Romney Bows Out as McCain Faces Mixed Reception from GOP Conservatives

WASHINGTON — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, saying his continued candidacy would lead to a Democratic presidency that would invite attacks on America, ended his bid for the GOP nomination on Thursday and cleared the way for Arizona Sen. John McCain to become the party standard-bearer.

In an extraordinary scene in an extraordinary campaign year, Romney made the announcement at a conference of conservatives that included many stunned and upset by his exit and dismayed at the notion of backing McCain.

"I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues as you know," Romney said, drawing boos at the Conservative Political Action Conference when he mentioned McCain.

"But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq," Romney added, turning the anti-McCain boos into cheers.

About two hours later and a lot closer to nomination, McCain acknowledged his history with conservatives.

"We have had a few disagreements, and none of us will pretend that we won't continue to have a few," he told CPAC participants, who greeted him with applause that did not mask some hearty boos. "But even in disagreement, especially in disagreement, I will seek the counsel of my fellow conservatives."

Romney's withdrawal leaves former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who speaks Saturday to CPAC, as McCain's prime foe.

"I'm going to be the choice for all those people who don't think Washington has the answers, for all those people who think that somebody who is not a part of the establishment needs to represent our party and the American people," Huckabee told reporters, adding, "this thing is a long way from being settled, and now that the field is down to two our chances have substantially improved."

Huckabee is counting on support from anyone-but-McCain conservatives who backed Romney. But McCain on Thursday continued to pick up backing from influential conservatives, including Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who has had pitched differences with McCain at times and said it is "time for the Republican Party to come together and stand behind Senator McCain."

Post-Super Tuesday numbers show McCain has 680 delegates to 270 for Romney, 176 for Huckabee and 16 for Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

President Bush, according to excerpts of remarks released Thursday night by White House, will tell CPAC on Friday - without mentioning McCain by name - that the GOP race is near its end.

"We have had good debates and soon we will have a nominee who will carry the conservative banner into this election and beyond. The stakes in November are high," Bush said in the excerpt. "Prosperity and peace are in the balance."

McCain angered CPAC participants by skipping last year's event, at which he placed fifth in a conference straw poll. Romney, first in that poll, announced the suspension of his campaign Thursday at the end of a speech heavy on fiery conservative rhetoric that delighted the audience.

After spending a year and about $35 million of his own money assailing McCain's conservative credentials, Romney said he was throwing in the towel because of national security. His Super Tuesday night promise to fight on until the nominating convention faded because, he said, "we are a nation at war."

"If I fight on in my campaign all the way to the convention" he said, drawing cheers for the notion, "I want you to know I'd forestall the launch of a national campaign and, frankly, I'd be making it easier for Senator (Hillary) Clinton or Senator (Barack) Obama to win."

The two Democratic candidates, Romney said, "have made their intentions clear regarding Iraq and the war on terror. They would retreat, declare defeat and the consequence of that would be devastating. It would mean attacks on America launched from safe havens that make Afghanistan under the Taliban look like child's play."

"Frankly, in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror," he said, as supporters shouted "all the way" and "Go Mitt."

"This isn't an easy decision," Romney said. "I hate to lose. ... But it's never been about me. I entered this race because I love America and because I love America in this time of war I feel I have to now stand aside for our party and for our country."

"No. No," some shouted in the ballroom.

McCain showed up facing a crowd that included many stunned by the Romney announcement ("I feel like I've got a pit in my stomach," said Romney backer Rob Kirchhoefer). Others were riled against McCain by conservative talk show host Laura Ingraham, who introduced Romney by mocking McCain for his call on Wednesday for his conservative critics to "calm down."

"Should all of us calm down instead of pointing out that it's important for a Republican candidate to draw the vital connection between liberty and limited government?" Ingraham said.

And she chided McCain's claim to be a former "foot soldier" for Ronald Reagan.

"I don't think it's enough to say that you were a foot soldier in the Reagan revolution. I think the question is what have you done for conservatism lately?" Ingraham asked, inciting a rousing, standing ovation when she hailed Romney as the "conservatives' conservative."

McCain knew what he was getting into when he accepted the CPAC invitation. But he had no way of knowing at the time that his first speech after vanquishing his top rival would come at the conference.

So he opened with humor.

"I hope you will pardon my absence last year, and understand that I intended no personal insult to any of you," he began. "I was merely pre-occupied with the business of trying to escape the distinction of pre-season front-runner for the Republican nomination which, I'm sure some of you observed, I managed to do in fairly short order."

Now, McCain said, "I again have the privilege of that distinction, and this time I would prefer to hold on to it for a little while."

Odds are heavy that he will.

He praised Romney and Huckabee for their campaign efforts, and said he and Romney talked and "agreed to sit down together and we agreed on the importance to unite our party."

Though Romney did not explicitly endorse McCain, he made it clear he expects the Arizona senator to win the nomination. Romney noted McCain's edge in votes and states won.

"Of course, because size does matter, he is doing quite a bit better with the number of delegates he's got," Romney said.

McCain used his speech Thursday to reach out to movement conservatives who long have opposed him for his positions on immigration, campaign finance reform and other hot-button topics. He drew repeated applause by check-listing core issues on which he agrees with conservatives.

"I am proud, very proud, to have come to public office as a foot soldier in the Reagan revolution," he said, perhaps unaware that Ingraham had mocked that comment earlier at the same microphone.

He drew boos at the first mention of immigration, a topic on which he enraged many conservatives by proposing a plan that included a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

"While I and other Republican supporters of the bill were genuine in our intention to restore control of our borders, we failed, for various and understandable reasons, to convince Americans that we were," he said, promising that securing the borders is now his top immigration priority.

"My friends," he said, "all I ask of any American ... is to judge my record as a whole, and accept that I am not in the habit of making promises to my country that I do not intend to keep."

By the time McCain left the hotel, Bob Shoemaker of Vienna, Va., was in the lobby holding a sign saying, "Join Republicans Against McCain."

"No other issue can doom this country like amnesty," Shoemaker said, referring to McCain's immigration proposal. "I'm not voting for him. No way."

Shoemaker was echoing sentiments uttered Sunday by Romney and still posted on his campaign Web site after he exited the race.

"Frankly, if we want a party that is indistinguishable from Hillary Clinton on an issue like illegal immigration, that we're going to have John McCain as a nominee, that's the wrong way to go," he had said.