Mitt Romney was on fire when he responded to an accusation against him by fellow GOP presidential hopeful John McCain. He had demanded that McCain apologize for saying that he once supported a phased withdrawal from Iraq. This is just part of the latest clash between Romney and McCain.
“I don’t know why he’s being dishonest,” the former Massachusetts governor had said to reporters. He added: “But that’s dishonest. To say that I have a specific date is simply wrong and is dishonest and he should apologize. That is not the case, I’ve never said that.”
Romney was fired up when he gave his response to the reporters.
Earlier while in Fort Myers, Florida, McCain had said: “In the conflict that we’re in, I’m the only one that said we have to abandon the Rumsfeld strategy and Rumsfeld and adopt a new strategy. Gov Romney wanted to set a date for withdrawal, similar to what the democrats are seeking which would have led to the victory by al Qaeda in my view.”
While Romney demanded an apology, McCain rebuked it while he was in Sun City.
“I think the apology is owed to the young men and women who are serving this nation in uniform that we will not let them down in hard times and good,” McCain had said. He would add: “That is who the apology is owed to.”
Instead of apologizing to Romney, McCain directed the apology to the US servicemen and servicewomen.
Romney has given the suggestion that McCain tried to shift voters’ focus from the economy.
“I know he’s trying desperately to change the topic from the economy and trying to get back to Iraq. But to say something that’s not accurate is simply wrong and he knows better,” Romney said in response to McCain’s directed apology.