ERIN: GOVERNOR ROMNEY, JOHN HARWOOD IS WITH US, I BELIEVE FROM THE MILWAUKEE AIRPORT, WE HAVE YOU.

HARWOOD: I'M HERE, ERIN.

ERIN: GO AHEAD.

HARWOOD: GOVERNOR, I WANTED TO ASK YOU HOW YOU EXPECT REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS TO MAKE THIS CHOICE AMONG THE TOP CANDIDATES. YOU HAVE RUDY GIULIANI SAYING THE OTHER NIGHT AT THE DEBATE, THAT ITS ABOUT EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE, WHICH YOU AND HE HAVE. FRED THOMPSON IS TALKING ABOUT BECOMING THE REAL REAGAN CONSERVATIVE IN THIS RACE. HE IS ALSO FROM THE SOUTH AND FOUR OUT OF OUR FIVE ELECTED PRESIDENTS HAVE BEEN FROM THE SOUTH. WHY SHOULDN'T REPUBLICANS, IF YOU ALL ARE CLOSE ON THE ISSUES, GO WITH THE ONE WHO MAY BE MORE ELECTABLE FOR THAT REASON?

ROMNEY: WELL, I DON'T THINK YOU COULD ASSESS RIGHT NOW WHO IS THE PERSON WHO IS THE MOST ELECTABLE AND I THINK THAT WILL BE DETERMINED THROUGH THE PRIMARY PROCESS. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO HAS EXPERIENCE LEADING AND MANAGING AND GUIDING A LARGE INSTITUTION. I SPENT MY LIFE FIRST OF ALL, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND HAVE BEEN A LIFELONG POLITICIAN AND THEN BECAME INVOLVED IN THE OLYMPICS AN RAND THE GAMES AND TURNED THEM AROUND AND WENT TO MASSACHUSETTS AS A GOVERNOR AND LED A LARGE ENTITY THERE AND I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE AND -- IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IF YOU ARE GOING TO MANAGE THE LARGEST ENTS SURPRISE IN THE WORLD THROUGH -- ENTERPRISE IN THE WORLD THROUGH DIFFICULT TIME AND WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THE -- HOW THE ECONOMY WORKS AND JOBS ARE CREATED AND LOST AND I THINK I'M THE ONLY GUY -- I MAY BE WRONG -- ON EITHER SIDE OF THE AISLE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT WHO HAS EXTENSIVE LIFE EXPERIENCE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG ECONOMY AND JOB GROWTH IN THIS COUNTRY IF WE WILL REMAIN THE SUPERPOWER OF THE WORLD.

HARWOOD: AND WHAT IS THE POLICY DIFFERENCE, THOUGH, THAT PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT AND SAY, HE'S ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND THE OTHERS ARE NOT?

ROMNEY: WELL, A COUPLE OF THINGS, WE TALKED ABOUT IMMIGRATION THE OTHER NIGHT AND THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US THERE. I THINK MAYOR RUDY GIUILANI AND SENATOR McCAIN ARE WRONG IN SAYING ALL THOSE THAT HAVE COME HERE ILLEGALLY UNLESS THEY COMMITTED A CRIME SHOULD BE ABLE TO STAY AND I THINK THAT IS A MISTAKE AND THERE ARE OTHER PLACES OF DIFFERENCE AND ONE IS MY TAX PLAN AND I BELIEVE MIDDLE-INCOME AMERICANS, $200,000 AND LESS PER HOUSEHOLD SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAVE THEIR MONEY, TAX FREEWAY. I THINK WE -- TAX-FREE AND SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SAVINGS MENTALITY ITALITY IN THIS COUNTRY AMONG OUR CITIZENS THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO BUY HOMES WITH YOU A GOOD DOWN PAYMENT THEY SAVE MONEY FOR AND PAY FOR COLLEGE. AND THESE KINDS OF INCENTIVES FOR SAVING IS SOMETHING THAT -- ARE SOMETHING I THINK DISTINGUISHES US.

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