WASHINGTON – Republican Senator John McCain announced Wednesday that he will run for the White House in the 2008 race.
McCain, who lost his party’s nomination in 2000 to now-President George W Bush, made the announcement on an unusual venue: CBS television’s ‘Late Show with David Letterman’, a popular comedy show. “I am announcing that I will be a candidate for president of the United States,” McCain, said on the show.He later said he would make a formal announcement in April.The outspoken Arizona senator has seen his standing in the polls slip among Republican faithful, with a Wednesday survey placing him well behind his main rival, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani.McCain has been a strong support for the unpopular Iraq war, arguing that more men must be poured in to flush out insurgent strongholds, crush militias and sectarian violence and to train Iraqi forces – a position since taken up by the president.The 70-year-old McCain set Washington abuzz with a hawkish speech following the November 2006 elections that saw Republicans lose control of both chambers of Congress on voter unhappiness with the war.”Without additional forces, we cannot win this war,” said McCain.Also in November, McCain used a congressional hearing to dress down General John Abizaid, the top US commander in the Middle East.”I regret deeply that you seem to think the status quo and the rate of progress we’re making is acceptable.I think most Americans do not,” McCain said.A new poll Wednesday however shows McCain, a former Navy pilot and Vietnam prisoner of war, lagging behind Giuliani, known as “America’s Mayor” for his handling of the September 11 2001, terror attacks on New York.Giuliani was pulling in 44 per cent of support, compared to 34 per cent on January 19, according to the ABC News/Washington Post poll.McCain lost six points, going from 27 per cent in January to 21 per cent in the new poll.In mid-February McCain travelled to conservative South Carolina and delivered another hawkish speech supporting US efforts in Iraq.”I can’t guarantee success, but I can guarantee the consequences of failure,” McCain said.”If we leave Iraq, you would see chaos; you would see genocide.And sooner or later we would be back.”Nampa-AFP”I am announcing that I will be a candidate for president of the United States,” McCain, said on the show.He later said he would make a formal announcement in April.The outspoken Arizona senator has seen his standing in the polls slip among Republican faithful, with a Wednesday survey placing him well behind his main rival, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani.McCain has been a strong support for the unpopular Iraq war, arguing that more men must be poured in to flush out insurgent strongholds, crush militias and sectarian violence and to train Iraqi forces – a position since taken up by the president.The 70-year-old McCain set Washington abuzz with a hawkish speech following the November 2006 elections that saw Republicans lose control of both chambers of Congress on voter unhappiness with the war.”Without additional forces, we cannot win this war,” said McCain.Also in November, McCain used a congressional hearing to dress down General John Abizaid, the top US commander in the Middle East.”I regret deeply that you seem to think the status quo and the rate of progress we’re making is acceptable.I think most Americans do not,” McCain said.A new poll Wednesday however shows McCain, a former Navy pilot and Vietnam prisoner of war, lagging behind Giuliani, known as “America’s Mayor” for his handling of the September 11 2001, terror attacks on New York.Giuliani was pulling in 44 per cent of support, compared to 34 per cent on January 19, according to the ABC News/Washington Post poll.McCain lost six points, going from 27 per cent in January to 21 per cent in the new poll.In mid-February McCain travelled to conservative South Carolina and delivered another hawkish speech supporting US efforts in Iraq.”I can’t guarantee success, but I can guarantee the consequences of failure,” McCain said.”If we leave Iraq, you would see chaos; you would see genocide.And sooner or later we would be back.”Nampa-AFP
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