In close Iowa race, Huckabee says Romney untrustworthy

By Andy Sullivan

COLUMBUS CENTER, Iowa (Reuters) - Four days before Iowa voters kick off a tight presidential race, Republican Mike Huckabee said on Sunday rival Mitt Romney could not be trusted to be president and Democrat Hillary Clinton said her husband would have no formal White House role if she wins.

Democratic and Republican candidates took a brief detour from the campaign trail to appear on Sunday morning talk shows before fanning out across Iowa, which on Thursday opens the state-by-state battle to pick candidates for the November election to replace President George W. Bush.

A Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll showed Huckabee and Romney in a virtual tie among Republicans in Iowa. In the Democratic race, Clinton, a New York senator, held a slight lead over Barack Obama with John Edwards a close third.

Other polls have shown the three Democrats bunched even more tightly at the top, with Edwards gaining ground on his rivals.

Huckabee lashed out at Romney, who has run a series of television ads attacking his record as Arkansas governor on taxes, immigration and fighting crime. Huckabee said Romney was distorting his record.

"I've been very clear that Mitt Romney is running a very desperate and frankly a dishonest campaign," Huckabee said on NBC's "Meet the Press," adding it raised questions about his suitability for the White House.

"If you aren't being honest in obtaining the job, can we trust you to be honest when you get the job?"

Polls have shown Huckabee's recent surge slowing or ending under Romney's attacks, along with a growing barrage of questions about his record and his foreign policy expertise.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, told reporters in Columbus Center that his ads criticizing Huckabee and Arizona Sen. John McCain were based on their positions and records.

"I think it's entirely appropriate in the political process to point out differences on issues, but I don't think you have to make it a personal attack," Romney said. "And when that happens I think it's very disappointing and the public responds accordingly."

BILL CLINTON: A TRADITIONAL SPOUSE

Clinton said on ABC's "This Week" that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, would play the traditional role of a spouse in the White House -- one she played for eight years.

"He will not have a formal official role. But just as presidents rely on wives, husbands, fathers, friends of long years, he will be my close confidant and adviser, as I was with him," Clinton said.

"I doubt that there will be an important issue that I won't talk to him about. I don't think there was an important issue that he didn't talk to me about," she said.

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator and candidate for vice president, said Clinton's idea her husband would not play an official role was "a complete fantasy."