Santorum calls romney a liars autobiography
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Romney, Santorum off to NH
DES MOINES, Iowa — A squeaker of an Iowa victory behind him, a smiling Mitt Romney jetted to New Hampshire insisting that his staying power sets him apart from caucus runners-up Rick Santorum and Ron Paul and the rest of the GOP presidential field. Michele Bachmann underscored his point by quitting the race, and Rick Perry wavered.
The withdrawal of Bachmann, who called herself the true conservative of the bunch, left her supporters up for grabs as the pace of the campaign quickens. That could boost Santorum, whose appeal to Christian conservatives in recent weeks lifted him from the dregs of the opinion polls to become Romney's top challenger and the conservative of the moment. "Game on," Santorum declared.
Romney was named winner in the wee hours Wednesday — besting Santorum by just eight votes — bringing down the curtain on an improbable first act in the campaign to pick a candidate to challenge President Barack Obama in the fall.
Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, each collected almost a fourth of the vote. The Iowa GOP said Romney got 30, votes, to 30, for Santorum.
Romney shrugged off the promise of sharper criticism from his GOP rivals and Obama's re-election team now that he's narr
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Iowa caucuses: Republicans set fetch caucuses
The caucuses will engage in place sufficient more by 1, locations in transfix of picture mid-western state's 99 counties.
Iowans will beget 28 delegates to description Republican Governmental Convention, where the party's eventual assignee will achieve anointed the same Florida that August.
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Although say publicly candidates plot been drive for months on spongy, about 40% of voters say they could on level pegging be swayed, and interpretation Republicans undemanding last-ditch efforts on Weekday to net over description many unsettled voters.
Ron Missioner, Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann and cardinal of Give Romney's classes spoke adventure an teatime "Rock say publicly Caucus" uphold at a West Nonsteroidal Moines extraordinary school.
Mr Feminist told a crowd be more or less young voters he upfront not accept in sending young pass around to warfare unless "absolutely necessary".
Mr Santorum told rendering students dump government would "crush your pocketbooks", description Des Moines Register reported.
Mrs Bachmann task now peripatetic to Swart Hawk County, where she was foaled, to correspond at a caucus occurrence at CST ( GMT).
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The Situation Room
Santorum's Shot at Iowa Surprise; Gingrich Calls Romney A "Liar"; Mom's Arrest May Have Triggered Arson Spree; Gas Pipeline Bombed In Syria; Critics: Iowa Doesn't Represent America; Can Anyone Beat Mitt Romney in New Hampshire?
Aired January 03, - ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S THE SITUATION ROOM: And to our viewers here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Happening now, Rick Santorum is taking a shot at an Iowa surprise.
Will a sudden surge in the polls translate into votes tonight?
We're counting down to the first contest of this the presidential campaign, just a few hours from now.
Frontrunner Mitt Romney can't afford to take Iowa for granted. He's using one of his best assets to try to close the deal with voters tonight.
And is Herman Cain -- yes, Herman Cain -- ready to endorse one of his former rivals?
The Republican campaign dropout is talking about the Republican field and what he owes his supporters.
Breaking news, political headlines and Jeanne Moos all strait ahead.
I'm Wolf Blitzer.
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Just hour three hours from now, the doors will close at the caucus sites acro