In Florida, GOP Sniping Takes Center Stage

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

(CBS) 
Romney has mocked McCain for "thinking about being John Kerry’s running mate." His campaign has a robo-call going out to Florida Republicans hammering McCain for his connections to Clinton and Ted Kennedy. "You can learn a lot about a candidate by looking at their friends," the caller says.

McCain, meanwhile, has dismissed Romney as a manager, not a leader, and questioned his economic record as governor. In one McCain radio ad running in Florida, an announcer says the "Romney health care debacle costs taxpayers in Massachusetts" 400 million dollars.

On the stump, the candidates have largely been focused on the faltering U.S. economy, which polls suggest is by far the chief concern of Florida voters. An amendment designed to reform property taxes, also on the ballot Tuesday, is expected to drive up voter turnout and potentially benefit the candidate seen as strongest on economic issues.

Romney, who has suggested he is the Republican best prepared to fix the economy because of his business background, has accused McCain of trying to "get the topic away from the economy." He seems to believe he is the stronger candidate on that front.

"When you talk to people and they say which Republican can step in and work through some of these economic problems, Romney's name is always at the top of the list," said Tallahassee-based political strategist Jim Krog. "When you start talking about foreign policy, McCain's name is at the top of the list. McCain was a little slow to the draw on the economic stimulus package. Romney was in there talking about it."

One important voting block Tuesday will be Florida's Cuban voters, who are expected to make up around 10 percent of the Republican electorate. Romney has engaged in "the most aggressive and longest standing Hispanic outreach effort," according to Luis Clemens, editor of Candidato USA, but his rivals have been active as well: Giuliani, Romney and McCain have released Spanish-language ads, and Giuliani has campaigned aggressively in Little Havana.

Giuliani, Romney, McCain and Huckabee spoke to the heavily Cuban-American Latin Builders Association on Friday. McCain is expected to get a boost with Cuban-Americans due to the backing of Senator Mel Martinez, with whom he worked on failed immigration legislation.

On Saturday, McCain also picked up the endorsement of Florida's popular governor, Charlie Crist, a moderate Republican who has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick. But its impact will be blunted somewhat due to the number of Republicans who have voted early or absentee - more than 400,000 by Saturday morning, according to the Florida Republican Party.

The debate over whether the federal government should create a national catastrophic insurance fund, which would help Florida homeowners affected by a hurricane, could also affect the race. Giuliani, who favors such a fund, raised the issue in last Thursday's debate. McCain has suggested that the fund would be unnecessary.

Florida Democrats also go to the polls on Tuesday, but that race has gotten less attention because of the fallout from state officials' decision to set the Florida primary earlier than the national party permitted. Republicans stripped Florida of half its delegates, but they allowed Republican candidates to campaign in the state. Democrats stripped Florida of all its delegates and requested that the candidates not campaign in Florida, a request they honored until recently.

[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.