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Union Leader to Endorse McCain?
Rumors are flying fast and furious that the Manchester Union Leader newspaper is planning to endorse the presidential candidacy of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in its Sunday edition
The Fix has heard the endorsement is a done deal from at least one well-informed source, but those closest to McCain have clammed up -- perhaps to avoid stealing the Union Leader's thunder and angering publisher Joseph McQuaid.
If true -- and we should know sometime late tonight -- the endorsement would amount to a major coup for McCain, whose chances at the nomination are hinged heavily on winning New Hampshire.
The Union Leader carries real weight among conservatives in the state, but the paper's most recent endorsements have been hit or miss. In 2000, it went for wealthy publisher Steve Forbes, who finished a distant third in the primary. In 1992 and 1996 the Union Leader went with Pat Buchanan, who finished second behind President George H.W. Bush in '92 but managed to win the state four years later.
By Chris Cillizza |
December 1, 2007; 5:00 PM ET
| Category:
Eye on 2008
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Comments
Posted by: rogden71 | December 1, 2007 7:14 PM | Report abuse
Does the UNION LEADER ever take sides in the Democratic primary? I would think as New Hampshires moves from red to purple to blue that the newspaper would attempt to influence the Democratic primary.
What about other newspapers in the state. I think there is a newspaper in the state capital, Concord. Have they issued any endorsements?
With more and more people moving to southern New Hampshire from Massachusetts, does the BOSTON GLOBE have any influence?
Just wonderin'
Posted by: stevekarlinchak | December 1, 2007 6:18 PM | Report abuse
Go ahead, steal the thunder. The lightning belongs to the Dems.
Posted by: jhbyer | December 1, 2007 6:02 PM | Report abuse
"The Union Leader carries real weight among conservatives in the state, but the paper's most recent endorsements have been hit or miss. In 2000, it went for wealthy publisher Steve Forbes, who finished a distant third in the primary. In 1992 and 1996 the Union Leader went with Pat Buchanan, who finished second behind President George H.W. Bush in '92 but managed to win the state four years later."
In other words, their endorsement carries HUGE weight, except in actually effecting the primary vote? I've read this three times and I'm trying to figure out what it is saying.
Posted by: B2O2 | December 1, 2007 5:54 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
This adds a new twist to an already twisted GOP race. Will the Union-Leader endorsement muddy the waters further? If Huckabee wins Iowa, and McCain comes in second in NH behind Romney, what happens to Rudy? This will really be fun to watch.