Nancy Reagan Gives McCain Seal of Approval

Source: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/03/25/nancy-reagan-to-endorse-mccain/

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Former first lady Nancy Reagan formally backed John McCain for president Tuesday at her Southern California home, saying she decided to forgo her custom of waiting until after the Republican National Convention to endorse because it's obvious he will be the nominee.

McCain, who still faces critical conservative voters, said he hopes the endorsement will help him bring the party together.

"This is an important, most important kind of expression of confidence in my ability to lead the party that I could have," McCain said Tuesday, adding that he hopes the "new Reagan Democrats" are watching.

Reagan said very little during their appearance together in Bel Air, Calif., letting McCain do most of the talking.

But she chimed in at the end in response to a question on why she decided to give such an early endorsement.

"But it wasn't early on," she said. "Let me inject in here. Ronnie and I always waited until everything was decided and then we endorsed. Well, obviously this is the nominee of the party."

Reagan said earlier in a statement that McCain has a been a "good friend" for more than 30 years.

"My husband and I first came to know him as a returning Vietnam War POW, and were impressed by the courage he had shown through his terrible ordeal," she said. "I believe John's record and experience have prepared him well to be our next president."

The support of Ronald Reagan's widow could help McCain shore up the backing of conservatives who have long viewed him skeptically for his record of breaking with the Republican party on some issues they hold dear. At the same time, Reagan's nod also could help further align him with the former president who attracted Democratic as well as Republican voters.

McCain said Tuesday those Democrats are "very important."

Now certain to win the GOP nomination, McCain is on the West Coast this week to raise money.

Reagan's eventual support was expected, and she becomes the latest Republican heavyweight to fall in line behind McCain. She and McCain have long been close, and it was only a matter of time before she spoke up for her friend.

The former first lady has nurtured her husband's legacy and generally has stayed out of the political spotlight in recent years, with a few exceptions. She remained quiet during the multicandidate fight for the GOP nod but attended debates held at her husband's presidential library in Simi Valley, Calif.

In 2006, she lobbied in favor of legislation to expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, a position McCain shares, but President Bush vetoed the bill. President Reagan suffered from Alzheimer's disease.