Manchester Union Leader Endorses McCain

New Hampshire’s largest newspaper, the Manchester Union-Leader endorses John McCain:

We don't agree with him on every issue. We disagree with him strongly on campaign finance reform. What is most compelling about McCain, however, is that his record, his character, and his courage show him to be the most trustworthy, competent, and conservative of all those seeking the nomination. Simply put, McCain can be trusted to make informed decisions based on the best interests of his country, come hell or high water.

Competence, courage, and conviction are enormously important for our next President to possess. No one has a better understanding of U.S. interests and dangers right now than does McCain. He was right on the mistakes made by the Bush administration in prosecuting the Islamic terrorist war in Iraq and he is being proved right on the way forward both there and worldwide.

McCain is pro-life. Always has been. He fights against special-interest and pork-barrel spending, and high spending in general, which ticks off liberals and many in the GOP who have wallowed at the public trough. Yet he also has the proven ability, unique among the contenders, to work across the political divide that has led our government into petty bickering when important problems need to be solved.

The value of newspaper endorsements is debatable, and the Union Leader hasn't backed the winner. Nevertheless, the endorsement can't hurt McCain's resurgent campaign.

Rasmussen Reports" latest New Hampshire poll finds Mitt Romney with a nineteen-point lead at 34%. Giuliani, McCain, and Huckabee are in a virtual tie for second place:

Support for Romney and Huckabee in the current survey is the highest yet recorded in a Rasmussen Reports New Hampshire survey. For Giuliani, the 15% reflects his lowest level of support in the six New Hampshire primary election polls.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of McCain’s supporters are certain they will vote for him on January 8. Fifty-four percent (54%) of Giuliani’s supporters are that certain along with 49% of those for Huckabee and 48% of Romney voters.

At Captain's Quarters, Ed Morrissey thinks conservatives might forgive McCain-Feingold long enough to support McCain. Ed might be right, but then there is McCain's failure to support the Bush tax cuts and his support for immigration reform proposals many saw as amnesty.