Former Gov. Mitt Romney in 'The Situation Room': CNNOn CNN's 'The Situation Room,' guest anchor Suzanne Malveaux pressed ex-presidential contender and former Gov. Mitt Romney on Republican presidential nominee John McCain's ideas for the American economy, position on national security and proximity to one of the most unpopular presidents in modern history.
Speaking from Boston, Romney said that McCain's key financial priority is to reduce the dependence on foreign oil and high costs through more drilling and nuclear power, which would help "middle-income families at a time when this economy is really putting a pinch on them."
Confronted with Barack Obama's comments today that the Arizona senator's economic package is "the Bush plan" and will "not only continue the Bush tax cuts but to wealthy corporations [but] increase them," he stood by McCain's proposals as "big tax savings for middle-income families" through reducing the Alternative Minimum Tax and making the Bush tax cuts permanent.
Former Gov. Mitt Romney in 'The Situation Room': CNNOn CNN's 'The Situation Room,' guest anchor Suzanne Malveaux pressed ex-presidential contender and former Gov. Mitt Romney on Republican presidential nominee John McCain's ideas for the American economy, position on national security and proximity to one of the most unpopular presidents in modern history.
Speaking from Boston, Romney said that McCain's key financial priority is to reduce the dependence on foreign oil and high costs through more drilling and nuclear power, which would help "middle-income families at a time when this economy is really putting a pinch on them."
Confronted with Barack Obama's comments today that the Arizona senator's economic package is "the Bush plan" and will "not only continue the Bush tax cuts but to wealthy corporations [but] increase them," he stood by McCain's proposals as "big tax savings for middle-income families" through reducing the Alternative Minimum Tax and making the Bush tax cuts permanent.
"What Barack Obama wants to do -- instead of extending the current tax rate -- is to raise the tax rate. So, John McCain isn't lowering those taxes; Barack Obama want's to raise them." He then offered reduced spending as the path to balancing the national budget.
On foreign policy, Romney predicted that "the mission in Iraq" would be "virtually complete" by 2013 under a McCain administration and touted the "enhanced stability" the country is experiencing because of the surge of American military force there. However, he said troop withdrawals would continue, comparing the continued occupation to the U.S. presence in South Korea and Bosnia.
Yesterday, McCain's campaign said that military expenditures would decrease as conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan improve, and those savings would go towards deficit reduction. But Malveaux pressed Romney on whether America could really expect decreasing costs in Afghanistan as violence increases and more forces are likely necessary.
Romney countered by pointing to the NATO forces involved in the operation, saying that unlike Iraq, the mission in Afghanistan "should not be a burden which the United States alone carries."
Echoing his stance during his own presidential campaign, the former governor also said that he doesn't think McCain should revisit the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy on gays in the military.
I think that -- particularly at a time of conflict as we're experiencing in Iraq and Afghanistan -- this is not the time to be putting in place a major change in policy and trying to accommodate all of the adjustments that that would require."
The interview concluded with Romney saying he was not sure whether McCain will appear with President George W. Bush at September's Republican National Convention.
"You know I am not much of a choreographer, I have to be honest with you.I don't know how convention choreography is going to work. Of course we want to hear from our president and hear his perspectives.”
Bush is set to speak on Monday, the first night, during the RNC's convention week. McCain probably will not appear until he accepts the nomination on the final night, a Thursday.
Romney said that while he enjoyed the president visiting with him at his Deer Valley, Utah home in May, McCain is "the highlight of the convention" this summer.
"[T]his is clearly John McCain's convention."
