Unlike Huckabee, McCain Hits Back At Romney

Faced with Huckabee's rise in Iowa, Mitt Romney did what his professionals programmed him to do: go negative on the Huckster.

The Baptist minister's response, so far, has largely been to turn the other cheek and deflect Romney's attacks with humor and grace. While Romney's attacks are having some impact on Big Mike's campaign, they haven't really helped Romney--indeed, they may be opening the door to McCain in Iowa.

Meanwhile, while Romney was trying to drag Huckabee into the mudpit in Iowa, McCain began gaining on the Mittster in New Hampshire, so, once again, Romney went negative.

But McCain is no Baptist minister. Instead, as the Washington Post's Chris Cilizza documents here, McCain has chosen to punch back, and he hits hard. Our favorite: "Welcome to Mitt Romney's bizarro world, in which everyone is guilty of his sins. He didn't support Ronald Reagan. He didn't support President Bush's tax cuts. He raised taxes in Massachusetts by $700 million. He knows John McCain is gaining on him so he does what any small varmint gun totin', civil rights marching, NRA endorsed fantasy candidate would do: he questions someone else's credibility. New Hampshire is on to you, Mitt. Give it a rest. It's Christmas."

Frankly, it's about time someone nailed Romney.