Three states are crucial for McCain

LOS ANGELES - John McCain learns Tuesday whether his high-wire campaign can stay on its feet.<br><br>Aides said Mr. McCain must take New York, probably needs California and may also need a win in Ohio

Tuesday, March 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES - John McCain learns Tuesday whether his high-wire campaign can stay on its feet.

Aides said Mr. McCain must take New York, probably needs California and may also need a win in Ohio to stay competitive with the high-financed and heavily endorsed George W. Bush.

"If somebody takes all three of those, it's a pretty strong signal," Mr. McCain said.

Mr. McCain has had to pursue these states with a different strategy from the one that he used with such success in New Hampshire and Michigan. Primarily, he needs help from what has been for him an elusive group: Republicans.

So while appealing to independents and Democrats with calls for campaign finance reform, Mr. McCain has spent more time touting himself as a "Ronald Reagan conservative."

Monday, Mr. McCain again railed at pro-Bush TV ads bashing the Arizona senator over the environment. That ad, financed by Dallas investor Sam Wyly, inspired a McCain complaint to the Federal Election Commission.

"We ask Governor Bush to do what he refused to do all day yesterday on national television and tell his sleazy Texas buddies to stop their negative ads," Mr. McCain said in Santa Clara.

The Bush campaign has denied knowing about the ad in advance.

Speaking with reporters later, Mr. McCain scoffed at the Bush denial, saying, "If it has long horns, if it walks like a longhorn, and moves like a longhorn, then it's a longhorn," he said. "This is a Texas operation."

Mr. McCain said he must find a way to stay competitive in the delegate race, especially given primaries next week in Texas, Florida and other Southern states where Mr. Bush is strong.

"If you don't prevail, what's the point?" Mr. McCain said.

During his final campaign stop, at a park in San Diego, Mr. McCain said the results Tuesday would be "very decisive" with regard to his political future.

"Tomorrow," he said, "after 14 months on this campaign, I think that we will probably have a pretty good idea."
By David Jackson / The Dallas Morning News

LOS ANGELES - John McCain learns Tuesday whether his high-wire campaign can stay on its feet.

Aides said Mr. McCain must take New York, probably needs California and may also need a win in Ohio to stay competitive with the high-financed and heavily endorsed George W. Bush.

"If somebody takes all three of those, it's a pretty strong signal," Mr. McCain said.

Mr. McCain has had to pursue these states with a different strategy from the one that he used with such success in New Hampshire and Michigan. Primarily, he needs help from what has been for him an elusive group: Republicans.

So while appealing to independents and Democrats with calls for campaign finance reform, Mr. McCain has spent more time touting himself as a "Ronald Reagan conservative."

Monday, Mr. McCain again railed at pro-Bush TV ads bashing the Arizona senator over the environment. That ad, financed by Dallas investor Sam Wyly, inspired a McCain complaint to the Federal Election Commission.

"We ask Governor Bush to do what he refused to do all day yesterday on national television and tell his sleazy Texas buddies to stop their negative ads," Mr. McCain said in Santa Clara.

The Bush campaign has denied knowing about the ad in advance.

Speaking with reporters later, Mr. McCain scoffed at the Bush denial, saying, "If it has long horns, if it walks like a longhorn, and moves like a longhorn, then it's a longhorn," he said. "This is a Texas operation."

Mr. McCain said he must find a way to stay competitive in the delegate race, especially given primaries next week in Texas, Florida and other Southern states where Mr. Bush is strong.

"If you don't prevail, what's the point?" Mr. McCain said.

During his final campaign stop, at a park in San Diego, Mr. McCain said the results Tuesday would be "very decisive" with regard to his political future.

"Tomorrow," he said, "after 14 months on this campaign, I think that we will probably have a pretty good idea."