McCain Hopes for ‘Overwhelming Vote’ for Romney

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Fresh off his win in Tuesday night’s Iowa caucuses, Mitt Romney arrived in New Hampshire today to a warm welcome from Sen. John McCain, who made his endorsement official.

But the crowd of 300 in the Manchester Central High School’s gymnasium seemed less enthusiastic than Romney’s audiences normally have been, and the typical chants of “Mitt! Mitt!” were missing when the candidate arrived.

Romney began his speech by mentioning Tuesday’s results.

“My goodness, what a squeaker, but it sure is nice to have a win. My question to you is, can we do better here in New Hampshire?” he said to cheers. “Do you think we can get more than an eight-vote margin here in New Hampshire? I am going to try. Think we can get there? I sure hope so.”

McCain, meanwhile, was unwavering in his support for the candidate he fought tooth-and-nail for the GOP nomination in 2008.

“It’s with some nostalgia that I return to this place I love so well,” said McCain, the 2008 Republican nominee for president. “I’m really here for one reason and one reason only. It’s to make sure we make Mitt Romney the next president of the United States.

“I hope that we will get an overwhelming vote that will catapult this candidate to the White House,” McCain added.