SWEETWATER, Fla. — Republican Mitt Romney sought to lock up the Florida primary by refusing to talk Sunday about little else but the economic jitters confronting the nation. His rivals took different tacks toward the same goal as they fanned out across the Sunshine State.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, lashed top rival John McCain for admitting less familiarity with the economy than foreign affairs, saying at a rally outside Miami, “No one needs to give me a briefing on the economy. I won’t need to choose a vice president that understands the economy — because I know the economy.”
A day after McCain accused him of supporting a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, Romney also told a reporter McCain was “lying” before catching himself and saying, “I’m saying he made a dishonest comment. I misspoke.”
McCain, an Arizona senator, defended himself at a town-hall meeting in Polk City when a questioner challenged his votes in 2001 and 2003 against Bush administration tax cuts. McCain now says those tax cuts should be made permanent.
“I opposed the tax cuts because I saw no restraint in the growth of spending. We let spending get out of control,” said the self-styled maverick.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani contrasted himself with the two in both style and substance.
“Sen. McCain and Gov. Romney are doing such a good job of attacking each other, how about voting for somebody who’s not attacking? Vote for me, Rudy Giuliani,” he said while visiting the Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach. “Presidential election is not about name-calling. Presidential election is not about gotcha and almost, like, high school politics.”
In Vero Beach, he said, “I’ve traveled up and down the state of Florida, talked to a lot of people and listened to you. That’s why I support a national catastrophe fund. I’m the only Republican candidate in this race supporting it — and I need your vote in order to accomplish it.”
Polls show McCain and Romney atop the field, with Giuliani and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee lagging. At stake Tuesday are 57 delegates to the national convention and momentum heading into the Super Tuesday contests, when more than 20 states hold nominating events Feb. 5.
Romney held only one public event, a rally in a Cuban-American community. Introduced by his son Craig, who spoke Spanish, the former governor wore a Cuban-style guayabera shirt given to him by officials at a Bay of Pigs Museum.
He recalled starting his venture- capital firm with support from Latin Americans, including a family from El Salvador whose son was kidnapped and killed by rebels thought to be supported by Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
“I learned that when Castro has money, bad things happen, and I vowed that I would never give in to Fidel Castro, nor must we ever,” he said to cheers.
McCain made one stop with Gov. Charlie Crist, a fellow Republican who endorsed him Saturday night. They greeted diners at a Tampa cafe.
“I think it’s going to give us momentum in order for us to win next Tuesday,” McCain said of Crist’s backing.
