Morning Update: Romney-McCain Policy Clash
With former frontrunner Rudy Giuliani’s withdrawal from the race still fresh, a newly pared-down field of Republican voters touted their credentials and conservative records in last night’s Republican debate in California (NYT). Climate change, Iraq, immigration and the economy fueled heated argument in what largely became a two-person battle between emerging frontrunners Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).
In the debate, the Republicans’ last before the Super Tuesday primaries, Romney cited McCain’s opposition to drilling for oil in an Alaskan refuge, his cosponsorship of the immigration bill that Romney says would have given a Z visa to “everybody who was here illegally, other than those who committed crimes,” and his support for a cap-and-trade program as evidence that McCain would follow a “liberal Democratic” course if elected.
McCain later returned the attack, again accusing Romney of having at one-time supported a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Romney denied ever having expressed support for such a timetable.
The antiwar Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) said the war has placed a financial strain on the U.S. economy. “The country’s in bankruptcy,” Paul said, calling the argument between McCain and Romney “rather silly because they’re arguing about technicalities of a policy they both agree with.”
Mike Huckabee raised again criticism of the Bush administration’s rebate plan to help provide an economic stimulus. “Well, if we end up with the rebates, we’re going to borrow the $150 billion from China,” he said. “And when we turn it into rebates, most people are going to go out and buy some consumables, like a pair of shoes that they probably don’t even need, but they’re going to buy them, and they’re most likely an import from China.”
Climate: Commenting on the federal government’s recent rejection of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to implement tougher environmental regulations, Romney and McCain both said they thinks states should be able to decide their own policy. McCain said he has “disagreed with the Bush administration in not being more active in addressing the issue of climate change, whether it be through cap-and-trade, through tax incentives or R&D for green technologies.”
Huckabee said he supports Schwarzenegger’s plan. “[I]f he’s right, every other state’s going to copy him. And if he’s wrong, every other state’s going to recruit the jobs that he lost in California to their own states,” Huckabee said. Paul also said California “should do what they want.”
Immigration: Romney said illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the United States for a “fixed period of time, 90 days for some, depending on their circumstances, others longer,” but that they should eventually be required to leave and “get in line with everybody else that wants to come here.”
McCain said if his original immigration proposal, for which he has been so heavily criticized, came to a Senate vote today, he would vote against it. “The people want the border secured first,” he said, noting that it “won’t” come to the Senate floor.
January 31st, 2008 at 4:32 pm
I find it interesting that McCain is able to get big name endorsements, while Romney is struggling to gain support from big name established politicians or even celebrities.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I thought John McCain’s demeanor during this last debate to be anything but Presidential. He reminded of the bully on the block gloating over his strength and prowess during and after some of his comments. Frankly, I think this all goes toward McCain’s lack of leadership. Leaders don’t gloat. He has not been a governmental leader or anything beyond what would be considered a first line manager. Yet, he expects voters to consider him prime Presidential material. I’ve also got reservations about his involvement in the Keating scandal years ago. That was a real mess and shows a lack of judgment.