Simi turns center of GOP universe for a day
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

Photos by JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR- Republican presidential hopefuls, from left, Mitt Romney, John McCain, Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee, pose with former first lady Nancy Reagan at the outset of Wednesday's GOP debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library's Air Force One Pavilion. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (inset) also made an appearance at the event, a day later endorsing McCain for president. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was scheduled to participate, but withdrew from the race the day of the event.

CNN's Anderson Cooper, moderator for the Republican Debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday, kicked off the contest with few guidelines for the four candidates.

"The only rule tonight is there are no rules," Cooper said.

And Sen. John McCain and former Gov. Mitt Romney seemed to take to the suggestion well, spending most of the debate throwing insults and arguing over technicalities.

The 90-minute debate was the final Republican face-off before Super Tuesday, when more than 20 states hold their primary elections Feb. 5.

The bitter battle began with a question about whether Romney ever supported a timetable for phased withdrawal from Iraq- a claim McCain recently began voicing.

Romney said he was "offended" by McCain's accusations and denied he ever encouraged setting a specific date for withdrawal.

"And by the way, raising it a few days before the Florida primary, when there was very little time for me to correct the record . . . sort of falls in the kind of dirty tricks that I think Ronald Reagan would have found to be reprehensible," Romney said.

McCain argued that in an interview last April, Romney said President Bush should have "milestones and timetables" to gauge the progress in Iraq. Romney's full quote recommended the schedules be private. However McCain insisted Romney was supporting a retreat.

"'Timetables' was the buzzword for those that wanted out," McCain said. He also added that Romney was the one partaking in questionable "Washington politics."

"I think my friend Gov. Huckabee, sir, will attest the millions of dollars of attack ads and negative ads you leveled against him in Iowa, the millions of dollars of attack ads you have attacked against me in New Hampshire, and have ever since," McCain said. "A lot of it is your own money. You're free to do with it what you want to. You can spend it all. But the fact is that your negative ads, my friend, have set the tone, unfortunately, in this campaign."

Texas Rep. Ron Paul called the two out for bickering.

"You know, the country is in bankruptcy," Paul said. "And when I listen to this argument, I mean, I find it rather silly, because they're arguing technicalities of a policy they both agree with."

Aside from a couple questions, Paul and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee were, for the most part, forgotten.

"I didn't come here to umpire a ball game between these two," Huckabee said, clearly annoyed that he wasn't more involved. "I came here to get a chance to swing at a few myself."

McCain and Romney went on to criticize the other's ability to serve as president.

"Senators and congressmen are fine people, but they're legislators," Romney said. "They sit in committees. They're committee chairs. And they call that leadership."

McCain fired back, comparing his record of military service to Romney's time in the private sector.

"I think (Romney) has managed companies, and he bought, and he sold, and sometimes people lost their jobs," McCain said. "That's the nature of the business. But the fact is that we're at a time in our history where you can't afford any on-the-job training. And I believe that my experience and background qualifies me to lead."

The governor responded by saying one of his "great regrets in life" was not serving in the military.

Romney, who recently said McCain would follow a "liberal, Democratic course," went on to claim that he was "out of the mainstream" of Republican thought. Romney used McCain's past opposition to Bush's tax cuts as an example and pointed out that the New York Times- a newspaper often criticized by the conservative pool for its liberalism- endorsed him.

"Let me note that I was endorsed by your two hometown newspapers, who know you best," said McCain, taking a jab back at Romney. "I'll guarantee you the Arizona Republic will be endorsing me, my friend."