McCain may endorse former rival Romney, report says
UPDATED 9:22 a.m. ET
Former Republican nominee for president John McCain is backing away from his pledge not to endorse any of candidates vying to unseat the man who defeated him in 2008, President Obama.
The Hill newspaper reports that McCain said he "might" endorse one of the seven Republican White House hopefuls in "several months." Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney would likely be the beneficiary, the newspaper said, citing "sources familiar with his thinking."
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich would almost certainly not get a formal backing from the Arizona senator, the newspaper said, noting that McCain and many of Gingrich's former colleagues on Capitol Hill are increasingly fearful the bombastic mastermind of the 1994 Republican revolution might become the party's nominee for president in 2012.
After a contentious fight in the 2008 primary race, Romney endorsed McCain and traveled the country campaigning for his former rival.
The newspaper said it asked McCain Tuesday if he might now back a candidate in the Republican primary, the senator replied "yeah, I think it would be several months later on."
McCain has previously said he did not intend to endorse any candidate during the primary, which starts Jan. 3 in Iowa.
While primary voting may be going on in several months, it could by then be virtually wrapped up by one of the candidates by one of the candidates by the time McCain decides to give his blessing to a candidate.
Or it could be a knock-down, drag-out fight between steady front-runner Romney and one of his rivals. The most recent polls show that Gingrich would most likely be that candidate.
Newt Gingrich has taken a double-digit lead over Mitt Romneyamong Republican caucus-goers in Iowa, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll.
The poll, conducted from November 30 to December 5, shows Gingrich leading Romney by 14 percent, with 31 percent support to Romney's 17 percent.
And Gingrich is leads among likely Iowa caucus goers with 33 percent to 18 percent for Romney in the Washington Post/ABC News poll.
A protracted primary fight between Gingrich and Romney could leave McCain in the position of kingmaker if he comes out for Romney at a critical time.
McCain, for his part, said he may change his mind again. The newspaper reported that just hours after saying Tuesday an endorsement would come in several months, he said he had not made final decision to endorse anyone.
McCain spokesman Brian Rogers emphasized that point in a written statement distributed to reporters Wednesday, after the story's publication.
"Senator McCain's position is unchanged - he hasn't made a decision on whether to endorse a candidate in the Republican primary," Rogers said.