McCain, Romney battle in NH stretch By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer
13 minutes ago
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Mitt Romney and John McCain clashed Sunday over their tax-and-spending records, as the two Republicans kicked off the second of two back-to-back debates in the waning hours of the New Hampshire primary campaign.
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"You have a choice," Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, said after ticking off his accomplishments in office. "You can select somebody who wants to fight for those things, or you can select somebody who's actually done those things."
McCain listed the pork-barrel spending he exposed, as well as an Air Force tanker contract he squashed, before responding: "I think it was a reason why I wasn't elected Miss Congeniality in the Senate. I have a record of saving billions of dollars."
Moments later, Romney and rival Mike Huckabee traded barbs, as Romney asked him repeatedly whether spending had increased during Huckabee's term as governor of Arkansas.
The debate got under way as a new USA Today/Gallup poll showed the Republican race tied in New Hampshire.
McCain had the support of 34 percent of likely voters, up from 27 percent in mid-December. Romney was at 30 percent, down from 34 percent, and Huckabee — the Iowa caucus winner — was third at 13 percent. Rudy Giuliani, who also participated in the debate, registered at 8 percent, while Fred Thompson was in the low single digits.
Ron Paul was excluded from the debate by the sponsor, the Fox News Channel. The New Hampshire Republican Party dropped its cosponsorship of the forum in protest of the exclusion.
Pro-Giuliani Fox News Channel Excluded Ron Paul
13 minutes ago
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Mitt Romney and John McCain clashed Sunday over their tax-and-spending records, as the two Republicans kicked off the second of two back-to-back debates in the waning hours of the New Hampshire primary campaign.
ADVERTISEMENT
"You have a choice," Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, said after ticking off his accomplishments in office. "You can select somebody who wants to fight for those things, or you can select somebody who's actually done those things."
McCain listed the pork-barrel spending he exposed, as well as an Air Force tanker contract he squashed, before responding: "I think it was a reason why I wasn't elected Miss Congeniality in the Senate. I have a record of saving billions of dollars."
Moments later, Romney and rival Mike Huckabee traded barbs, as Romney asked him repeatedly whether spending had increased during Huckabee's term as governor of Arkansas.
The debate got under way as a new USA Today/Gallup poll showed the Republican race tied in New Hampshire.
McCain had the support of 34 percent of likely voters, up from 27 percent in mid-December. Romney was at 30 percent, down from 34 percent, and Huckabee — the Iowa caucus winner — was third at 13 percent. Rudy Giuliani, who also participated in the debate, registered at 8 percent, while Fred Thompson was in the low single digits.
Ron Paul was excluded from the debate by the sponsor, the Fox News Channel. The New Hampshire Republican Party dropped its cosponsorship of the forum in protest of the exclusion.
Pro-Giuliani Fox News Channel Excluded Ron Paul
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