Joining his former rival today, Governor Mitt Romney also addressed the crowd of thousands at the NRA annual convention. Even though he did not share the stage with Senator John McCain he praised him and went after McCain’s democratic rival, Senator Barack Obama, “This is a person who has not stood with us on second amendment issues. He is a man who I’m afraid of who he would put in place a court. It would not be a court that would stand up for the issues that are so dear to us.”
He told the NRA members that McCain might not be perfect, but he’s right on the issues that matter to them:
“Now I know everyone here doesn’t agree with John McCain on every issue. I didn’t. I ran against him! But, I believe that he is right on issue after issue that counts. He is right about fighting global jihad. He’s right about winning in Iraq. He’s right about keeping government small and taxes low and he’s right about the constitutional rights that were put in our constitution by your founding fathers. Barack Obama is one of those liberals who thinks he know what the founders would have written if they were alive today,” Romney said, “And I prefer a president like John McCain who believes in the plain words they actually wrote. “
It would be hard to imagine that praise just over three months ago when they were in a bitter battle for the GOP nomination. For Romney’s address today he revived most of his stump speech that he gave on the trail—sticking with many of the same issues and stories that he told crowds during his campaign.
During his failed battle for the nomination, Romney tried to woo gun owners by saying he was a lifelong NRA member—instead it turned out that he had just had wielded a gun at some “small varmints.”
Senator John McCain went to the National Rifle Association’s annual convention today to court gun owners—and go after his Democratic rival Senator Barack Obama.
McCain made an addition to his prepared remarks to respond to comments Obama made about the Arizona senator today:
Bush denied he was talked about Obama, but it started off a political firestorm which McCain addressed later yesterday. He went after Obama for saying he would sit down and talk with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahjmadinejad, which lead to the continued boiling over today where the Republican nominee-in-waiting went on to question Obama’s judgment:
“It would be a wonderful thing if we lived in a world where we don’t have enemies,” McCain said, “But that is not the world we live in, and until Senator Obama understands that reality, the American people have every reason to doubt whether he has the strength, judgment, and determination to keep us safe.”
McCain didn’t spare Senator Clinton either painting them both as wanting to limit the rights of gun owners, “Let’s be clear. If either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama is elected President, the rights of law-abiding gun owners will be at risk my friends and have no doubt about it. “
Columbus, OH—
In a speech outlining what the country and world will look like during and after his presidency, Senator John McCain said he believes that the war in Iraq will be won and troops will be home by 2013:
“By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom. The Iraq War has been won.”
This is the first time the presumptive Republican nominee has said that he hopes the war will end by the completion of his first term. He denied that he was setting a timetable for withdrawal.
“It is not a timetable. It is victory. It is victory, which I have always predicted. I didn’t know when we were going to win World War II, but I knew we were going win,” he told reporters aboard the Straight Talk Express. “Every conflict we have been in history I don’t know exactly when we were going to win, but we won and this one we are going to win and that will allow us then to bring our troops home with victory and honor.”
Days before the Florida primary on January 29, McCain accused Governor Mitt Romney of setting timetables for troop withdrawal. At the time, Romney believed it may have led to his loss in Florida.
In his speech, McCain went on to describe what Iraq will be like at the end of his term, “Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension. Violence still occurs, but it is spasmodic and much reduced,” McCain said, “The United States maintains a military presence there, but a much smaller one, and it does not play a direct combat role.”
McCain also sees a future with no major terrorist attacks in America and sets the lofty goal of the capture or death of Osama Bin Laden.
His forecast: He sees the country experiencing “robust economic growth; “world food crisis has ended”; the country would be “well on the way to independence from foreign sources of oil”; the “southern border is secure.” He said he looks forward to the day when Congress sends him bills containing no earmarks–at all.
PORTLAND, Ore — Despite limited resources, impossible delegate math, and a ticking clock working against her, Hillary Clinton’s first few public events after a big loss in North Carolina and too-narrow victory in Indiana on Tuesday have shown very little to suggest that she’s changed her strategy or approach going forward.
In the wake of that poor performance, some pundits suggested that Clinton would cease and desist in attacking her Democratic rival Barack Obama to pave the way for a graceful exit and possibly curry favor for a joint ticket. Indeed, in her remarks in Shepherdstown, WV on Wednesday, there was nary a mention of Obama or even “my opponent.”
But yesterday saw Clinton criticizing Obama for opposing a federal gas tax holiday — as she did in the last days before Tuesday’s primary — and calling him out for ducking a debate in Oregon, much as she did in the week after her win in Pennsylvania last month. She also repeated her standard attacks on his vote for what she calls the “Dick Cheney Energy Bill” in 2005
The only concessions to her new political reality now come in the form of defiant responses to those who would end the election before all the votes are counted.
“People say to me all the time, are you going to keep going? Of course I’m going to keep going”!” she said in Central Point, OR. And in Charleston, WV, she listed all the times she defied the odds when she was counted out. “Some in Washington wanted us to end our campaign, then I won New Hampshire. Then we had huge victories on Super Tuesday. Then we won Ohio and Texas and Pennsylvania. And I was never supposed to win Indiana,” she said. “Now there are some folks who have said, well, we needed to end this before we got to West Virginia. Well I don’t think so. I think we want to keep this going so that the people of West Virginia’s voices are heard.”
There is, however, a hint of wistfulness amid the tough talk. Clinton thanked supporters at a fundraiser in Washington for sticking with her though all of the ups and downs of this campaign. And in Central Point apologized for being late with something of a metaphor for the uphill battle she’s facing.
“We were flying against the wind,” she said. “You know, that’s the story of my life. Fly against the wind, you’ll get there eventually.”
Kansas City, MO — While some Washington politicos were buzzing Sunday about the possibility that Condoleezza Rice is actively campaigning for a vice presidential slot, Sen. McCain said any push by the Secretary of State is news to him.
“I did not hear that. I missed those signals,” McCain said aboard his campaign plane Sunday during a flight to Kansas City. “I think she’s a great American, I think there’s very little that I can say that isn’t anything but the utmost praise for a great American citizen, who served as a role model to so many millions of people in this country and around the world…I think her overall record is really very, very meritorious.”
While he praised Rice, McCain also noted that he believes she bears some responsibility for the early failures in Iraq–along with President Bush, Don Rumsfeld and Colin Powell. The latest Rice4VP speculation comes after former administration spokesman Dan Senor said on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday that Rice has been campaigning for a VP slot–even speaking to a meeting of economic conservative leaders including Grover Norquist.
Given that McCain will either face off against a female or African-American Democratic rival, VP tea leaf readers are debating what role gender or race may play in McCain’s selection. But the presumptive GOP nominee made clear Sunday that he is not quite there yet–still focused on the big picture.
“That’s a consideration that you might…take into consideration if you were anywhere along in the process. We’re not in any point in the process…but I think that Americans overall want the most highly qualified person to serve anywhere in government,” McCain said, when asked if he would be comfortable with two white men heading up the GOP ticket.
After McCain told the Don Imus radio show last Wednesday morning that he was starting to compile a list of potential running mates, his aides have attempted to reign him in regarding any VP talk and McCain downplayed most of the running mate questions today.
“We’re not talking about the process because it just then gets into things that could easily to spill over into an invasion of privacy,” he said at one point. Asked later about Mitt Romney as a potential VP, McCain reiterated, “we are just not talking about it. When you mention somebody’s name as being favorably mentioned or somebody else then all of a sudden it really can unfortunately result in invasion of privacy so were just not really talking about it. But I understand the curiosity but I think there is a very large number of very highly qualified people and we are not in any point where we would say ‘this person is more favored than another’ and to protect everybodys privacy, I don’t think we would ever say that.”
But McCain did chime in on the anti-Romney4VP advertising campaign launched by some former Huckabee supporters, joking that he could “save them some money if they’d just e-mail me. But if they want to make that statement through a paid political advertisement, that’s certainly their right.”
Denver, CO — Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney downplayed speculation about being a possible Vice Presidential pick Thursday during a media availability aboard Sen. McCain’s campaign plane.
“I really don’t think there’s much interest in that on the part of the electorate at this point. It’s way early,” Romney told reporters during a flight from Salt Lake City to Denver–where he is accompanying McCain to multiple fundraisers. “You know, there are probably 20 and maybe even more…people who I think could be excellent Vice-Presidential nominees from our party and that’s a process the Senator will probably carry out. I am not going to engage in the sort of speculation on that.”
The press availability came after a press conference in Salt Lake City where the two men were joined by another potential VP, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman.
Asked what it feels like to be back out on the trail, Romney said, “it’s kind of fun again. It’s nice not to feel any pressure at all. I don’t have to worry about goofing up. I can just stand behind my nominee and do my very best to support his campaign.”
Exeter, NH — Sen. John McCain said Wednesday that former rival Mitt Romney has a “big role to play” in the future of the GOP and would be in contention for “a lot of different roles in a Republican administration.”
“I was very gratified by Governor Romney’s gracious endorsement, asking his delegates to support me, the way he received me after he dropped out of the race,” McCain said aboard his bus today in the Granite State–where McCain dealt Romney a major blow. “There is nothing but goodwill between myself and Governor Romney….(he) has a big role to play in our party. Millions of Republicans voted for him so obviously I think he would be in consideration for a lot of different roles in a Republican administration.”
McCain and Romney fought a bruising, heated battle during the early primaries but the presumptive GOP nominee said that is water under the bridge. “The lesson in politics is you go forward, not back…(once the primary is over) we share the same principles and values of conservative Republicans,” McCain said.
McCain added that he does not believe it is important to select a running mate he considers to be a close friend.
“I don’t think you have to be close friends as much as you have to share the principles, the values, the goals…but also the priorities,” McCain said. “I don’t think you have to have a personal relationship but you have to have a comfortable, professional relationship.”
The questions were prompted by Romney’s comments during a Fox News interview last night that he would be “honored” to be picked as McCain’s VP.
Mitt Romney gave his first post-exit interview to Sean Hannity today revealing new thoughts on the vice-presidency and a new hair-do. It’s hard to know what was more shocking. . .
After saying at least twice on the stump that he would not be John McCain’s number two he seems to have changed his mind saying he would accept the vice-presidency if it was offered to him:
“I think any Republican leader in this country would be honored to be asked to serve as the vice presidential nominee, myself included. Of course this is a nation, which needs strong leadership. And if the nominee of our party asked you to serve with him, anybody would be honored to receive that call,” Romney told Hannity.
The former Massachusetts governor mentioned that he’s sure McCain already has a long list of “terrific people” on his V.P list, but he would do anything to help him win:
“I will do whatever Senator McCain asks for me to do in his campaign to help out in any way that I can. I want to make sure that we have conservative leadership guiding our country,” Romney said, “Now is the time for us to come together and support his candidacy.”
He went after Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, specifically attacking their experience—perhaps positioning himself as McCain’s attack dog (no pun intended):
“I mean, listening to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama talk about experience in a national security crisis is like listening to two Chihuahuas argue about which is the biggest dog,” Romney said, “When it comes to national security, John McCain is the big dog, and they are the chihuahuas. And I think as we talk more and more about their battle with one another, focused on the fact that neither one has real experience in dealing with the issues of our time, that that will only aurgur for his benefit.”
Romney was also asked if he may run again and he was very vague saying, “Who know what the future holds” and he is “not going to close the door.”
And for everyone wondering what Romney has been doing since I stopped following him around—he’s been spending time with his grandchildren.
Boston, MA – Sen. John McCain all but sewed up the GOP nomination Thursday after receiving the endorsement of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
Noting that his former rival “helped me become a better candidate,” McCain said Romney will help him “draw the stark differences” between the two parties during the general election.
For his part, Romney said that despite an extremely contentious campaign and their differences on issues ranging from immigration to taxes to campaign finance reform, it is time for the party to come together.
“I recognize, it’s time for us to put aside our differences and focus on the places where we think we have common ground and select our nominee and go forward together on a unified basis,” Romney said. “Right now the Democrats are fighting. Let’s us come together and make progress while they are fighting.”
The campaign just confirmed that Governor Romney’s endorsement of Senator McCain means he will be officially releasing his delegates and asking them to support McCain. When Romney stopped “actively campaigning” he still retained his delegates. After the endorsement they will be officially released.
When any candidate endorses, his delegates are released. But, one important note is that even though Romney will ask those delegates to support McCain they are not bound to do so. He has no “ownership” of them.
Providence, RI — Fox News has learned that Governor Mitt Romney is endorsing Sen. John McCain this afternoon at Romney for President Headquarters in Boston, MA.
Romney will ask his delegates to support McCain, which would put him very close the 1,191 delegate threshold necessary to lock the nomination. Romney made his decision to endorse today in the interest of helping McCain gain the delegates he needed to secure the party nomination and unite the party for the general election against the Democrats in November.
Romney campaign manager Beth Myers notified McCain campaign manager Rick Davis in a telephone call today, and they immediately made arrangements for an announcement in Boston this afternoon since they were already campaigning in RI.
Romney and McCain will meet today before announcing the formal endorsement at a press conference.
Kennedy ‘Conscious’ After Suffering Seizures Sen. Ted Kennedy was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital after apparently suffering two seizures; his condition seemed to be improving.
Obama Focusing on Fall Obama may still be campaigning in primary states, but his campaign is shifting full-gear into general election mode• Obama Picks Up Delegates in 3 States• BRIEFING BOOK: Kentucky and Oregon (pdf)• GOP Unleashes on Obama Over Foreign Policy Views
Congress Fears Electronic Passports a Security Risk Electronic passports for U.S. travelers frequenting Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean soon will replace the old-style paper identification, but some think the cards could fall prey to counterfeiters, The Washington Post reported.
