Giuliani prepares to exit, back McCain: Is Ron Paul Still Going?

Like he ever had a chance. Just another loser, quitter, dropout, without the guts to run a real race. He's off to join Fred Thompson in Loserville.

Giuliani prepares to exit, back McCain

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

ORLANDO, Fla. - Rudy Giuliani, who bet his presidential hopes on Florida only to come in third, prepared to quit the race Tuesday and endorse his friendliest rival, John McCain.

The former New York mayor stopped short of announcing he was stepping down, but delivered a valedictory speech that was more farewell than fight-on.

Giuliani finished a distant third to winner McCain and second-place finisher Mitt Romney. Republican officials said Giuliani would endorse McCain on Wednesday in California. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in advance of the public announcement.

"The responsibility of leadership doesn't end with a single campaign, it goes on and you continue to fight for it," Giuliani said, as supporters with tight smiles crowded behind him. "We ran a campaign that was uplifting."

Asked directly if he was dropping out of the race, Giuliani said only: "I'm going to California."

John McCain Wins: Rudy Giuliani Becomes the Biggest Loser

Ron Paul took a tough hit.

McCain grabs upper hand
John McCain seizes momentum before Super Tuesday.

» Florida win

Rudy Giuliani shows he is a quitter who was too afraid to start the race. John McCain, however, was losing months ago, but never said he was dead (I did, and was wrong

By DAVID ESPO and LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writers

MIAMI - Sen. John McCain won a breakthrough triumph in the Florida primary Tuesday night, gaining the upper hand in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination ahead of next week's contests across 21 states and lining up a quick endorsement from soon-to-be dropout Rudy Giuliani.

"It shows one thing. I'm the conservative leader who can unite the party," McCain said after easing past former Massachusetts Gov, Mitt Romney in a hard-fought contest.

"It's a very significant boost, but I think we've got a tough week ahead and a lot of states to come," he said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was the Democratic winner in a primary held in defiance of national rules that drew no campaigning and awarded no delegates.

Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf is Gonzo for John McCain

Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf, otherwise publicly apolitical, speaks up in support of Johnny McCain. For Norm, it is all about war. Too bad. He is smarter than this. For some voters, what Schwarzkopf says about McCain is enough.

It is true. McCain's credentials are great. He's a hero, but can he must post up more than memories and "go get 'em"?

The economy may define the election, not the war. This makes it hard for Republicans. Who do they push in the primaries? What about November? a good war. A bad war. Good economy. Bad economy. They have three viable candidates in John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney, all with different takes.

Ron Paul might be running for vice president at this point, as is occasional candidate Rudy Giuliani.

Democrats however, have basically two candidates, and, depending how detailed you look, at a high level, they seem the same. No matter how much nose we heard in the debate, the issue isn't the issues, but who can capably lead. Both are prochoice, progay, antiwar, see economy as troubled.

The rest is race, gender, experience and how much corruption is perceived and/or tolerated.

Norman Schwarzkopf Endorses McCain
FOXNews
by FOXNews.com Schwarzkopf, who with McCain in 2004 was openly critical of then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld over his handling of the Iraq war, said in a statement the Arizona senator “has served our country with honor in war and in peace.