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Direct mail from the Romney campaign reaching Iowa mailboxes near you.

Mike Huckabee told me Sunday that Mitt Romney should apologize for saying “blatantly untrue” things about him.

Huckabee also said such an apology would be accepted only if Romney also admitted that he “has not been forthcoming” about his own record.

Both statements came in a phone interview, after I had asked Huckabee whether he thinks he was owed an apology for negative commercials Romney has been running about him.

The Money Quotes:

• “I didn’t draw first blood and say terrible things about Mitt,” Huckabee said. “I’m not angry. This is politics; it is the way it works. But he not only wants to make up his record, but my record.”

• “This is not the way a man ought to become president,” Huckabee went on. “Certainly not in our party.”

Huckabee also said that Romney should take down his negative television ads because they are “DISHONEST.” See below:

Romney’s Madden says no apology is coming and the Arkansan is showing signs of “testiness and irritability.”

Huckabee, in the meantime, says that he may have to respond with his own negative ads.

Huckabee also hinted that he might hit back at Romney with ads of his own. “We will have a final decision on that announced tomorrow,” Huckabee said Sunday. “We reserve the right to respond in any way. I don’t want to be viewed as going negative, but it is necessary to get the facts out.”

Since Huckabee took most of the day off from retail campaigning in Iowa to film new television ads, Flap would bet the farm that a “NEW NEGATIVE” ad against Romney will be airing by noon tomorrow, Pacific time.

No 11th Commandment here folks.

Stay tuned……

Previous:

Mike Huckabee Watch: Huck Responds to Romney Negative Ads

Mitt Romney Watch: Romney Accuses Huckabee of Being Soft on Meth

Mike Huckabee Watch: Calls Romney Desperate and Dishonest While Defending John McCain Against Negative Romney Ads

Mitt Romney Watch: New Romney TV Ad Goes Negative on Huckabee Foreign Policy; Update: Huckabee Calls Romney “Dishonest”

Mayor Giuliani tells Brett Bair of FOX News that his campaign is built for the long haul.

The Rudy Giuliani campaign KNOWS the world does not revolve around Iowa. And, it doesn’t despite what the Washington D.C. pundits and the other GOP campaigns say.

It is the number of pledged delegates to the GOP convention in September 2008 that counts.

As the national press corps have been increasingly focusing on the upcoming Iowa caucuses, Rudy Giuliani–who is largely bypassing the state—has been playing a minor role in the news cycle. He popped up in the Hawkeye State Friday and Saturday but will not be returning to Iowa before the voting begins this Thursday, and plans to spend caucus night in Miami, FL.

One senior campaign official often laments about the need for the media to better understand and report on the new campaign schedule (read: It’s all about the 20+ Feb. 5 states, stupid.)—joking that “it’s time to teach an old dog new tricks.”

Let’s look at some states that will be December/January voting:

California:

• Open of Absentee Voting: January 7th

• Open of Early Voting: Not prior to January 7th

• Mailing of Permanent Absentee Ballots: on or about January 7th

• Size of Permanent Absentee List (GOP only): 1,477,440

• Targeted Permanent Absentee Voters Statewide: 817,009

• Targeted Permanent Absentee Voters in Tier 1 Targeted CD’s: 350,305

Illinois: (Where they are already voting)

• Open of Absentee Voting: December 29th

• Close of Absentee Voting: February 5th

• Open of Early Voting: January 14th

• Close of Early Voting: January 31st

Florida: Where Floridians are already voting

• Open of Absentee Voting: December 21st

• Close of Absentee Voting: January 29th

• Open of Early Voting: January 14th

Missouri: (where they are already voting)

• Open of Absentee Voting: December 26th

• Close of Absentee Voting: February 4th

New Jersey: (where they are already voting)

• Open of Absentee Voting: December 27th

• Close of Absentee Voting: February 5th

Isn’t it obvious with large delegate states voting historically earlier than previous why the successful GOP candidate must run a proportionate campaign to maximize voter contact?

Doesn’t this explain why Rudy is currently running national cable television ads and ads in Florida, although Florida’s primary is in late January?

So, does the GOP Presidential world revolve around Iowa (40 delegates) that has one quarter the delegates as California with 173?

NO…..

And, what good will momentum generated from a few small primary states wins or places do the candidate if the voters in the other states have already voted?

Stay tuned……

Republican presidential hopeful, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, reaches through the audience to shake hands with voter Vernon King, of Ashland, N.H., left, during a campaign stop, in Plymouth, N.H., Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007.

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Rudy Giuliani Watch: The Closing Argument – War on Terror

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Obey the GOP 11th Commandment

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Technorati Tags: Rudy Giuliani

Mayor Giuliani tells CNBC’s John Harwood that his foreign policy experience as the 3rd highest ranking official in the Reagan Justice Department, as Mayor of New York, and in international business have prepared him to keep America safe and on offense in the Terrorists’ War on Us.

Fox News sees the stump speech change of direction – By the Numbers:

Rudy Giuliani’s closing argument to voters is increasingly revolving around one issue—the war on terrorism. While he has spent most of the year talking up his record as New York City mayor and time as US Attorney and US Justice Department, he has now turned to his strongest issue in the last couple weeks amid slumping poll numbers.

At a town hall meeting at Iowa Wesleyan College Saturday night, Giuliani spoke for about 16 minutes before taking questions from attendees—devoting the first 14 minutes solely to terrorism.

Rudy will play to his strength – being tested under fire. In the meantime, Romney, McCain and Huckabee will attack each other in sandbox sand kicking attack ads.

Stay tuned……

Republican presidential hopeful, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani meets with volunteers during a visit to his campaign headquarters Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007, in Clive, Iowa.

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Rudy Giuliani Watch: Obey the GOP 11th Commandment

Giuliani California Campaign Watch: Call Out for Telephone Volunteers in Thousand Oaks, California

Rudy Giuliani Video Watch: Rudy Reacts to Bhutto Assassination

Rudy Giuiani Watch: National Television Ad – “FREEDOM”; Update: Rudy Giuliani’s Statement on the Assassination of Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto

Technorati Tags: Rudy Giuliani

Mike Huckabee on today’s Meet The Press responds to Mitt Romney’s negative TV and mail attacks

Mike Huckabee today reiterated his mantra of the past few days calling Mitt Romney – DESPERATE, DISHONORBLE and DISHONEST. This time it was on a national TV show – Meet The Press.

Four days before the Iowa caucuses, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on Sunday lashed out at Mitt Romney as desperate, dishonorable and dishonest — a notable change in tone that reflects signs Huckabee’s amazing insurgency has peaked.

“Mitt Romney is running a very desperate and, frankly, a dishonest campaign,” Huckabee said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in Des Moines. “If you aren’t being honest in obtaining the job, can we trust you if you get the job?”

How much more negative can this campaign be?

There are Romney’s television ads and his mail pieces. Huckabee has responded. And an independent 527 committee supporting Huckabee is running the ad below against Romney.

Are Iowa voters saturated? And, will these negative ads “turn off” significant numbers of voters to simply not show on Thursday night?

Flap bets turnout is very low.

Stay tuned….

Previous:

Mitt Romney Watch: Romney Accuses Huckabee of Being Soft on Meth

Mike Huckabee Watch: Calls Romney Desperate and Dishonest While Defending John McCain Against Negative Romney Ads

Mitt Romney Watch: New Romney TV Ad Goes Negative on Huckabee Foreign Policy; Update: Huckabee Calls Romney “Dishonest”

John McCain reacts to Mitt Romney’s negative attacks. JSM: You know, I find it ironic Mitt Romney would attack me on the issue of immigration.

John McCain will be “on air” soon with the above television ad in response to Mitt Romney’s attack ad below:

McCain and Romney are going mano a mano in New Hampshire. Rest assured Mitt Romney (with unlimited campaign resources and plenty of pre-purchased television time) will respond with a new ad challenging McCain’s credibility.

Are New Hampshire voters tiring of this back and forth? Or will one of these candidates ride these ads to victory?

Stay tuned…..

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John McCain Watch: McCain Calls Mitt Romney a PIG

John McCain Watch: McCain Responds with Negative Ad Against Mitt Romney in New Hampshire

John McCain Watch: McCain Responds to Romney New Hampshire Attack Ad – Calls Romney “HYSTERICAL”

Mitt Romney Watch: Is Mitt Desperate?

Mitt Romney Watch: Romney Attacks McCain for Attacking Bush in 2000

Mitt Romney Watch: New TV AD Attacks McCain on Taxes and Illegal Immigration; Update: Team McCain Strikes Back at Romney

John McCain Watch: New TV AD Slaps Romney Over Newspaper Endorsements

John McCain Watch: The GOP Gloves Are Off With Mitt Romney in New Hampshire

Rudy Giuliani talking to reporters in Iowa, December29, 2007

But, Rudy Giuliani is taking a different approach – the high road – at least for now.

While his rivals accuse one another of dishonesty and lambaste one another’s records, Rudy Giuliani is attempting to stay above the fray, saying he will not attack his fellow GOP contenders.

“I’d rather stay away from criticism of other Republicans. Our objective is to beat the Democrats and the less we criticize each other, the better position we’re gonna be in to beat the Democrats,” he said after a quick stop at an Indianola bakery. “”It seems to me we got so many issues to talk about in which we can distinguish ourselves, our different experiences, our different backgrounds, and give the voters a chance to decide.”

But, the fact is that negative campaign ads work.

In today’s polls from Iowa, Mitt Romney has eroded Mike Huckabee’s lead. And, John McCain has vaulted into the lead (of sorts -within the margin of error) in a national GOP poll. Both as a result of negative ads.

Rudy will play the UNIFIER for now and will wait for the dust to clear between the Romney-Huckabee and Romney-McCain media wars. In the meantime, Giuliani’s media people will focus group test the negative pieces to see which are the most effective to use against the apparent candidate emerging to challenge Rudy in Florida.

Flap has been saying for months that the GOP campaign will be won or lost with the Florida media war between Giuliani and one or more other candidates.

And, Rudy will go NEGATIVE in Florida – because it works.

Stay tuned…….

Previous:

Giuliani California Campaign Watch: Call Out for Telephone Volunteers in Thousand Oaks, California

Rudy Giuliani Video Watch: Rudy Reacts to Bhutto Assassination

Rudy Giuiani Watch: National Television Ad – “FREEDOM”; Update: Rudy Giuliani’s Statement on the Assassination of Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto

Technorati Tags: Rudy Giuliani

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