Published Jan. 29, 2008|Updated Jan. 29, 2008
John McCain and Mitt Romney, front-runners in today's Republican presidential primary, continued their rolling catfight across Florida on Monday and tried to turn the debate to their respective strengths in last-minute appeals to voters.
For McCain, it was all about national security, and he accused Romney (unfairly) of wanting to surrender in Iraq. He insisted that he alone has the grit and experience to protect the nation from Islamic extremism.
For Romney, it was all about the economy, and he accused McCain (unfairly) of supporting an anti-global-warming plan that would raise gas prices by 50 cents a gallon. He insisted that he alone has the acumen and experience to rescue a struggling national economy.
"We see politicians go off to Washington and promise they'll do something about these things, but then they don't," the former Massachusetts governor told about 200 people at a Panama City rally. "I recognize that Washington is fundamentally broken."
At a rally with Gov. Charlie Crist and Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp at the Tampa Convention Center, McCain said, "I believe I can keep America safe. I am prepared to lead, I am prepared. ... America's greatest days are ahead of us."
Polls show the contest is a two-man race, with the Arizona senator and Romney essentially tied and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani - the onetime favorite - coming in next. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is close behind.
Among the Democrats, polls put New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton well ahead of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Neither has campaigned here since the national Democratic Party took away Florida's Democratic delegates as penalty for moving the primary earlier than party rules allow.
But interest appears strong nonetheless, with Democrats accounting for 437,000 of nearly 1-million people who voted early.
Clinton says a win here will provide momentum going into Super Tuesday on Feb. 5. On Monday, she touted the endorsem*nt of Sen. Bill Nelson, the state's senior Democrat, and she plans to attend a rally in South Florida when voting ends tonight.
For the Republicans, at least, the state Legislature's decision to move the primary up to January appears to have had the desired effect of making Florida matter.
The winner today secures 57 delegates toward the nomination, the most so far. More importantly, winning the approval of diverse Republicans in Florida, the nation's largest swing state, will give the victor a mantle of national appeal.
With such a prize at stake, McCain and Romney are scrapping like lonely bridesmaids over a wedding bouquet.
They traded charges in TV and radio ads and in dueling news releases as they crisscrossed the state, and both campaigns complained of push-polling - hit jobs masquerading as opinion polls.
Since Florida's primary is closed, meaning only registered Republicans (and Democrats) can vote, Romney hopes lingering unease over McCain within the conservative base will give him an edge.
"He's known for some things which frankly are not conservative," Romney told a crowd in Fort Myers. "I just don't think that those liberal answers are what America's looking for."
At rallies in West Palm Beach, Fort Myers and Sanford, he accused McCain of not understanding business and of supporting three "liberal" pieces of legislation: a campaign finance reform law that limits political contributions by third-party groups, which Romney said "attacked the First Amendment"; a failed immigration bill that would have tightened the borders but also provided a route to legal status for millions of illegal immigrants; and a bill aimed at combating global warming by reducing pollution.
Romney claimed the plan would increase gas prices by 50 cents a gallon. A review by PolitiFact.com, the St. Petersburg Times' fact-checking Web site,found his claim was barely true.
McCain portrayed Romney as having a weak grasp of national security. Speaking to crowds with large numbers of veterans, McCain used Romney's previous comments to try to prove he would surrender in Iraq and set a date for withdrawing U.S. troops. PolitiFact.com found that claim to be barely true as well.
His campaign also reminded voters that Romney had supported abortion rights when he ran for governor of Massachusetts, then changed his stance when he began running for president. McCain opposes abortion.
"Mitt Romney will apparently say anything in his desperate attempts to remake himself in the eyes of voters," said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a McCain adviser.
Both candidates are ignoring Huckabee and Giuliani, who tried to elbow himself back into relevancy Monday by telling voters he's strongest on both security and the economy.
Regardless of today's outcome, Giuliani said he plans to stay in the race. But Florida has been his fortress and, after campaigning here for 57 days, he'll have trouble competing nationally if he loses. He urged supporters to ignore the polls and pundits.
"Send a message tomorrow where it's supposed to be sent - in the voting booths," Giuliani told about 100 fans in Sanford.
Huckabee lacked the money and organization to play in Florida, where the tab for a week's worth of TV ads can approach $3-million. But he did make two visits Monday, appearing in Pensacola and Tampa.
Republican Rep. Ron Paul was campaigning in Maine.
Wes Allison can be reached at allison@sptimes.com or (202) 463-0577.
