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Romney in Dems' Territory to Criticize Their Candidate

Posted on: Wednesday, 27 August 2008, 06:00 CDT

By Richard Wolf

DENVER -- The man often mentioned as John McCain's choice of running mate came to the site of the Democratic convention on Tuesday to call Barack Obama unfit for election.

Mitt Romney, the runner-up in this year's Republican primaries, spent the day doing interviews, including one inside the Pepsi Center where Democrats are holding forth.

He wouldn't answer the question of whether he wants a spot on the GOP ticket with McCain. Romney freely criticized McCain during the primaries on issues ranging from tax cuts and immigration to campaign finance.

Romney said his differences with McCain paled in comparison to his problems with Obama. "Barack Obama is a charming and fine person. He has a loving family," Romney told about 75 journalists jammed into Republicans' headquarters here. "But he's not ready to be president."

Romney headlined a group of Republican politicians that included Reps. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Eric Cantor of Virginia and Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida. Today, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani leads the attack on Obama, followed Thursday by Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, another possible vice presidential pick.

Romney would bring a Midwestern, Western and Eastern appeal to the GOP ticket: He was born and raised in Michigan, managed the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah and governed Massachusetts from 2003-06.

Republicans are doing their best to be seen and heard here, just as Democrats promise to do in St. Paul during the Republican National Convention next week.

Romney singled out Obama's past support for tax increases and government-run health care. "Barack Obama would mean that we'd have less prosperity and less security," he said.

In Phoenix, McCain told an American Legion convention that Obama was confused about the lessons of Iraq. He cited the Democrat's recent comments that "it helps if we are leading by example" when criticizing the Russian invasion of Georgia.

"If he really thinks that by liberating Iraq from a dangerous tyrant, America somehow set a bad example that invited Russia to invade a small, peaceful and democratic nation, then he should state it outright," McCain said. "Confusion about such questions only invites more trouble, violence and aggression."

Source: USA TODAY

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