McCain swipes at Romney; Clinton defends tough talk
The Republican touts leadership qualities as GOP candidates woo Florida's Cuban American voters. The former first lady blames Obama camp for initial fire.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Republican candidates today crossed Florida seeking votes while Democrats focused on South Carolina's primary as the presidential campaigns moved into a key weekend.
Amid the growing stakes, the political claws have begun raking more intensely.
Arizona Sen. John McCain swiped at his chief rival, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, at a news conference.
"I have led, not managed," McCain said.
"Governor Romney is touting his qualities and his experience and resume as a manager," McCain said. "I am telling the American people, and they know it, that I am a leader.
"You can hire managers all the time, people who do the mechanics, people who implement policies, people who are good with assets," McCain said. "Leadership is the ability to inspire and the ability to make Americans serve causes greater than their self-interest."
McCain is leading nationally, according to the polls, but is slightly trailing Romney in Tuesday's Florida primary.
Romney, a former businessman, this morning stressed his economic credentials at a breakfast meeting of the Latin Builders Assn. Inc. in Miami. Cuban Americans are expected to be 10% of Tuesday's Republican vote.
Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani also spoke at the function. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was scheduled to campaign in Florida as well, though his campaign has been feeling financial pressures.
The GOP candidate with the most riding on Tuesday is Giuliani, who didn't participate in the early primaries and caucuses and has bet heavily on Florida. Polls show him trailing and a poor performance will likely hurt him as the Republican Party prepares for Feb. 5 when the bulk of its delegates will be chosen.
On the Democratic side, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton defended her campaign's tough stand and blamed her principal rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, for the nasty turn the campaigns have taken.
"I try not to attack first, but I have to defend myself -- I do have to counterpunch," Clinton said this morning on NBC's "Today Show."
"I took a lot of incoming fire for many, many months and I was happy to absorb it because obviously, you know, I felt that was part of my responsibility. But toward the end of a campaign you have to set the record straight," she said.
