Candidates, Voters Prepare For Critical Iowa Caucus

RAY SUAREZ:

As the clock ticks toward the start of the big presidential election year, the candidates are all sharing the same New Year's resolution: to start 2008 with a win in Iowa. Judy Woodruff reports.

FORMER GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE (R), Arkansas: I'd rather run a marathon than a 5K, because I'm not a fast runner, but I can go distances.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Mike Huckabee may prefer marathons, but right now he's trying to sprint to the finish line in Iowa. With the caucuses here just three days away, Huckabee is virtually tied with rival Mitt Romney in the Republican contest.

A new MSNBC-McClatchy poll shows Romney with a slight advantage over Huckabee, while a Reuters-C-SPAN-Zogby poll has Huckabee first.

The close race has triggered a new ad war between the candidates, with Romney on Iowa television taking on Huckabee's record while governor of Arkansas.

FORMER GOV. MITT ROMNEY (R), Massachusetts: I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message.

ANNOUNCER:

Two good men.

ANNOUNCER:

But who is ready to make tough decision?

ANNOUNCER:

Mike Huckabee? Soft on government spending, he grew a $6 billion government into a $16 billion government, backed in-state tuition benefits for illegals, and granted 1,033 pardons and commutations, including 12 murders.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

On NBC yesterday, Huckabee responded directly to the attacks.

MIKE HUCKABEE:

Mitt Romney is running a very desperate and, frankly, a dishonest campaign.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

His campaign was just about to start airing ads of its own critical of Romney, but Huckabee announced today he had changed his mind, would pull that ad, and run a positive one instead. We asked him about this while he was getting a hair cut.

MIKE HUCKABEE:

Just didn't feel right about it, Judy. Just felt like, you know, that we were just jumping down the same mud hole everybody else was in. Just decided it wasn't worth it.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Why did you want it in the first place?

MIKE HUCKABEE:

Same reason everybody runs it. You think you've got to, if you're going to counterpunch against negative stuff that's hurting you. And, you know, it's pretty clear that some of the negative stuff has hurt us. I mean, we realize that.

But I think we hopefully made the right decision. Here's the thing: I know whether politically I made the right decision, I don't know that. Personally, I know I made the right decision. I feel totally at ease with what we did. I mean, I know I can put my head on the pillow tonight. I'm going to sleep sound.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), Arizona: I think the important thing is for me to hear from you.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Meanwhile, John McCain is fending off attacks from Romney, as well. McCain's campaign released an ad in New Hampshire questioning Romney's criticism of McCain on immigration.

ANNOUNCER:

John McCain reacts to Mitt Romney's negative attacks.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN:

You know, I find it ironic Mitt Romney would attack me on the issue of immigration. This is the same Mitt Romney who called my plan, quote, "reasonable."