Mitt says he'd be best at fixing the economy

ORLANDO, Fla. — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney compared himself favorably to two of his Republican White House rivals on Monday yet made no mention of a third, underscoring his strategy for next week's Florida primary.

In television interviews and personal appearances, Romney said that unlike himself, both Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani would "have a relatively difficult time" strengthening an economy that is in danger of falling into a recession.

"I've spent my life, 25 years ... in the world of business," he said. "I know why jobs come and go."

McCain has been in the Senate for more than two decades, and Giuliani was a government prosecutor and two-term mayor before he began his own company.

At another point, Romney aligned himself with Giuliani, who has recently criticized McCain on tax cuts.

"I think on this one Rudy is right," Romney said. "John McCain voted against the Bush tax cuts. He says he would still do it again."

By contrast, Romney did not mention former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a third rival in the race for the presidential nomination.

Romney's strategists say the Republican primary electorate can be divided roughly into three categories, the first dominated by voters attracted to conservative economic policies, the second concerned most with national security and the third comprised of evangelical Christian conservatives.

In this view, Romney must battle McCain and Giuliani for support in the first two groups and hope to more gently peel away some of Huckabee's supporters in the third.

The former governor spent part of his time during the day advocating an economic stimulus plan he detailed late last week.

It includes immediate tax rebates for individual taxpayers as well as a new, 7.5 percent tax bracket for personal income that currently is taxed at 10 percent.

Romney also wants to eliminate the Social Security payroll tax for workers over 65.

"I want people who are over 65 to stay in the work force," he told an audience in Daytona. "They've already paid for Social Security. Why make them keep paying and paying and paying?"

The Social Security proposal would also free businesses from paying their portion of the payroll tax on workers over 65.