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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

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Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



Romney to endorse McCain

Posted: Thursday, February 14, 2008 1:49 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: , ,

From NBC's Mark Murray
First Read has confirmed an AP report that Mitt Romney will endorse McCain today.

The endorsement, per a Romney source, will occur at Romney's headquarters in Boston around 3:30 pm ET and 4:00 pm ET. And McCain, who has been campaigning in nearby Rhode Island, will be in attendance.

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So what's the news here??
Good man, let's band together and begin focusing on the future, not bashing each other like a bunch of democrats. Wanna see a snapshot of the future? Republicans working together to get something done, Democrats rolling around in the mud punching each other in the face.

Republicans accept that there is no perfection in a world full of humans while Democrats keep trying to pour water into a strainer yelling, "ITS HALF FULL, I SWEAR!"
1 loser supporting another loser  well whoop-d-doo!!
Sigh.
Wow - bet that will be the boost McCain needs to put him over the top.
REALLY?!

I have to say that I'm shocked that Romney is officially endorsing McCain.

Maybe that's why Johnny has flipped on the issue of torture... it was part of Romney's deal for endorsement.
VP???
Well Well, it appears that the more moderate conservatives are going to make sure that this is the religious right's last gasp. For Huckabee, after his attacks on Romney, payback must surely be a bitch.
Mitt tosses his hat into the Veepstakes with his endorsement.  Rock on Mitt!!
Vote Republican! For more wars of choice, lies & corruption.
Too late, Mitt. All that's left is Transportation Secretary. (If you'd have done it yesterday, you could have had Ambassador to Lichtenstein.)
Romney said, when he withdrew from the race, that he would endorse McCain if he became the nominee.  He (R) also said that he was dropping out so that the party could unite in a time of war.  Perhaps this is just a step to move it in that direction- since Huck refuses to drop out.  280 delegate could put McCain within the 1191 range... I still won't vote for McCain... unless Romney is the VP (i would be shocked) and then I'd have to consider it REALLY carefully.
I think it's pretty obvious at this point that Romney is trying to lock down a spot as VP.
So Mittens is going with the war monger and ignoring the evangelical. Huh.

"Republicans working together to get something done..."

Oh- they're getting something done, alright. They've done more harm to this country by supporting a Constitutional criminal than Al Quada could ever do to us. Good job, you work-together people.
Running for President in 2012, against an incumbent Hillary Rodham Clinton.
In WA state many previous Romney supporters caucused for Obama Feb 9th...Obama can build a working coalition.

We were handing out Obama info day before caucus and several Romney supporters said "now that Romney's out of the race, I'm going to support Obama, I can't stand McCain!"

I think this backs his earlier statements and helps to bring the party together....  Also,  It may help in the future 2012 or 2016???  Go ROMNEY
So much for Romney being the "true conservative" hope. As I've said all along, Romney is just another pseudo conservative...
http://truthalert.net/Republican%20Presidential%20Candidate%20Rankings.htm

With equal hilarity and alarm, I read the following story... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23163724/

The Evangelical, chicken hawk, police state, wiretapping, Bible thumpers (Mike Huckabee and George Bush crowd) will balk at the Constitution Party’s adherence to a non-interventionist foreign policy (as advocated by Ron Paul). They are mistakenly convinced militancy against other nations – along with morbid obesity, a love of NASCAR, and proud ignorance – is conservative.

They ought to form their own party instead of hijacking and ruining the Constitution Party.

The Constitution Party has already slammed Mike Huckabee and given tacit endorsement of Ron Paul.

Unfortunately, the ignorance of the voting public is thorough; they don't know what it means to be a full-spectrum conservative... http://truthalert.net/Green%20Libertarian%20Nationalism.htm#_Toc183353724

Here's a nice campaign web site "for" McCain:
http://lessjobsmorewars.com/

People who think that McCain is a "straight talker" should take a look at this video: http://therealmccain.com/

He's a worse flip-flopper than even Romney. But sadly, the news media is being taken for a ride on the Double-Talk Express and there's no sign that they're going to wise up any time soon.


A warrior for POTUS. A businessman for VPOTUS. The profiteers have hope for "08".

The working class faces a dismal future.
I'm sure Huckabee is shocked and dismayed.....not!!  

Huckabee, you did your job and can come home now.  Mitt's dropped out and is making an obvious political move to be the VP of the man who he victimized with his negative trash.  Bob Dole should tell McCain to reject Mitt's endorsement since Dole's endorsement was trashed by Mitt two weeks ago.  What a joke this guy is.  Mitt, sell spineless and prideless pandering somewhere else.....we're all stocked up already with the Bush's and Clinton's.
Interesting! So what the Romney campaign is now saying seems to be that a vote for Romney was a vote for McCain. How ironic. This is not over yet. There are still s lot of conservatives who would prefer Huckabee, but the insiders are terrified that he could get win in a brokered convention. Most interesting campaign year we have had in a long time and perhaps with the most at stake. And, Yes, I definitely like Mike. Don't be afraid to vote for Huckabee. You can still make a difference.
John McCain has flipped on the torture issue?  I think the pajama pundit is still asleep.  John McCain has always been against torture...Wake up pajama.
This was just a question of when, it was part of his drop-out speech. Mary, you're right. Obama got a boost thanks to Romney dropping out before our caucus (not that he needed one here).
Man, Mike is Hucking this whole thing up.
The last (hopefully) and most spectacular of Mitt's flip-flops.
Please work on changing the winner take all rule in GOP NJ, NY, CT election
to make all the vote counted proportionally.
How could Rudy manipulate our state election rule to benefit himself,
and then benefit McCain after Rudy dropped out of the race.

JR Dieckmann
Any and all conservative candidates were driven out of the race before the vast majority of Republicans even had a chance to vote for them.

To prevent this from happening again, all primaries, or at least the vast majority of them must be held on the same day, as the candidates campaign to the nation instead of individual states. This would prevent back room deals played by McCain and Huckabee in WV. No more open primaries. Only Registered Republicans should have a say in who is selected to represent their party. Primary voters should be pre-registered before a given deadline, not simply sign up on election day.

You just don't let the stockholders of Ford vote for the CEO of General Motors, or the stockholder of Sylvania vote for the CEO of G.E. This current policy is simply ludicrous, and now we see the results.
The only way that I would vote for Mc Cane if Romney is choose as VP.
One final, pathetic, bellyflop from Flip Flomney!

"I hate you; will you be my Valentine?"
This is the most unbelievable news ever. Either Mccain cut a deal with Romney to be his VP (thus the reason for the Romney departure last week), or Romney is hoping for a 2012 victory. If Mccain chose Romney as his running mate, then they could win the election due to Mitt's leadership qualities and policies.

I am a huge Mitt supporter. He was by FAR the right person for the job. It would be unfortunate though if he was vp because the best leader would have to succumb to a man who really isn't capable of American or international leadership.

Whatever the reason. Go Mitt! I would back Mitt no matter what, in whatever direction he would want to take things politically and economically. I don't see why people can't see that he is a world class leader filled with exuberance, passion, who also happens to be an intellectual genius,  while Mccain is old, tired, and slow. Regardless, shine on Romney, you are a bright star while all the other stars barely flicker in the dark.
Romney to endorse Mccain.....for a price of course.
Almost as interesting as the gum stuck on my shoe.
"Bob Dole should tell McCain to reject Mitt's endorsement since Dole's endorsement was trashed by Mitt two weeks ago"

oh yeah, superdelegateboy, that would be a genius move- reject the endorsement of someone who controls so many delegates.  Yeah right.  

"So what the Romney campaign is now saying seems to be that a vote for Romney was a vote for McCain."

Leo- how do you figure?  He said in his concession speech that he would endorse McCain if he became the nominee.  Maybe he's tired of Huck delaying the process (like most of the rest of the republican party).  This isn't a flip flop- this is completely consistant with what he said a week and a half ago in his concession.  He doesn't have to like the guy to endorse him- he just has to think he's the best remaining candidate.

By the way, McCain was more negative and personal to Romney in the debate than visa versa... making superdelegateboy's comments even more ridiculous.
Of course, this is the same Mark Murray who reported on Senator Clinton's big leads in Ohio and Pennsylvania today. He slightly neglected that she lead Senator Obama   45-19 in Ohio and 43-15 in Pennsylvania in December. Does Mark Penn write his copy?
j [[John McCain has flipped on the torture issue?  I think the pajama pundit is still asleep.  John McCain has always been against torture...Wake up pajama. ]]

Wake up, J. McCain was against torture until he was for it with his Senate vote yesterday against a bill banning the use of water boarding.

Romney is aflip-flopper endorsing another flip-flopper. McCain has shown already that he'll do anything and say anything to get votes. He's got to appeal to his pro-torture Republican base. What a fraud.
Kira, well, with Obama and Hillary as the potential opponent, he might well endorse Daffy  Duck if he became the nominee.  My point is that we don't yet have an official nominee.  So Mitt,the conservative hero, endorsing McCain when there is still a consistent solid conservative candidate running is a bit telling.  Think about it.
Stop Huckabee before it's too late!  Batten down the hatches!

Can't wait to see the replays of the Lockstep Brothers in the Repub debates, cleaving to the Bush record, to which they all pledged allegiance.  This will be good sport in the fall.  Why doesn't McCain just let Huck or someone else take the hit?


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