Giuliani says Romney ahead because of money he's spent, not his record

Christi Parsons
Chicago Tribune

Republican presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani said on Sunday that rival Mitt Romney was "not one of the outstanding governors" and that he failed to lower taxes or do much else of note while he was in the Massachusetts executive office.

In fact, Giuliani said, the only reason Romney is leading some polls in early voting states is because he has been spending a lot more money than the other candidates seeking the GOP nomination for president.

Asked why he was breaking with his declared plan to keep things positive, Giuliani said that Romney and others started it.

"It's because they criticized me," Giuliani said. "Notice I haven't criticized anyone who hasn't criticized me. Gov. Romney has been criticizing me for weeks and weeks and weeks."

The comments came during an interview on his campaign bus as Giuliani traveled to a morning coffee-and-bagel party at the home of some local supporters. Giuliani has devoted more of his resources to a nationwide campaign, while his rivals pursue a more conventional campaign aimed at the voters who will go to the primaries and caucuses in January.

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