STATEMENTS BY GEORGE SHULTZ AND RICHARD ALLEN SUPPORTING JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released the following statements by former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz and former National Security Advisor Richard Allen on John McCain's courage, judgment and experience that uniquely qualify him for the presidency.

George P. Shultz, who served as the 60th U.S. Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan from 1982 to 1989, today issued the following statement:

"The next President of the United States must be prepared from day one of assuming the office to address the many complex national security issues that confront the United States and our allies. I can think of no candidate who is more prepared for this extraordinary challenge than John McCain. Back during the days of the Reagan Administration, John was a strong ally in our efforts to strengthen America's defenses, promote freedom and undermine communist dictatorships across the globe. He emerged as a leader on national security issues who displayed a profound and first-hand understanding of the world. Today, we are engaged in a struggle with Islamist extremism and we must have a Commander in Chief who needs no on-the-job training. It is my honor to support John McCain, a man of unwavering convictions who will lead America with integrity, strength and courage."

Richard V. Allen, who served as President Ronald Reagan's first National Security Advisor from 1981 to 1982, today issued the following statement:

"We live in dangerous times and face unprecedented and unconventional national security challenges. How shall we deal with conflicts in The Middle East, an increasingly hostile Russia, a rising China, Islamic extremism and terrorism? To meet challenges of this magnitude, we need a seasoned leader with extensive first-hand experience. John McCain is that leader.

"I had the honor to work closely with Ronald Reagan for more than three years prior to his election, and the honor to serve him when he was President. I have been in the Oval Office in times of crisis and when tough policy choices had to be made. I have witnessed real presidential leadership in action, and know that John McCain is the candidate who has the essential leadership qualities to secure America's future. He knows what it is like to be in the cockpit, and will be on the job from Day One to deal with these unprecedented dangers.

"For twenty-two years John McCain has served his country honorably and faithfully, displaying his courage while in uniform, suffering the very real hardships of a prisoner of war and providing staunch support for President Reagan's foreign policy and national security objectives, never wavering in his support for the President's determination to end and win the Cold War. The decades of John McCain's first-hand experience and leadership cannot be acquired with on-the-job training and briefings by advisors; it can only be learned by determined study and perseverance.

"It is my honor to support John McCain in 2008 as the person with the courage, conviction and experience to lead this country from the first day of his presidency."

CASPER STAR-TRIBUNE [WY] ENDORSES GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY

"Romney, Obama Should Get Party Nominations"
Casper Star-Tribune Editorial
December 31, 2007

"The wishes of Wyoming voters are usually a moot point by presidential convention time. In each party, someone usually racks up enough wins in the early primaries to ensure the nomination, thus making the conventions a formality.

"This year, thanks to the state Republican central committee's decision to hold its county caucuses Saturday, things are a little different. Several GOP candidates campaigned in Wyoming. While most of these hopefuls were in the lower tier, the move nevertheless gave the state some recognition it hasn't received in other years.

"With Thursday's GOP and Democratic caucuses in Iowa too close to call, a win in Wyoming could boost a candidate's chances in next week's New Hampshire primary."
…
"Our Editorial Board's recommendations aim to identify the candidates who will best represent Wyoming's interests, along with the nation as a whole.

"Mitt Romney stands out in the Republican race as the candidate with the leadership, experience, and conservative political philosophy to be his party's standard bearer.

"Romney traveled to Wyoming twice in the past few months, visiting Cheyenne, Gillette, Jackson and Riverton. He has organized an impressive team of Wyoming supporters.

"The former Massachusetts governor has pledged to oppose any increases in income taxes and is prepared to make spending cuts in our bloated federal budget.

"Romney has called for making the nation more energy-independent. That resonates well in Wyoming, a state with an abundance of fossil fuels and potential for wind and solar power.

"As chief executive of the Olympics, Romney did a masterful job saving the winter games in Salt Lake City. And speaking of Utah, Romney's family ties to that state date back to territorial days. His heritage is rooted in the West, and he's not likely to forget it."
…
"There is no reason Republican voters shouldn't believe Romney when he describes himself as a conservative, pro-life candidate who believes marriage is the union of a man and a woman."
…
"For those reasons, Romney and Obama are our choices for the two parties' nominations. Whether you agree with us or not, we hope you find our observations helpful."
To read the full endorsement, please see: http://www.trib.com

Richardson Earns the Support of Sixty-Five Prominent Granite State Leaders

Grassroots support grows for Governor Richardson as New Hampshire primary approaches

MANCHESTER, NH-- The Richardson for President campaign today announced the endorsements of sixty-five prominent Granite State activists, businesspeople and community leaders, including eight New Hampshire state representatives, five town Democratic chairs, and the Dean Emeritus of Dartmouth Medical School.

In endorsing New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson, State Representative and Sullivan County Democratic Chair John Cloutier cited his record and proven ability to deliver change.

"As a successful governor, diplomat, and global troubleshooter, Bill Richardson has been tested, and he has proven his worth," said Cloutier, a lifelong resident of Claremont. "Bill Richardson can create the change that we desperately need in Washington, and he is ready to lead on day one."

The endorsements are a strong showing of statewide grassroots support for Governor Richardson and provide the latest boost to the Richardson for President campaign in New Hampshire. On Sunday, Governor Richardson was endorsed by the Conway Daily Sun, who called him the "the only heavy-weight" in the Democratic race for President.

Below is a list of the endorsements:

State Representatives:
Rep. John Cloutier, Claremont
Rep. Evalyn Merrick, Lancaster
Rep. Bennett Moore, Hampton
Rep. Fran Potter, Concord
Rep. Dave Scannell, Manchester
Rep. Carole Brown, Epsom
Rep. Pete Salomon, Canaan
Rep. Jeff Goley, Manchester

Democratic Town Chairs:
Jaye Hays, Ossipee
Nancy Martland, Sugar Hill
Pat Kinne, Charlestown
Suzanne Smith, Hebron
Jack Donnelly, Dublin

Business Leaders:
Jeff Stimson, North Haverhill - Davis-Orion Wire Group owner
Howie Wemyss, Randolph - Mt. Washington Auto Road manager, observatory trustee
Pat Haggerty, Franconia - business owner, Vietnam Veteran
Marelna Schilke - Chapel Arts owner
Stan and Sandy Holz, Whitefield - Village Gun Store owners
Luca Paris, Keene - Luca's Restaurant owner
Linda Fernald, Nottingham - Fernald Lumber owner
Elisabeth Dietrich, Etna - business owner
Peg Purcell, Dover - Purcell Management owner
Vasilios and Barbara Georgitsis, New London - NHVT Computer Services owner

Local Activists:
Gary Gilmore, Dover - former State Representative
Nancy Johnson, Milton - former State Representative
H. Thayer Kingsbury, Keene - former State Representative
Richard Eaton, Greenville - former State Representative
Harold "Chip" Rice, Concord - former State Senator
Mary Eisner, Derry - former Town Chair
Jerry Dyer, East Wakefield - Carroll County Democrats Vice Chair
Tom Slater - Portsmouth Democrats executive committee member
Barbara Ward, Portsmouth - Rockingham County Democrats secretary, state library board trustee
Patricia Higgins, Hanover - Hanover Democrats secretary
Joan Farrell, Concord - named "Individual Arts Patron" by Gov. Lynch, 2006
Wil Brassard, Peterborough - decorated Vietnam veteran, peace activist
Kate Cauble, Effingham - retired Army nurse
Kevin Barth, Keene - Cheshire medical
John Markland, Gilford - Chief of Police
Scott Gove, Concord- NH Teamsters advisory committee member
Donald Hartshorn, Concord - labor leader
Jane Taylor, Keene - City of Claremont attorney
Bill Sharp, Lebanon - Grafton County Register of Deeds, retired teacher
David Littlefield, Somersworth - former city council member, former school board member
Dennis Messier, Somersworth - city council member
Dave Richards, Keene - city council member
Dave Carney, Salem - activist, attorney
Dave Micciche, Milford - activist, veteran
Andy William Reynolds, Hanover - Dartmouth College Democrats president
George Iselin, Marlborough - veteran, farmer and ferrier
April Weed, Keene - activist, wife of State Representative Chuck Weed
Eleanor Vanderpool, Langdon - community activist, retired teacher
Barbara Cleveland, Stoddard - substance abuse councilor
Jane Mitchell Ross, Lebanon - peace activist
Jeannie Sy, Westmoreland - community activist
Audrey McCollum, Etna - clinical social worker

Educators:
Bob McCollum, Etna - Dean Emeritus, Dartmouth Medical School
Jim Grant, Peterborough - founder of Staff Development for Educators (SDE), author
Corey Genest, Nashua - Bishop Guertin High School teacher
Malcolm Bownes, Plymouth - former superintendent
Patrick Troy, Tilton - vice principal
Jen White, Keene - Keene high school teacher
Robin Marra, Fitzwilliam - Franklin Pierce University, political science professor
Cathryn Koning, Keene - Franklin Pierce University, environmental science professor
Dick O'Shaunessy, Salem - retired principal

LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS JOIN BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT IOWA STEERING COMMITTEE

Mo-Joe ’08 Draws Crowds, Support, Endorsements for Joe Biden In Homestretch To Caucus Night

Des Moines, IA (January 1, 2008) – Sen. Joe Biden today received the endorsement of a number of prominent local and Democratic Party officials in Iowa who will join the Biden for President Iowa Steering Committee. The committee is instrumental in organizing local support across Iowa on caucus night. Local and Democratic Party officials including Black Hawk County Supervisor Tom Little, Co-Chair of the 4th Congressional District for the Iowa Democratic Party Linda Vaudt, Linn County Democratic Party Chair Mike Robinson, Osceola Mayor Fred Diehl, Elkader Mayor Bob Garm, Louisa County Supervisor Frank Jamison, Keystone Mayor Mark Andresen, Howard County Democratic Party Vice-Chair Lauren Meritt, and Clayton County Democratic Party Secretary Raymond Stassen, all announced their support today, again demonstrating the momentum building behind Sen. Biden over the final days of the race in Iowa.

“The media have the ‘first tier’ and the ‘second-tier’ backwards,” said Louisa County Supervisor Frank Jamison. “Joe Biden has the most experience of anyone in the field. And his values are my values.”

Mayor Fred Diehl, a former small-business owner serving his 6th term as Mayor of Osceola added, “The thing I’m most concerned about is restoring the middle class. Today, American industries are moving outside the United States and Sen. Biden has the foreign policy experience to take hold right away when he first steps foot in the Oval Office.”

Sen. Biden said, “I am proud to have earned the backing of leaders in Iowa who share my concern for restoring our place in the world and protecting the middle class. Grassroots organizing by strong local leaders is what’s going to make the difference on caucus night, and with their help I am confident I am going turn this race upside down.”

The newest members of the Biden for President Statewide Steering Committee join an impressive roster of over 50 other local leaders from across the Hawkeye State. To date, 16 state legislators—and a majority of the House Democratic leadership—have endorsed Senator Biden, including State Sen. Joe Seng (Davenport), House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Des Moines), Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Polly Butka (Clinton), Rep. John Whitaker (Hillsboro), Rep. Doris Kelley (Waterloo), Rep. Lisa Heddens (Ames), Rep. Jim Lykam (Davenport), Rep. Mike Reasoner (Creston), Rep. Dick Taylor (Cedar Rapids), Rep. Roger Thomas (Elkader), Rep. McKinley Bailey (Webster City), State Senator Herman C. Quirmbach (Ames), Rep. Mary Gaskill (Ottumwa), Rep. Bruce Hunter (Des Moines), Rep. Eric Palmer (Oskaloosa), and Rep. Dennis Cohoon (Burlington).

BIDEN PICKS UP STEAM IN NEVADA

Mo-Joe ’08 Sweeps Across Iowa, Continues West Through The Silver State

Las Vegas, NV (December 31, 2007): Iowa is not the only early state seeing a surge in momentum for Joe Biden in the final weeks of primary season. Over the last two weeks, Mo-Joe ’08 has spread through Nevada as well, sparking buzz that Sen. Biden’s strong grassroots support in the early states could ultimately catapult him to the nomination. In both states, Sen. Biden has been gaining ground rapidly, picking up endorsements from a number of prominent state leaders, legislators and unions while continuing to advance in the polls.
In Iowa, Sen. Biden increasingly appears to be the dark horse poised to break through in the first in the nation caucuses on January 3rd.

Last week, Sen. Biden garnered two more legislative endorsements in Iowa, Rep. Eric Palmer of Oskaloosa and Rep. Dennis Cohoon of Burlington, bringing his tally of state legislative endorsements to 16 and ranking him third in state legislative support behind Sens. Clinton and Obama. Sen. Biden’s campaign in Iowa has been further bolstered by an impressive array of local elected officials who have pledged to organize his support on caucus night. In fact, Sen. Biden’s organized support statewide has led his rivals to privately acknowledge “substantial pockets of support for Biden.” [AP, 12/21/07]

Sen. Biden also earned endorsements from two Iowa newspapers last week, the Sheldon Northwestern Iowa Review and the Jefferson Herald. The Jefferson Herald Editorial Board wrote, “We’re frankly more comfortable with Senator Biden’s readiness to lead than with any other candidate for President in either party.” The Sheldon Northwestern Iowa Review underscored Sen. Biden’s “comfortable, distinguished understanding of foreign policy,” and “ability to work in a bipartisan spirit,” also calling him “honest, hardworking and committed to the country.” [Jefferson Herald, 12/20/07], [Northwest Iowa Review, 12/22/07]

And in Nevada, the Biden for President Campaign recently announced the endorsement of the Nevada Plumbers and Pipefitters. “Joe Biden has always been there for organized labor and that record is important to us,” said UA Local 525 Business Manager Brett McCoy. "He’s also the only candidate who has a plan to get us out of the war and who is aware of the domestic problems we face, like the economy, and knows how to fix them.”

Last week, the Biden for President Campaign announced its Nevada Women for Biden Outreach Committee and today announced two new additions to the committee: Former Nevada Democratic Party Chair Jan Jenkins as well as Douglas County Democratic Caucus Committee Chair, Jo Ann Orange. Members of the committee, who include Democratic Party activists and community leaders from across Nevada, will help the campaign organize throughout the state leading up to the Nevada caucuses on January 19th.

Catherine Jackson, a member of the committee, asked about how the candidates would get troops out of Iraq as she stood next to her son, an Iraq veteran, at the CNN Las Vegas Debate. Afterwards, she decided to publicly support Sen. Biden, saying, “Joe Biden stands for integrity. When he shook my hand at the Las Vegas debate and told me his son was on notice to be deployed to Iraq, I was impressed that he cared and knew how I felt. I am supporting Joe Biden because I know he won’t settle for anything less than our troops deserve, and will get them out of Iraq as soon as possible.”

In anticipation of surging into the top tier in the Iowa caucuses this week, Biden for President Nevada State Director Ronni Council and Deputy State Director Omar Khan have traveled to the Hawkeye State for the final campaign push. They also launched a blog, “Vegas Bets on Iowa,” to chronicle their trip and the growing momentum behind Sen. Biden in Iowa for supporters back in Nevada.

“Having moved into fourth place in Iowa in recent polls, it’s clear that caucus-goers are increasingly choosing Joe Biden as the best candidate for the job,” said Biden for President Nevada State Director Ronni Council. “And as our campaign continues to pick up steam in Nevada, we are confident as ever that by beating expectations on January 3rd and January 19th we can build the support we need to win the Democratic nomination.”

Concord Monitor Endorses Hillary Clinton for President

Today, Senator Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of the Concord Monitor in the upcoming presidential primary.

In their endorsement editorial, the Monitor wrote that Senator Clinton’s "unique combination of smarts, experience and toughness makes her the best choice to win the November election and truly get things done."

Clinton has also received the endorsements of four Cabinet Press weekly papers, the Keene Sentinel, Foster's Daily Democrat and Laconia Citizen, and 11 Salmon Press weekly newspapers.

The Concord Monitor Editorial follows:

http://www.concordmonitor.com

Hillary Clinton is the Democrats' best choice

Immediately after taking office, President Hillary Clinton would begin preparations to withdraw American troops from Iraq.

She would send a message to world leaders that the United States intends to rejoin the community of nations.

She would make clear to federal employees that they must heed the Constitution.

She would reverse Bush-era policies that have harmed the environment.

She would quickly sign legislation supporting stem-cell research and expanding children's health insurance.

She would lift the gag rule prohibiting international family planning programs from counseling poor women about abortion.

Many White House administrations start off slowly, as green presidents fumble through their early months, unsure how to bend Washington to their will. Come 2009, America will be unable to afford such squandered time.

Clinton's ambitious to-do list for her first few weeks in office gives us confidence that her priorities are right and that she would act swiftly to make a positive difference. She is the Monitor's choice in the Jan. 8 Democratic primary.

New Hampshire Democrats and independents are blessed with a strong field of presidential candidates at a time when a change of course is desperately needed. We have been impressed by Joe Biden's pragmatic foreign policy and by John Edwards's insistence that we pay attention to the poorest Americans.

Barack Obama, more than most, has the power to inspire. The positive tone of his campaign is not a gimmick. He is a serious candidate with sober ideas. For reasons symbolic and substantive, he would also be a nominee Democrats could feel proud to vote for.

But Hillary Clinton's unique combination of smarts, experience and toughness makes her the best choice to win the November election and truly get things done. Before embarking on an agenda of her or his own, the next American president will be forced to undo the damage of the Bush years: ending the war in Iraq, restoring habeas corpus rights, ending the use of torture, healing New Orleans, restoring America's moral authority around the world.

A tall order - but not nearly enough. The next president must also take the lead on a serious effort to slow global warming, a rational policy on illegal immigration and a plan to provide health care to all Americans.

Clinton knows what she wants to accomplish. She knows how Washington works. She has forged alliances with unlikely political partners, and she has waged partisan fights on matters of principle. Her years as first lady and as a U.S. senator have put her at the center of key policy and political battles for a decade and a half. She is prepared for the job.

As first lady, Clinton acted as an American diplomat, meeting with foreign leaders across the globe on behalf of her husband and advocating for human rights. She was influential in shepherding the Family and Medical Leave Act into law. Her fumble on health care reform taught her much about the ways of Washington - and it is to her credit that universal health care remains her signature issue.

As a senator, Clinton has earned a reputation for pragmatic and sometimes creative hard work. She forged a bipartisan plan to expand health coverage to military veterans and their families. She helped secure critical federal assistance for Manhattan after the Sept. 11 attacks. By stalling the confirmation of President Bush's FDA appointee, she gained over-the-counter access for the morning-after pill. Her work with Senate Republicans, including the leader of the impeachment prosecution against her husband, gives us confidence that the cartoon version of Hillary Clinton - as a leading actor in an exhaustingly partisan Washington soap opera - is a 1990s anachronism.
As a veteran of her own campaigns and her husband's, and as a favorite target of Republicans, she has become a tough campaigner. Unlike John Kerry, she would not dither when the inevitable attacks came.

There are Democratic voters in New Hampshire and beyond who wish for a little more poetry from the guarded and highly disciplined Clinton. She can, after all, seem a relentless policy wonk, rather than an inspirational leader. But consider this: American men gave up their monopoly on the right to vote and hold public office in 1920. In the intervening 87 years, progress for women has been slow and uneven: A wage gap persists; reproductive freedom is constantly at risk; and in the 21 presidential contests since then, Americans have never even given serious consideration to voting for a woman.

The election of America's first female president will show more than half the population - including millions of young girls - that their futures are not limited by their gender, that America has moved a little closer to its ideals of liberty and justice for all. There is plenty of inspiration in that.

In a talented field, Hillary Clinton has the right experience, the right agenda and the know-how to lead the country back to respect on the world stage and meaningful progress on long-neglected problems.

Dubuque Mayor Roy Buol Endorses Hillary Clinton

At Tonight’s Dubuque County ‘Picks a President’ Event, Buol Announces Support of Hillary

DUBUQUE, IA – Hillary Clinton demonstrated her strength in Eastern Iowa when Dubuque Mayor Roy Buol endorsed Hillary Clinton at the Dubuque County ‘Picks a President’ event. Mayor Buol’s endorsement comes five days before the January 3rd caucuses when Iowans will play an important role in selecting the next President of the United States.

“My wife and I believe Hillary has the intelligence, experience, and strength of character to forge a new beginning and the ability to win in November 2008. We support Senator Clinton as the next president and will be caucusing on her behalf,” Mayor Buol said. “Iowans have the responsibility to pick the next President of the United States. I took a good look at all of the candidates and Hillary Clinton is the only one with real solutions to help move our country forward.”.

Mayor Buol, a native of Dubuque, was elected in 2006 after serving on the Dubuque City Council from 1996 to 2006. Under Mayor Buol’s leadership, Dubuque was selected in June 2007 as one of the ten communities in the nation to be named an “All America City” by the National Civic League.

“I am honored to have Mayor Roy Buol’s support. He has been a leader in the Dubuque community for over 12 years,” Hillary Clinton said. “Mayor Buol’s service and dedication to Dubuque is inspiring and represents the type of leadership America needs. He understands the need for change in America and I look forward to working to bring that change.”

THREE IOWA COUNTY PARTY CHAIRS ENDORSE JOE BIDEN

Sen. Joe Biden today received the endorsement of three County Democratic Party Chairs in Iowa, Pat Sass, Black Hawk County Party Chair; Jean Hall, Clayton County Chair; and Linda Carrillo, Cedar County Party Chair. All three will serve on the Biden for President Campaign statewide steering committee.

Last night Black Hawk County Party Chair Pat Sass announced her support at a caucus countdown event with Sen. Biden in Waterloo. She served in the Black Hawk Recorders office for 30 years including 16 as the elected Recorder.

"I'm supporting Joe Biden because he's the only candidate in this race who has an exit strategy to get us out of Iraq. But it's about more than the war. We need a president who isn't afraid to act and knows how to solve our biggest problems at home today as well. Joe knows the ticket to the middle class is a union job, and he's ready to fight for workers' rights."

This week, Mo-Joe ’08 is sweeping across Iowa, with Sen. Biden picking up two newspaper endorsements in Jefferson and Sheldon, earning two new legislative endorsements, and packing venues across the Hawkeye State.

Sen. Biden said, “I am tremendously honored to have earned the endorsement of these women who I respect so much, as well as all the local officials who have pledged their support to my campaign. It is vitally important to have local leaders who have earned respect from their communities inside the caucuses. I am proud to have earned the confidence of so many leaders throughout Iowa and know that with their organizational support I will be successful on caucus night.”

These county party leaders have joined an impressive group of local elected officials and state legislators who have endorsed Senator Biden in Iowa. To date, 16 state legislators—and a majority of the House Democratic leadership—have endorsed Senator Biden, including State Sen. Joe Seng (Davenport), House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Des Moines), Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Polly Butka (Clinton), Rep. John Whitaker (Hillsboro), Rep. Doris Kelley (Waterloo), Rep. Lisa Heddens (Ames), Rep. Jim Lykam (Davenport), Rep. Mike Reasoner (Creston), Rep. Dick Taylor (Cedar Rapids), Rep. Roger Thomas (Elkader), Rep. McKinley Bailey (Webster City), State Senator Herman C. Quirmbach (Ames), Rep. Mary Gaskill (Ottumwa), Rep. Bruce Hunter (Des Moines), Rep. Eric Palmer (Oskaloosa), and Rep. Dennis Cohoon (Burlington).

Nashua Telegraph Is 26th New Hampshire Newspaper To Endorse John McCain For President

"McCain is here once again, crisscrossing the Granite State in his Straight Talk Express tour bus, displaying the same integrity, vision and, yes, straight talk ... At a time when some candidates present themselves to voters as something they haven't always been, we find the Arizona senator to be the genuine article. You might not always agree with his answers, but you won't leave a conversation wondering where he stands." -- Nashua Telegraph
McCain Our Choice For GOP Nomination
Editorial
Nashua TelegraphDecember 30, 2007

Eight years ago, when he was running as a political maverick against Republican establishment candidate George W. Bush, we endorsed John McCain for the GOP nomination for president of the United States.

We did so because of his integrity.

We did so because of his leadership.

We did so because of his forthrightness and his refusal to pander to voters by telling them what they wanted to hear.

A lot of things have changed in this country during these last eight years, starting with the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, which resulted in the tragic deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans and led to the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

But not everything has changed. McCain is here once again, crisscrossing the Granite State in his Straight Talk Express tour bus, displaying the same integrity, vision and, yes, straight talk that marked his earlier, unsuccessful run for the presidency.

Oh, and one more thing hasn't changed: our support.

Today, we endorse John McCain for the Republican nomination for president. At a time when some candidates present themselves to voters as something they haven't always been, we find the Arizona senator to be the genuine article. You might not always agree with his answers, but you won't leave a conversation wondering where he stands.

McCain also has established a reputation during his 24-year congressional career as standing up for what he believes -- regardless of whether it's in line with party leaders or his president. If that means working with someone from across the aisle, then so be it.

And it's that kind of leadership -- someone willing to put conscience ahead of party -- that is going to be absolutely critical in persuading Congress to abandon the paralyzing partisanship of the past in order to work together to resolve the many domestic and foreign challenges of the future.

During the course of presidential campaigns, there are usually a handful of memorable moments that resonate with voters.

One of those came during the Republican CNN/YouTube debate of Nov. 28 in St. Petersburg, Fla. In response to a direct question from CNN moderator Anderson Cooper on whether waterboarding is a form of torture, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney went to great lengths to avoid answering the question.

While making clear he opposed torture, Romney said repeatedly that it would be inappropriate for a presidential candidate to describe specifically "which measures we would and would not use."

"Well, Governor," McCain responded, "I'm astonished that you haven't found out what waterboarding is."

When Romney insisted he knew very well what it was but still didn't believe it was appropriate to talk about it, McCain responded that he was "astonished" anyone could actually believe that waterboarding wasn't torture and as such a violation of the Geneva Convention.

"And, Governor, let me tell you, if we're going to get the high ground in this world and we're going to be the America that we have cherished and loved for more than 200 years, we're not going to torture people," McCain said.

That fire-in-the-belly response should come as no surprise to anyone who is familiar with the senator's remarkable pre-congressional career. Graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Twenty-two years in the U.S. Navy, interrupted by 5-1/2 years of grueling captivity as a prisoner of war after being shot down in his 23rd bombing mission over North Vietnam in October 1967.

Recipient of the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross for his courageous service to his country.

John McCain not only has earned our gratitude for his meritorious service to his country, but once again our endorsement for the Republican nomination.

Read Nashua Telegraph Editorial: "McCain Our Choice For GOP Nomination"

THE DAILY NONPAREIL ENDORSES GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY

"Sunday's Our View: Nonpareil Endorses Romney
"The Daily Nonpareil [Council Bluffs, IA]
Editorial
December 30, 2007

"Our Position: Romney excels over all other Republican candidates.

"At no time in recent memory has this nation faced a greater array of formidable, complex and potentially dangerous challenges. The very nature of those complex challenges and the potential means of addressing them is a recipe for divisiveness. As Americans continue their search for a new commander-in-chief, they should search for an individual with vision, intellect and experience.

"In a Republican presidential field that boasts a host of candidates who bring a wide range of talents and experience to the table, we think former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney rises to the top as the best choice to lead his party toward the 2008 election."
…
"While all experiences point to what we feel would be a successful term in the White House, Romney's four years as governor of Massachusetts, a solidly Democratic state, underscore his potential for leading this nation. Those four years demonstrate his understanding of economic principles, the intricacies of reform and, most of all, his understanding of the need to work with those on the other side of the political aisle.

"Both the economy and the budget in Massachusetts were in better shape at the end of Romney's term than at the beginning, and the state had made significant strides in the areas of education and health care.

"Those results were not Romney's alone, but they were, in our view, the result of his vision and his leadership.

"Republicans need to think not only about a candidate who can win but also about a candidate who has the ability – the track record – to actually run the country if they win.

"That person is, in our opinion, Mitt Romney."
To read the full endorsement, please see: www.zwire.com

FORMER NEW HAMPSHIRE FIRST LADY GALE THOMSON ENDORSES GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY

12/28/07 Today, former New Hampshire First Lady Gale Thomson announced her endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney. Mrs. Thomson is the wife of late New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson Jr., who's "Ax the Tax" platform inspired future state and national candidates to take a pledge against raising taxes. She joins her son, anti-tax advocate Tom Thomson, who had previously announced his support of Governor Romney.

"Governor Romney strongly believes that through fiscally conservative policies, we can grow the economy, create better jobs and build a stronger America for future generations. He fought for those principles as Governor and he'll do the same as our nation's president. My husband always said, 'low taxes are the result of low spending,' and Mitt Romney embodies this vital conservative principle. I would encourage all Granite Staters to join me in supporting Governor Romney's campaign," said Gale Thomson.

Upon the announcement, Governor Romney said, "I am honored to have the endorsement of Gale Thomson, one of New Hampshire's most respected leaders. She and her husband faithfully served the people of the Granite State and worked to bring fiscally responsible policies to the State Capitol. I look forward to working with her to bring conservative change to Washington."
Background On Former New Hampshire First Lady Gale Thomson:

Gale Thomson Is The Widow Of Former Governor Meldrim Thomson, Jr., And Served As New Hampshire's First Lady From 1973 Until 1979. During that time, she also served as a Trustee of the Youth Development Center. Today, Mrs. Thomson resides in Orford, New Hampshire and runs Mt. Cube Farm. She has six children, 18 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren. She was a Trustee of the Robert Frost Farm and a member of the Lilac Commission.

ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT LAUNCHES NEW RADIO AD, "IMPORTANT TIMES"

Today, Romney for President launched its newest radio ad, "Important Times." The ad features Judge Robert Bork discussing why he is supporting Governor Mitt Romney for President of the United States. As President, Governor Romney will provide the strong leadership our country needs and he will appoint judges who interpret the law, not legislate from the bench. That is why Judge Bork is supporting Governor Romney.

The ad will begin airing today as part of the campaign's rotation in Iowa. Script and viewing link are below.

Script For "Important Times" (Radio:30):

ANNOUNCER: "Robert Bork was Ronald Reagan's conservative nominee to the Supreme Court."

JUDGE ROBERT BORK: "Hello, this is Judge Robert Bork.
"These are very important times, and our next President will be called upon to make decisions on some big issues.

"The National Review endorsed Governor Romney, calling him a 'full-spectrum conservative.' I agree. Mitt Romney is the best person to unite the strong Reagan coalition of social, economic, and foreign policy conservatives.

"We need strong leadership on the economy, taxes, immigration, and foreign policy.

"And our next President may be called upon to make more than one Supreme Court nomination. Governor Romney will appoint judges who interpret the law, not activists who legislate from the bench.

"I admire that Governor Romney stood up to the activist court's ruling on legalizing same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. His strong leadership served as a model for the nation.

"This is Judge Robert Bork. I urge you to join me in supporting Mitt Romney for President."

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney, and I approved this message."

ANNOUNCER: "To learn more, log onto MittRomney.com. Paid for by Romney for President."
To listen to "Important Times," please see: http://www.mittromney.com/Audio/Bork.mp3

BIDEN GAINING STEAM IN HOMESTRETCH TO IOWA CAUCUSES

Following mounting evidence over the holiday that Sen. Biden’s grassroots support in Iowa will catapult him to success on caucus night, Sen. Biden began his final campaign swing through the Hawkeye State with a rally of over 200 supporters in Des Moines on Wednesday night and packed events in Corydon, Creston, and Council Bluffs yesterday. Over the next week, Mo-Joe ’08 will sweep across Iowa, with Sen. Biden set to attend over 30 rallies in 28 counties statewide.

Over the last week, there have been growing reports that an upset may be in the works, as Sen. Biden increasingly appears to be the dark horse poised to break through on January 3rd.

Last week, Sen. Biden garnered two more legislative endorsements in Iowa, Rep. Eric Palmer of Oskaloosa and Rep. Dennis Cohoon of Burlington, bringing his tally of state legislative endorsements to 16. Sen. Biden’s legislative support in Iowa also includes most members of the Democratic House Leadership. He currently ranks third in state legislative support behind Sens. Clinton and Obama, but has outpaced former Sen. John Edwards and the rest of his Democratic rivals.

Sen. Biden has been further bolstered by an impressive array of local elected officials in Iowa who have pledged to organize his support on caucus night. In fact, Sen. Biden’s organized support statewide has led his rivals to privately acknowledge “substantial pockets of support for Biden.” [AP, 12/21/07]

Sen. Biden also earned endorsements from two Iowa newspapers last week, the Sheldon Northwestern Iowa Review and the Jefferson Herald. The Jefferson Herald Editorial Board wrote, “We’re frankly more comfortable with Senator Biden’s readiness to lead than with any other candidate for President in either party.” The Sheldon Northwestern Iowa Review underscored Sen. Biden’s “comfortable, distinguished understanding of foreign policy,” and “ability to work in a bipartisan spirit,” and called him “honest, hardworking and committed to the country.” [Jefferson Herald, 12/20/07], [Sheldon Northwestern Iowa Review, 12/22/07]

And with three new TV ads up on the air in Iowa over the last month—including the most recent “Office” ad released yesterday—Sen. Biden has kept pace with the frontrunners’ air time over the last month of the race.

“Having moved solidly into fourth place in the most recent poll, Sen. Biden’s growing momentum has become hard to ignore,” said Biden for President Campaign Manager, Luis Navarro. “While other candidates are seeing their support slip, Sen. Biden continues to move ahead as the candidate Iowans trust to lead America from Day One in the White House and the Democrat with the best chance to beat Republicans in 2008.”

JOHN MCCAIN 2008 LAUNCHES NEW TELEVISION AD, "ENDORSED"

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced a new television ad to run in New Hampshire. The ad, entitled "Endorsed," highlights John McCain's endorsements by over 20 newspapers all across New Hampshire. Granite State editorial boards spanning the ideological spectrum -- from the New Hampshire Union Leader to the Portsmouth Herald -- recognize that John McCain is the only candidate with the experience, credibility and character to lead as commander in chief from day one.

"Endorsed" will run on New Hampshire and Boston television.
VIEW THE NEW AD HERE: http://www.johnmccain.com/tvads/

Script for "Endorsed" (:30-TV)

ANNCR 1: After taking a close look,
20 newspapers all across New Hampshire endorse John McCain.

Here's what they're saying:
ANNCR 2: McCain campaigns with decency
ANNCR 1: The right stuff ...
ANNCR 2: To become among our greatest presidents
ANNCR 1: Principled
ANNCR 2: Character
ANNCR 1: Integrity and honor
ANNCR 2: Impeccable national security credentials
ANNCR 1: McCain transcends partisanship
ANNCR 2: Most trustworthy
ANNCR 1: The man to lead America
ANNCR 2: All across New Hampshire newspapers agree
ANNCR 1: The choice is clear. For President: John McCain
JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message
JOHN MCCAIN: "THE MAN TO LEAD AMERICA"

Over 20 New Hampshire Newspapers Have Endorsed John McCain For President

· New Hampshire Union Leader: "John McCain Is The Man To Lead America"
· Portsmouth Herald/Seacoast Media Group: "Vote Sen. McCain In GOP Primary"
Exeter News-Letter
Hampton Union
Rockingham News
· The Keene Sentinel: "John McCain"
· Boston Herald: "Choice Is Clear: McCain's The One"
· The Boston Globe: "For Republicans: John McCain"
· The Valley News (NH): "The Case For McCain: An Honorable Primary Choice"
· Salmon Press (11 NH Weeklies): "New Hampshire's Salmon Press Endorses Sen. John McCain"
Littleton Courier
Coos County Democrat
Berlin Reporter
Granite State News
Carroll County Independent
Meredith News
Record Enterprise
Winnisquam Echo
Gilford Steamer
Baysider
Mountain Ear
· The Cabinet (NH): "The Primary"
The Cabinet
Bedford Journal
Hollis Brookline Journal
Merrimack Journal

The Keene Sentinel: "Perhaps Most Important, He Campaigns With Decency." "Where McCain most distinguishes himself from the rest of this year's Republican pack is in the areas of life experience and force of character. He is not a single-issue candidate off on a frantic ideological jag. Although his political ideology has evolved through experience over the years, he has not changed his previous political positions en masse to appeal to the presumed prejudices and preferences of voters. Nor has he tried to craft a candidacy around an artificial persona who promises to save us all from terrorists, or from the devil. And, perhaps most important, he campaigns with decency." (Editorial, "John McCain," The Keene Sentinel, 12/21/07)

Salmon Press: "John McCain Has The Right Stuff ... To Become Among Our Greatest Presidents ... His Experience In Foreign Affairs And In Military Issues Is Unmatched In The Field." U.S. Sen. John McCain has the right stuff to become a statesman, indeed to become among our greatest presidents, but standing in his way is the prickly business of having to get elected. Once considered the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party, his presidential campaign stumbled in the early going -- in part because he refused to bend his principles -- but is now gaining some momentum. We hope that momentum continues, for in our judgment John McCain towers over his political rivals and is our unwavering choice in New Hampshire's Republican presidential primary next month. Sen. McCain is a man of great depth and character. He has demonstrated an enormous capacity for growth over his political career and his military record is trul y heroic -- in stark contrast to those of his opponents. As a congressman and senator from Arizona he has exhibited the ability to attract both sides of the political aisle. And yet he is a conservative in the best sense of the word: principled, unwilling to cave for political gain and an unbowed enemy of wasteful spending. His experience in foreign affairs and in military issues is unmatched in the field." (Editorial, "New Hampshire's Salmon Press Endorses Sen. John McCain," Salmon Press, 12/13/07)

Portsmouth Herald: "Principled." "U.S. Sen. John McCain will tell you the truth, even if it costs him the election. He has a very clear-eyed view of the truth having spent his life fighting for our country and leading the U.S. Senate for the past 20 years on virtually every critical issue facing our nation. In our view, John McCain stands head and shoulders above the rest of the Republican field and deserves the support of those voting in the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary Jan. 8. ... McCain is pro-life, but his views are broad in this area. He also believes in federal funding of embryonic stem cell research because in his view life is also sacred after you have left the womb. This kindness and pragmatism also guided his thinking on immigration. McCain's state of Arizona borders Mexico and is on the front line of America's struggle with illegal immigration. His position is that we need to tighten our borders and enforce the laws already on the books, but we also need to create a path to citizenship for good, honest, hardworking families who make a real contribution to this country. His principled stance on immigration has made enemies in his own party and has hurt him in Iowa where this is a major issue." (Editorial, "Vote Sen. McCain In GOP Primary," Portsmouth Herald, 12/16/07)

New Hampshire Union Leader: "His Record, His Character, And His Courage Show Him To Be The Most Trustworthy, Competent, And Conservative Of All Those Seeking The Nomination." "What is most compelling about McCain, however, is that his record, his character, and his courage show him to be the most trustworthy, competent, and conservative of all those seeking the nomination. Simply put, McCain can be trusted to make informed decisions based on the best interests of his country, come hell or high water." (Joseph W. McQuaid, "John McCain Is The Man To Lead America," New Hampshire Union Leader, 12/2/07)

Portsmouth Herald: "He Is A Man Of Integrity And Honor ... He Is A Strong Military Man Prepared From Day One To Defend Our Nation Against Its Enemies. Of All The Republicans Running, He Is By Far The Best Qualified To Lead Our Country." "John McCain has been leading the country from his seat in the U.S. Senate for 20 years. He is a man of integrity and honor who would help the Republicans rid themselves of the stench of Jack Abramoff and other lobbyists and allow the GOP to reclaim its status as the party of fiscal restraint. He is a strong military man prepared from day one to defend our nation against its enemies. Of all the Republicans running, he is by far the best qualified to lead our country." (Editorial, "Vote Sen. McCain In GOP Primary," Portsmouth Herald, 12/16/07)

Valley News: "His Case Is Plausible, And His Credentials In National Security Matters Impeccable." "And although we do not agree with McCain's thesis that prompt withdrawal of American troops from Iraq would necessarily have dire consequences throughout the Middle East and the world, we do not dismiss it lightly, either. His case is plausible, and his credentials in national security matters impeccable." (Editorial, "The Case For McCain: An Honorable Primary Choice," Valley News, 12/19/07)

The Boston Globe: "McCain Has Done More Than His Share To Transcend Partisanship And Promote An Honest Discussion Of The Problems Facing The United States." "As a lawmaker and as a candidate, McCain has done more than his share to transcend partisanship and promote an honest discussion of the problems facing the United States. He deserves the opportunity to represent his party in November's election." (Editorial, "For Republicans: John McCain," The Boston Globe, 12/16/07)

New Hampshire Union Leader: "John McCain Is The Man To Lead America." (Joseph W. McQuaid, "John McCain Is The Man To Lead America," New Hampshire Union Leader, 12/2/07)

Boston Herald: "Choice Is Clear: McCain's The One." "There are times in this nation's history so perilous that they cry out for a steady, experienced leader, a person so trusted that we would put the fate of this country in his hands. This is one of those times, and Sen. John McCain is that person. He has a brand of courage that is rare in the public arena these days a courage forged in part by those years spent as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and in part by more than two decades of fighting for what he believes in on the floor of the U.S. Senate. In an age when too many candidates are driven by polls and focus groups, fashioning and re-fashioning their core' beliefs, McCain is a man of unwavering conviction and integrity. His values, his beliefs, his goals are what they were when he first entered public life, what they were in 2000 and what they will be a decade from now." (Editorial, "Choice Is Clear: McCai n's The One," Boston Herald, 12/20/07)

GOV. MITT ROMNEY: THE CHOICE OF CONSERVATIVES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

Liberal Press Disagrees With Real Conservatives' Choice For President

"The Monitor's editorial board is regarded as a liberal one on many issues, so it is not surprising that they would criticize Governor Romney for his conservative views and platform." – Romney spokesman Kevin Madden ("Liberal N.H. Newspaper Slams Romney," United Press International, 12/24/07)

The Concord Monitor Editorial Board Personally Attacked Gov. Romney:

UPI Headline: "Liberal N.H. Newspaper Slams Romney." "Romney campaign spokesman Kevin Madden told CNN the criticisms were taken in stride. 'The Monitor's editorial board is regarded as a liberal one on many issues, so it is not surprising that they would criticize Governor Romney for his conservative views and platform,' Madden said." ("Liberal N.H. Newspaper Slams Romney," United Press International, 12/24/07)

Not Surprisingly, The Concord Monitor Editorial Page Takes Liberal Stands On Many Issues:

The Concord Monitor: Remove "Under God" From The Pledge Of Allegiance. "[W]ith school starting this month, it's a good time for teachers and principals to ask themselves what they're accomplishing by bringing God into the classroom each morning. Of course, Congress and the president could undo 'under God' in a snap, removing the language as quickly as it was added. Want to make the presidential candidates squirm? Ask them why they think 'under God' belongs in the classroom and in our national pledge." (Editorial, "Courts Aside, Do We Want 'God' In The Pledge?" The Concord Monitor, 8/22/07; www.concordmonitor.com)

The Concord Monitor: Driver's Licenses For Illegal Aliens "A Good Idea." "The public does appear soundly opposed to granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, though for reasons of public safety if nothing else it's a good idea." (Editorial, "Immigration Debate Ripe For Demagoguery," The Concord Monitor, 12/3/07; www.concordmonitor.com)

The Concord Monitor: School Choice "Should Be Shot Down." "Legislative proposals for school vouchers have come up again and should be shot down again. Vouchers rob public schools of badly needed money and, if the money is given to a religious institution, are unconstitutional." (Editorial, "Voucher Schemes Rob Starving Public Schools," The Concord Monitor, 3/8/06; www.concordmonitor.com)

The Concord Monitor: "A State Income Tax Should Be Part Of The Discussion." "Pass the income tax without condition, meaning the income tax would take effect whether the amendment passed or not. Then consider the amendment on its own merits. Then it would almost certainly pass. But there is an even easier way for the Legislature to protect taxpayers from willy-nilly expansion of the income tax's uses. This is through the legislation itself. The Legislature could stipulate that income tax revenue be used only to pay for public schools and only on a formula approved by the Legislature. … Once the Legislature defines 'adequate,' it will have to figure out how to pay for 'adequate.'" A state income tax should be part of the discussion." (Editorial, "An Income Tax Should Pay For Education Only," The Concord Monitor, 2/26/07)

The Concord Monitor: "The Time Has Come" For Civil Unions; Gay Marriage "Eventually." "Earlier this month, voters in seven states approved constitutional amendments banning gay marriage. Society isn't ready to broaden the definition of that sacramental word to include the union of two men or two women. But it is only a matter of time. The young are far more tolerant on matters of race and sex than their elders, and their attitudes will eventually be reflected at the polls. … New Hampshire has been on the wrong side of this civil rights debate. Its lawmakers have refused to grant equal freedom to all. The time has come for that to change." (Editorial, "State Should Grant Gay Couples Equal Rights," The Concord Monitor, 12/1/06; www.concordmonitor.com)

New Hampshire Conservatives Are Supporting Governor Romney:

U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Bruce Keough, Former Gubernatorial Candidate
Ovide Lamontagne, 1996 Republican Gubernatorial Nominee
New Hampshire State Senator Bob Letourneau
Former State Senator George Lovejoy, Co-Founder, Granite State Taxpayers
Gordon MacDonald, Conservative Activist And Attorney At Nixon-Peabody
Former State Senator Chuck Morse
Craig Sandler, Former Executive Director Of General Operations For The National Rifle Association
Former House Speaker Donna Sytek
Tom Thomson, New Hampshire Anti-Tax Advocate
New Hampshire House Republican Leader Mike Whalley
National Conservatives Are Supporting Governor Romney:

National Review
James Bopp, Jr., Romney For President Special Adviser On Life Issues
Judge Robert Bork
John Cogan, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution
Dr. R. Glenn Hubbard, Dean Of The Columbia Business School And Former Chairman Of The U.S. Council Of Economic Advisers
David A. Keene, Chairman Of The American Conservative Union
Jay Sekulow, Constitutional Attorney And Supreme Court Advocate
Matthew Spalding, Director, B. Kenneth Simon Center For American Studies, The Heritage Foundation
Former U.S. Senator Jim Talent (R-MO)
Former U.S. Representative Vin Weber (R-MN)
Paul Weyrich, Chairman And CEO Of The Free Congress Research And Education Foundation
Bill Wichterman, Senior Legislative Adviser, Covington & Burling LLP
Dr. John Willke, Co-Founder And Past President Of National Right To Life Committee

QUAD-CITY TIMES ENDORSES JOHN MCCAIN: "Time For A Real Hero"

By Quad-City Times
Editorial
December 23, 2007

John McCain's "Straight Talk Express" plows through where other Republicans steer clear.

Mitt Romney addresses the deficit by exhorting Republicans to "stop acting like Democrats." McCain doesn't resort to name calling. He sets it straight: "Republicans lost the last election, not because of Iraq " he told a crowd in Davenport. "We lost it because of spending We presided over the largest increase in government since the Great Society."

Rudy Giuliani hedges on torture and seeks definitions of waterboarding. McCain clearly says "no" to torture.

Fred Thompson jokes about alien SUVs when asked about global warming. McCain says he's seen the evidence of climate change on trips to both poles. For those who choose to ignore science, McCain offers this compelling, bipartisan appeal: We owe our children a better planet.

On immigration and campaign finance reform, McCain talks like a problem solver, not a n idealogue.

His faith, he has said repeatedly, is a matter between him and his maker. Look for evidence of it in his actions, not campaign speeches.

Those rambling, stream-of-consciousness speeches won't win a rhetoric prize. They simply offer clear insight into a leader whose life experiences, personally, politically and heroically, have tested his mettle for the nation's top job.

We disagree with the senator's stance on the war. We believe he'd be wrong to pull ethanol subsidies, at least right away. But at this critical point in history, America can benefit from an honorable man with a hero's record.

He's survived tough opposition and deplorable campaign tactics, particularly some from his own party. Yet he's never taken the bait.

For Iowa's Republican caucuses, we support John McCain.

Read Quad-City Times Endorsement Of John McCain

McCain: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: New Hampshire Union Leader: "Kill The Pork! Elect The Guy With The Knife"

"Let's put the veto pen in the hands of the one man who will use it to X out all pork-barrel spending and get Washington's fiscal house in order. Let's end once and for all this outrageous use of taxpayer money for the private benefit of elected officials. Let's elect John McCain President." -- New Hampshire Union Leader

Kill The Pork! Elect The Guy With The Knife
Editorial
New Hampshire Union Leader
December 23, 2007

Every single dollar you paid in federal income taxes this year was spent on pork projects.

Outraged yet?

About $20 billion of the just-passed $555 billion federal budget was earmarked for pork. That might sound like a small percentage, but Heritage Foundation analyst Brian Riedl calculated that it equals the entire federal income tax payments for everyone in Iowa, New Hampshire, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Delaware.

So congratulations, every dollar you paid in federal taxes went to help some member of Congress get elected.

What wonderful projects did you pay for?
· The Andre Agassi prep school in Las Vegas -- $200,000.
· Olive fruit fly research in France -- $213,000.
· The Stark County, Ohio YMCA -- $500,000.
· A bike trail in Minnesota -- $700,000.

The police department in Bastrop, La., got $1.6 million, supposedly for bullet-proof vests. Even if you think Washington ought to fund local police, consider this comment from a Bastrop cop:
"There's no way we'd need that kind of money just to put all our people in vests," said Det. Curtis Stephenson.

Outraged yet?

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledged in March to cut the number of earmarks by half. Didn't happen. This budget contains more than 11,000 earmarks, the second-highest number in history.

Outraged yet?

Congress cannot be trusted to end earmarks. If left to the legislators who use earmarks to get re-elected, there's no way this robbery will end. It will take a President to stop it. And there is only one candidate running for President who can be trusted to do that: John McCain.

Sen. McCain was first elected to Congress in 1982. In the 25 years since, he has sponsored not a single earmark. Not one.

His yearly haranguing of Congress for its pork-barrel spending has helped bring national attention to this outrageous pilfering of taxpayer money. Sen. McCain has pledged that if elected President he will veto every bill that contains an earmark. And those who know him know he means it.

Let's put the veto pen in the hands of the one man who will use it to X out all pork-barrel spending and get Washington's fiscal house in order. Let's end once and for all this outrageous use of taxpayer money for the private benefit of elected officials. Let's elect John McCain President.

Read Union Leader Editorial: "Kill The Pork! Elect The Guy With The Knife"

Romney: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: SIOUX CITY JOURNAL ENDORSES GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY

Sioux City Journal Endorsement
Editorial
December 23, 2007

"At a time when the challenges we face as a nation are formidable, complex, divisive, political and dangerous, America needs a leader with energy, intellect, vision, charisma and experience.

"In his party's field of presidential candidates, Mitt Romney stands out as such an individual. Today we endorse Romney as the Republican we support in the Jan. 3 Iowa Caucuses.

"Romney combines an outsider's new face with a proven track record of success as an executive in both the private and public sectors."
…

"Personally, he is engaging, even charming, he has shown an ability to reach across partisan divides, and he is passionate on the campaign trail. In terms of leadership qualities, he possesses 'it,' and the importance of 'it' should not be diminished."
…

"In order to win his party's nomination and compete in the general election, Romney first must prove he's conservative enough, of course. Whether the subject is national defense, economics or social issues, his conservative credentials are strong."
…

"Having earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, founded his own venture capital and investment company, managed the Olympic Games and run a state in which the Legislature is some 85 percent Democratic, Romney understands economic principles, the intricacies of reform in areas such as education and health care, and the essential need to work with the other side. It's reasonable to say the economy and budget of Massachusetts were in dramatically better shape when he left office than when he entered, that the once-troubled 2002 Winter Olympics were transformed into a profitable success under his watch."
…

"Finally, the 60-year-old Romney – son of the late George Romney, a three-term governor of Michigan and secretary of Housing and Urban Development in Richard Nixon's first term – is a man of decency and integrity. Likability cannot be discounted as an attribute important in a candidate for public office.

"Among all the Republican candidates this year, Romney best taps into what we believe Americans seek – a different look, a fresh vision, a return to America's goodness and greatness."…

To read the full endorsement, please see: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/

McCain: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Concord Monitor: "Romney Should Not Be The Next President"

"When New Hampshire partisans are asked to defend the state's first-in-the-nation primary, we talk about our ability to see the candidates up close, ask tough questions and see through the baloney. If a candidate is a phony, we assure ourselves and the rest of the world, we'll know it. Mitt Romney is such a candidate. New Hampshire Republicans and independents must vote no." -- Concord Monitor

Romney Should Not Be The Next President
Editorial
Concord Monitor
December 23, 2007

If you were building a Republican presidential candidate from a kit, imagine what pieces you might use: an athletic build, ramrod posture, Reaganesque hair, a charismatic speaking style and a crisp dark suit. You'd add a beautiful wife and family, a wildly successful business career and just enough executive government experience. You'd pour in some old GOP bromides -- spending cuts and lower taxes -- plus some new positions for 2008: anti-immigrant rhetoric and a focus on faith.

Add it all up and you get Mitt Romney, a disquieting figure who sure looks like the next president and most surely must be stopped.

Romney's main business experience is as a management consultant, a field in which smart, fast-moving specialists often advise corporations on how to reinvent themselves. His memoir is called Turnaround -- the story of his successful rescue of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City -- but the most stunning turnaround he has engineered is his own political career.

If you followed only his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, you might imagine Romney as a pragmatic moderate with liberal positions on numerous social issues and an ability to work well with Democrats. If you followed only his campaign for president, you'd swear he was a red-meat conservative, pandering to the religious right, whatever the cost. Pay attention to both, and you're left to wonder if there's anything at all at his core.

As a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1994, he boasted that he would be a stronger advocate of gay rights than his opponent, Ted Kennedy. These days, he makes a point of his opposition to gay marriage and adoption.

There was a time that he said he wanted to make contraception more available -- and a time that he vetoed a bill to sell it over-the-counter.

The old Romney assured voters he was pro-choice on abortion. "You will not see me wavering on that," he said in 1994, and he cited the tragedy of a relative's botched illegal abortion as the reason to keep abortions safe and legal. These days, he describes himself as pro-life.

There was a time that he supported stem-cell research and cited his own wife's multiple sclerosis in explaining his thinking; such research, he reasoned, could help families like his. These days, he largely opposes it. As a candidate for governor, Romney dismissed an anti-tax pledge as a gimmick. In this race, he was the first to sign.

People can change, and intransigence is not necessarily a virtue. But Romney has yet to explain this particular set of turnarounds in a way that convinces voters they are based on anything other than his own ambition.

In the 2008 campaign for president, there are numerous issues on which Romney has no record, and so voters must take him at his word. On these issues, those words are often chilling. While other candidates of both parties speak of restoring America's moral leadership in the world, Romney has said he'd like to "double" the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, where inmates have been held for years without formal charge or access to the courts. He dodges the issue of torture -- unable to say, simply, that waterboarding is torture and America won't do it.

When New Hampshire partisans are asked to defend the state's first-in-the-nation primary, we talk about our ability to see the candidates up close, ask tough questions and see through the baloney. If a candidate is a phony, we assure ourselves and the rest of the world, we'll know it.

Mitt Romney is such a candidate. New Hampshire Republicans and independents must vote no.

Read Concord Monitor Editorial: "Romney Should Not Be The Next President"

Note: Romney Actually Sought The Concord Monitor's Endorsement

The McCain Update - December 22, 2007

This week we released a very special new ad, "My Christmas Story." The ad tells the heartwarming story of the most transcendent and uplifting experience of John McCain's imprisonment.

As a prisoner of war in Vietnam, John McCain's spirit was lifted by the compassion of a single prison guard during one of his darkest hours. The simple actions of the guard reminded John McCain of the true meaning of kindness and gave him hope during the Christmas and holiday season.

Click here to watch our latest ad. Please forward it to your friends and family, and remember the power of a simple act of kindness this Christmas.

The McCain Update - December 22, 2007
This week we released a very special new ad, "My Christmas Story." The ad tells the heartwarming story of the most transcendent and uplifting experience of John McCain's imprisonment.

As a prisoner of war in Vietnam, John McCain's spirit was lifted by the compassion of a single prison guard during one of his darkest hours. The simple actions of the guard reminded John McCain of the true meaning of kindness and gave him hope during the Christmas and holiday season.

Click here to watch our latest ad. Please forward it to your friends and family, and remember the power of a simple act of kindness this Christmas.

Endorsements & Latest News

This has been an incredibly exciting week of endorsements for John McCain. On Monday, Senator Joe Lieberman endorsed him in New Hampshire, asking Republican and Independent voters to support John McCain in the first-in-the-nation primary on January 8. Senator Lieberman endorsed John McCain because, "In this critical election, no one should let party lines be a barrier to choosing the person we believe is best qualified to lead our nation forward."
The newspaper endorsements continue to come in for John McCain as well. The Des Moines Register, the largest newspaper in Iowa endorsed him last Sunday. The Boston Herald, The Boston Globe, and The Portsmouth Herald, some of the most popular newspapers in New Hampshire, gave their endorsement of John McCain.

Additional endorsements this week include:
Keene Sentinel: "John McCain"
Valley News: "The Case For McCain"
New York Sun: "In A Rare Move, Kissinger Endorses McCain"
Associated Press: "McCain Basks In Ex-Dem Lieberman Support"
Other important news articles:
Newsweek: "The McCain Scenario"
Boston Herald: "Meanwhile, McCain Might Pull A Lazarus Act"
Union Leader: "Polls Show McCain Gains"
ABC News: "McCain: 'Having Fun' In The Home Stretch"
Wall Street Journal: "McCain's Surge"
Washington Times: "McCain Outflanks Giuliani In N.H."
Des Moines Register: McCain Sees Resurgence In His Run For President
Union Leader: "Commander In Chief: McCain Is The Best Choice"

Spend Primary Night in New Hampshire

Be the lucky person who gets to spend January 8th in New Hampshire with John McCain and the campaign staff as we push on to victory. Spend the final 24 hours with us working to turnout our voters and celebrating a great win in the Granite State.

Every person who donates at least $50 between now and January 4th, and every maxed out donor to the campaign will be eligible to win this opportunity to be a part of McCain history. You will stay with the staff at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, attend the final New Hampshire townhall and rally and work with the campaign volunteers on Election Day Get Out the Vote activities. You will attend the election night hospitality suite and election night Victory Party - and be there to cheer on Senator McCain as he wins the New Hampshire Primary!

Just follow this link and donate at least $50 and you will be eligible to be a part of the fun and excitement that is the New Hampshire Primary! We will contact the winner by phone on January 5th so you have time to make your travel arrangements to New Hampshire.
Become a McCain Ace!

With a donation of $25 dollars or more, you will become a 'McCain Ace' and your name will be permanently featured on our website's 'McCain Aces' board. This wall of recognition will be a record of your support for John McCain. It takes courage to stand with the right presidential candidate through thick and thin, and we want to recognize your efforts and commitment.

Endorsements & Latest News

This has been an incredibly exciting week of endorsements for John McCain. On Monday, Senator Joe Lieberman endorsed him in New Hampshire, asking Republican and Independent voters to support John McCain in the first-in-the-nation primary on January 8. Senator Lieberman endorsed John McCain because, "In this critical election, no one should let party lines be a barrier to choosing the person we believe is best qualified to lead our nation forward."

The newspaper endorsements continue to come in for John McCain as well. The Des Moines Register, the largest newspaper in Iowa endorsed him last Sunday. The Boston Herald, The Boston Globe, and The Portsmouth Herald, some of the most popular newspapers in New Hampshire, gave their endorsement of John McCain.

Additional endorsements this week include:

Keene Sentinel: "John McCain"
Valley News: "The Case For McCain"
New York Sun: "In A Rare Move, Kissinger Endorses McCain"
Associated Press: "McCain Basks In Ex-Dem Lieberman Support"
Other important news articles:

Newsweek: "The McCain Scenario"
Boston Herald: "Meanwhile, McCain Might Pull A Lazarus Act"
Union Leader: "Polls Show McCain Gains"
ABC News: "McCain: 'Having Fun' In The Home Stretch"
Wall Street Journal: "McCain's Surge"
Washington Times: "McCain Outflanks Giuliani In N.H."
Des Moines Register: McCain Sees Resurgence In His Run For President
Union Leader: "Commander In Chief: McCain Is The Best Choice"

Spend Primary Night in New Hampshire

Be the lucky person who gets to spend January 8th in New Hampshire with John McCain and the campaign staff as we push on to victory. Spend the final 24 hours with us working to turnout our voters and celebrating a great win in the Granite State.

Every person who donates at least $50 between now and January 4th, and every maxed out donor to the campaign will be eligible to win this opportunity to be a part of McCain history. You will stay with the staff at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, attend the final New Hampshire townhall and rally and work with the campaign volunteers on Election Day Get Out the Vote activities. You will attend the election night hospitality suite and election night Victory Party - and be there to cheer on Senator McCain as he wins the New Hampshire Primary!