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Romney launches fierce attack against chief rival Gingrich
Edinburgh News.Net
Friday 27th January, 2012
JACKSONVILLE, Florida - Republican presidential frontrunners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich sparred repeatedly in a livewire debate Thursday, five days ahead of the high-stakes Florida primary voting with analysts giving Romney an edge over his arch rival.
The debate in Florida, the last before the key state's primary, saw Romney launch a fierce attack on his chief rival in an attempt to put his campaign back on track after losing South Carolina last Saturday.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, took umbrage at former House speaker Gingrich describing him as "anti-immigrant."
"That's inexcusable," Romney said, turning to his rival. "I'm not anti-immigrant. My father was born in Mexico. ... The idea that I'm anti-immigrant is repulsive. Don't use a term like that."
Polls put the two as running neck-and-neck ahead of next Tuesday's primary in Florida for the Republican nomination to face President Barack Obama in November.
The stakes are high because a win in Florida has the potential to propel a contender to the nomination.
Gingrich had registered an upset win in the South Carolina primary last week.
Romney and Gingrich also clashed over the nature of their investments.
Gingrich drew attention to Romney's vast wealth, saying: "I don't know of any American president who has had a Swiss bank account. I'd be glad for you to explain that sort of thing."
Romney retorted, saying Republicans such as Gingrich shouldn't criticize him for being successful.
Addressing Gingrich directly, he said: "You indicated that somehow I didn't earn that money."
Romney had released his tax returns this week, revealing he paid a rate of less than 15% on income which is in millions. He is one of the wealthiest presidential candidates in history with a fortune of about $250 million, mostly from investments including some holdings in offshore accounts.
The bickering intensified over Gingrich's earlier work for the troubled mortgage giant Freddie Mac.
Romney raised Gingrich's work for Freddie Mac, saying his rival was an influence peddler, a "horn tooter" for Freddie Mac. Romney has attacked Gingrich for accepting $1.6 million in consulting fees from Freddie Mac.
Gingrich retorted, saying: "Romney made $1 million dollars on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac," to which Romney pointed out that Gingrich owns stock in the two government-sponsored entities at the heart of the US housing crisis.
Romney also ridiculed Gingrich's plans to establish a permanent base on the moon, an idea of interest to those on Florida's Space Coast. Romney said: "If I had a business executive come to me and say I want to spend a few hundred billion dollars to put a colony on the moon, I'd say, 'you're fired'."
According to recent polling, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Texas Rep. Ron Paul are trailing well back.
Primaries and caucuses will be held in every US state to pick a Republican candidate until the eventual winner is anointed at the party's convention in August.
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