McCain woos conservatives, Romney supporters

BY TOM BRUNE | tom.brune@newsday.com

February 8, 2008

WASHINGTON - With his chief rival out of the way, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain yesterday took his first steps toward reconciling with distrustful conservatives and took aim at liberal Democrats as he looked ahead to November.

Shortly after Mitt Romney told the Conservative Political Action Conference here he was dropping out, McCain took the stage to woo conservatives and Romney's supporters, admitting differences but stressing his conservative credentials.

"We have had a few disagreements, and none of us will pretend that we won't continue to have a few," McCain said. "But even in disagreement, especially in disagreement, I will seek the counsel of my fellow conservatives."

Yet McCain, who conceded he's known as a maverick for pushing campaign finance reform and a broad immigration measure, said he would not always bend to them as he highlighted his national appeal as a candidate in November.

"I will stand on my convictions, my conservative convictions, and trust in the good sense of the voters, and in my confidence that conservative principles still appeal to a majority of Americans, Republicans, independents and Reagan Democrats," he said.

McCain said the real differences are between the GOP's conservative principles and the Democrats' liberal policies, whether the nominee is Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama.

"We are arguing about hugely consequential things," McCain said, charging both would raise taxes, back big government, arbitrarily pull out of Iraq and underestimate the threat of Iran and terrorists.

He won cheers in the packed hotel ballroom, but also got a lukewarm reception from fans of Romney and McCain's remaining rivals, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul.

When McCain said, "On the issue of illegal immigration," boos stopped him. But many clapped as he said, "It would be among my highest priorities to secure our borders first."

Calling himself "a mainstream conservative," he also listed his beliefs in small government, fiscal discipline, low taxes, a strong defense, strict judges and "the steadfast defense of our rights to life ... to the born and unborn."

Doug Kmiec, a Romney campaign adviser, said McCain's address was a "good start," but still feeling the wounds of Romney's withdrawal, added, "The jury is still out."

Conservative political activist Ralph Reed said he intends to support the GOP nominee, but warned, "He needs to turn quickly to building a bridge to the grass roots of the party."

Reed said the template for doing that could be found in 1988, when nominee George H.W. Bush took the same steps and defied predictions to beat Democrat Michael Dukakis. Like Bush, Reed said, McCain must choose the right running mate, adopt a conservative platform, and give the right speeches at the convention.

Earlier, Romney disappointed many here by stepping back from his hard-fought campaign, in which he invested $35 million and bruised his rivals.

But his campaign foundered after he failed to get planned wins in Iowa and New Hampshire and it skidded when he didn't derail McCain in Tuesday's Super primaries.

"This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose," Romney said. But he added, "If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win."