The battle for Florida
Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:25 AM by Domenico Montanaro
The New York Times on the final day of campaigning yesterday: "Romney … began attacking at dawn, accusing Mr. McCain of allying himself with liberal Democrats in the Senate and betraying conservative principles on legislation involving immigration, the environment and campaign finance. ‘If you want that kind of a liberal Democratic course as president, then you can vote for him,’ Mr. Romney said at a Texaco gas station in West Palm Beach at 6:30 a.m. ‘But those three pieces of legislation, those aren’t conservative. Those aren’t Republican.’”
“Mr. McCain volleyed back by describing Mr. Romney as a serial flip-flopper who had taken multiple positions on a variety of issues, including gay rights, global warming and immigration. ‘People, just look at his record as governor,’ Mr. McCain said at a shipyard in Jacksonville. ‘He has been entirely consistent. He has consistently taken two sides of every major issue, sometimes more than two.’”
The Washington Post adds, "The angry tone between the two extended to the airwaves, as McCain launched a new negative radio ad. ‘If they're going to attack us, we'll push back, so if we have a little sport roughing them up, too bad,’ McCain adviser Mark Salter said.” McCain's new radio ad mocks Romney's economic record as governor and questions his electability, with an announcer saying, ‘The bottom line: Mitt Romney loses to Hillary Clinton. Republicans lose. We can't afford Mitt Romney.’”
The Wall Street Journal notes that one of the best things McCain has going for him in today's primary is his age. He's done well (so far) among voters over 65, and there are a LOT of voters over 65 in Florida.
“McCain heads into Tuesday's Florida primary facing resistance from not only his fellow candidates, but also from the leaders of conservative talk radio, who some suggest have put their reputations on the line, as well,” the AP says.
“Asked by reporters on his campaign jet to reflect on the uphill road ahead if he loses Tuesday's Florida Republican primary, Giuliani said, "When it's Wednesday morning, we will make a decision. The reality is that voting hasn't even started yet. I believe we are going to win." But the former mayor also made clear the primary would mark a critical crossroads for his flagging campaign here, which has seen his poll numbers sink from first place to a distant third.”
“The winner of today's Republican presidential primary in Florida will walk away with 57 delegates and momentum heading into the Feb. 5 megacontest,” the Boston Globe writes. “The value of victory in the Democratic primary today will be in the eyes of the beholder and subject to all sorts of spin.”
Miami Herald has a good guide to what we could learn from Florida today.
