McCain Spars With Romney Over Timetable for War in Iraq

Jan 31, 07:44 AM

By Liz Sidoti

The Associated Press

SIMI VALLEY, Calif.

Republican Mitt Romney said John McCain used dirty tricks by suggesting shortly before the Florida primary that the former Massachusetts governor wanted a deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq as the two men squared off in a spirited debate Wednesday night.

Coming 24 hours after McCain defeated him in the Florida election, Romney vented his frustrations over the Arizona senator's claims.

"I have never, ever supported a specific timetable" for withdrawing troops, Romney said. McCain's accusation on the eve of Tuesday's presidential primary, he said, "sort of falls into the dirty tricks that I think Ronald Reagan would have found reprehensible."

The debate was held in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

McCain stuck to his guns, saying, "Of course he said he wanted a timetable" for a withdrawal.

In April, Romney said U.S. and Iraqi leaders "have to have a series of timetables and milestones that they speak about," but only in private.

In Wednesday's debate, Romney said he was not calling for a specific withdrawal date. "It's simply wrong, and the senator knows it," he said. "I will not pull our troops out until we have brought success in Iraq."

Earlier, Romney said McCain is out of the conservative mainstream. He said McCain twice voted against President Bush's tax cuts and pushed campaign finance reforms that restricted fundraising and spending. The Republican establishment embraced the tax cuts and opposed the new campaign law, which many saw as more helpful to Democrats.

"Those views are outside the view of mainstream Republican thought," Romney said. The forum came 24 hours after McCain won Florida's presidential primary despite criticisms that he is too moderate on several issues dear to party loyalists.

McCain disputed the claims, saying, "I'm proud of my conservative record." He said Romney left Massachusetts with high taxes and a large debt. "His job creation was the third worst in the country," McCain said.

Romney said McCain opposed Bush's first-term tax cuts because they were tilted largely toward the wealthy. But such a cut, Romney said, "gets our rates down and stimulates the economy."

McCain said he opposes tax cuts not coupled with spending restraints. Republicans lost congressional seats in 2006 less because of the Iraq war than because of out-of-control spending that alienated conservatives, McCain said.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas also participated in the forum but largely watched as the two front- runners jabbed one another.

(c) 2008 Virginian - Pilot. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved. McCain Spars With Romney Over Timetable for War in Iraq
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