Posted on 01/25/2008 11:03:35 AM PST by MplsSteve
Florida Sen. Mel Martinez will endorse John McCain on Friday, The Associated Press has learned, a move likely to give the Republican presidential candidate a crucial boost with the state's Cuban-Americans just days before the primary.
The decision is a blow to Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor in a close fight with McCain for support of voters in the Cuban-American community _ and to keep his candidacy alive.
Two Republican officials disclosed the upcoming endorsement on the condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting the announcement.
As recently as Thursday night, Martinez indicated he would remain neutral in the race, though noted that he was close friends with McCain.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Birds of a (shamnesty) feather flock together.
Opinions or comments - anyone?
That should lose him some votes. If only McCain could shut up about Global Warming....UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only to agree with you :o)
My, what a shocker....not....
McCain aide touts ‘Mexico first’ policy (just appointd McCAin policy advisor)
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp? ARTICLE_ID=59890
In an appearance on ABC’s Nightline in 2001, Hernandez said, referring to Mexican immigrants in the U.S., “I want the third generation, the seventh generation, I want them all to think ‘Mexico first.’”
Hernandez told the Associated Press the same year, “I never knew the border as a limitation. I’d be delighted if all of us could come and go between these two marvelous countries.”
Last August, Hernandez published a book entitled “The New American Pioneers: Why Are We Afraid of Mexican Immigrants?” in which he argued Mexican immigrants, both legal and illegal, were at the forefront of establishing a new North American market combining the U.S. with Mexico.
How bad will The Hildabeast beat this fool should he get the nomination. I can’t vote for him - no way.
Helen Keller could have seen that one coming
Mel Amestinez
Mel Amnestinez
That's all the federal Cubano Republicans in Florida.
The amnesty lobby is busy pushing McCain.
Well, if that doesn’t sink him, nothing will!
Good, seems to indicate the Cuban vote is going to be overwhelmingly in McCain’s favor.
I can’t believe this will matter one twit to us in Florida. My question is who can we get to knock Mel off in the primary next time. ...this is kind of like a NY times endorsement.
THE KISS OF DEATH
I would expect no less.
The last I checked, most Cuban Americans were anti Castro. Do these guys think that McCain would play hardball with Cuba? Or have Cuban Americans come to think of themselves as generic Latinos now?
Immigration pals.
What a surprise ;)
Martinez has endorsed McCain.
Gilchrist and Tancredo have endorsed Romney.
Now, I know that some of border hawks here at FR are big time know it alls, and they continually assert that there is no difference between McCain, Romney, Huckabee and Hillary on this issue.
But I think the time has come for all of us to show a little humility and see where some of the good border people are lining up in this race on that issue.
Just a thought.
One more thought on Romney’s “growth” in the conservative direction that preceded this campaign and has continued during the campaign. At some point, whether he really believes or not, he is going to be pushed into a corner where he is going to have to behave like a conservative or the folks that rallied to his support will bring him down, and hard. Sort of like when GWB try to slip Harriet by us. The blowback from his supporters was so severe that he had to relent, though he surely didn’t want to. He wanted his crony but we wanted Alito, and we won. This is what will happen when/if Romney wins. He told us he’s a conservative and we are going to make him behave like one.
Much of the endorsement’s value will be lost when McCain publicly greets Sen. Martinez as “German Ambassador Jack Kemp”.
That’s the only thing good about John McCain being nominated: seeing him miserably defeated and humbled on a national level.
This appears to be largely poll-driven; I believe that Senator Martinez considers Senator McCain to be well ahead of Mr. Giuliani in Florida.
good point
Gilchrist endorsed HUCKABEE, as has Duncan Hunter.
Also, the best Senator in Congress, Dr. Tom Coburn, has endorsed McCain.
So are you going to line up behind Huckabee? Or behind McCain? Pick one.
Easily she can beat him - I think you or I could, also. Couldn’t vote for this liberal - who TNYT endorsed yesterday.
I think they know he’s an idiot but that’s not important - they have him in their pocket.
Martinez and McCain — the amnesty gang rides again.
You are correct. Gilchrist Huck. My mistake.
My preferences are Romney, McCain and Huck in that order.
I don’t believe any of these guys are truly hard core conservatives. But that’s the way I see it, at this stage, all things considered.
I don’t think there is an obviously right or wrong answer in this difficult primary for conservative Republicans. In part, that is what my previous post about showing a little humility here is probably appropriate (though my memory was mistaken on Gilchrist, but not on Tancredo). Your animus to Romney is duly noted, and that is fine, but I suggest only that Romney is a defensible choice at this stage, all things considered (with part of the consideration being who is in his camp and could serve as a check to any mistakes he might make in the future should he win).
And Lincoln Diaz-Balart (my rep) is going to have the race of his life in November since Raul Martinez (former longtime Democratic mayor of Hialeah for those who don't know) announced that he was running against him.
If McCain is our parties’ eventual nominee, I will vote for him - but not willingly at all.
Nor will I do anything to help the McCain effort in my state. I will do any volunteer work for legislative candidates instead.
Diaz-Balart made a fool of himself last night on MSNBC... couldn’t even string a few coherent sentences together.
Couple of things. First, unlike most of the rest of the country, illegal immigration is virtually a non-issue in South Florida. (It registers in the single digits in terms of Republican voter concern down here.) So the McAmnesty rap doesn't play at all.
Second, whatever his other failings may be, McCain can be fairly characterized as a foreign policy hawk. That and the fact that he is running as a Republican is all most Cuban-Americans need to know.
Third, Latinos in general like caudillo-style leadership -- a strongman. A guy who will blow his top from time to time. McCain fits this mold. The others do not.
Nam Vet
I've been singularly unimpressed with his TV appearances as well. To his credit, and for what it's worth, he is quite fiery in Spanish on the local AM Spanish talk radio stations, which are quite influential among the older (and voting) exile population. I've generally been supportive of him -- his ACU rating is up there -- but I've never found him terribly effective and he is a bit too Cuba-centric in his focus, to say the least. He could lose this November -- Raul Martinez is a monster and a master pol.
Demint has endorsed Romney. I don’t know about Inhofe.
Demint has endorsed Romney. I don’t know about Inhofe.
Demint has endorsed Romney. I don’t know about Inhofe.
“Third, Latinos in general like caudillo-style leadership — a strongman. A guy who will blow his top from time to time. McCain fits this mold. The others do not.”
Completely false, and ironic. Why do you think all those Cubans are here, because they like cuidillos?
You might want to update your knowledge of Latin American politics.
The ACU ratings are a loose guide but rather limited.
Consensus on FR is that Coburn is the best Senator since Jesse Helms.
This endorsement might might cost crazy McCain a few votes.
I said "caudillo-style," as in a strong leader. Caudillo doesn't necessarily mean an authoritarian dictator. In fact, it often has populist connotations.
And my knowledge of Latin American politics is quite up-to-date, thank you very much. I'm perhaps only hazy on what's going on in Paraguay and Uruguay.
“I’m perhaps only hazy on what’s going on in Paraguay and Uruguay.”
Don’t fell bad, everybody is :-)
Surprise, surprise! Nothing to see here. Just one self-serving fart endorsing another.
Another proof that this “illegal alien” has to be unseated next time, even preferable being recalled!!!
‘Well, if that doesn’t sink him...’
Yep, Mel’s endorsement should do it..
Well that is IT! Now if Michael Moore endorses McCaniac I am definately not voting for him!!
Do these guys think that McCain would play hardball with Cuba?
Yes. Absolutely, yes.
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