Romney Staying Classy- Bashes Dole

Good Grief

Mitt: Get Out of Here, Bob. Mac: How Dare You [Byron York]
In the aftermath of Bob Dole's letter to Rush Limbaugh defending John McCain, a full-scale sniping war has broken out between the Romney and McCain campaigns. First Romney dissed Dole this morning on Fox News:
Well, it's probably the last person I would have wanted write a letter for me. I think there are a lot of folks who tend to think that maybe John McCain's race is a bit like Bob Dole's race. That it's the guy who's next in line, the inevitable choice.

Then, a few minutes ago, McCain hit back at Romney with this e-mailed statement:

Governor Romney's attack on Bob Dole is disgraceful, and Governor Romney should apologize. Bob Dole is a war hero who has spent his life in service to this nation and nobody has worked harder to build the Republican Party. Bob Dole deserves the respect of every American and certainly every Republican. Governor Romney denounced Ronald Reagan in the mid '90s while Bob Dole was working tirelessly to elect Republicans across the country. Governor Romney was missing from those fights when I was standing with President Reagan and Senator Dole to build the Republican Party.Governor Romney is trying to divide the Republican Party and his disparagement of one of our Party's greatest leaders is a sad commentary on Governor Romney's increasingly bitter campaign.
02/05 10:16 AM

Last night Bob Dole was on H&C. He had very nice things to say for Romney and said he liked Mike.

Bob Dole was as he often is quite charming and nice.This pattern of conduct by Mitt is disturbing. Even politically it makes no sense. Does he realize he has Kansas up next? What about North Carolina where his wife is Senator? If he gets the nod he will make everyone mad.

Bob Dole is a hard working Republican and truly one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. I remember here in Louisiana he was the D Day Museuem opening. Suzie Terrell was running against Senator Mary Landrieu and just at the spur of the moment he arranged a quick luncheon so he could raise money for her

I find it amazing that he speaks of this man that had the courage to run and ACTUALLY got the nomionation. Something he has not done yet

Update Team Romney realizes they stepped in it

Romney Flip-Flops; Dole Now "Terrific Guy" [Byron York]
The Romney campaign is now sending out a transcript from an appearance by Romney after his Bob-Dole-is-the-last-person-I'd-want-to-write-a-letter-for-me remarks on Fox this morning. A couple of hours later, Laura Ingraham asked Romney about Dole, and this is from the Romney campaign:
Governor Romney: "Bob Dole Is An American Hero, Another Terrific Guy." LAURA

INGRAHAM: "Are you upset that you lost that Dole endorsement?"

GOVERNOR ROMNEY: "You know you like every endorsement and Bob Dole is an American hero, another terrific guy. … But you know, I don’t think if I were the McCain campaign that’s the parallel I would have wanted to draw. Just because you know he was selected as somebody who had been a long term Senator and was seen as the anointed choice. You know the inevitable choice, the one who is next in line. I think we’re best as a party, at least in my own view, when we bring somebody in from the outside. If we want to change Washington, I think it's going to have to have an outsider to do it and it‘s going to take somebody who may not be the inevitable choice, but instead somebody who represents new passion, new vision, new energy, that I think we need to see in Washington."
02/05 12:00 PM

You cannot make this stuff up. Only Mitt Romney can attempt to stride the time-space barriers and in the same day say "dole is the last person I would want" and "I'd love to have dole's support" and expect people to accept both things as true statements.

Sounds very much like his postions on Guns that is even making his supporters infuriated