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The gloves are off in the Republican presidential race, with the McCain and Giuliani campaigns forming a tacit alliance to take down Mitt Romney, the Politico observes. McCain said today that, unlike Romney, “I’m not going to con you,” while Giuliani ruthlessly derided Romney for saying a president should “sit down with your attorneys” before deciding to attack Iran.

So chummy have the campaigns become that some envision McCain and Giuliani as a ticket, although neither would draw conservative base voters. Romney’s camp says it expects other campaigns to “flail about and launch angry attacks on us,” a subtle reference to Giuliani’s famous temper. Meanwhile, ex-campaign operative Larry Craig lambasted Romney for dumping him when his restroom escapades became public. (Read more Election 2008 stories.)