GOP House leaders unite behind McCain

Posted: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 5:10 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress

From NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-Treworgy and NBC's Lauren Appelbaum

WASHINGTON, DC -- This morning, John McCain received the endorsement of the top members of the House Republican Conference after the Washington Post reported this morning that he might get a cold shoulder. Standing with GOP House leaders John Boehner, Roy Blunt, and Adam Putnam, McCain said that he met with the group this morning and agreed that there was a lot of work to be done towards uniting the party.

McCain also addressed Huckabee's continued presence in the GOP primary race. Although he had previously admitted that Huckabee helped keep Republicans in the news while they are up against a very heated Democratic contest, this morning McCain admitted that life would be easier if he was running uncontested.

"I don't pretend that I wouldn't like Gov. Huckabee not in the race," McCain said, adding that even though he respects his opponent's right to keep campaigning, "of course, I'd like for him to withdraw today, I mean it would be much easier."

After taking the gloves off and going after the Democrats and Obama during his victory speech last night, McCain backed off slightly this morning but still made some backhanded criticisms of the new Democratic frontrunner.

"There's going to come a time where we have to get into specifics," McCain said when asked about Obama. "And I've not observed every speech he has given obviously, but there are singularly lacking in specifics.

"As the campaign moves forward, we will be portraying very stark differences. It's not an accident that he has, I think, according to National Journal, the most liberal voting record in the United States Senate. I have one of the most Conservative." (Per National Journal, Obama had the most liberal voting record for 2007, but his 2005 and 2006 ratings weren't as high.)

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Comments

Great Old Pigs.....

Ron Allen (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 5:17 PM)

hey Ron,

Do you take everything you've worked hard for and disperse it evenly to those who have less than you? When you buy new things for you or your family, do you feel guilty?

You may be more of a conservative than you realize. Everything that America stands is because of the conservative mindset, and we are still the most generous Nation on Earth.

They're not pigs at all.

& you're going to be sorry if McCain doesn't get elected...Mark my words, our next President will deal w/ the toughest challenges ever:

Iran, Iraq, CHINA, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Global warming, immigration, health care, etc.

I don't want some 40 yr old who can't even handle the heat when Hillary turns it up to be negotiating w/ the Chinese.

Do you?

J (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 5:47 PM)

Wow....let me get this straight.

McCain is trying to get the support of people from Congress that have a 17% approval rating. So the right wing of the Republican Party that has supported Bush to the ends of the earth, put thru more spending (pork at that) than any congress & president in recent history, and presided over the economy we see crashing thru the floor right now, are going to help McCain?!?!?!

It might help rally support within the GOP, but it isn't going to help in the General, it will hurt McCain. It will further cement McCain's bid for President as being a continuation of the Bush doctrin.

I'm also curious as to how McCain could get elected when he admits he doesn't know anything about the economic side of things and would have to defer to "experts" on that?

McCain = an under-developed Bob Dole = Good luck!

Matt, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 5:52 PM)

"GOP Leaders Unite Behind McCain"...sure hope he doesn't let one while they're back there!

JohnnyU, WA State (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 6:05 PM)

We have the 9/11 trials happening just before the 2008 elections -- coincidence?

We have Senator Obama being declared the "most liberal" Senator this year -- coincidence?

I think not. Typical Republican playbook maneuvers.

This year, like in 2006, the country is not going to put up with their nonsense any more. This year, a democrat will be elected President. The middle class is in shambles enough, four more years of a Republican regime will destroy us.

Carol, Long Valley NJ (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 6:13 PM)

Of COURSE McCain got the endorsement of his cronies! Folks, you don't have to settle for this.
http://therealmccain.com/
Consider the only conservative choice- Huckabee has a real chance to make this a brokered convention, and conclude this process fairly- with a voice for all.

Beth, Bradenton, FL (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 6:28 PM)

Ron Allen, your brillient! Name calling is typical of a person with no sustance.

J Paul, ID (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 6:33 PM)

Giggle, giggle ... kinda quiet in here, huh ? Republicans are pathetic .... ! At least when you had Ron Paul to kick around you got "feedback"! Now look! This is hilarious!

ricknhouston, houston, tx (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 6:34 PM)

Ron, I thought the GOP meant Greedy Old Pigs.

Bonnie (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 6:47 PM)

Did Crying John Boehner shed a lot of tears? He is probably crying over the fact that neither he nor his conservative cohorts have a chance in the '08 elections. It IS as good as OVER, Cryin John.

A.Brocco, Albuquerque,NM (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 7:44 PM)

uniting behind a doddering old fool, super.

bush NOT (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 7:48 PM)

The main reasons the conservative are not happy with McCain is because is does not embrace many conservative ideas. Conservative have to learn their ideas are dated, so it make sense their candidate would be the oldest person ever elected president. Gee Didn't Reagan have that honor also. However the nice thing about McCain is that, unlike Bush, he at least sees both sides of issue, and he has a great chance to win, because many democrats don't hate him like those with hard core conservative one-sided, out-dated ideas.

Robert Turlington (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 8:28 PM)

Grey haired Old Protestants...

Que the crickets.

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 8:29 PM)

If John McCain debates Mike Huckabee one on one, he will lose every primary from here to the convention. If he does not, he will look weaker and weaker against the Democrat nominee.

Terrence, Atlanta, GA (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 8:30 PM)

Robert Turlington (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 8:34 PM)

In late January, the assessment of John McCain by Mississippi Republican Senator Thad Cochran was this:
"The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine," Cochran said about McCain by phone (to the Boston Globe). "He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."
In February, Senator Cochran now says, "I am supporting John McCain for the Republican nomination for President." That's an endorsement only a mother could love.
Obama/Webb '08

Bob in Denver (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 8:55 PM)

If Huck doesn't get the VP job, there are alot of
Fair Tax supporters that want go to the polls, no
matter who wins. Huckabee has a bunch of followers,
and just because all those Washington lifers tells
us to vote for McCain it will take more than that.
John McCain and his buddy Lindsey Graham tryed to push that illeagle amdisty down out throats behind
closed doors, but that didn't work.

Lester, Indiana (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 9:46 PM)

No candidate has the right to ask another candidate to get out of the race “for the good of the party,” which probably just means for the good of the candidate who’s asking, or for any other reason. If I agree with only one thing that Governor Huckabee has said during this campaign, it would be that voters are entitled to a choice. This is why a national primary makes so much more sense than what we’re doing now. Why shouldn’t all of us have the chance to vote for all of the candidates who started out in the race? Why should small early states dictate who stays and who goes? Why should the later states be deprived of all choice? How does that do either party -- or democracy -- any “good”?

Anna Molly (: (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 9:55 PM)

Barack HUSSEIM Obama was born a Muslim, that is why he was against the war in the first place. Don't be fooled with that, America.

Jerry Chui (Sent Thursday, February 14, 2008 12:58 AM)

Typical Liberal name-calling/hate speach Mr. Allen. Nothing like the so-called Liberal left philosophy that "says everyone has a right to opinions"......EXCEPT a conservative. Keep showing that level of intelligence and make yourself and your party proud.

Wisconsin Quilter (Sent Thursday, February 14, 2008 1:35 AM)

very simple. John McCain would like race with Mrs.clinton because it is easy for him to be the next president. Did you think?

John Doe,Wash. (Sent Thursday, February 14, 2008 3:42 AM)

Good, the GOP leadership is uniting behind McCain. I hope this unity leads directly to the suicides of Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, et al. These liars and distorters are trying their hardest to make their listeners/sheep vote one way, but fortunately they don't have the power to make the rest of the nation's republican voters do so as well.

That being said, McCain is not the man for the job. None of the republicans are. Go Obama!

Martin Martian, Augusta, Maine (Sent Thursday, February 14, 2008 8:31 AM)

This is what I know about what the MEDIA is doing regarding the election. The biased attitudes toward Hillary Clinton has led them to endorse wholeheartedly Obama - thus the next pResident will be John McCain. Way to go Todd, Matthews, Mitchell, etc MSNBC.

DKincaid (Sent Thursday, February 14, 2008 9:05 AM)

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