December 17, 2007

McCain: The Media Darling Returns

It was a banner weekend for John McCain, as the GOP presidential hopeful whose candidacy was written off not so long ago by most reporters and pundits scooped up several major endorsements and a fawning profile in the Wall Street Journal.

Three key newspapers in the two top early primary states published glowing editorials backing McCain's bid for the GOP nomination this weekend. In Iowa, a state few are predicting McCain to win, the Des Moines Register formally endorsed the Arizona senator (as well as Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Democratic side), deeming him "most ready to lead America in a complex and dangerous world and to rebuild trust at home and abroad by inspiring confidence in his leadership."

New Hampshire's Portsmouth Herald also backed McCain, citing a quality the three-term senator has long trumpeted: "McCain will tell you the truth," the board writes, "even if it costs him the election."

The Granite State's largest paper, the Union Leader, already endorsed McCain for the GOP nod earlier this month, calling him "the man to lead America." But this weekend, the paper published another editorial proclaiming him "the only one... on either side of the aisle" who is fully equipped for the role of commander in chief.

Rounding out McCain's New England fan club are the Boston Globe, which backed the "iconoclastic senator" in a weekend editorial, and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman. The hawkish Democrat, who added the prefix "independent" to his party ID after winning re-election last year, crossed the aisle to endorse McCain this morning in New Hampshire.

"We desperately need our next President to break through the reflexive partisanship that is poisoning our politics and stopping us from getting things done," Lieberman said in a statement. "We need a President who can reunite our country, restore faith in our government, and rebuild confidence in America's future. My friend John McCain is that candidate, and that is why I am so proud to be standing by his side today."

The Wall Street Journal's interview with "a combative and -- yes -- straight-talking" McCain over the weekend can be found here. National Journal's Linda Douglass also recently sat down with the senator to discuss his hopes of staging a comeback this January.

Posted at 9:10 AM
Posted to: Campaigns, John McCain, Republicans, WH 2008
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