From Harball with Chris Matthews:

Senator Brownback, you ran a tough campaign.  You were in there for the longest time.  Now you are supporting one of the guys who survives you in this contest, John McCain.  Why him, among all your rivals, have you chosen him to endorse? 

SEN. SAM BROWNBACK ®, KANSAS:  You know, there‘s a number of good candidates on the Republican side, Chris, but I think John is the full package. 

He‘s a fiscal conservative.  He‘s got a 24-year pro-life voting record.  He‘s a pro-life candidate that can beat Hillary Clinton in the fall.  He has foreign policy experience, which I think is important.  And the guy is clearly ready to be commander in chief. 

I had real questions about the surge, but this is the McCain surge.  It‘s working in Iraq.  And I think that full package is such that I think I ought to support him.  And, on top of that, he‘s a legitimate American hero.  He put his life on the line.  He was in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp.  He‘s done it all.  And I think he deserves my support and I think he deserves the support of the country. 

MATTHEWS:  Is this a personal endorsement of a man you respect, as you have said, or is it an endorsement of his policy on Iraq? 

BROWNBACK:  Well, it‘s a personally endorsement, but it is also saying that the surge is working. 

Now, I don‘t think we have gone far enough.  I think we need a political surge, as you have heard me say before.  I think that‘s starting to actually happen organically now in Iraq, is what I‘m seeing coming forward.  But there‘s also a voting record here on life.  There‘s a strong fiscal conservatism record that I have witnessed in the United States Senate. 

Like I say, I think the guy is the full package.  And there‘s no surprises in this package.  You know pretty much John McCain.  He has been around on the national scene for a long time.  I just think it‘s time, really, for our team and our side to give him a second look.  And you‘re seeing that surge, that McCain—McCain momentum really pick up now.

Last edited by headkicker_girl (2007-11-09 18:27:52)