Rep. Ron Paul of Texas yesterday broke the single-day Republican presidential-campaign fundraising record he set last month, raising about $6 million and giving him almost $18 million for the fourth quarter. His new record came on a day in which former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney found himself on the defensive on NBC's "Meet the Press" program, former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee took shots at the rest of the field on CBS' "Face the Nation" and Sen. John McCain of Arizona prepared to accept today the endorsement of Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat-turned-independent.
Mr. Paul's campaign shattered its goal of raising $12 million this fundraising quarter — the amount his campaign had said it needed to run the necessary ads in Iowa and New Hampshire to raise his name recognition.
"Americans are rallying to Dr. Paul's message, and showing that they want a government that respects their rights and protects their freedoms," said Lew Moore, Mr. Paul's campaign manager.
As with last month's previous record haul of $4.2 million, yesterday's event was conceived by his supporters and timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, which took place on Dec. 16, 1773.
Mr. Paul is putting together a unique campaign that heavily relies on new voters, the majority of whom weren't active in Republican politics until now.
Drew Ivers, chairman of Mr. Paul's Iowa campaign, said he finds that only between one-fourth and one-third of supporters who show up at events for Mr. Paul in that state are registered Republicans. Mr. Paul posts the state-by-state deadlines for switching parties before the primaries on his Web site.
Meanwhile, Mr. Romney had to explain his flip-flops on four issues dear to conservatives, including immigration and abortion.
He also demanded that fellow candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee apologize for attacking President Bush's foreign policy as an "arrogant bunker mentality." Mr. Huckabee's criticism appeared in a Foreign Affairs article last week. "That's an insult to the president, and Mike Huckabee should apologize," Mr. Romney said as he submitted to intense questioning from host Tim Russert on NBC's "Meet the Press." Mr. Huckabee dismissed Mr. Romney's criticism, saying in an appearance on CNN that his rival "needs to read the article." Mr. Huckabee went on to list a series of issues on which Mr. Romney had opposed Mr. Bush and party orthodoxy, including abortion and marriage. Answering those charges on NBC, Mr. Romney said he had changed his views on abortion but said he hasn't flipped on other issues such as immigration. Mr. Russert asked about articles that said Mr. Romney appeared to back Mr. McCain and Mr. Bush on "comprehensive immigration reform," which includes a path to citizenship and a guest-worker program. Mr. Romney said he called those approaches "reasonable," but that doesn't mean he supported them and said his position now is clearer. "The 12 million or so that are here illegally should be able to sign up for permanent residency or citizenship, but they should not be given a special pathway, a special guarantee that all of them get to stay here for the rest of their lives merely by virtue of having come here illegally," he said. "That, I think, is the great flaw in the final bill that came forward from the Senate." He also demanded that fellow candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee apologize for attacking President Bush's foreign policy as an "arrogant bunker mentality." Mr. Huckabee's criticism appeared in a Foreign Affairs article last week. "That's an insult to the president, and Mike Huckabee should apologize," Mr. Romney said as he submitted to intense questioning from host Tim Russert on NBC's "Meet the Press." Mr. Huckabee dismissed Mr. Romney's criticism, saying in an appearance on CNN that his rival "needs to read the article." Mr. Huckabee went on to list a series of issues on which Mr. Romney had opposed Mr. Bush and party orthodoxy, including abortion and marriage. Answering those charges on NBC, Mr. Romney said he had changed his views on abortion but said he hasn't flipped on other issues such as immigration. Mr. Russert asked about articles that said Mr. Romney appeared to back Mr. McCain and Mr. Bush on "comprehensive immigration reform," which includes a path to citizenship and a guest-worker program. Mr. Romney said he called those approaches "reasonable," but that doesn't mean he supported them and said his position now is clearer. "The 12 million or so that are here illegally should be able to sign up for permanent residency or citizenship, but they should not be given a special pathway, a special guarantee that all of them get to stay here for the rest of their lives merely by virtue of having come here illegally," he said. "That, I think, is the great flaw in the final bill that came forward from the Senate." He also demanded that fellow candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee apologize for attacking President Bush's foreign policy as an "arrogant bunker mentality." Mr. Huckabee's criticism appeared in a Foreign Affairs article last week. "That's an insult to the president, and Mike Huckabee should apologize," Mr. Romney said as he submitted to intense questioning from host Tim Russert on NBC's "Meet the Press." Mr. Huckabee dismissed Mr. Romney's criticism, saying in an appearance on CNN that his rival "needs to read the article." Mr. Huckabee went on to list a series of issues on which Mr. Romney had opposed Mr. Bush and party orthodoxy, including abortion and marriage. Answering those charges on NBC, Mr. Romney said he had changed his views on abortion but said he hasn't flipped on other issues such as immigration. Mr. Russert asked about articles that said Mr. Romney appeared to back Mr. McCain and Mr. Bush on "comprehensive immigration reform," which includes a path to citizenship and a guest-worker program. Mr. Romney said he called those approaches "reasonable," but that doesn't mean he supported them and said his position now is clearer. "The 12 million or so that are here illegally should be able to sign up for permanent residency or citizenship, but they should not be given a special pathway, a special guarantee that all of them get to stay here for the rest of their lives merely by virtue of having come here illegally," he said. "That, I think, is the great flaw in the final bill that came forward from the Senate." He also demanded that fellow candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee apologize for attacking President Bush's foreign policy as an "arrogant bunker mentality." Mr. Huckabee's criticism appeared in a Foreign Affairs article last week. "That's an insult to the president, and Mike Huckabee should apologize," Mr. Romney said as he submitted to intense questioning from host Tim Russert on NBC's "Meet the Press." Mr. Huckabee dismissed Mr. Romney's criticism, saying in an appearance on CNN that his rival "needs to read the article." Mr. Huckabee went on to list a series of issues on which Mr. Romney had opposed Mr. Bush and party orthodoxy, including abortion and marriage. Answering those charges on NBC, Mr. Romney said he had changed his views on abortion but said he hasn't flipped on other issues such as immigration. Mr. Russert asked about articles that said Mr. Romney appeared to back Mr. McCain and Mr. Bush on "comprehensive immigration reform," which includes a path to citizenship and a guest-worker program. Mr. Romney said he called those approaches "reasonable," but that doesn't mean he supported them and said his position now is clearer. "The 12 million or so that are here illegally should be able to sign up for permanent residency or citizenship, but they should not be given a special pathway, a special guarantee that all of them get to stay here for the rest of their lives merely by virtue of having come here illegally," he said. "That, I think, is the great flaw in the final bill that came forward from the Senate."
