And he explained why he voted against them," Romney said of McCain at a house party near Lake Winnipesaukee. "He said he voted against them because he didn't want tax cuts for the rich. That sounds like Ted Kennedy and John Kerry."

Speaking to reporters after the event, Romney tried to tone down his earlier criticism of his Republican rival.

"Senator McCain and John Kerry and Ted Kennedy are very different people, so let there be no confusion there," he said. "But his rhetoric about why he did not vote for the tax cuts was almost identical to that of John Kerry and Ted Kennedy — with whom he disagrees on most issues."

After the house party, Romney was asked by a reporter whether it was fair for him to condemn McCain for a vote the Arizona senator cast over five years ago when Romney himself has been fending off charges that he has changed his mind on key issues like abortion. Romney said that McCain also voted against the death tax.

After the press conference ended, Romney boarded the traveling press bus —something he had never before done during this campaign — to get a last word in on the issue.

"I haven't heard Senator McCain say he was wrong," Romney said on the bus. "I haven't heard him say, 'You know what, those tax cuts that I voted against, I was wrong. I should have voted for them.'"

McCain's New Hampshire Vice Chairman Chuck Douglas responded to Romney's criticisms today by pointing out that Romney didn't publicly back the Bush tax cuts while governor of Massachusetts.

"The facts are clear: Romney refused to endorse the Bush tax cuts he now claims to champion," said Douglas in a written statement.

However, Romney says he didn't come out in support of the president's plan because he, as a governor, didn't want to weigh in on a federal issue.

  • Scott Conroy

    Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.

Add a Comment
by giantrobot2 December 23, 2007 2:20 PM EST
Mike Huckabee is skyrocketing in the polls like Ronald Reagan did to win 49 out of 50 States.

Dec 19th NH poll:
Mike Huckabee 28%
Mitt Romeny 22%

Mike is now taking charge in New Hampshire too, the hardest state to win for him. This goes to show that his uplifting, kind, honest and trustworthy message is the message Americans are looking for in a candidate.

Even the staunch Dallas Morning Newspaper endorsed Mike Huckabee this morning.

Mike''''s Huck-a-Bus is traveling faster than a super high speed train now, the other candidates are burning their fingers trying to touch it now.

Mike is waving to all the Americans now and saying "All Aboard". Let''''s take a ride on the Huck-a-Bus and watch another huge underdog upset in the making happen.

America is back in the running now, and the American voters are feeling Mike''''s blazing energy!

GO MIKE GO!!! GO MIKE GO!!!!!!!!
Reply to this comment
by scottfromaz December 23, 2007 4:21 AM EST
McCain has failed to get anything done for 20 freakin years... So yeah as an Arizonan. It time for you to retire and if you after losing to Romney, you try and get relected in Arizona...

You lose, of course I am sure you could win an election in Sonora Mexico
Reply to this comment
by ClubbieTim December 23, 2007 3:31 AM EST
Tax cuts are good; you just can''t spend as well. If only "W" understod that princile...

Jacktar7 makes a valid point. Mitt''s the GOP''s only hope against the Hillary machine.
Reply to this comment
by jacktar7 December 22, 2007 10:09 PM EST
No one believes that Romney, if he had been a Senator, would have voted against the tax cuts. Only two Republican Senators voted against them, and McCain was one of them. It seems fair to bring that up.
Reply to this comment
.

Follow From The Road

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...