2008 Elections

Tuesday, Oct 23, 2007 10:21 PDT

War Room

Barack Obama, jihadist?

Mitt Romney on the terrorists and the Democrats.

By Tim Grieve

Mitt Romney, campaigning in South Carolina Monday, seems to have had a hard time keeping his Obamas and Osamas straight.

"Actually, just look at what Osam -- Barack Obama -- said just yesterday. Barack Obama, calling on radicals, jihadists of all different types, to come together in Iraq," Romney said. "That is the battlefield ... It's almost as if the Democratic contenders for president are living in fantasyland. Their idea for jihad is to retreat, and their idea for the economy is to also retreat. And in my view, both efforts are wrongheaded."

Romney's spokesman says the candidate meant to refer to Osama bin Laden, and that the two name slips were "just a mix-up."