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McCain Hails Endorsements

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By BRENDAN FARRINGTON, The Associated Press

Published: December 17, 2007

Updated: 12/16/2007 11:33 pm

FORT MYERS - Republican presidential candidate John McCain predicted Sunday that newspaper endorsements over the weekend will boost his campaign heading into the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.

McCain was endorsed by The Des Moines Register, The Boston Globe and the Portsmouth Herald. He trails in polls in Iowa, which holds its caucuses Jan. 3, and New Hampshire, which holds its primary Jan. 8.

"I appreciate the endorsements. All of them say the same thing - that I have the experience and the judgment to lead this country and that I have been the one who is presidential," McCain said at a brief news conference following a private fundraiser.

The Arizona senator and former Navy pilot said most Republicans still haven't chosen a favorite candidate and the endorsements will cause them to take another look at him.

"Obviously that will help me as we get down in the last few weeks before the Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire primary, Michigan and South Carolina primaries and the Florida primary," he said. "In New Hampshire, we are in the mix with two or three other candidates, and we continue to move up and they move down. In Iowa, we have a lot of work to do."

He said whichever candidate can win two early states will have momentum to carry Florida. He pointed to his ties in the state, which votes Jan. 29, a week before more than 20 states hold primaries and caucuses.

"We've spent a lot of time in Florida over the years. I've been stationed here, I moved here, I understand the state and I look forward to doing well here. First, obviously we have to take care of Iowa and New Hampshire," he said.

McCain also defended Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling for declining a request to talk to former Sen. George Mitchell as part of his investigation into steroid use in Major League Baseball. Schilling has campaigned for McCain, and filmed a commercial for him.

"Curt Schilling has been one of the most outspoken critics of the use of performance enhancing substances," McCain said. "... He's been probably the leading critic of his fellow players about the use of these substances and I'm proud of him."

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