John McCain Endorsement: Arizona Senator Tells Republicans To Settle On Mitt Romney

WASHINGTON -- Just two days after the first votes in the race to pick a Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain said it's time to wrap things up.

McCain, who endorsed Mitt Romney to be the GOP nominee a day earlier, said Republicans need to "get this thing done with as quickly as possible and get into the main event."

The Arizona senator, speaking Thursday on CBS' "The Early Show," says Republicans need to focus on beating President Barack Obama.

(Video above via CBS News.)

McCain and Romney were rivals for the GOP nomination in 2008. That time, it was McCain who came away with the nomination, only to lose the presidency to Obama.

McCain defended Romney's consistency on issues, which he attacked in 2008 as a GOP presidential candidate. "He's done a lot since then," said McCain. "All of us from time to time over the years change our positions as certain conditions and circumstances change, but I don't think there's anyone in america that has changed positions more times than the President of the United States on virtually every issue."

He also criticized Newt Gingrich for calling Romney a "liar" Tuesday for being disingenuous about negative ads run against him by a Romney-aligned super PAC. "I don't think it’s appropriate to call your opponent a liar. That's just something we don’t do in politics unless you certainly have some overwhelming proof," he said.

McCain went on to call the Citizens United decision that altered the campaign finance landscape "one of the worst decisions in history." He said, "But I predicted when the U.S. Supreme Court -- with their absolute ignorance of actually what happens in politics -- struck down that law that there would be a flood of money into campaigns. Not transparent; unaccounted for. And this is exactly what is happening." He added, "And those are the rules, and everyone is playing by those rules."

Comments

[HopeWFaith]

11:16 AM on 01/15/2012

So McCain, are you calling for an Amendment to overturn this idiotic, destructive ruling or are you going to continue to be a part of the demise of our democracy, like the rest of the GOP?

Please, don't try to tell us that THIS SUP COURT is Ignorant of what happens in Politics. They are not ignorant. They simply have a similar agenda to yours. Fact.

"...U.S. Supreme Court -- with their absolute ignorance of actually what happens in politics..."
"And those are the rules, and everyone is playing by those rules."

[BigBearcatBill]

03:45 AM on 01/06/2012

OK Senator McCain, I got a hypothetical question for you and all the candidates should get ready for this one. They all say many good things about Reagan and most if not all say they want to be like a Reagan republican when they become president. So how will that work any better with you new friends called the Tea Party fiscal tightwads when every conservative retired republican that worked for either Reagan/Bush/Bush Jr. who Ron Reagan liked now say during these Tea Party budget hostage takings and no tax raises attitude say that Reagan would have took them to the wood shed since he raised taxes several times and also raised the Deficit limits many times - would your Tea Party shut down Ron now? Are they doing it only becuase we have a black successful democratic President? All of you go back to your dorms and come to class with your answers in essay form tomrrow!

[Kritikos]

11:39 PM on 01/05/2012

Well whoop de doo.

[MarcDel]

11:05 PM on 01/05/2012

To his credit one thing John McCain knows is torture. He suffered real torture. This endorsement was really tortured.

[MDean]

07:10 PM on 01/05/2012

McCain is right... we need to get this thing done as soon as possible and move on to the main event... Republicans need to start doing things to improve our economy and create jobs... They need to put country first, ahead of politics... They need to come to grips with the facts that their tax cuts for the "job creators" does not work and that you can't operate from the premise of free enterprise in a global economy where governments of other countries restrict imports and subsidize their domestic production and export based economy. Restoring our nation's economy and putting our people to work is the main event... Get to it.

[hhoc612710]

05:57 PM on 01/05/2012

M.Cain can't stand the fact that he lose to Obama . Still sour taste. He wants revenge??? He is getting old he should retire and let some new blood in politics

[Don Clanton]

04:12 PM on 01/05/2012

As everyone knows, Senator McCain's judgement is infallible.

[mrtimmaulden]

07:21 PM on 01/05/2012

Fanned for that subtle smackdown.

[henrypapillon]

03:43 PM on 01/05/2012

Listen to the one who led you up the mountain the last time.

[softvoice]

03:35 PM on 01/05/2012

If Romney should become the nominee I wonder if he will follow in McCain's foot steps by picking a running mate, just for the "shock and awe" effect while disregarding the seriousness of the office of President and Vice President.

[henrypapillon]

03:43 PM on 01/05/2012

would that be Nicky Haley?

[mrtimmaulden]

07:22 PM on 01/05/2012

It would....and EVERY Democrat posting here would LOVE a Romney/ Nihadrita ticket.

[NAMU2010]

03:27 PM on 01/05/2012

Well afterall, they both apparently share a love of real estate. Yep, just regular everyday Americans.

[NAMU2010]

03:21 PM on 01/05/2012

McCain sold his soul to get the GOP nom and got nothing in return. Now he is a bitter old has been, who spends his time lashing out at Pres. Obama about everything under the sun. How he can endorse Romney after the things he said about him in 2008 is something only a politician could try to defend. These two deserve each other and will go down in flames once again in 2012.

[1other1]

03:08 PM on 01/05/2012

Still awkwardly confused old man.

[judesuper]

03:07 PM on 01/05/2012

good advice mc drool. the repubs settled on you and look where it got them?

no where with the added bonus of an angry old man that can't accept defeat, that's where.

Well, at least I've enjoyed it!

Keep up the angry snarling, it looks good on you!

[RhynoH]

02:57 PM on 01/05/2012

Hm, McCain finally said something I agree with his comment about the Citizens United decision as "one of the worst decisions in history."

I feel dirty.

[vicla1942]

04:09 PM on 01/05/2012

He probably does not understand what it is all about.

[camelias and sweet tea]

02:54 PM on 01/05/2012

What an id- - - The only reason MIttens took Gingrich down was because of Citizens United. This guy is off his rocker.