Mitt Romney's campaign in New Hampshire targeted John McCain, blaming him for failing Reagan 101 by twice voting against President Bush's tax cuts. He also criticized McCain for supporting illegal immigrants and
Speaking at a public event, Romney told audiences at the packed Peterborough Town House, "You know, right now Sen. McCain and I are both battling for your support and your vote. He's a good man, but we have differing views on this." Repeatedly attacking McCain, Romney however ignored Rudy Giuliani, indicating to media persons that Giuliani's flagging polls.
Earlier too, at a gathering in North Conway, Romney had attacked McCain on the issue of the Bush tax cuts. He also criticized McCain for his nonconformist attitude that often made him support views that were contradictory to those held by his party. "Anyone who's run something, whether it's a small business or a big business, knows that the No. 1 ingredient for success is building a remarkable team of people around you, motivating them, guiding them, insisting on them drawing out their best capacities," Romney said. "I've had occasions to run business, to run the Olympics and to run a state, and you don't do that by yourself," continued the former Massachusetts governor." Jill Hazelbaker, McCain's communications director, attributed Romney's attack to desperation. ".. It's no surprise that he's attacking—it's the calling card of a campaign in crisis mode," she said.
However, Romney's allegation against McCain may spur a debate regarding his own stand on the tax cuts. According to the Boston Globe, when Romney had been asked about the tax cuts, he had indicated that he did not agree with them. It was only subsequently that he supported the tax reductions, saying that they should be made permanent before 2011.