McCain Defeats Huckabee, Wins S.C. Primary

Economy A Top Issue In Exit Polls; Jan. 29 Fla. Primary Is Next

(CBS/AP)  John McCain won the South Carolina Republican primary Saturday, narrowly defeating Mike Huckabee in the state that dealt a huge blow to his presidential hopes in 2000.

"It just took us awhile, that's all," McCain said in an interview with the Associated Press. "Eight years is not a long time." (Watch McCain Video)

With almost all precincts reporting, McCain had 33 percent of the vote to Huckabee's 30 percent. The win gives McCain a boost headed into the Jan. 29 primary in Florida, where polls indicate a tight race.

Asked if he was now the front-runner for the GOP nomination, McCain demurred.

"I don't know," he said, "we like to run from behind."

Still, he expressed optimism going forward.

"I'm very confident that we'll win in Florida," he said. "We showed that the first-in-the-South primary is a very important victory, and it gives us a very important progress that we can carry right through Florida and February 5th," he said.

---

Complete South Carolina Returns

---

Huckabee insisted he could compete in Florida and the states beyond, including 21 that will hold Republican nominating contests on Feb. 5.

"This is not an event. It is a process, and the process is far, far from over," he said as about 400 supporters cheered. (Watch Huckabee video)

The closely contested state was crucial for Huckabee, who needed to prove his victory in the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses was no fluke.

A former Baptist minister, Huckabee had hoped grass-roots support from born-again Christians would help him outflank McCain's superior campaign finances and organization of McCain, winner of the Jan. 8 New Hampshire primary.

Fred Thompson, at 16 percent, and Mitt Romney, at 15 percent, were in a tight race for a distant third place. Rudy Giuliani, once the national front-runner, had only 2 percent of the vote, half of that won by Ron Paul.

Republican voters headed to polls across South Carolina on Saturday with two forecasts in mind: their history of correctly tapping the eventual GOP nominee, and a more immediate prediction of snow that threatened to dampen turnout, especially in conservative northern communities.

But their top concern when it came to casting their ballot appeared to be the economy, according to CBS News early exit polling. It was cited by 40 percent of voters as their top concern, followed by illegal immigration at 26 percent.

Huckabee, who polls showed deadlocked with McCain for the lead headed into Saturday's vote, has emphasized economic issues, along with aggressively courting evangelical voters, who were estimated to make up nearly 60 percent of Saturday's turnout. Huckabee won 40 percent of their vote, compared to 27 percent for McCain.

But McCain held a big edge on the question of who was more likely to beat the Democratic nominee in November, with 42 percent choosing him over Huckabee, who only 22 percent said he would be the best general election candidate.

The exit polling indicates about one-third of voters made up their minds in the past three days, and that independent voters comprised about 19 percent of the electorate, down significantly from 2000, when independents made up 30 percent of the turnout. However, 39 percent of them backed McCain, compared to 22 percent for Huckabee. Among registered Republicans, the two were split evenly.

"John McCain avenged his 2000 loss in South Carolina and scored in an important symbolic state for Republicans," said CBSNews.com Senior Political Editor Vaughn Ververs. "No Republican has won their party's nomination without winning the South Carolina primary. But Florida and Super Tuesday are on the horizon and nothing is sure in this topsy-turvy contest."

In Florida, McCain, Romney and Huckabee will all be seeking to add to their win totals, and Giuliani will be seeking his first win. The former New York mayor has largely eschewed early, small states in the hope that winning Florida will allow him to win other large states that vote on Feb. 5.

"We're waiting for you," Giuliani said, addressing his GOP rivals at a Florida campaign stop. "We're waiting for you with a campaign we've been working on for I think almost a year."

Saturday's result was a disappointment for Thompson, who had invested large amounts of time and money in South Carolina in an effort to turn around his campaign. Once seen as someone who could rally the party's conservative base, he has failed to perform well in early contests.

"Our country needs strong leadership, needs our party to step up, assume the battle of leadership again," Thompson said to his South Carolina supporters before results were released. "But we need to remember that we need to deserve to lead and that's what all this about is deserving to lead." (Watch Thompson video)

[taotxzen]

CNN VIDEO: President BUSH PARDON''s HIMSELF AGAINST POTENTIAL WARCRIMES

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHQ7Prwh7Gc

Setting aside the issue of whether a President can pardon himself, this bill violates the ex post facto provision of the Constitution. Note: Talk about knowing you are a war criminal and seeking a pardon BEFORE being legally charged by an institution of justice for the crime, this admission of guilt pales in comparison to any other suspicion or conspiracy theorist.

Buzzflash.com

[hwy71so]

Dude, if a person were to look at all your responses, they''d think this country was on the brink of civil war.

BUT, you step outside and everyone is as friendly to one another as can be. All flower and ice cream. Why don''t you speak like this when eye to eye? Because you''re a bunch of yellow bellied cowards!

No wonder we''re in the shape we''re in. You''re so afraid of facing up to your disagreements that the wound festers. Go ahead, keep hiding it till it consumes you beyond repair.

If you can''t say it out there, don''t type it on here!

[l00ker]

Huck''s a good candidate, family man, God fearing, patriotic, good American.


McCain''s a good candidate, family man, patriotic, good American, but is kind of close to pasture.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by jake20076

Take it to the gay porn sites, creep.

You would be neocon, it figures...

[watcher269-2009]

Here is a video for you

When did Jesus become a Republican?
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/4edd96290c

[pilgrimsway-2009]

dear Element51,
God loves you and wants you to share in His love for you through Christ! I am glad you do not take stock in false Christianity that is in the airwaves. But you can know Christ crucified in your life in the real way!

[cokeacolafan]

VOTE FOR RON PAUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hungry1968]

HungryTroopTrasher1968,,,,,,,The most anti-American American citizen in history.(Supposing he/she/it is US citizen)

Posted by BaghdadsHere at 06:07 PM : Jan 20, 2008




Yeah - this from the moron that says Saddam Hussein was a "good guy" while he was gassing his own people and the Iranians.

Hell, Baggy probably helped him - he was there while Hussein used them.

[mcvet]

LOL Well I wonder who''s going to win out here.. The Religious Fascist and Huck? The Real Republican''s? There is nothing to be said or done here... well maybe a big yawn! LOL Sieg Heil Bush!

[tylenol6]

CBS, Don''t forget to mention RON PAUL came in 2nd in
Nevada. It was Romney, Paul, McCain and it dosen''t matter who the rest are.....

[baghdadshere]

HungryTroopTrasher1968,,,,,,,The most anti-American American citizen in history.(Supposing he/she/it is US citizen)

[pilgrimsway-2009]

Hey you all give me some good laughs!

[hungry1968]

At least the two morons running as religious zealots didn''t win.

I don''t know that there has ever been a worse candidate than Huckabee. He is woefully out of touch, he has no concept of current events, except for the little Spears girl getting pregnant (raised eyebrow), he has no foreign policy, no immigration policy, and no economic policy. His only political record is his failed tenure as a governor and his biggest accomplishment there was pardoning 1200 crooks. What a loser. The only worse candidates would be Bush or Cheney, and even then it would be close.

[lawyertom1]

Thank god for the S. Carolina primary. It demonstrated what a complete nut-case Huck is. Not only are his economic plans really, really stupid and ill-considered, but his goal to rewrite the Constitution to be a religious-like document [based on his interpretation of the Bible, of course; god forbid that his interpretation might be inaccurate or just plain wrong] is downright insanely dangerous. I use to think he was a pleasant nut, like Ron Paul, but now it is clear that he is one crazzzzy guy. Certifiably psycho.

[element51]

pilgramsway...Yours was a thoughtful post. However, it is not that I resent your feeling the way you do about your God, it''s that so many of you look down on me and "pitty" me simply because I do not believe exactly the way you do. I do believe that there is something after death but I am unsure as to exactly what it is. I do believe that while we are here we should do all we can to live good lives and to not cause harm to others. That is our responsibility, not God''s. I would fight to the death for your right to believe in whatever way you chose but please don''t pitty me because you believe I am going to Hell.

[nearl4511]

I''m wondering at this point if Fred is still in the race just to keep Huckabee from winning Southern states until someone else has the delegates sewed up.

Otherwise, what else could he hope to achieve?

[lawyertom1]

Considering the virulent hate campaign launched against him, McCain''s win is all the more impressive. Unlike 2000, he went after the falsehoods, a lesson for all candidates.

[abdoul_pasha]

Here all people smoke but it`s not popular for the very young children.

[j-whitman]

Abdoul,,,, Same problem here, kids hang out infront of liquor stores & convenience stores

[perception5]

We want the candidate that is most qualified to handle the largest enterprise in the world, the US economy.

We want Mitt Romney not John McCain.


GO MITT !!