Romney on Huckabee

Summary
An ad by Romney strains the facts in attempting to portray a stark contrast between him and Huckabee.

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The ad says both Romney and Huckabee are "pro-life," which is true now but glosses over Romney's recent conversion.

The ad says "the difference" between the two is that Romney "vetoed in-state tuition for illegal immigrants" while Huckabee supported it. But Romney's immigrant-bashing stance is also recent. In 2004 he said, "I hate the idea" of making college unaffordable for children of illegal immigrants.

Analysis
The ad began airing throughout Iowa this week. In form it is a straightforward "comparative" ad, focusing on the two candidates' stands on the issues. But the picture it presents is the result of some political Photoshopping. The result: an ad whose contrasts are far sharper than we see in real life.

In it, an announcer lauds former Massachusetts Gov. Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Huckabee as "two good family men" who are "both pro-life" and oppose same-sex marriage. It says "the difference" between the two is on immigration, reminding voters that Huckabee supported in-state tuition rates for children of undocumented immigrants, and stating that Romney vetoed a similar bill in Massachusetts.

Choice: The Record
Mitt Romney: I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message.