Gingrich group digs up McCain's anti-Romney ad from 2008... as Newt says no to Santorum deal



Winning Our Future re-posts video from 2008 race

Endorsed by McCain and attacks Romney opinions



Santorum, Romney, Gingrich and Huntsman in N.H.

New Gingrich ad attacks Romney economic policies

Gingrich denies saying he wanted Santorum alliance



When John McCain appeared with Mitt Romney yesterday to endorse his formal rival, anyone would think they had been friends for a long time.

But the Arizona Senator was once at war with the Republican presidential candidate, as a video dug up today from the 2008 GOP race recalled.

It came as four of the six remaining GOP 2012 candidates jostled for support with less than a week to go until the New Hampshire contest.

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Past comments: An anti-Romney video dug up today was endorsed by Senator McCain in 2008 and re-released by a group of supporters for rival Newt Gingrich Changing faces: Winning Our Future put the video on YouTube and it uses clips of former Massachusetts governor Mr Romney apparently contradicting himself

The anti-Romney video was endorsed by Senator McCain in 2008 and released again today by a group of supporters for rival Newt Gingrich.

Winning Our Future put the video on YouTube and it uses clips of former Massachusetts governor Mr Romney apparently contradicting himself.

‘I will preserve and protect a woman’s right to choose and am devoted and dedicated to honouring my word in that regard,’ Mr Romney says in 2002.

Then in a 2007 clip he says: ‘You can go back to YouTube and look at what I said. I never said I was pro-choice’, reported the New York Times.

Backing: John McCain, left, appeared with Mitt Romney on Tuesday in Salem, New Hampshire, to endorse his formal GOP presidential rival from the 2008 race

‘I was an independent during the time of Reagan-Bush,’ he says in 1994. Then in 2007: ‘It's time for Republicans to start acting like Republicans.’

'I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush' Mitt Romney, 1994 'It's time for Republicans to start acting like Republicans' Mitt Romney, 2007

Then in 1994 again: ‘I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush.’ But the most interesting part to the ad is Senator McCain’s endorsement at the end.

‘I’m John McCain and I approved this message,’ he says, after the phrase ‘Mitt Romney's flip flops truly are masterpieces’ appears on screen.

Mr McCain won the New Hampshire's primary in 2000 and 2008 and is popular with Republicans and independents, who can vote on Tuesday.

Contenders: Newt Gingrich, right, and Rick Santorum, left, are busy campaigning in New Hampshire, with the latter's support group re-releasing the McCain video

In New Hampshire on Thursday, Mr Romney and his new rival Rick Santorum were looking to run down Barack Obama's economic policies.

'I will preserve and protect a woman’s right to choose' Mitt Romney, 2002



'I never said I was pro-choice' Mitt Romney, 2007

Mr Gingrich and Jon Huntsman were happy to level their criticism at Mr Romney, casting him as too timid to take on President Obama.

Mr Romney labelled President Obama a ‘crony capitalist’ and Mr Santorum described himself as ‘the conservative alternative’ to Mr Romney.

A new ad from Mr Ginigrich, who is going on the offensive, described ‘timid’ Mr Romney’s economic plan as ‘virtually identical to Obama's failed policy’.

Still fighting: Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman addresses a business lunch campaign event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Thursday

Time off: Ron Paul, left, is relaxing at home in Lake Jackson, Texas, and Texas Governor Rick Perry, right, also went home to reassess his candidacy

It appeared he had at first considered allying with surging Mr Santorum, who came second to Mr Romney by just eight votes in Iowa on Tuesday.

‘Absolutely. Of course,’ he told a radio host on Wednesday. But he later told Fox News: ‘No, no, what I meant was we're both conservatives.'

'Absolutely. Of course' 'No, no, what I meant was we're both conservatives' Newt Gingrich

Mr Santorum’s aides reported raising $1million on Wednesday and his campaign's fundraising pace tripling over the last week.

Ron Paul is taking some time off at home in Lake Jackson, Texas, where he has been resting, riding his bike, and preparing for two weekend debates.

He will return to New Hampshire on Friday. Texas Governor Rick Perry also went home to reassess his candidacy and will head to South Carolina.

See videos here (from Newt Gingrich and his supporters)