Giuliani Endorsement Gives McCain Visible Boost Going Into Super Tuesday
Rudy Giuliani, shown here speaking to supporters in Orlando following his third place finish in the Florida primary Tuesday, is endorsing John McCain before the GOP debate Wednesday in California. (AP Photo)
Rudy Giuliani formally dropped his presidential bid and endorsed John McCain Wednesday, setting up the Arizona senator with valuable support and big press heading into Super Tuesday, Feb. 5.
Giuliani pledged to campaign with McCain wherever he is needed, and touted his former rival as an “American hero” and “the most qualified candidate to be the next commander in chief of the United States.”
Giuliani spoke at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., where the Republicans had been gathering to debate Wednesday night.
“He came from way behind to go way ahead, and once again displayed his tenacity, his courage, his ability to focus, his ability to get things done,” Giuliani said, referring to McCain’s surge over the past two months. “I can’t imagine a campaign that better demonstrates who the person to be president of the United States should be.”
On his plane en route to The Golden State, the former New York City mayor said that he opted to end his faltering campaign because he did not want to eat into McCain’s support on Super Tuesday, when just four remaining candidates will battle for the 1,023 delegates allocated from 21 states voting that day.
“It’s disappointing to lose a race for president because you believe you’re the best candidate, but I had made it clear before I had to make this decision who I thought the other best candidate was,” Giuliani said.
As Giuliani exits, McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul will be scrambling to embody the message espoused by the namesake of Wednesday’s debate site.
For McCain, appealing to conservative voters is a must. Though he won the Florida primary Tuesday on the backs of several powerful voting blocs, exit polls showed conservatives trended more toward Romney. McCain has been under steady attack from prominent conservatives like former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and faces the scourge of conservative radio talk show hosts deriding his record in the Senate.
A new ad set to air Thursday from the group Citizens United attacks McCain’s positions on tax cuts, gun control and illegal immigration, calling him “surprisingly liberal.”
“It’s to educate the American people … that John McCain is not a conservative, never has been a conservative. He talks the talk but he’s never walked the walk,” Citizens United President Dave Bossie told FOX News Wednesday.
Wednesday’s debate was also the last chance for Romney to try to topple McCain as the presumed front-runner before Super Tuesday, Feb. 5. McCain is riding a wave of momentum from his victories in Florida, South Carolina and New Hampshire, while Romney has pursued a more low-key quest for delegates, winning Michigan, Nevada and Wyoming.
Romney said on FOX News that the choice for voters is either McCain, “or do they want to vote for me — who does his best to bring together the Republican coalition that Ronald Reagan built?”
Romney has frequently pointed voters to his resume in the private sector, as the economy has emerged as the top issue this election year, trumping the Iraq war and illegal immigration. Meanwhile, McCain has sought to cast Romney as weak on national security, and touts his criticism of the war’s conduct before the surge as demonstrative of his ability to be commander in chief.
GOP strategist Terry Holt told FOX News that Giuliani’s endorsement is “an easy fit” for McCain.
“The two national security agendas are very similar,” he said. “I think most of the voters who were going for Giuliani will probably end up going for McCain … it reinforces his position as the frontrunner in the race.”
McCain’s victory in Florida sets up the GOP contest as a presumed two-person race, but Huckabee, who won the Iowa caucuses Jan. 3, is not giving up the fight.
After placing fourth in Florida, Huckabee said he’ll be concentrating on southern states Feb. 5.
“Quite frankly we have a scenario in which we could still win the nomination,” he said. “We think we’re in this thing for the long haul … I’m still sluggin’ away for the gold medal.”
On the plane to California Wednesday, Giuliani told reporters there was no quid pro quo involved in his endorsement of McCain.
“I’m not seeking the vice president nomination. It’s way too premature for anybody to be speculating about vice presidential candidates. I’m not seeking a position in government,” he said.
As to why he stuck with his failing strategy of waiting out other early voting states to focus on Florida, where he finished third Tuesday, Giuliani said he had no other choice.
“Obviously the strategy didn’t work. So we’re going to go back and try to figure out why. I don’t have the answer for that … It was the strategy available to us. It was the only realistic strategy available to us given my strengths, my weaknesses, given the amount of money we were able to raise, and given the places we thought we could make a big impact.”
Click here to read more about Giuliani explaining his decision to drop out and endorse McCain.
FOX News’ Mosheh Oinounou contributed to this report.
[...] took the bait — hook, line and sinker — to hand over to this right wing ideologue unfettered access to a large hunk of their news programming holes. The Giuliani withdrawal speech morphed into [...]
The fact of the matter is senator John McCain is not fit to be the President the United States. A reasonable person would not take him as a leader. However he is exactly what needs to be changed in Washington. Doesn’t anybody find it funny that John McCain is being shoved down our throats. He was called the front runner even when he was not the front runner. When polls had him third and fourth he was introduced as one of the front runners. The media has clearly has kept his candidacy alive. Why else do you think republicans are so mad today? Maybe it’s because the media keeps telling us we want John McCain when of fact of matter is, we don’t . Think about this Senator John McCain, Senator Obama, and Senator Clinton are nothing more than different sides on the same coin, their record indicates it.
Mitt Romney is clearly not an inside-guy. If he was he would be treated with far more respect than he is getting now. The only dirt that they have on this guy is the dirt they create in the media on a daily basis. When I look at all the candidates, he clearly stands head and shoulders above them all.
John McCain will be a great President, he’s got experience, both political and military and his policies are both attractive and practical too!
If all you folks posting these mean spirited attacks are considered conservative Republicans, then I just became a moderate… I want no part of this garbage. You all sound like you’ve been brainwashed and need counseling.
Go John McCain. We support you 100%
Ron Paul and Huck don’t have a chance. Why waste your vote and let McCain Win????
Another American (156),
I am sorry but you don’t understand the facts. We have seen the facts and quite frankly Mitt Romney is the best thing to happen to America in a long time.
More than 70% of this country is tired of Washington and it’s filth. I have complained for many years over the poor sobs I have had to vote for for the past 20 years. We voted for the best candidates that we could. Now someone as moral and as smart as Mitt Romney comes along to help us fight Washington and we are letting war monging liberalists tell us we can’t have our guy because the polls tell us no way.
Seventy percent of us are fed up and I tell you we want change in Washington. McCain is Washington to the core. Hillary is Washington to the core. I am tired of all the corrupt politicians backing their own. It is evident with Crist and Arnold that they back their own.
We need to clean up Washington, and elect the best of the best to get the job done!!! Lets all work together and vote for Mitt Romney!!! American the Beautiful is no longer beautiful and the whole world sees it because of her corruption.
Mitt we still believe in you!!!
Guliani is obviously wanting the VP appointment. My prediction is that actually the VP will go to Huckabee so McCain can go after the evangelicals. Probably will give Guliani Sec. of State.
MORE FROM THE: LOST STATE OF FRANKLIN!
THE LATEST FROM THE OBAMA CLINT CAMP DUJOUR!
HEY, CLINTON AND OBAMA,
HOW ABOUT THE REAL STORY OF BACKROOM DEALS AND SQUEEL’S?
CANADIAN FRANK GIUSTRA RING ANY BELL’S? BILL CLINTON ON TRIP TO KAZAKHSTAN?
OVER MINERAL RIGHTS? AND DONATIONS TO HIS, IE: BILL’S POCKET, 31.5 MIL, SEP 06, AND 100 MIL LATER AFTER DEAL WAS CLOSED? HELL THAT IS LONG AFTER ‘MAKE ME, MARK RICH!”
OH PARDON ME?
WHAT A DISCRACE THE CLINTON’S ARE TO THE “RACE!” BOTH BLACK AND WHITE!
THE ONLY THING LOWER THAN THE AMBULANCE CHASER’S RUNNING AROUND!
ARE THE ENABLER’S THAT SEEK THE FUNDING AND PROMOTE,
DESTABALISATION IN THE FAR EAST, WITH THESE BACKROOM DEAL’S AND, THEN STEALS THE THE HEART FROM THE TRANSPLANT PATIENT.
OBAMA, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION?
OH, HOPE FOR THE BEST?
WHEN THE URANIUM COMES HOME TO ROOST, WITH A HALF LIFE?
FULL LAUGH OUT LOUD!
AND WHEN THE KENYAN PEOPLE ARE FREE TOO?
WHAT ABOUT YOUR BROTHER’S THERE? ANY THOUGHT FOR JOB OPORTUNITIES?
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL? NOT ON OUR WATCH PLEASE.
A POX ON BOTH OF YOUR HOUSES! THE REPUBLICAN’S ARE NO BETTER,
WITH THE McCAIN SPIN ROMNEY, FROM CNN.MSN,MSCNBC, ETC. ET, ALL EITHER!
THIS ELECTION IS THE BIGGEST LIE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY.
THEY ARE NOT THE CHOICES OF “WE THE PEOPLE!”
ONLY THE CHOICE OF: R. MURDOCH AND G. SOROS AND CO.
WAKE UP AMERICA! IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT? YOU BOUGHT IT, TOYOT-ALL!
THEN ANARCHY IN THE STREETS AGAIN!
I MEAN STILL. THE ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSING, “NOT!” GENDER
ARE TAKING THE SOUTH WEST BACK TO MEXICO! AND YOU HELPED! THANKS ARNO! LIKE YOU’LL BE BACK?
GET REAL, GET ACTIVE, AND GET POLITICAL. NOT PC CORRECTED, THEN DEJECTED BY THE MEDIA PUNDIT’S FOR CALLING THEM OUT AND EXPOSING, THEIR COMPLICITY AND COLLUSION WITH THESE CANDIDATES, AND POLITICAL:
PAC’S LOBBYIST’S IN WASHINGTON AND THE CORPORATE BOARD ROOMS!
NO MORE SMOKE AND MIRROR’S!
NO MORE LET THEM EAT CAKE!
NO MORE CIRCUSES!
FOR ME, OR FOR THE MASSES WHILE THEIR, “NERO”, FIDDLES WITH THE CONSTITUTION!
TAKE BACK AMERIKA!
FROM THE SOCIALIST PROPAGANDA MACHINE!
OR: PUT ON YOU EARMUFF’S!
PULL DOWN YOUR BLINDFOLD’S!
AND PUT A CORK IN IT!
THE PINBALL WIZARD SPINS THIS ONE OUT!
TIME TO FLY!
NO TIME FOR THEIR LIES!
AND THEN “A”, TAX REBATE, FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS?
AND THE REAL,
REALITY CHECK DELIVERED?
OH, THAT HAS TO GET THROUGH THE MEDIA FIRST TOO!
ENOUGH ALREADY!
GO! FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!
GOOD LUCK, HUCK,!
WITH THE HELP OF THE ALMIGHTY!
THAT’S NOT JON KERRY! BIG TEDDY, JON MCCAIN, OR THE JUST PLAIN LIE!
PLAYING: JANE CLINTON EITHER!
END TRANS: MARV!
Before you vote for who you like I ask you to please look at Ron Paul and his record.
http://www.ronpaul2008
Why does Ron Paul stand against the war? What is the history of US involvment in the middle east? If you don’t know then study the subject regardless of who you are voting for.
If we go to war with Iran can you afford $5.00 a gallon gas?
What is Ron Paul’s voting record? What are the other canidates? If you compare these then you will really see.
Why is he so against the Federal Reserve?
Why is he the only canidate that speaks about the falling dollar?
Ron Paul has a great understanding of the monetary policy. Please take a look at it.
Do we have enough money to keep up these wars across the world?
If so where is the money going to come from?
BTW if you are going to say bad things about Ron Paul justify your statements with some kind of facts or figures. Please study the subject and put out your intelligent points insead of “he is just crazy or get a tin hat”. If you can’t back what you say then don’t say it.
Eric.