Sweet victory for McCain's Florida backers

When everyone was trying out the new kids on the block - Giuliani, Romney and Thompson -- a small group of legislators in Tallahassee stuck by John McCain. It seemed a foolish move as the Arizona senator gasped for air during the summer.

But now, as his ardent supporters are chanting tonight in New Hampshire, Mac is Back.

"Cool!," was the quick response from Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, one of the early supporters.

"For a lot of people," she said, "it was easy to give up on him. But John McCain is tried and tested. When people are not feeling secure about the economy or national security, it's always nice to look to someone you know. I hope this is the beginning of a strong momentum. People are going to start to take notice."

Bogdanoff got word of McCain's victory while she was on her BlackBerry, planning a South Florida visit for Sen. Joe Lieberman. The Connecticut senator, who was on the Democratic ticket in 2000, could be a boon for McCain in the Sunshine State.

Comments

Congratulations Senator!

McCain/Huckabee 2008!!

This war hero is the best candidate to lead our country in these trying times.

It would be real scary to have someone like Obama or Hillary handling foreign policy.

Mac Is Back!!

11:15 nice try but I bet it will be McCain/Crist

lol,

Crist is not on any Republican's V.P. short list.

He is too controversial.

Don't get too excited because FL voters know better

-Co-sponsored amnesty for illegal aliens which was resoundingly defeated in Congress
-check

Voted twice against the Bush tax cuts
-check check

Sponsored MCCain-Feingold
-check

Supports tax payer funding of embryonic stem cell research which kills human life
-check

Independents put him over the top tonight in liberal N.H... yep

R-I-N-O

Nominee of the Republican party...not

McCain is now the favorite to win the Republican nomination.

Betting odds have him as clear favorite.

National polls have him ahead of Rudy G. too.

wait till McCain competes in the South Carolina primary, they are not electing Bob Dole there no matter what the media say... nope.

He's the only one who can beat the wicked witch. I'll hold my breath and vote for him.

McCain in '08
Giuliani in '16

11:59 if you listened carefully to the news reports, you would know he won handily even among Republicans.

Why? Because what some fools characterize as "amnesty" reasonable people recognize as a way to actually control our border, register the people who are here, send back undesirables and meet our labor needs.

While some blindly follow anything the President does, the thinking folks realize you can't just cut taxes without also cutting spending. That would be like quitting your job and going on a shopping spree. How are you going to pay for it? Credit? (In fact, that is pretty much what we DID do.) Bad Idea.

McCAIN FOR PRESIDENT!

When will the Crist endorsement come ?

MAC IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!! There is no way Rudy can compete in Florida now. He has completely blown up in the two most important primaries and barely beat Ron Paul in NH. McCain can beat Hillary and Obama, he is the most experienced and will keep us safe. He will also remember all of those who stuck by him in Florida! Mac never forgets

Mac is back? No thanks, my what short term memories.

I like the Bush tax cuts, think the fence should be built and we follow the rule of law. Besides he is too old for 2 terms.

All you people listen to way too much Rush Limbaugh. McCain will be a great nominee.

[rjm]

He voted against the tax cuts because they were reckless, given our huge deficits. He was right.

8:59 you can never get too much Rush

Reckless tax cuts?

You're wrong! have you read what Larry Kudlow said it did for the economy when Bush enacted them? Bush was right.

McCain's record voting against them twice, then add McCain Feingold, amnesty for illegals & supporting tax payer funding of embryonic stem cell research will not fly in SC.

[Art]

If McCain aligns himself with ANY evangelical Christian, he'll lose my vote VERY quickly, and that's what he'd be doing if he invited Huckabee to be his running mate. This countries MAIN foundation was FREEDOM of religion, not UNLAWFULLY ENFORCED MORALITY by Christian Fundamentalists. If he's intelligent, he'll invite one of the two democratic nomination losers to be his running mate. This country is starting to become as bad as Afghanistan under the Taliban--which is great if you're a Fundangelical Christian Zealot. We are becoming a nation as strongly divided on religious issues as they are in Iraq where there are three seperate provinces (Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish Islamic states). McCain or Edwards are probably the only two candidates who could win and NOT bring on an assasination attempt. Whatever happened to tolerance and religious freedom? And "Hate" is NOT a family value. You worship who you like, I'll worship whomever and however I please and let us celebrate the diversity, not try to increase it. McCain is one of the few who is a more "democratic" republican than any other Republican candidate. I pray he wins the primary.

[Edmund Burke]

Interesting contrast that shows bias of reporters writing when you compare the posted story on legislator support for Thompson and this story for McCain.

Somehow McCain's win in NH after dimal showings and low polls places him ina better ligth than what Thompson is likely to so in S Carolina and Florida. NH showed how the reporters and pundits really dont have a clue and that the voters still have not glued themseleves to anyone. This is a very open race and Thompson may end up smiling at the end....no one knows yet. Drop the reporting bias and let the voters decide.

[Gil - Delray]

McCain stands for integrity and honesty. In addition, he is the candidate with the most experience. While I don't agree with him on every single issue, I like his independence of thought--I don't believe he will cater to the fundamentalist nuts in the Republican party. I'll be watching the issues closely, but his candidacy should be seriously considered. I note that Senator Lieberman (an independent Democrat) has endorsed McCain. That's a good indication of McCain's support.

please answer this:

mccain says he can bring "victory" in iraq.

what does "victory" in iraq look like?

please?

who wins?
who wins what?
who looses?
who looses what?

PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEE????

i have heard mcain on a tape from only a few days ago, when asked how long we will be in iraq, answer,

"i dunno...50, maybe 100 years."

how is that "victory"?

PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEE????

It would be real scary having Obama or Hillary handling our foreign policy.

Heck, Obama & Hillary do not even have executive experience in the U.S.

No thanks, I'll rather have a war hero like John McCain commanding our military.

[rivendellknight]

Indipendant wishing I had a voice in florida. McCain would be my guy. The only one on both sides that has tried to do something about campaing reform.
He believes in this country and speaks honestly.

Haters ought to read about him on wikapedia specifically his time as a POW. This will tell you a lot about his character.

Was offered early release from vietnamese captors but would not take it because others were there longer and they should be first out. This cost him 5 more years of captivity with brutal torture during several of them.

He will be able to work across party lines as he has on numerous occasions.

Here would be my ticket McCain/Lieberman.

Keep it rolling John!

[Jason Straight]

I love these GOP candidates ..lets see why I like mCCain..Hes old and wont change anything I especaly liked the 100 years war.The dollar is worthless we have massive deficits,the countrys middle class is being crushed ..How do I love Mc Cain let me count the ways..Well I like huckle berry He can pray much better than Mc Cain he said Dinasaurs and man walked the earth together..Hes fer me !!Maybee he can lead a prayer to lover my homeowners insurance taxes and stop the wave of foreclosures ..Yippee more GOP Fer me!!

[Jason Straight]

McCain is running to be the Commander in Chief, but doesn’t actually want to be the Commander in Chief.

As for pulling out of Iraq, McCain said there is only one man who will determine when that is appropriate and the name he mentioned was not his own.

“There is only one man who should decide when to withdraw from Iraq and that is (General) David Petraeus,” the Arizona Senator said.

I didn’t know a vote for McCain is a vote for Gen. Petraeus.

Correntewire: If McCain is planning for us to stay in Iraq for 100 years, does Petraeus leave a living/dying/killing will that says when we can leave, or will they be keeping his head in one of those “Futurama” jar thingie.

[rivendellknight]

Jason Straight:
For the record I am an independant.
I recently took a survey that fox did called cadidate matchmaker and it told me my cnadidate was Edwards (whom I had never considered) followed by all the other Dems. McCain was my first Rep. on that list. http://wnyw.4wmt.com/cmm/

Here is where I'm at.

Edwrds - wont get the nomination

Hillary - while I believe we are ready for a woman she isn't it ...don't trust her. Have had enough Bushes and Clintons.

Obama - Don't think he is right for this time in history (not because he is black) but I like him. I believe he could work across party lines.

Rest of the Dems - Same as Edwards

That leaves me McCain who I believe would be a great leader and can work across party lines. Also the only candidate who would like to get the corrupting enfluence of money out of politics...ie campaign reform.

I think you are taking the war answer out of context.

I don't believe that any cadidate will be able to get us out of Iraq quickly. We will have a base over there just as we do in vietnam, korea, germany, etc. So yes we will be there for at least 50 to 100 years.

I am not saying I agree or disagree with the war but if you go to war go to win it...period. I believe that means you leave it to the ones who are trained for it. That is what a leader does he delegates his authority. The fact that McCain was a service man means he would be a good overseer to Petraeus. By the way things do seem to be cooling down since Petreaus has been there.

It is easy to get caught up in analyzing the exact words the candidates say especially when you have the media trying to tell you what they mean.
Realistically you don't know what any of these candidates can and will do when they get in office thats why you look at their record and character.

I would appreciate to hear your real concerns instead of jokes.

And yes your vote is for everyone that your candidate surrounds himself with.
Pick someone that you trust their judgement.

For me that is McCain/Lieberman