MR v HRC

NASHUA, N.H. (AP) - Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney took aim at Democratic rivals on Sunday, calling them all unprepared to lead the country and comparing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's economic plan to that of Socialist Karl Marx.

"It would be helpful to have a person leading the country who understands how the economy works and has actually managed something," the former Massachusetts governor told reporters after a GOP fundraiser. "In the case of the three Democratic front-runners, not one of them has managed even a corner store, let alone a state or a city."

Romney, who leads Republicans in New Hampshire, has focused his criticism in recent weeks on Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards rather than rival Republicans. It's a strategy he hopes will help him maintain his lead over Sen. John McCain and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

"I wanted to focus on the Democrats," he said. "By and large, the best way to further my interest is to let people know what I would do and to distinguish that from what the Democrats would do."

His prime target was Clinton.

"Hillary Clinton just gave a speech the other day about her view on the economy. She said we have been an on-your-own society. She said it's time to get rid of that and replace that with shared responsibility and we're-in-it-together society," Romney told the crowd. "That's out with Adam Smith and in with Karl Marx."

He also repeated his criticism of Sen. John Edwards.

"To have someone like Senator Edwards stand up and say there's not a war on terror, that it's a Bush bumper sticker" is unacceptable, he said. "There is a war being waged by the terrorists. If I or any other Republican president is running this country, there will be a war waged on the terrorists."

He attacked Obama's health care plan.

"Barack Obama said we're going to have to have the government take over health care. He at least had the integrity to say he wants to raise your taxes," Romney said. "The right answer is not a government takeover, it's not socialized medicine. It's not Hillarycare."

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Earlier Sunday, Romney was in Washington courting Hispanic voters by extolling the virtues of faith, family values and immigration.

"If you say, name people who are hardworking, seek education, love God, love their families and value freedom - it's Hispanic-Americans, just like other Americans," Romney told a crowd at the Republican National Hispanic Assembly's annual convention.

"I want to make sure we continue an open door in immigration that welcomes people who come here with those kinds of values," he said.

During an Iowa visit last week, Romney struck a hard line on illegal immigration. He criticized Giuliani for making New York "a sanctuary city for illegal aliens" by failing to enforce the immigration laws on the books. Romney also noted that as governor, he had deputized state police to enforce immigration laws and denied driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Republican presidential hopeful former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, delivers his remarks at the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Sunday, July 22, 2007, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All right reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Republican presidential hopeful former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, delivers his remarks at the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Sunday, July 22, 2007, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All right reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.