Romney: McCain Is Engaged In "Washington Talk"

By: Scott Conroy
Topics: Mitt Romney

(CBS)

From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

SARASOTA, FLA. -- Say goodbye to the niceties and gentle prodding of last night's GOP debate. Mitt Romney and John McCain have had enough of pulling their punches.

At an outdoor rally in front of about 400 people here, Romney used McCain's own words to respond to the Arizona senator's accusation that Romney lacks the kind of leadership experience America needs.

"I guess Senator McCain didn't think as positively of that debate last night as I did, and so he's had to come back and flail a bit, trying to attack my record, saying that my record — 25 years in the business world and three years running the Olympics, and then four years as governor of Massachusetts — that that doesn't qualify me to understand how the economy works," Romney said. "He says … being on the commerce committee in the Senate, that's what gives you the expertise you need to know about how the economy works."

Romney said that McCain has "detoured from what was some straight talk," as he gleefully read from two quotations in newspaper articles—one from 2005 and another from just last month — in which McCain suggested that his own knowledge of the economy was limited.

"That's straight talk," Romney said. "Now he's engaging in Washington talk. Washington talk says that somehow because you've been in Washington and you've been on a committee that you somehow — somehow know about how the jobs of this country are created. And I'll tell you this: somebody who's been in the real economy, who's created real jobs, someone who's been on Main Street knows a lot more about the jobs and the economy of this nation than someone who's spent his time in K Street and in Washington, D.C."

Scott Conroy
Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.
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by cmdoc17 January 26, 2008 12:28 PM EST: Mr. Campbell,

Romney is the leader this country needs right now. He has the experience, the know-how, the right ideals, and the moral integrity necessary for the job -- that''s why he has my vote.

Sadly, it sounds like you are letting his religion get in the way. You need to heed the words of your own candidate, Mr. Huckabee, and apply them to all candidates:

"But if a person hates me or dislikes me because of my faith, I''m not sure if they understand what it means to truly be an American, where we can live with each other no matter how different our faith is, but at least we have that understanding that historically faith has been an important part of who this country is." -- Huckabee, from the 1/24 debate.

And most importantly, this isn''t a paid endorsement!; Reply to this comment


by jessicam9 January 26, 2008 2:50 AM EST: Mr. Dan Campbell instead of making ignorant comments, perhaps you should do your research. 90 percent of these comments supporting Mitt Romney are not paid, rather they are genuine, well-thought, analytical comments...the complete opposite of yours. Ooooohhhh Slam!; Reply to this comment


by jessicam9 January 26, 2008 2:49 AM EST: Mr. Dan Campbell instead of making ignorant comments, perhaps you should do your research. 90 percent of these comments supporting Mitt Romney are not paid, rather they are genuine, well-thought, analytical comments...the complete opposite of yours. Ooooohhhh Slam!; Reply to this comment


by jessicam9 January 26, 2008 2:48 AM EST: Mr. Dan Campbell instead of making ignorant comments, perhaps you should do your research. 90 percent of these comments supporting Mitt Romney are not paid, rather they are genuine, well-thought, analytical comments...the complete opposite of yours. Ooooohhhh Slam!; Reply to this comment


by jessicam9 January 26, 2008 2:47 AM EST: Mr. Dan Campbell instead of making ignorant comments, perhaps you should do your research. 90 percent of these comments supporting Mitt Romney are not paid, rather they are genuine, well-thought, analytical comments...the complete opposite of yours. Ooooohhhh Slam!; Reply to this comment


by jessicam9 January 26, 2008 2:46 AM EST: Mr. Dan Campbell instead of making ignorant comments, perhaps you should do your research. 90 percent of these comments supporting Mitt Romney are not paid, rather they are genuine, well-thought, analytical comments...the complete opposite of yours. Ooooohhhh Slam!; Reply to this comment


by ellisc007 January 26, 2008 1:52 AM EST: It is time for the Republican voters in the Sunshine State to help their party select the most electable Republican candidate for President of the United States in the General election. It is imperative that our party retain the White House in the General Election. With out a Republican President, the values that our great party holds in high esteem, will be imperiled by the unchecked power of a Democrat majority in the House and Senate. For any Republican Presidential Candidate to be elected, they must be able to effectively win a majority of the Independents that vote. One candidate has shown himself to be the most able to win those voters. To become President, a Republican must be able to win in the south and they must be able to win in Florida. There is one Republican running for President who has shown the ability to deliver more than just the votes of our party members that it will take for us to win in November. There is only one man running for President who has consistently out polled, head to head, all of the Democrats left in the race. There is only one person running for President, whom the Democrats fear in the General Election. That one candidate who can win the White House for our party, in the November General Election is Senator John McCain. Florida your time is now, your nation is waiting, your voice is more important than any other, at this time. Choose greatness, choose wisely, make our country proud, and choose Senator McCain.; Reply to this comment


by djhumphreys2 January 26, 2008 12:02 AM EST: Senator McCain seems to be pretty excited to tell us about his %u201CStraight Talk.%u201D The ironic thing is that most senators are just that %u2013 straight talk and nothing else. We need a man of Action. Governor Romney is a proven leader who knows how to accomplish goals, solve difficult problems, and grapple the economy even on day one. Mitt%u2019s a leader, and Mitt%u2019s a man of action!

This message was NOT paid for by anyone Dan. Mitt%u2019s just the best.; Reply to this comment


by hm8b6f3v January 25, 2008 11:53 PM EST: Mitt Romney is the BEST man out there for the job of triumphing over the Dem''s in Nov. He is the best to get America back on it''s feet. WE are in TROUBLE America--do you see this? Who we vote for does matter. Mitt Romney is a man of HIGH INTEGRITY_HIGH MORAL VALUES
He can and will do what he has said he would do and that is fix the problems face American''s. I am NOT a paid blogger like some have suggested.; Reply to this comment


by djhumphreys2 January 25, 2008 11:41 PM EST: Senator McCain seems to be pretty excited to tell us about his %u201CStraight Talk.%u201D The ironic thing is that most senators are just that %u2013 straight talk and nothing else. We need a man of Action. Governor Romney is a proven leader who knows how to accomplish goals, solve difficult problems, and grapple the economy even on day one. Mitt%u2019s a leader, and Mitt%u2019s a man of action!

This message was NOT paid for by anyone Dan. Mitt%u2019s just the best.; Reply to this comment