Romney: SEN. MCCAIN ON HIS UNDERSTANDING OF ECONOMICS

In Tonight's Debate, Sen. McCain Denied That His Own Comment On His Understanding Of Economics:

McCain Dismissed His Own Comments When Tim Russert Quoted Him Saying He Did Not Know About Economics. RUSSERT: "National security in the war in Iraq a dominant issue in the campaign until a few weeks ago. Now the economy has taken hold. If you ask any of the voters, it's the economy. You have said repeatedly, quote, I know a lot less about economics than I do about military or foreign policy issues. I need to be educated. is it a problem for the campaign that the economy is the most important issue, one by your own acknowledgment you're not well versed on." MCCAIN: "I don't know where you got that quote from." (MSNBC, [Unverified Transcript], Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Boca Raton, FL, 1/24/08)

But Sen. McCain Himself Said He Doesn't Understand Economic Issues:

Sen. McCain: "The Issue Of Economics Is Not Something I've Understood As Well As I Should." "Like Mike Huckabee, who joked recently that he 'may not be the expert that some people are on foreign policy, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night,' McCain suggested to reporters Monday that American consumer culture offered a short cut to expertise. 'The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should,' McCain said. 'I've got Greenspan's book.'" (Sasha Issenberg, "McCain: It's About The Economy," The Boston Globe, www.boston.com, Posted 12/18/07)

Sen. McCain: "I Still Need To Be Educated." "On a broader range of economic issues, though, Mr. McCain readily departs from Reaganomics. His philosophy is best described as a work in progress. He is refreshingly blunt when he tells me: 'I'm going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.'" (Stephen Moore, "Reform, Reform, Reform," OpinionJournal.com, 11/26/05)