McCain Endorses Romney in New Hampshire

Updated: Wednesday, 04 Jan 2012, 12:22 PM MST
Published : Wednesday, 04 Jan 2012, 9:48 AM MST
By NewsCore

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) endorsed Mitt Romney at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire Wednesday, saying he wanted Granite State voters to catapult the former Massachusetts governor to victory on January 10.

"There is one reason and one reason only that I am here and that is to make sure we make Mitt Romney the next president of the United States of America," McCain told supporters at Manchester Central High School.

"No one will ever say that Mitt Romney will lead from behind," McCain said in the middle of an attack on the foreign policy of the current president, Barack Obama. "He will lead from in front like Ronald Reagan.

"Mitt Romney and I and you believe that America's greatest days are ahead of us," he continued.

McCain's comments came after Romney introduced the Arizona senator as "one of America's heroes" and "a giant among men." In an earlier appearance on "Fox & Friends," Romney called McCain -- who won the state's primary twice in 2000 and 2008 -- "Mr. New Hampshire."

Romney's razor-thin victory over former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in the Iowa caucuses was expected to give him some vital momentum heading into New Hampshire where he currently leads polls by a huge margin.

"What a squeaker, but it sure is nice to have a win," he said of Tuesday night's result.

At one point, a grinning McCain joked about the eight votes separating Romney and Santorum, saying he had forgotten to congratulate the former governor on his "landslide victory."

A spokesperson for Romney declined to comment on whether McCain would campaign for the New Hampshire frontrunner in the second primary contest -- South Carolina on Jan. 21. McCain won the South Carolina primary four years ago, essentially sealing the nomination battle.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news...y-apx-01042012