James Baker to Endorse McCain
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.