James Baker to Endorse McCain

By: Andante Higgins
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' Dante Higgins:

HOUSTON -- Former Secretary of State and White House Chief of Staff James Baker will endorse John McCain this morning in Texas, CBS News has learned.

Baker served as President Ronald Reagan's chief of staff from 1981 to 1985 and later became Treasury Secretary and the campaign manager for George H.W. Bush's 1988 campaign. He served as Secretary of State under President Bush from 1989 to 1992 and later oversaw the legal battle for George W. Bush in Florida as the votes were counted there in 2000. Recently he co-chaired the Iraq Study Group with former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Indiana.

Meantime, since radio talk show host Bill Campbell's rant against Barack Obama earlier this week, McCain has found himself distancing himself from remarks made by fellow Republicans. The latest is his response to a Tennessee Republican Party press release titled "Anti-Semites for Obama," which links Obama to Louis Farrakhan and claims Obama has pledged to meet with anti-Israel leaders.

Yesterday, McCain responded saying, "I have pledged that if I am able to secure the nomination of my party that we'll be a respectful debate. I will continue to treat Senator [Hillary] Clinton and Obama with respect. If I am the nominee of the party I will obviously make sure that everyone in my party knows that this has got to be a respectful debate."

This morning McCain campaign adviser Mark Salter dismissed the issue.

"We don't have any control over the Tennessee Party," he said. "Senator McCain is going to keep going out like he has every other day talking about the issues that are at stake in this election. He'll be doing that today and everyday between now and November."

John McCain continues his campaign through Texas today makings stops in Houston, Richardson and Austin.

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by akprayingmom March 1, 2008 8:13 AM EST: A true conservative is against higher taxes.
A true conservative supports strong traditional families.
A true conservative believes that pro-life means more than just in the womb. It means, concern for and care of life through conception, infancy, childhood, adolescence, teen, adult, middle age, elderly to natural death.
A true conservative does not support embrionic stem cell research or cloning.
A true conservative supports parental rights.
A true conservative supports a strong military and nation defense.
A true conservative believes that we are each endowed with inalienable rights and have intrinsic individual value.
Values Voters, our candidate is MIKE HUCKABEE! He can win despite what the RNC and pundits say. He can go all the way to the convention. The RNC and pundits hope you will buy their lies so they can continue to control your lives for their benefit. Let show them we aren''t listening any more!
He that hath an ear, let him hear!
Vote HUCKABEE and take back the freedom millions of Americans have fought and died for!!; Reply to this comment


by giantrobot2 February 28, 2008 11:14 PM EST: The McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill that John McCain pushed thru will prevent him from spending enough in the general election to compete against Obama.

John McCain is toast. He is not allowed to make decisions until the big wig party bosses tell him he can and now he doesn''t have enough campaign money to go against Obama in the general election. The FEC will not allow him to spend any more money.

This leaves Mike Huckabee wide open to take the commanding lead in the race. Mike has huge amounts of money he can still spend in the general election since he didnt spend barely anything in the Republican race. He can blow away Obama in the general election. And he is the only true conservative out there.

Ohioians and Texans, do not waste your vote on McCain. He is effectively washed up with the law he pushed thru on campaign spending. He will never be able to compete with Obama, plus he is not a true conservative like Mike and he is just too dog gone old to compete with a young Obama.

Only Huckabee and Obama can go toe to toe in the ring. Ohio and Texas, please do not make a fatal error voting for McCain. He is washed up, the Republican party is doomed forever if you cast your vote for him.; Reply to this comment