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McCain Says He Won't Drop Out

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July 13, 2007 2:26 PM

ABC News' Rick Klein and Bret Hovell report: Sen. John McCain said Friday that only "contracting a fatal disease" will cause him to drop out of the presidential race before the primaries begin, as he vowed to take his campaign directly to the voters of New Hampshire and other early-voting states as a means of compensating for his financial difficulties.

Watch the video HERE.

McCain, R-Ariz., told reporters after a speech in Concord, N.H., that he will concentrate more on town-hall meetings and bus-tour campaigning to connect with voters. He vowed to fix the fund-raising woes that have left him with just $2 million in his campaign account, but suggested that money won't be the determining factor in New Hampshire or elsewhere.

"We'll win the same way we almost won in 2000," McCain said. "They know me [in New Hampshire]. They will not go through any other prism but the direct contact I will have with the people of New Hampshire and South Carolina and Iowa, and we'll win."

In his speech, McCain had strong words for the Iraqi government, saying that Iraqi lawmakers must show they are willing to make the political sacrifices necessary for a peaceful Iraq to emerge. He cited recent progress on the military front, and contrasted his position with that of Democrats whom he said would "withdraw from the threat in the vain hope it will not follow us here."

"I cannot join them in such wishful and very dangerous thinking," McCain said. "I will stand where I stand today and trust you to give me a fair hearing."

Watch the video HERE.

He downplayed reports of his campaign's inner turmoils, saying the real problems were in profligate spending -- not in lagging fund-raising. Still, he acknowledged that some of his positions have hurt his standing inside the GOP.

"My position on immigration was obviously not helpful with the Republican base. I think my position with the war in Iraq has not been helpful with independents," he said. "But I take responsibility for those positions, as well as taking responsibilities for any -- quote -- 'problems' that we had within the campaign."

Steve Duprey, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party and a strong McCain supporter, said the senator's New Hampshire organization is more energized than ever by the fact that McCain will be fighting from behind and concentrating on the Granite State. He said he expects more staff resignations and defections before things start again in the right direction, but said a lack of money won't be a problem in New Hampshire and other key states.

"Start her up," Duprey said. "We're going to win it or lose it -- even if we had all the money in the world -- in the four early states. . . . Give us the van and give us the candidate and we'll do the rest."

July 13, 2007 in Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (52)

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Conservatives are the RINOS. Remember when y'all handed the election to Bill Clinton when you "stayed home" in 1992? Thanks for that RINOS.

Posted by: PM | Jul 13, 2007 8:18:25 PM

mccain is toast. actually, that's not true. he never really entered the race. john mccain is like the spruce goose. old, clunky, and not about to fly ever again. excuse my while i put on my "surprised" face. as for all three of ron paul's supporters who are spamming this forum, i say "keep up the good work!" the more you talk about a wackjob like paul, the more people are going to look right past him at the candidates who are actually viable.

the man to watch is mike huckabee. what litle support mccain has is going to have to go somewhere. he will be 4th place very soon.

Posted by: national razor | Jul 13, 2007 8:49:08 PM

In 1998, while running for his senate seat in Arizona, Mccain said that he was not interested in running for the presidency. The press had asked him if he would just be using his seat as a springboard to the whitehouse. He assured us, the voters of Arizona, that he only wanted to represent this state. He has never represented us. He has missed almost fifty votes in a row. We now know that it is all about him, and he cares nothing about the people he was elected to represent. He will go down in history as one of the most crooked senators, and an enemy of the constitution of the United States. His own state hates him, and the country is now seeing what we have known for years. John Mccain is history.

Posted by: Todd | Jul 13, 2007 9:06:13 PM

It is unbelievable how arrogant he has become. I am a registered AZ voter and even the Republicans in his own state will no longer vote for him. He could not even get his own committeemen appointed to his district. John should have listened to the people of AZ... specifically about immigration & how they are taking over the state of AZ. I am tired of working so hard so I can pay for not only the birh of my own child but for medical care for someone that does not respect the laws, ethics, and history of America. Thank you.

Posted by: IrishChinese | Jul 13, 2007 10:38:07 PM

mcCain will not win because he is a traitor to conservative values

Posted by: tired of this | Jul 13, 2007 11:25:25 PM

Juan McCain might try to run for president of Mexico. He’s very popular there.

Posted by: Royce | Jul 13, 2007 11:57:48 PM

I'm voting for John McCain, so stay in John. Go John Go!!!! Pete

Posted by: pete | Jul 13, 2007 11:58:36 PM

They say the only cure for presidential fever is formaldahide. I guess thats true with McCain.
McCain needs to drink the kool-aid and give his two mill to Fred T.

Posted by: Donald | Jul 14, 2007 12:11:54 AM

While I do respect his passion and his service to America, McCains stance on illegal immigration was totally misguided and short sighted. Wrong party to try that position. Aside from immigration, he just appears to be out of touch with society in general. While a long shot, Ron Paul is the only candidate on the Republican side that deserves a closer look. I was a huge skeptic until I examined a number of his ideas and arguements. He actually makes the Constitution sound like an excellent plan for government! Who'd a thought?! RON PAUL!!!

Posted by: Crispyone | Jul 14, 2007 12:13:35 AM

Someone wrote:

McCain will not win because he is a traitor to conservative values
This is not entirely correct. McCain, because of his support for amnesty legislation for illegal aliens, is a TRAITOR to AMERICAN values.
America needs to STOP encouraging law-breakers with the gift of USA citizenship. Start enforcing our laws now.

Posted by: Bob | Jul 14, 2007 1:19:31 AM

John McCain is fading from the campain because of 4 words:

McCain-Finegold and

McCain-Kennedy.

Campain finance reform and immigration reform. I think He might be a sign of thing to come as far as Republican politicians are concerned. The conservative base that elected alot of these guys are seeing them for what they are, self serving, out of touch elitists with liberal leanings. Now when they turn to the voters, we just don't believe them anymore. And we don't give them our votes.

Posted by: Vern | Jul 14, 2007 2:45:27 AM

McCain is delusional just like bush. We don't need another delusional leader. McCain is no longer in the race. No one is putting any money on him so he is out. Poor guy. The people voted for change and he does not represent change. What a dummy.

Posted by: rosemary | Jul 14, 2007 6:14:44 AM

MCCAIN HAS FOR A LONG TIME REFUSED TO LISTEN TO ARIZONANS, HE HAS BECOME A D.C. BURRO-CRATO. MCCAIN/FINEGOLD WAS BAD ENOUGH, BUT THE MCCAIN/KENNEDY AMNESTY BILL WAS BEYOND THE PALE, AND THE LAST STRAW. HIS POLITICAL CARREER IS OVER AND HE MIGHT BE WISE TO DROP OUT NOW BEFORE IT BECOMES MORE EMBARRASSING. HE IS NOT EVEN ELECTABLE IN AZ ANYMORE. ADIOS!

I WROTE MANY,MANY LETTERS TO HIM OVER THE YEARS--NO REPLY. I AND PROBABLY 200 AZ CONSERVATIVES HAVEN'T VOTED FOR HIM FOR YEARS.

F.D. TUCSON, AZ

Posted by: FAPLAND | Jul 14, 2007 7:03:27 AM

McCain, Obama, Rudy, Clinton, it does not matter. Unfortunately it took segregationist Governor Wallace to reveal the truth that "there's not a dime's worth of difference between" Republicans and Democrats. The Democrats willingly went along with the War in Iraq, suspension of Habeas Corpus, opening mail, banning books like "America Deceived' from Amazon, stealing private lands (Kelo decision), warrant-less wiretapping and refusing to investigate 9/11 properly. They are both guilty of treason.
Support Dr. Ron Paul and end this madness.

Posted by: Jack D | Jul 14, 2007 7:12:31 AM

McCain has always been the MSM's favorite lapdog since he loves to bash other Republicans. For awhile he attempted to convice the Republican base that he was one of them. Then he reminded every what he really was by siding with Kennedy on the border issue. McCain never was in the race because at some point he was bound to show his base what he truely is, a Democrat in Republican clothing. He will not get to the general election where his left wing friends would vote for him because first he would have to get past the primaries, and that will not happen.

Posted by: Jim | Jul 14, 2007 9:10:09 AM

McCain has about as much chance of becoming the next president of this great country as two term former President Bill Clinton has, due in large part to his and Sen. Kennedy’s immigration reform (amnesty) bill.

Their efforts to get the bill into law were akin to DATE RAPE,” WE KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY WANT, SHUT UP AND ENJOY “. What a shock it must have been to McCain and his kind in congress that so many us finally stood up and raised our collective voice in opposition.

DrT
MD

Posted by: DrT | Jul 14, 2007 9:11:24 AM

McCain should quit now. He's done and could not think well for the American taxpayers. What surprises me is that Kennedy should be done too.

Posted by: marc | Jul 14, 2007 10:28:13 AM

To all cyber-space Ron Paul supporters - I can hardly wait for the Ron Paul Howard Dean Scream event coming soon.

Posted by: Lindy | Jul 14, 2007 10:51:15 AM

McCain has been right on only one issue, the Iraq war. He's be wrong on everything else. His amnesty bill would have destroyed America and the Republican party. His McCain/Feingold bill crippled free speech during elections, at least until the Supreme Court stepped in. Except for the war issue, McCain is a liberal who want to become the Republican nominee for President. McCain has become a joke.

Posted by: Fred | Jul 14, 2007 11:29:45 AM

McCain is space out. A dangerous disease contracted from IMMIGRITIONATIS. American taxpayers does not that disease cured. He should be quarantine in Mexico.

Posted by: marc | Jul 14, 2007 1:13:01 PM

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