After clashing in a debate in Orlando on Thursday night, the two leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination to challenge President Barack Obama in 2012 -- Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts -- continued to pound away at each other this week with new attack ads.
Reeling from a near-universally panned performance in Thursday nights debate and finishing distant second in straw polls in Florida and Michigan over the weekend, Perry took aim on Monday at Romney. The Perry camp released a web video hammering Romney for changing the wording of various editions of his book -- something Romney accused Perry of in the debate on Thursday.
"Mitt Romney may try to edit his past, but he can't; President Obama followed Mitt Romney's model of Romneycare when he designed Obamacare," said Mark Miner, a spokesman for Perry, in a statement. "Americans are looking for a proven and authentic conservative, not someone who changes his policies based on the 'climate.'"
The Romney camp responded later on Monday by releasing a web ad of its own. The ad welcomed Perry to Maryland, who was attending fundraisers there on Tuesday, and hammered the Texas governor on immigration. The ad featured a clip of Democratic Gov. Martin OMalley praising Perry's record on the subject.
The Perry camp fired back with an ad released on Tuesday morning, painting Romney as inconsistent on issues. During the 2008 campaign, Romneys rivals used that tactic with some degree of success, arguing that the former Massachusetts governor remained inconsistent on a number of issues.
This time, the Perry camp focused on education, arguing that Romney had changed his stance, including support of the federal Race to the Top program. In the debate in Orlando on Thursday, Perry came out swinging at Race to the Top.
Last week at a Florida town hall, Governor Romney praised President Obamas secretary of education and the Obama administrations federal school mandates, then flip-flopped the very next day, claiming he was against Obamas school mandates, said Ray Sullivan, a spokesman for Perry, in a statement released on Tuesday morning. His positions change as his audience and political climate changes. Whether its government-mandated health insurance or federal encroachment on Americas public schools, Mr. Romneys smooth delivery hides positions that change with the political climate. The next president needs to have strong conservative principles Americans can count on."
The Perry team bashed Romney for flopping on education, arguing that he praised U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Race to the Top last Wednesday -- before saying on Thursday that he opposed the program. The Perry team once again pointed to Romneys book No Apologies and maintained that the former governor of Massachusetts edited out sentences insisting that the health-care law signed by Romney was the model for the federal one backed by Obama.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
