By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : Vietnam war veteran John McCain is virtually assured of a Republican nomination in the US presidential poll as his main rival, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, has abruptly suspended his campaign.
“I entered this race because I love America and because I love America, I feel I must stand aside for our party and our country,” Romney announced Thursday at a convention of conservative activists, saying a protracted fight with McCain would only aid the Democrats.
A Democratic victory in the 2008 presidential election would endanger America’s security in a time of war, he told the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), a group with which McCain has been at odds on a host of issues, particularly immigration and campaign finance.
“I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror,” said Romney. “I’d forestall the launch of a national campaign and I’d frankly make it easier” for a Democrat to win, added the venture-capital CEO who kicked off his campaign a little less than a year after ago saying the country needs “innovation and transformation”.
Despite winning primaries and caucuses in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Utah and Colorado on Super Tuesday when 24 states held nomination contests, Romney abruptly ended his campaign as McCain stretched his delegate lead by winning such big states as California, New York and Illinois.
Just hours after the mere mention of his name drew boos at the CPAC, McCain sought to reach out to them as he stood before them to seek their support for his presidential bid.
McCain skipped the convention last year and his absence was widely noticed as he was booed every time his name came up, he recalled. When he came before the crowd Thursday, flanked by conservative Senator Tom Coburn and former Senator George Allen of the ‘macaca moment’ fame, they appeared ready to listen.
Despite a smattering of boos, which were more audible when the senator mentioned his support for comprehensive immigration reform, McCain was greeted warmly as he defended his conservative credentials and sought to make peace.
“Surely, I have held other positions that have not met with widespread agreement from conservatives,” McCain said. “I won’t pretend otherwise, nor would you permit me to forget it.”
With Romney out, Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is the only major candidate left to challenge McCain for the nomination. Huckabee aides said Thursday the Baptist preacher remains committed to the race, but he and McCain have never engaged in the kind of acrimony seen between McCain and Romney.
McCain has long had a dysfunctional relationship with the conservative wing of his party, but by Thursday afternoon, there were already signs that he was winning them over.
Two of McCain’s Senate Republican colleagues, who would hardly be called fans, offered their support. Senator John Cornyn endorsed McCain shortly after his CPAC address, and Senator Thad Cochran, on his way to a meeting with Romney, said he would support McCain once he is the nominee.
Cornyn, like other conservative senators, has long battled with McCain over immigration reform, and Cochran has been quoted recently questioning the senator’s temperament. Allen’s endorsement also carries some added weight, particularly as Huckabee will likely challenge McCain in next Tuesday’s Virginia primary.
The former senator, once seen as a presidential hopeful before he lost his 2006 re-election bid after calling an Indian American supporter of his Democratic rival a macaca (monkey), had supported former senator Fred Thompson before the TV star withdrew from the race.
Charlie Black, a senior adviser to McCain, said the CPAC address was “the first step in trying to consolidate support with some of those conservatives who haven’t supported him in the past”.
Black said part of the process would include significant outreach to members of Congress who have been resistant to or critical of McCain.
Meanwhile, Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are engaged in a record-breaking game of fundraising one-upmanship, with both camps releasing eye-popping figures for February. Obama continued to shock pundits when he announced Thursday his campaign had brought in more than $7.5 million since Super Tuesday, after a $32 million one-month haul in January.
The Clinton campaign responded with news that it had brought in $6.4 million in online contributions since Super Tuesday, for a total of $7.5 million for the month.
The fundraising revelation came as a surprise after news reports Wednesday suggested the Clinton campaign was experiencing a cash crunch. Reports circulated that Clinton had personally loaned her campaign $5 million and that some senior staff were going without pay.
The Clinton campaign Wednesday set a goal of raising $3 million in 24 hours. Campaign officials excitedly relayed the news late Wednesday night that they had surpassed that goal by more than $1 million.