McCain's Big Florida Endorsement
(CBS)
MIAMI -- John McCain snagged a big endorsement at the Latin Builders Association in Miami: Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla.
“I’ve decided the best person to lead our country under these uncertain times, the man that we should trust with the leadership of our nation as our commander and chief has to be John McCain,” said Martinez.
His endorsement was rumored for days but then news came yesterday that the endorsement was off when Martinez told reporters that he wouldn’t endorse anyone and that he’d stay neutral through the primaries. Then he changed his mind.
“I got home last night and I realized that this election was coming up on Tuesday. I spoke with my wife who is a great counselor and we made the decision that I couldn’t sit on the sidelines. John McCain is a good man. And I basically just decided that I couldn’t just sit idly by. So there are still several days and I thought it would be important to get the word out,” he said.
“I would not endorse anyone that I didn’t have total confidence is going to be Castro’s worst nightmare,” the Cuban-American Martinez said to a roar of applause.
Martinez also chimed in on McCain’s approach to a National Catastrophic Fund, which is to bring the federal government together with state and local leaders to figure out how to deal with funding after natural disasters, not to back a federal mandate.
“Look, that’s the approach that Senator [Bill] Nelson [D-Fla.] and I have followed which is to bring together all the players. Now we tried to get a [catastrophic] fund but it’s not going to happen. It’s not going to pass through the Senate. There are too many senators from states that are not impacted, so I think the senator’s [McCain's] approach is right.”
McCain's campaign hopes Martinez's backing will help him with the Cuban-American vote and will be a blow to Giuliani who has been actively courting those voters in Florida for weeks.
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