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McCain brings his Mitt

Candidate looks one-time rival Romney to help woo conservatives

By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 28, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, right, arrives at the Denver Athletic Club on Thursday. He hopes to win over independent voters with vows of lower taxes and less government.

Photo by Darin Mcgregor / The Rocky

Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, right, arrives at the Denver Athletic Club on Thursday. He hopes to win over independent voters with vows of lower taxes and less government.

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Sen. John McCain finally set foot in Colorado again, bringing along the man who clobbered him in the state's caucuses and some of the Republican heavyweights who didn't support him then.

They all stood together at the Brown Palace Hotel on Thursday before heading off to a fundraiser at the Denver Athletic Club - $1,000 a ticket, or $2,300 to have a photo taken with the presumed Republican presidential nominee.

First it was Mitt Romney, who won the Colorado caucuses by a 2-to-1 ratio.

"I am proud to be able to support Senator McCain, who this country needs as its next president," Romney said. "It is important for all of us who care about the future of America not to sit back and see how this election turns out, but to be actively involved."

McCain didn't campaign in Colorado before the February caucuses and hadn't been to the state since last fall.

McCain answered only a handful of questions, most centering on his ability to woo social conservatives who backed Romney and Mike Huckabee in Colorado's caucus and still appeal to the state's large swath of unaffiliated voters.

McCain passed up an opportunity to take a shot at Sen. Barack Obama's affiliation with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the Chicago preacher who has caused a firestorm with comments about America. Clips of Wright's fiery oratory have been a staple on YouTube and a feasting point for conservative radio talk show hosts.

McCain offered a defense of the Democrat he may face in November. "I can only say that I am sure - knowing Senator Obama - that he does not share the extreme views expressed that I saw on television," he said.

That tactic might keep McCain in hot water with conservatives who have problems with his support of stem cell research; his acknowledgement of global warming; and his hand in the McCain-Feingold bill, which tackled campaign finance reform.

McCain said he would lean on Romney to help win over conservatives in a state such as Colorado.

"I think he can do a much better job convincing them than I can," McCain said. "I think it's very clear when you look at the polls, more Republicans support me than Democrats support Senator Obama or Senator Clinton. We have been able to reunite our party, and where Governor Romney can play such an important role is to energize our party."

McCain, flanked by a host of former Romney supporters including Sen Wayne Allard and former U.S. Congressman Bob Beauprez, said he also believes that he might fare well in a state such as Colorado because of the rise of independent voters who are dissatisfied with both parties.

The way to appeal to those voters is lower taxes and less government, he said.

McCain's visit to Colorado was blasted by Democrats, who held a pre-emptive conference call with party chairs from four states - Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.

Pat Waak, Colorado's Democratic chairwoman, said she doesn't expect a battle with McCain to be "a cakewalk" but that either Obama or Clinton match up well with him.

Lean to the right

Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee cornered the support of social conservatives during the state's caucuses. What does McCain have to do to bring those voters into the fold?

* Romney, a successful businessman who criticized McCain for not knowing enough about economics, now says he's firmly in the senator's camp. While Romney's support will help, Republican political consultant Katy Atkinson said there are other keys to McCain winning Colorado.

* His vice presidential pick? Someone who is conservative and that the far right is comfortable with.

* Trust the polling that shows the vast number of Republicans are supporting him.

* He has to be open to the part of the party that is socially conservative and listen to them, but not kowtow. "There is more danger if he sells out and tries to be something that he isn't," Atkinson said.

Comments

  • March 28, 2008

    7:44 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    KYJurisDoctor writes:

    If John McCain picks Mitt "I'll flip flop on any issue" Romney, many of us REAL Conservatives will "flop" out of supporting that monstrosity of a ticket!

    http://OsiSpeaks.com

  • March 28, 2008

    8:06 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    davies writes:

    Romney is acknowledged to have talent and expertise in dealing with economic and business issues. I'd rather have Condoleeza, but I would support a McCain/Romney ticket. I am conservative, and I am real, but I am not REAL conservative - at least not to the point that I cannot recognize other reasonable viewpoints, or the value of compromise.

  • March 28, 2008

    8:47 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    American100 writes:

    Better than the alternative, which ever that may be.

  • March 28, 2008

    9:25 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    davies writes:

    lcdrjjxant: I think you mean 'bated breath', meaning breath held back from fear or excitement. You are waiting with 'baited breath'? Uh, gosh, I think you may want to brush your teeth or something...

  • March 28, 2008

    9:36 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Barron writes:

    Davies, can't you do better? Your silly, petulant response doesn't address the meat of the post.

  • March 28, 2008

    10:25 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    davies writes:

    Barron, I am truly chastized. Okay then, here goes:

    Dear "lcdrjjxant",

    (1) People got screwed in the Vietnam War. People get screwed in every war. Blacks got disproportionately screwed in the Vietnam War, but so did other poor people in general. Did more privileged people such as Mitt Romney take advantage of loopholes and other means to avoid being conscripted into fighting? OH, THE SHOCK!

    (2) One alternative solution to railing on about rascism and conspiracy would be to encourage blacks to work harder to get a better education and become more successful. During the Vietnam era, full time college students got a draft deferment.

    (3) I remember Muhammed Ali's case well. He did not slink away to another country or resort to other evasive tactics; in fact he was openly defiant, and famous to boot. Threatening the system was at least part of the reason why he went to prison, and that is also part of the reason why I and many others admire him to this day.

  • March 28, 2008

    10:52 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    hosers2 writes:

    lcdrjjxant, in 1968, I was in the Army Reserves. I didn't get a deferment to go on a mission to England. I had to enlist for an additional 2 years, after which the Army placed me on an inactive status for the duration of my mission.

    Potential LDS missionaries had to deal with the draft, just like any other citizen of the U.S., black, white, or whatever. A good portion of Lyndon Johnson's "cannon fodder" came from the ranks of those who choose not to get an education and allowed themselves to be drafted. Those who enlisted fared much better.

    Todays Iraq war does not require a draft. Those who fight there signed up to do so. I admire them.

    Why, lcdrjjxant, do I get the feeling you have never served?

    Back on subject: Should McOld pick Mitt to be VP? Don't know. I do know that if he were to pick Huckabigot, he would have to face the possibility of losing Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and possibly California.

  • March 28, 2008

    10:53 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    DenverDan writes:

    You all voted for Bush twice. Need I say more.

  • March 28, 2008

    10:58 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    rickg19611 writes:

    America elected Bush twice. Democrats were considered a worse option. America got it right.

    Perhaps if the Democraps would stop nominating the lunatic left of their party, they'd have a chance of winning.

    Of course, the latest poll results showing McCain's lead over Obama-sama and Hillary increasing even more, is proof of that Democrats are incapable of choosing electable candidates.

  • March 28, 2008

    11:30 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    davies writes:

    "Bush was SELECTED not Elected. he LOST the popular vote the first time, and won the second my a margin of less than a tenth of a percent."

    Okay, so then the first time I guess we should have changed the rules AFTER the apparent outcome of the election, so that the popular vote winner is selected over the electoral college winner.

    Then the second time, uhh let's see, we should have uhhhh, oh yeah, we should have required a BIGGER popular vote margin of victory. AFTER the outcome of the election.

    Gosh, makes 'democratic' sense to me!

  • March 28, 2008

    12:13 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    DenverDan writes:

    Mitt looks like a used car salsman!!. McCain is too old..

  • March 28, 2008

    12:36 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    davies writes:

    Yawn. Poor lil' dimmycrats; can't debate; just orate. See ya later.

  • March 28, 2008

    1:47 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    O_TRAIN writes:

    The crypt keeper and the baseball glove ticket?

  • March 28, 2008

    2 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    davies writes:

    OK O_TRAIN, you got me: what do you mean?

  • March 28, 2008

    2:29 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    O_TRAIN writes:

    davies - since I had nothing of substance to offer, I was poking fun at McCains age & his "Mitt".

    I do respect McCain, but as DenverDan said, Mitt has used car salesman eyes.