by Jill Zuckman
In an impressive display of establishment support, Sen. John McCain publicly received the endorsements of the House Republican leadership team this morning, as he promised to help them regain the majority and they assured him that conservatives would unite behind his candidacy.
"I believe this contest is over and I think it has produced the best possible nominee to take back the House," said Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), the Minority Whip, following a meeting of House Republicans with McCain at the Capitol Hill Club.
Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), the Minority Leader, acknowledged what everybody has known for a long time: House Republicans have not always appreciated some of the positions that McCain has taken over the years.
But Boehner praised McCain for his commitment to opposing abortion, his insistence on fiscal discipline and his leadership on the Iraq war. With the administration trying to shift strategies in Iraq last year and Democrats insisting on a withdrawal, Boehner said McCain was steadfast.
"John McCain stood strong. John McCain stood up and helped provide leadership at a time when it was desperately needed," he said. "That type of leadership takes courage. The same kind of courage that's necessary if you're going to be president of the United States."
The formal show of the establishment rallying around McCain's candidacy was an important signal to GOP voters as McCain shifts into a general election mode, taking on the Democrats. McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, stoked the inevitability theme with a memo arguing that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee would need to win 123 percent of the remaining delegates in order the win the nomination – a mathematical impossibility.
McCain said he was happy with his wins in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia, which he won by nine points after a scare early in the evening from conservatives. And he acknowledged that he wouldn't mind if Huckabee put an end to his candidacy, even though he repeatedly said he respects Huckabee and respects his right to continue campaigning.
"I don’t pretend that I wouldn't like Governor Huckabee not in the race," McCain said, repeating his assertion that he respects Huckabee's commitment to campaign. "I would like for him to withdraw today. It would be much easier."
• 
• 
• 
Comments
as he promised to help them regain the majority and they assured him that conservatives would unite behind his candidacy.
McCain will have a big enough problem winning his election. I would just like to remind the republicans, that their problems at the polls are a direct result of their actions ( or inaction ). I wouldn't look to McCain as their savior.
Posted by: bill r. | February 13, 2008 11:24 AM
Keep fightin', Huck! You can do it, buddy!
Posted by: C.Morris | February 13, 2008 11:27 AM
I personally think the Limbaugh/Coulter/Dobson shtik was just that. McCain is very similar to Bush but the wingnuts are trying to establish him as the unBush. Newspeak works well on these people.
Posted by: chimpymcflightsuit'snavigator | February 13, 2008 11:32 AM
"THE BOEHNER SPEAKS"
CHANGE IS IN THE AIR, CHANGE IS IN THE AIR.
WE CAN NOW EAVESDROP ON THE AVERAGE VOTER IN AMERICA.
WE CAN NOW DATA MINE ALL BLACKS WHO VOTED IN THE PRIMARY AND START CHALLENGING THEIR VOTES, WITH NO IMPUNITY OR SAID LAWS STANDING IN OUR WAY.
WE CAN NOW EXTEND A "SKYWATCH" BAN TO EVERY BROWN SKIN PERSON IN AMERICA BORN AFTER 1964, THUS ELIMINATING THEIR INHEIRITANCE FROM THERE FAMILIES BORN BEFORE 1964.
WE CAN NOW ALL RETIRE WITH A "WE GOT OUT OF JAIL" CARD AS THE HOUSE IS STILL PONDERING WHY WE CANNOT LISTEN TO THE "SPEAKERS" MOST CONFIDENT CONVERSATIONS ON THE HILL.
WE CAN NOW LISTEN WITHOUT IMPUNITY TO "CLINTON" AND "OBAMA" WHILE THEY DISMANTLE THE BUSH FAILURES 1 BY 1.
WE CAN NOW WIRETAP ANY AND ALL CONVERSATIONS THAT WE "THINK" AGAIN WE "THINK" ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE GOP AND ANY REPUBLICANS THAT MIGHT STILL BE UNDER INVESTIGATION.
WE CAN NOW DO WHATEVER WE WANT AS THERE ARE NO MORE "SECURED LINES" IN AMERICA.
ANYTHING YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU.
BECAUSE WE HEARD IT, RECORDED IT, AND WIRETAPPED IT, REGARDLESS OF ANY SO CALLED THREAT TO YOUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
YOU MAY BE THREATNING MY DOG OR CAT AND HOMELAND SECURITY NEEDS TO KNOW THIS BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE THE PROPENSITY TO VOTE "BLACK"
WE KNOW WHICH REPUBLICANS WHO CROSSED THE EVIL DOERS LINE AND VOTED FOR A BLACK MAN. YOUR VOTE IS TO BE CAGED OR SUPPRESSED AND ALL DEBATES ABOUT IT SHOULD END.
EXECUTIVE ORDER DESTROY AMERICA FISA ACT 2007.
SECRECY IS THE KEY TO MCCARTHISM! WHO IS THE FRONT RUNNER NOW AMERICA.
Posted by: Roger Morris | February 13, 2008 12:16 PM
"GOP SPEAKS"
MCCAIN IS THE ONLY CAUCASION MAN IN THE SENATE THAT SERVED HIS COUNTRY.
MCCAIN IS THE ONLY MAN IN THE SENATE THAT HAS NEVER WON ANYTHING OTHER THAN A STAY IN HIS "KEATING 5 SCANDAL"
MCCAIN IS THE MAN, IF MCCAIN CAN'T CONTINUE TO ALLOW US TO EAVESDROP ON THE DEMS AND DATAMINE THEIR CHILDRENS EVERY MOVE THEN NO ONE CAN.
IF MCCAIN IS ELECTED THE GOD DOESN'T WIN, BECAUSE I DON'T GOT WOULD WANT SOMEONE TO BE EAVESDROPPING ON HIS CONFESSIONS OR DATAMINING EACH TIME A PERSON CONFESSED THEIR SINS.
IF MCCAIN WINS THE EVANGELICALS OF THE WORLD WILL FIND OUT THAT YES, THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN IN A PARAPHRASE, AND MAN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, DIDN'T HAVE TO BE TAKEN DOWN YET ANOTHER DARK ALLEY WITH 41 SENATORS WITH SWORN ALLEGIANCE TO THE DEVIL.
BUT AMERICA WILL REAP WHAT THEY SOW AS USUAL AND LIKE THEY SAY, "A HARD HEAD WILL MAKE FOR A SOFT WALLET"
I GUESS WE ARE FEELING A LITTLE BIT BROKER TODAY THAN YESTERDAYS OR AT LEAST SINCE 2001!
3.1 TRILLION IN DEBT TO WHO.
DUBAI
HALLIBURTON
CHINA
EXXON
CHEVRON
FOX
GEORGE BUSH/DICK CHENEY/FRED FIELDING, AND DAVID ADDINGTON AND ALL OF THE OTHER GOP STOMPERS IN PRISON OR SETTING THE TABLE TO GO SPEND TIME WITH MAMA.
LIKE DAVID VITTER SHOULD!
Posted by: Roger Morris | February 13, 2008 12:28 PM
Somehere deep in the bowels of the RNC command bunker, two levels up from Vice Emperor Cheney's secret location, RNC Bruce is having his "McCain is not a real Republican\Conservative" sub-routine over written by the new "McCain is the only man who can save western civilization" sub-routine.
Posted by: AJF | February 13, 2008 1:24 PM
This one is an interesting flip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/11/9435/13800/190/454427
Obama 08
Posted by: andre walker | February 13, 2008 1:53 PM
Rpublicans we must remember that this is not the --United States of Israel---but the !!!!!!!--United States of America!!!We must support Israel but not be owned by them like --Bush- who followed their instruction to go to war
Posted by: samwaterman | February 13, 2008 3:20 PM
The only thing this changes is that the American people will now perceive John McCain as the "establishment" candidate in a year when the American public seems to be favoring the "outsider".
Posted by: Michael | February 13, 2008 3:33 PM
If you cant or wont secure the borders & protect American labor for citizens & returning military, THEN YOU DONT BELONG IN IRAQ. Bring the boys home so they can get the jobs AMERICANS WONT DO, before it's too late.
Posted by: TRC | February 13, 2008 4:00 PM
AJF,
Re. 'subroutine'; very funny stuff.
I wonder if Bruce will have to be reconciled, somehow, for deviating (retroactively) from the official line? A little waterboarding, perhaps?
Posted by: C.Morris | February 13, 2008 5:20 PM
Fairtax will solve so many problems. If you value your money and freedom Vote Huckabee & vote FAIRTAX!!
Posted by: Anonymous | February 13, 2008 5:29 PM
C. Morris-
Nah, the Republicans are very flexible with rewriting history.
"Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia"
Posted by: AJF | February 13, 2008 5:41 PM
It does not matter that the so-called "leadership" of the Republican Party have endorsed elderly McCain, I and most of my fellows (along with most of McCain's fellow Republican Senators and numerous well-known public figures, etc.) will never, ever vote for McCain, period. McCain is a corrupt, non-Republican, who is a non-conservative and a very foul-mouthed half-pint, ridiculously peevish, and an old man who is equally astonishingly embittered, envious, small-minded, obviously partially infirm, and an evolved half-educated maniac, who would be a too real danger to us all in the position of president of these united states. Also, this very elderly madman will be 72-years old in August! What were you thinking when you did not vote for Romney in needed overwhelming numbers during the primaries and cauci, Republicans? You Conservatives and Republicans have allowed so-called Independents, Democrats and their biased media flacks in essence nominate your party's candidate, and one who is not really a Republican or remotely a Conservative at all. The polity are truly disgusting idiots! This election cycle will be a Bob Dole redux!
Posted by: Gordon | February 13, 2008 5:43 PM
AJF,
God bless Air Strip One.
Posted by: TheReamer | February 13, 2008 7:11 PM