January 31, 2008
Posted: 07:15 PM ET
Mitt Romney holds a bust of Ronald Reagan during a campaign stop in Fountain Valley, California.
 LONG BEACH, California (CNN) — After a harsh exchange between John McCain and Mitt Romney at CNN’s debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Romney told CNN Thursday that McCain was using tactics “reminiscent of the Nixon era.” In recent days McCain has accused Romney of supporting timetables for troop withdrawals from Iraq based on an interview from April 2007. Romney is, in fact, against troop withdrawals and he was referring rather to timetables and milestones for Iraq as a whole. McCain started leveling the charge just days before the Florida primary and senior Romney advisors believe it helped contribute to a loss in the state. “I think [McCain] took a sharp detour off the Straight Talk Express by stooping to the attack he did,” Romney told CNN’s John King. “Had he a question about this he could have raised it any time between April and now, but to raise it outside of a debate and to do it in a way which blasted out to people in Florida was something reminiscent of the Nixon era and I don't think I want to see our party go back to that kind of campaigning.” Lately, Romney has been trying to paint McCain as a liberal-leaning Republican, often talking about pieces of legislation McCain has worked on with Democrats. Romney aides say they were buoyed after seeing in exit polls that Florida conservatives rallied around Romney. The former Massachusetts governor is now trying to create a distinct line in the GOP with himself on the right and McCain closer to the center. “I think there's going to be a real battle here for which way the Republican Party's going to head,” Romney told reporters Thursday.
Romney was dealt a blow Wednesday night when it was announced California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would be endorsing McCain. “I don't think anyone here would be surprised by Gov. Schwarzenegger's endorsement of Sen. McCain. Their views on a number of issues are very similar.” Then adding, “Gov. Schwarzenegger obviously is a big figure in California and I'd love to have had his support.” California is the biggest of the Super Tuesday states. Romney is campaigning here before heading to Colorado, Utah (for the funeral of the president of the Mormon Church) and Minnesota in the coming days. There has been much speculation about the future of Romney’s campaign because no ad time had been bought in Super Tuesday states. But the campaign launched their first ad in California Thursday, and Romney told reporters he had authorized a “seven-figure advertising buy,” though he did not specify where the ads would be placed. Romney said the delay had come because the campaign needed time to look at how the 21 February 5 states select a candidate, where he stands, and what the fallout would be from Rudy Giuliani pulling out of the race. He said the campaign then split up the states into three categories – strong, highly-competitive and long-shot. The focus going forward will be “on those we think we’ve got a great chance of picking up, and a few of the competitive states. And then, of course, you look at where the delegates are.” – CNN Political Producer Alexander Marquardt Filed under: John McCain • Mitt Romney |
 
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