McCain Says He Can Compete in California

By: Andante Higgins
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' Andante Higgins:

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Texas and Ohio may be the states in the spotlight today, but John McCain is looking forward to the general election and the country's biggest prize: California.

"It's the biggest state in America," McCain said. "I think as a western senator I understand their issues. I think the environmental issues are very important in California. I think I can appeal to the Hispanic voter, I think I can appeal to the Asian voter, I think I can appeal to the independent voter, which is a larger and larger percentage of registered voters."

It will be a tough road for the Republican senator. California has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since George Bush in 1988, who was the vice president of a former governor of the state, Ronald Reagan. "I don't think as a candidate that I want to say, 'we're not going to compete in the largest state in America, which is next door to my home state of Arizona,'" McCain said. "I think we ought to go to as many states as possible and as many areas as possible around the country, including competing in California."

McCain jokes on the trail everyday about how California stole all of Arizona's water. He says that issue and others they have in common will help him there. "I understand western issues, whether they be public land and water, agriculture etc.," he said. "I'm a free trader, California is vitally involved in the issue of free trade. I understand many of their transportation issues, as we have faced similar."

Adviser Steve Schmidt, who lives in California and has campaigned with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif., says California is a complex state, but McCain has what it takes to compete. "It's closer to being a purple state then blue state," Schmidt said. "John McCain can compete in California, period,"

Cost could make it complicated, however; ads are more expensive in California, and the size of the state raises the travel budget. None of that has dissuaded McCain so far.

"I understand the drawbacks of that, the cost of media, all of those aspects of it," he said. "I just want to compete in California."

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by marinepatriot March 5, 2008 2:18 PM EST: Mr. Mccain,

If you don''t pick Huckabee as your VP then I will not vote. I am only interested in voting for Huckabee.

If you pick Huckabee I will also help you as a supporter. I will wave McHuckabee signs, make youtube videos, write letters to the editor, and make thousands of phone calls for you guys.

If you want the help of people like me and Huck''s Army, you need to keep our candidate in the race.

Sincerely,

Dan Campbell; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 March 4, 2008 3:32 PM EST: The Rush Limbos are attempting to confound our Presidential Election by voting in the Democratic primary instead of spurring their Party (the Grand OLD Party) into divesting themselves from the continued detrimental policies of:

Perpetual War
Unfair taxation of the middle class
High prices for energy and everything else
High medical costs and prescription drugs
Pollution
Corruption
Religious hypocrisy and abuse of church status tax laws
Degradation of our infrastructure
Continued export of American jobs to overseas slave labor
Decline in US stature and respect of the world community

It really will not matter who will be elected as the President of the United States and, which party will have control of Congress if the American People wake up to the direction and results of the Republicans.; Reply to this comment