Romney under fire over lying accusations
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney looked for a boost at a campaign fundraiser sponsored by former Vice President Dick Cheney, a figure who divided the country but is lionised by many conservative Americans.
The event at a mountain valley resort was, for Mr Romney, a friendly end to a particularly acerbic day on the presidential campaign trail, with both sides trading accusations of lying.
President Barack Obama seized on discrepancies in documents filed by Mr Romney’s former private equity firm to accuse the Republican of lying about his business background.
Mr Romney, in turn, rolled out a hard-hitting television ad that accused the president of launching “misleading, unfair and untrue” attacks about the Republican’s role in outsourcing US jobs.
The presidential race is shaping up to be one of the tightest in history. Polls show Mr Romney and Mr Obama virtually tied three and a half months before the November election.
Mr Romney had avoided appearing in public with Mr Cheney or with former President George W. Bush – both are seen as divisive figures by many of the independent voters he needs to win over if he is going to defeat Mr Obama.
But Mr Cheney, a veteran of five Republican presidential administrations, is a huge draw for Republican donors, and Mr Romney is eager to win over more of the party’s base. Mr Cheney was also hosting a private dinner for Mr Romney at his Wyoming home.
