McCain Benefits From Romney Loss In Iowa
This story was written by Chris Frates.
It didn't seem to matter to John McCain that when the final votes are tallied in Iowa, he could emerge as the surprise third-place finisher in the Republican presidential caucus.
He didn't even mention it during his last meeting with reporters Thursday night.
But that's not to say the Arizona senator didn't take something away from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's resounding victory over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is McCain's chief rival in New Hampshire.
"The lesson of this election in Iowa is that, one, you can't buy an election in Iowa and two, negative campaigns don't work," McCain said. "They don't work there, and they don't work here in New Hampshire."
In Iowa, Romney aired negative ads against Huckabee and targeted McCain with similarly unflattering commercials in New Hampshire, where the two are locked in a fierce primary battle.
McCain has staked his candidacy on his ability to win New Hampshire. So, Romney's loss Thursday night was McCain's gain.
"This is a great thing for us to be able to take Romney down a notch and not have to do anything," said a top McCain aide in New Hampshire.
McCain didn't run any commercials in Iowa and spent little time campaigning there, instead campaigning heavily in New Hampshire, which has the nation's first presidential primary Tuesday.
During his meeting with reporters in New Hampshire, McCain praised Huckabee for running "a very good, strong and positive campaign" that he should be proud of.
In recent weeks, McCain and Huckabee have avoided attacking each other, choosing instead to focus on Romney, who was long considered the front-runner in the early states until Huckabee's rise.
McCain will continue to work aggressively in New Hampshire where he returned late Thursday afternoon to campaign.
Unlike most other candidates who stayed in Iowa, McCain's Thursday arrival here signals the enormous importance the campaign puts on a win.
"We can feel the momentum - the same kind of momentum that we felt in 2000," McCain said.
"I'm very confident with a strong, positive finish here that we're going to win here in New Hampshire and go on to Michigan and South Carolina."
Romney's defeat will give people a reason to give McCain another look, said McCain's national political director, Michael Dennehy.
"The most important thing it does, given that [Romney] had such a sizeable lead for such a long time, it just gives people in New Hampshire pause," Dennehy said.
But the Iowa results haven't changed McCain's New Hampshire strategy, campaign officials said.
They plan on reaching 100,000 voters over the next five days and continuing to hammer the theme of a straight talking, ready-to-lead candidate.
The Politico It didn't seem to matter to John McCain that when the final votes are tallied in Iowa, he could emerge as the surprise third-place finisher in the Republican presidential caucus.
He didn't even mention it during his last meeting with reporters Thursday night.
But that's not to say the Arizona senator didn't take something away from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's resounding victory over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is McCain's chief rival in New Hampshire.
"The lesson of this election in Iowa is that, one, you can't buy an election in Iowa and two, negative campaigns don't work," McCain said. "They don't work there, and they don't work here in New Hampshire."
In Iowa, Romney aired negative ads against Huckabee and targeted McCain with similarly unflattering commercials in New Hampshire, where the two are locked in a fierce primary battle.
McCain has staked his candidacy on his ability to win New Hampshire. So, Romney's loss Thursday night was McCain's gain.
"This is a great thing for us to be able to take Romney down a notch and not have to do anything," said a top McCain aide in New Hampshire.
McCain didn't run any commercials in Iowa and spent little time campaigning there, instead campaigning heavily in New Hampshire, which has the nation's first presidential primary Tuesday.
During his meeting with reporters in New Hampshire, McCain praised Huckabee for running "a very good, strong and positive campaign" that he should be proud of.
In recent weeks, McCain and Huckabee have avoided attacking each other, choosing instead to focus on Romney, who was long considered the front-runner in the early states until Huckabee's rise.
McCain will continue to work aggressively in New Hampshire where he returned late Thursday afternoon to campaign.
Unlike most other candidates who stayed in Iowa, McCain's Thursday arrival here signals the enormous importance the campaign puts on a win.
"We can feel the momentum - the same kind of momentum that we felt in 2000," McCain said.
"I'm very confident with a strong, positive finish here that we're going to win here in New Hampshire and go on to Michigan and South Carolina."
Romney's defeat will give people a reason to give McCain another look, said McCain's national political director, Michael Dennehy.
"The most important thing it does, given that [Romney] had such a sizeable lead for such a long time, it just gives people in New Hampshire pause," Dennehy said.
But the Iowa results haven't changed McCain's New Hampshire strategy, campaign officials said.
They plan on reaching 100,000 voters over the next five days and continuing to hammer the theme of a straight talking, ready-to-lead candidate.
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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! GET RID OF THESE ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS, NOW!
Since 1949 the unemployment rate has never risen by this magnitude without the economy being in recession, John Ryding, chief U.S. economist at Bear Stearns Cos. in New York, said in a note to clients. We now put ourselves on recession watch.
Factories have already slowed. ISM''s manufacturing index for last month fell to 47.7, the lowest since April 2003, the purchasers group said this week.
Factory payrolls decreased by 31,000 after falling 13,000 a month earlier. Economists had forecast a drop of 15,000 in manufacturing employment. Builders reduced payrolls by 49,000 after cutting 37,000 jobs in November.
The Federal Reserve will increase the size of two scheduled auctions of emergency loans by 50 percent to $30 billion as part of a global attempt by central bankers to restore faith in the money markets.
How many books on economics has your candidate read? How many has he WRITTEN? It looks very like we are headed for a recession or a depression. Before you cast your primary vote, shouldn''t you find out who has the most economically educated? This is not just about bragging rights. This time, it may make the difference between you keeping your job and house or living on the streets. Remember, if we ALL sink there will be no one to give you welfare. Even people who OWN their house could be dispossessed by incredibly high real estate taxes. I know everyone says he is a long shot, but PLEASE do yourself (and me) a favor and research Ron Paul.
Thank you Scott from Az. This is the most double dealing guy in Wash and I hope AZ. doesn''t let him get away with it. A lot of people do not realize he is so unpopular in his own state. Immigration and all he wants for it will be his downfall if the people of Az. speak out and let America know the true colors of John Mc Cain. Just because he was a prisoner of war in Vietnam that does not make him a president and things he has stood for shows me he is no better than George Bush,in fact he agrees with George Bush on a lot of issues and if everyone cannot see what a state we are in well John Mc Cain is not the answer.
McCain is worthless