Time to let BIG DOG DADDY JOHN PLAY

McCain, Romney Come to Blows in New Hampshire
By Fred Lucas
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
January 07, 2008Manchester, N.H. (CNSNews.com) -

The final stretch of the Republican campaign in New Hampshire has two of the frontrunners arguing over who is getting the ugliest."John McCain is running the most negative personal attacks I have ever seen," former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said after speaking in Manchester Friday. "It reminds me of his attacks against President Bush in 2000."Romney stressed that he has run only "comparison" ads against McCain, the Arizona senator who by the end of the weekend was leading by 5.5 points in the Real Clear Politics average of New Hampshire polls.Earlier on Friday in Nashua, McCain said, "Gov. Romney's attack ads were tried in Iowa and he was beaten.

The people of New Hampshire will not be fooled."In the past three weeks, McCain has been surging in the polls in New Hampshire, buoyed by the endorsement of the Manchester Union Leader and numerous other newspapers in the state. As late as mid-December, Romney led by a dozen points or more in most New Hampshire polls.In the face of McCain's surge, Romney suffered a major setback in his decisive loss to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in last Thursday's Iowa caucuses. Some pundits have blamed Romney's 9-point loss in the Iowa caucuses on the negative ads he aired against the Huckabee. Romney has run similar negative ads against McCain in New Hampshire.

In both cases, Romney has questioned the conservative bona fides of his opponent. In both cases, the opponent has called the ads dishonest.However, Romney supporter Paul Cote of Londonderry isn't concerned about the Iowa results, and he said he's not too concerned about whether Romney wins an absolute victory in New Hampshire on Tuesday."Iowa is not indicative of the entire country. The results in New Hampshire are real," Cote said after the Manchester event. "As long as he finishes in the top two, he'll last. He can be second place and still do well in the middle of the country.

"Romney tried to put a positive spin on the Iowa loss, calling his campaign there a success while taking another dig at his New Hampshire rival, McCain."I beat three very well known guys, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Fred Thompson," Romney said. "Two people who were around Washington a long time, Hillary Clinton and John McCain, were rejected." Jim Monaghan of Merrimack said he supports McCain despite some disagreements with the candidate, and he predicts a McCain victory on Tuesday."I don't like his position on illegal immigration, but he has tempered his opinion on that," Monaghan said, referring to McCain's support for a "pathway to citizenship" for illegal aliens. Critics call it "amnesty.""The guy deserves credit for all his experience, and I think he has learned his lesson on immigration after the bill last spring," Monaghan continued.

McCain said at the Nashua forum, "I'm going to secure the borders first. I know how to secure the borders. I'll work with border state governors to make sure they are secured. Then I'll move to a temporary worker program."McCain, who has long advocated a troop surge policy in Iraq, even before the Bush administration implemented it, spoke of declining casualties and success in Iraq. He also touted his national security credentials."Osama bin Laden is complaining the Sunni tribes are coming over to our side," he said of Iraq. "By the way, I will get Osama bin Laden. I will follow him to the gates of hell. He is someone who must be brought to justice."Romney, meanwhile, touted his universal health care plan in Massachusetts."First 160 people signed up, now 300,000 people are signed up," Romney said. "For all these years we've heard talk, talk, talk from people like Hillary Clinton. ... This plan offers quality health insurance that's affordable."Romney also touted his business experience. "I am a guy who has signed paychecks. I understand the economy," Romney said. "I understand that if you want a vibrant economy, you have to bring the tax burden down.

That's Reagan 101."Steven Lindsey of Manchester, who came to Romney's event dressed as a giant flip-flop reading, "Don't forget to flip for Mitt Tuesday," took exception. He recalled that in Massachusetts Romney used to proudly declare that he was an independent during the Reagan-Bush years."I remember him being more of a Rockefeller Republican. Now he's talking about Reagan 101 like he's been with the Gipper since 1976 when he challenged Gerald Ford," Lindsey said. "He is the biggest flip-flopper on either end of the political spectrum," Lindsey said,

referring to the liberal views Romney once held on abortion, gun control and other matters before entering the presidential race.But McCain has a checkered voting record, too, when it comes to conservative issues, Cote, the Romney supporter, pointed out. "I'm opposed to John McCain for voting against the tax cuts and amnesty for illegal immigrants," Cote said. "John McCain is a good guy, but he's too much of a Democratic-leaning Republican."