In Florida, GOP Sniping Takes Center Stage

CBSNews.com Reports: Republican Candidates Hammer Each Other In Battle For Sunshine State

(CBS)  This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter Brian Montopoli.

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During last Thursday's collegial Republican presidential debate in Boca Raton, it appeared that a kinder, gentler Republican field - one suddenly content to leave the squabbling to the Democrats - might be emerging.

Fat chance.

The Republican contenders, particularly Mitt Romney and John McCain, have gone on the attack in the days leading up to Tuesday's Florida primary, trading accusations of flip-flopping, liberalism and lack of leadership.

McCain has said Romney has "consistently flip-flopped on every issue" and referred to his rival as "the liberal governor of Massachusetts." Romney has suggested McCain has set the country on "a liberal Democrat course" and called McCain's statements on Romney's Iraq war position "simply wrong" and "dishonest."

Meanwhile, Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has staked his campaign on success in Florida, has largely avoided criticism. But political watchers don't see that as good news.

"He isn't perceived as being a threat at this point," said political consultant Garrett Biggs.

Tuesday's Florida primary is the final contest before "Super Tuesday" on Feb 5th, when 24 states will hold primaries or caucuses. Though this campaign season has sometimes defied traditional ideas about the importance of momentum, the candidate who comes out on top in the state is expected to get a boost shortly before what is, in terms of delegates, the most important day in the campaign season.

"There's no doubt that whoever wins Florida is on the yellow brick road to the White House," said state Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer.

For Giuliani, Florida could mean the end of the road. The former mayor has faded in national polls as he has suffered a series of bad losses in early states, and he desperately needs a win in Florida to reinvigorate his sputtering campaign. Polls show him in third or fourth place in the state.

Giuliani, who was the Florida frontrunner just two months ago, has tried to stake out the high road as his rivals have squabbled. "If you listen to my opponents, it's getting kind of nasty," Giuliani said in Orlando on Saturday. "I'm going to try to remain positive."

But in the wake of McCain's political recovery and Giuliani's decision to mostly sit out the early contests, the former mayor goes into the primary once described as his "firewall" as a significant underdog.

"McCain and Giuliani share support from more moderate Republicans," said Tallahassee-based political consultant Brett Doster. "You've got a mathematical issue where they're splitting the moderate base, whereas Romney has received the benefit of people like Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter dropping out. You're left with one conservative and two sort-of moderates."

Iowa caucuses winner Mike Huckabee, who will split some of the conservative vote with Romney, was until recently focused on the South Carolina primary, in which he came in second place. Huckabee did not open a campaign office in Florida until last week, and because of his limited financial resources he has not been able to air ads in the state.

McCain and Romney, who sit atop Florida polls, hope that a win will transform them into the clear national front-runner. Both have something to prove: McCain wants to show that he can win in a closed primary, without the help of independent voters, while Romney seeks to demonstrate that he can win a primary or caucus without a built-in advantage. His wins thus far have come in states where he has either faced little competition (Nevada, Wyoming) or had a family connection (Michigan).

For many Floridians, last Thursday's debate was something of an introduction to the candidates, and they all seemed determined to make a good first impression.

"Romney and McCain and even Giuliani know that their best chance to win this thing it to transcend the nasty aspect of this race and appear very presidential," said Doster.

But sniping between the rivals came not long after the post-debate handshakes. On Saturday, McCain said Romney wants to do the same thing as Hillary Clinton with regard to Iraq: "Wave a white flag." He also suggested that Romney "wanted to set a date for withdrawal that would have meant disaster." The former Massachusetts governor called on McCain to apologize for the comments.

[punsalot]

I would have loved to have voted for someone besides Bush the last general election, but what were the alternatives that the Democrats provided? Al "open my mouth and my brain falls out" Gore, and John "I''m not sure what my platform is" Kerry. Now before you libs spout off about how stupid everyone else is, why not talk about the issues, and what your candidates will actually do. I don''t know why any of the anti-Iraq war lobby would be so high on Hillary, she would continue the exact same policy that Bush has. She has supported him in every vote concerning the war, even while she has been saying how terrible the whole this is.

[sgtrds]

It should be afraid, because Ron Paul is the embodiment of the original American idea: the founding concepts which propelled this nation into greatness. He is perhaps our last great chance to restore that which has been lost.

Posted by RexProphet at 09:08 PM : Jan 29, 2008

Ron Paul is bat-sh*it crazy and got what? 3% of the vote in Fla?

[wardoglrs]

HOW TO KEEP 100% OF YOUR EARNINGS.

http://famguardian.org/Media/movie.htm


Immigration by the Numbers.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/december2006/151206Immigration.htm

[danstoned]

SusanHelit, where have you been? Americans are by far the dumbest people on the planet earth. Of course they can believe it if the Fascist OXymoron channel tells them that Barack Obama is really a muslim. Afterall, the Southern White Conservative is so full of bitterness and hate towards Northern Liberals because our ancestors slaughtered theirs to end the civil war. Only problem with the results was that Republicin Abe Lincoln then allowed these bitter obese pigs to then become Americans, thus forming todays core of Evangelical Nutts, Neocons, and Israel Firsters the HEART and SOUL of the Republicon Party..

[sgtrds]

Is there still anyone dumb enough to buy the "Obama is a secret muslim who has just pretended to be a christian his whole life" garbage?

Posted by SusanHelit at 06:56 PM : Jan 29, 2008

Sadly there are some people in America that really are that stupid. They''re called Bush supporters.

[susanhelit]

Is there still anyone dumb enough to buy the "Obama is a secret muslim who has just pretended to be a christian his whole life" garbage?

[johnfrost-2009]

I am a muslim and voted for Obama
to steal America for Al Qaida and Iran
You drugged out americans too stupid to see what We are doing to you.
http://www.muslimsforobama.com

[sgtrds]

OBL, Clinton had a chance to kill him, failed to act. the towers would still be standing if he had.

Unemployment has existed since before the depression, hardly the last seven years as you would have us believe.

Repub. scandals, Right, I suppose Teddy murdering Mary Jo don''''''''t count? Their have been more, far too numerous to list here.

Posted by thgdriver at 04:06 PM : Jan 29, 2008


Lie, true, lie.

[badbrown126]

This is cover for the Clintons. The apologists in the press always find a way to play the "everybody does it" card. The level of acrimony between Romney and McCain is not nearly as bad as between the Clintons and Obama.

Obama 2008!

[news4all]

ABC News reports McCain has the most lobbyists of any candidate and that he has refused to disclose the amount of money he has received from them. He is the least likely candidate to make changes in Washington---he is owned by his "friends"

[michellet35]

A couple things come to mind:
(1) The Dems actually have nobody who can win the Presidency this year. Not one person. Hillary is too polarizing and hated by over 50% of the electorate. Obama? Ha, you have to be joking; he has multiple major strikes against him: race, funny name, inexperience, on and on. Edwards? He has basically already thrown in the towel. Yes, the Dems will come CLOSE, but "CLOSE" doesn''t win you the White house: only victory does.
(2) The GOP will win in November virtually almost by default. Any of the top 3: Romney, McCain, or Huckabee can and will beat ANY Dem nominee. Period. Sorry to burst your bubble libs, that is the way this will play out.
(3) Liberals make the mistaken assumption that just because Bush has had a bad/rocky 7 years that no GOP nominee can win. Wrong. The American people are actually NOT determining "guilt by association" in this case. It is actually quite easy to dislike Bush and still like Romney and the Republican Party.
Prediction: Romney beats Hillary by 8 electoral votes in November.

[thgdriver]

. It needs a doctor--Dr. Ron Paul. He knows the ills of our nation, and he knows how to cure them.

You mean Ron Paul needs a doctor. LOL

[thgdriver]

Some would have us believe that FDR having a mistress was not a Demon. scandal. A president and his brother *** Monroe and her strange death. No scandal there either. Clinton''s Monica, white water, Vince Foster, all the rest. I could go on and on. As I said too numerous to list all.

Point is, Parrot here, would have us believe scandal only exists in the repub. party. There is plenty to go around.

[thgdriver]

Okey, one at a time Parrot.

OBL, Clinton had a chance to kill him, failed to act. the towers would still be standing if he had.

Unemployment has existed since before the depression, hardly the last seven years as you would have us believe.

Illegals, right, see unemployment!

Uninsured, right, see unemployment.

Repub. scandals, Right, I suppose Teddy murdering Mary Jo don''''t count? Their have been more, far too numerous to list here.

Katrina, oil prices, stock market, I already rubbed your nose in the truth on your lies there.

[sgtrds]

OBL, Clinton had a chance to kill him, failed to act. the towers would still be standing if he had.

Unemployment has existed since before the depression, hardly the last seven years as you would have us believe.

Repub. scandals, Right, I suppose Teddy murdering Mary Jo don''''t count? Their have been more, far too numerous to list here.

Posted by thgdriver at 03:47 PM : Jan 29, 2008

Lie, true and lie.

[denn034]

"Romney is the only candidate with the education, experience, integrity, self-control, leadership ability, and vision that can fix the economy. He knows how to call the experts in on all the other issues as well and has a track record to prove it (as governor, in business and at the Olympics)."
Posted by news4all

Couldn''t agree more.

[denn034]

The story tells us that "Romney has received the benefit of people like Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter dropping out." This bodes well for his campaign. In response to parrot2''s "There''''s a major Recession looming, there''''s record deficits and of course our borrowing from China (Cuz believe it or not, we''''re in this together) - Then you have the very expensive venture in Iraq while we have no idea where the Iraqi oil money is going when it should have paid for this - as was sold to us by Dumbya" statement. Let''s see here the Democrats gave us deficits when they ran the Congress for 40 years so, your pro-Democrat, anti-deficit mantra smacks of hypocrisy to me. Regarding a recession looming, the stimulus package will take care of that one. The oil money is now under the control of the new Iraqi government and it''s people where it belongs and that''s a good thing. Same-$ex Marriages or civil unions are a prelude to every type of marriage, the arguments for it also apply to polygamy, etc., after all, and that''s a bad thing. Period!

[news4all]

If McCain fooled Florida with his lies about Romney, it will be a sad day for America.
He uses the military as a shield when confronted with his lies. He was a hero in Vietnam, but that was a long time ago. He has proven himself to be a dishonest man with a hot-tempered disposition ever since then. He is fixated on war and can''''t see the larger picture. Our economy needs to be fixed if we are to help our troops and strengthen our defense.

Romney is the only candidate with the education, experience, integrity, self-control, leadership ability, and vision that can fix the economy. He knows how to call the experts in on all the other issues as well and has a track record to prove it (as governor, in business and at the Olympics).

[thgdriver]

Okey, one at a time Parrot.

OBL, Clinton had a chance to kill him, failed to act. the towers would still be standing if he had.

Unemployment has existed since before the depression, hardly the last seven years as you would have us believe.

Illegals, right, see unemployment!

Uninsured, right, see unemployment.

Repub. scandals, Right, I suppose Teddy murdering Mary Jo don''t count? Their have been more, far too numerous to list here.

[burneb]

Guiliani is going down, but he did take his best shot approach, which was to campaign in as few states as possible. Because the closer you look, the worse he looks.

McCain is the only Republican candidate with any honor or personal integrity, much of the time anyway. He at least understands that torture is wrong, and that it is decades too late to try clearing out 14 million illegal aliens. His support of Iraq follies is probably wrong, but he does so for honorable reasons, not just lockstep robovoting to please King George.