If the other GOP candidates don't stop McCain now, they never will
By Chuck Todd
Political Director
NBC News
updated 8:53 a.m. ET, Thurs., Jan. 24, 2008


Republican presidential hopeful John McCain bites his tongue as he answers reporters' questions during a campaign stop in Orlando, Florida.

BOCA RATON, Fla. - The ever-shrinking Republican presidential field meets for potentially the last time as a 5-way contest on Thursday night here in Florida.

Broadcast live on MSNBC and streamed on msnbc.com from 9-10:30 p.m. EST, the debate will be moderated by NBC’s Brian Williams. He will be joined by Tim Russert, as well as St. Petersburg Times editor Paul Tash.

It is the only debate before the state’s crucial Jan. 29 primary. And there’s a do-or-die feel to it.

One tries to avoid the prediction game, particularly this campaign season, and yet all signs point to this debate being one of the most contentious of the cycle for the GOP.

Why? If the candidates don't stop McCain now, they never will.

There's still no frontrunner in the GOP contest but there is a candidate in the “momentum slot.â€