YOUR COMMENTS

Mitt Romney is the main reson why Deval Patrck is now Gov of Ma and not former lt. Gov.Kerry Healey, she had a 60-plus percent UNFAVORABLE rating when she ran for Gov in 06 because of Romney's Administration. Romney would never have been reelected and chose not to run again. In addition to flip flopping on positions as he has done in the national campaign he lost interest in being Governor about halfway through his first term and travelled around the country putting down the residents of Massachuseets!! Please do the USA a huge favor and dont vote for this guy!!!
- Mike Cronin, Leominster,Ma

If I were Mitt Romney and realized that I had spent $600 a vote of my own money in Iowa, I'd ask for my money back from the Harvard Business School.
- charley snyder, medford, ma

Mitt is not distorting McCain's record you moonbats he's telling the truth. McCain is pro-amnesty on immigration opposed Bush's tax cuts twice and is pro-imcumbant thanks to his campaign finance reform bill. The Union Leader was good until you moonbat editorial writers took over. John McCain is NOT a conservative like you think he is.
- Mike Hassett, Chelmsford Mass 01924

After posting a response to this article, I was called by a fake auto-pollster asking who I was voting for. By the end of the questions, the pollster launched into a defense of John McCain's position on illegal immigrants and social security. First, how did they get my number? Second, why was this specific issue addressed? And third, did any other person who posted here receive a similar call last night?
- Judy McKenna, Manchester, NH

I love the Union Leader but I'm getting sick of these daily HIT PIECES on Mitt Romney. This has gone beyond an endorsement to actively trying to take out Romney. From hit pieces from a loser Massachusetts republican, to reprinting the Boston Herald McCain endorsement. John McCain is experienced, and American hero, and qualified to be President, however he is just wrong on many important issues: Illeagal alien amnesty, SS for illegal aliens, cut a deal to keep conservative judges of federal benches to "save the Senate (barf!)", and voted twice against the Bush tax cuts. Unlike McCain, Mitt Romney is an experienced executive who's actions have been consistent with core republican principles.
- Jack Langley, Hollis

I personally find it hard to see how any self-respecting Republican can support any candidate other than Senator McCain.

Let's look at the prospects:

Paul, good fiscal conservative without a realistic foreign policy. Fred, its January, he's tan, he doesn't want the job. Rudy, fiscal conservative, social moderate, with miserably poor judgement. Huckabee, nice guy, off-the-wall foreign policy. Mitt, a Massachusetts flip-flopper. The Dems tried that, it doesn't work.

That leaves us with Senator McCain. Small government, fiscal conservative, who also happens to be pro-life. He tells you what he thinks, not what you want to hear, or worse, what he thinks you want to hear.

McCain is a leader. That's what we're supposed to be electing here.
- Doug Shattuck, Amherst

I applaud the Union Leader for their endorsement of John McCain. I expect nothing short of the type of commentary UL has provided as to Mitt Romney's "distortions" of Senator McCains' positions as we near primary day.
As a Massachusetts resident, I have seen first hand the type of leadership that Mitt Romney engages in. To be blunt, he lacks neither the vision nor the experience to be President of the United States. Unfortunately, in this day and age, Mitt Romney is too often defined ( and aided ) by "appearing" presidential; that is to say that he is articulate, energetic, and composed in front of the microphones. Upon closer inspection, however, his resume ( or lack of one ) will bring the people to the appropriate choice of John McCain when casting their ballot on election day.
John McCain is ready to lead from day one, and national polling confirms that he is the only Republican candidate that can beat the Democrats. His service to our country, his values, and his vision for the US within the confines of traditional Republican policy make Senator McCain the natural choice for strong leadership in these uneasy and turbulent times.
Mr. Romney can distort, but can not run, from the fact that Arizona Senator is clearly Presidential material whereas he is a single term governor whose track record is plaqued by constant "flip flopping" on key agenda items. Fortunately for John McCain, truth and decency, not negative campaigning and endless "spinning" will triumph in the end.
- Christopher Kelly, Scituate, MA

I for one just can't get past the fact that McCain got into bed with Kennedy for ANY reason. His stand on Illeagals is not to my liking, and he is a Washington insider. No thanks.

Thank you for your service to our country, Senator, but I think it should stop short of the White House.
- Chris Decker, Chester

To John Manzi from Methuen: Here is the quote from the roll call vote you cited. Note the phrase NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE ...BENEFITS AS A RESULT OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. This does not prove your point. John McCain voted AGAINST allowing illegals to receive SS benefits. Here's the description of the bill: "To reduce document fraud, prevent identity theft, and preserve the integrity of the Social Security system, by ensuring that persons who receive an adjustment of status under this bill are not able to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity."
- Carol Bush, Georgia

I'm not a huge McCain or Romney supporter, although I'll admit, I prefer Romney over McCain in this election. I don't necessarily think Romney is more ethical than McCain, but I do think McCain is too hung up over his war prisoner past, and too much into the military. McCain seems to see the world through the eyes "we're right" "you're wrong", and I really believe this is a dangerous world view. We need to LISTEN more, and as Ron Paul and Barack Obama seem to believe, not try to shape the world in our own image.

Back to Romney vs. McCain... I keep hearing that Romney is running a dirty and negative campaign, and yet ALL the negative accusations seem to be coming from McCain against Romney. What's up with this??

I think Romney's "real world" experience, and his incredible success as a businessman would serve this country well. He knows how to "get things done" and is quite brilliant. Also, he has the executive experience that McCain lacks, having been Governer.
- Andy Phillips, Concord

The Union Leader is starting to lose all credibility. I have no problem with the McCain endorsment, in fact I would expect a left leaning publication to endorse left leaning republicans. However, the Union Leader's Romney attacks are inaccurate and VERY misleading. Specifically the following:

"But Romney is apparently so desperate that he has chosen distortion over facts. He is claiming on TV that Sen. McCain supports Social Security for illegal immigrants. That is patently and demonstrably false"

If the Union Leader is correct, please explain the following :

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00130

McCain DID in fact support a bill that would award illegals social security benefits.
- John Manzi, Methuen (MA)

Bob Hoskins, of Derry, claimed that McCain is a "RINO", but then advocated voting for Ron Paul, who happens to be a Libertarian claiming to be a Republican.

Mr. Hoskins also claims that McCain is only out for his own glory. However, Senator McCain's frequent unpopular positions on issues in matching with his personal values is a sure sign that, if the Senator is indeed seeking something, it is by no means personal glory.
- Peter Carruth, Austin, TX

Is this an editorial page or the cheerleading section for John McCain? Romney's "attack" is true: McCain favors giving social security benefits to illegal immigrants after they become "legal." And how do they become legal? McCain's bill grants them amnesty and then, voila, they now get social security benefits from work they performed while illegally in the country. And as to "flip-flopping," McCain called Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "agents of intolerance in 2000, but now he embraces the Religious Right. He openly called for amnesty for illegal immigrants, but now claims he doesn't support amnesty. The UL should report the news, not create it.
- Daniel Fischer, Taneytown, Maryland

There is a reason publishers hire others to write for their papers. The fact the the UL endorsed Mr. McCain is not relevant when considering whether or not Mr. Romney distorted his opponents position. What is important for voters everywhere but especially in New Hampshire to consider is this: Mr. Romney alters his positions to fit the audience. That is his record. Can he really be the best chance Republicans have this election?
- nick foresta, New York, NY

I have to question the amount of effort the Union Leader goes to for the purpose of defending McCain. At the same time, as a long time Massachusetts resident, can say that Mitt Romney is simply not fit to lead our nation. He has flip-flopped on immigration, same sex marriage, abortion, gun rights, and even being willing to be called a Reagan Republican. He can't be trusted.

I'm also shocked to see the level of outrage at McCain related to immigration. Many of these responses (and others I've read in other locations) are usually based on misleading facts. Romney himself called McCain's legislation regarding immigration as "not amnesty" before he started running for President. Now, he labels it that way to get votes. McCain is an honorable man who does not deserve to have his name and policies distorted.
- Paul Daigle, Boston, MA

The uproar at the time of the propsed illegal immigration legislation nearly doomed McCain's campaign and lost my vote. Social Security will soon be bankrupt - giving benefits to illegals is irresponsible. Because of his stand on this issue, McCain cannot win the general election.
- Judy McKenna, Manchester, NH

Once again, the Union Leader demonstrates a failure of judgment to understand the difference between endorsing a candidate and engaging in outright advocacy. Judging by readers’ responses to its latest attack against Governor Romney, the larger concerns for me are: How, exactly, do NH voters benefit when one of its major newspapers engages in partisan politics? Does the UL provide talking points from the McCain campaign? Should all newspapers become outright advocates for candidates and thereby surrender any vestige of objectivity? Lastly, have we lost track of the fact, lost somewhere in partisanship, that newspapers exist to cover the news rather than actively and aggressively promote one candidate over another?
- Bill Martel, Bedford, NH

I applaud the Union Leader not only for its well-deserved endorsement, but also calling Governor Romney on his exaggerations, omissions, and misrepresentations. The paper did not abdicate its journalistic responsibilities after making an endorsement. I take strong exception to Bob Hoskins' remarks that McCain is a Republican in name only. I remember the days when our party was inclusive enough to embrace differing points of view from Goldwater to Rockefeller or Reagan to Weicker. Never mind the fact that McCain's voting record was almost identical to Fred Thompson's
- Bob Aller, Lansdale, PA

To the Editors:

More blah, blah...blah, blah against Mitt Romney. Does the Union Leader not realize that you have turned Senator McCain into a 'paper tiger', made of your newspaper? That is not a good thing, because there is a bright fire building for Mitt Romney's campaign. While being stated it's support of Senator McCain, the Union Leader should begin to balance out it's editorial coverage with other more substantive and politically informative topics. It's time to think ahead, and allow some goodwill to exist between these two fine men. After all, there is every reason to believe that there will be a place in President Romney's cabinet for Senator McCain.
- Stacey Blake, Nottingham, NH

All the GOP candidates are basically on the same page where illegal immigration is concerned. But it is clear from all the match-up polls that Mitt Romney would get clobbered by any Democrat, while John McCain is the only candidate who would prevail. So if you're still mad at McCain for his earlier immigration stance, go ahead, nominate Mitt, watch him lose in a landslide, and (with the help of big Democrat majorities in Congress) we'll have illegal immigration to beat the band. Guaranteed.
- william k olender, manchester, nh

We all know John McCain is on the wrong side of the illegal immirgration issue.

There is nothing the Union Leader can say to change that.
- Louie Panagoplos, Philadelphia PA

Governor Romney is coming off as a desperate candidate that will say or do anything to win votes. If he hadn't changed his positions so frequently, and could stick to the truth he could have ridden his summer lead in the polls through the IA and NH elections, but now no one trusts him and people are looking for a different choice.
- Katherine Morrison, Epping

Take this from one who has endured life under the Royal Edicts of His Majesty, Lord Romney. He raised taxes atsronomically, but labeled them "fees, assessments and tolls". His inaction reflects his support for the illegal homosexual marriage law, and also has allowed illegal immigrants to flourish here with sanctuary cities, voting rights, welfare benefits and immunity from most laws. Under his "Insurance Reform", my wife is being fined $220 plus $130 per month, for not buying health insurance. Still like Lord Romney? This would be your future under his stealth Socialist Monarchy.
- peter clark, framingham, MA 01702

The Union Leader Editorial Board conveniently avoids discussion of the McCain-Finegold law that limits political discussion 60 days before the general election. Remember how McCain supported a bill which would in affect would give legal status to illegal immigrants and then claiming that it wasn’t an amnesty bill? Sounds like a flip-flop to me.
- Robert Cook, Derry

In a comment, Bob Letourneau, Derry, claims that John McCain would “give” illegals citizenship. John McCain has never advocated “giving” anyone citizenship. His plan outlined a clear and multi-step process by which people could start down the road toward citizenship and there was no “give” in that long road. If the writer would do a little homework, he would also find that every paycheck to illegals still has social security and Medicare payments deducted. But because they are not citizens, they never can show up to collect any of the benefits from social security, Medicare or Medicaid. So in an astonishing way the illegals, by giving, are also propping up the social security system.
- TED LEACH, HANCOCK

Those that continue to support Mitt Romney should ask themselves which Romney they will be voting for. The Romney that was pro-choice before he was pro-life, the one that thought McCain's immigration reform plan was reasonable before he was against it, the one who said he had the NRA endorsement before he admitted he didn't, or the one who said he and his father walked with Martin Luther King before admitting they didn't. You will not win the general election with "Fake Talk" and a Romney nomination will give the Democrats a landslide victory.
- Tom Freda, Londonderry, NH

Some newspapers will not just leave it at endorsing a candidate. For whatever reason, but most likely because they are desperate to prove that their endorsement can still affect an election, they they turn to trashing the most substantial opponent of the candidate they endorsed. So it is with the Union Leader. It endorsed Sen. McCain, so now it is trashing Gov. Romney. Its effort tell us much more about the likely pathetic effect of an endorsement by the Union Leader than it does about the strengths or weaknesses of Gov. Romney.
- Bill O'Brien, Mont Vernon

Let's take a look at this. You say Sen. McCain does not support Social Security for illegal immigrants. But, Sen. McCain wrote and sponsored legislation that would give those same illegals citizenship. That my friends would then allow those illegal immigrints to not only collect Social Security but Medicare and other federal programs as well. Who would pay for all of this, our children and grandchildren. This is why most Americans do not support this concept, they should not support the orginator of this grand scheme...Who is fooling who here?
- Bob Letourneau, Derry

Romney is a lying, flip-flopping panderer and McCain is a useless RINO (Republican In Name Only) who is only out for his own glory. A pox on both their houses. If you are looking for a decent person vote for Ron Paul or Fred Thompson. Either one is far, far better than Romney or McCain and shame on the Union Leader for stooping to endorse McCain.
- Bob Hoskins, Derry

UL editorials imply that we who would vote for Mitt Romney are naive and are being snookered by a cynic. This insults not only Governor Romney, but all who support him, from Senator Gregg on down. Of course anyone - including McCain - would love a chance to say some things better if they had a chance. But Mitt has put himself out there in NH like no one else. Check out how many "Ask Mitt Anything" events there have been. (We wish Hillary and the rest would do likewise.) And excited conservatives are celebrating that Romney's positions are what they are. Hence, the endorsement of National Review. We look forward to the candidate standing behind those positions through victory in November - and we are confident that the Union Leader will generate some wonderful Romney editorials next fall as well. The first pro-Romney editorial will have to explain the UL's decision to support someone it had previously criticized. But as you stated earlier, "People ... have personal experiences that bring them to new understandings."
- Michael Moffett, Concord