As Romney Surges, Foes Prepare to Attack
With Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney now challenging former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain for front-runner status in popularity polls, backers of those White House hopefuls are fine-tuning the line of attack planned against the self-described conservative.
Several Romney positions and stances are in focus, they say, starting with his claim to the conservative Reagan mantel. Noting his past positions supportive of gay rights and choice on abortion, Romney's foes are building a library of past statements he made to win the liberal state's governorship. Romney now holds an antiabortion and antigay marriage position, but his primary opponents are likely to make a big deal out of his past positions.
"He's a conservative now, but he's bending to fill that conservative line," said one critic.
Another issue: his lack of foreign policy experience, a key McCain advantage.
Lastly, his Mormon religion. Associates working with other campaigns say they don't plan to criticize the religion, believing that the media will address the issue. Romney himself has said he plans to address his Mormonism like John F. Kennedy did his Catholicism.