Mitt and Mike Get Nasty in Iowa

Former and current caucus front-runners
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 22, 2007 6:20 PM CST
Mitt and Mike Get Nasty in Iowa
Republican presidential hopefuls, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, right, interact during the Des Moines Register Republican Presidential Debate in Johnston, Iowa, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)   (Associated Press)

With the Iowa caucuses closing in, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee are taking the gloves off in the state critical to both their campaigns, the LA Times observes. Romney has taken to calling Huckabee, the Iowa front-runner, weak on crime and immigration. Huckabee calls Romney a flip-flopper. “I didn’t just suddenly decide to be pro-life because ‘Hey, that’ll help me running for president,'” he says. 

Romney gave no pardons as Massachusetts governor—“a heck of a lot better,” he says, than Huckabee’s 1,033. Retorts the former Arkansas governor: The leniency rap “would be real news to the 16 people whose executions I carried out.” Romney also knocks Huckabee for criticizing Bush’s foreign policy, saying the president is owed “a great debt of gratitude." (More Mike Huckabee stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X