(Host) Presidential politics arrived in Vermont today .
Senator John McCain rallied about 500 Republican supporters during an hourlong visit to the Burlington airport.
VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.
(Sneyd) Only 17 delegates are at stake when Vermont Republicans head to the polls next month.
Even Governor Jim Douglas joked about how little influence the state has in determining a Republican nominee.
(Douglas) “Now I’m sure it’s going to put you over the top, Seantor, when you win the Vermont primary on March fourth. But we’re proud to be a part of what’s going to be an exciting campaign for the future of our great land.”
(Sneyd) McCain didn’t spend much time. He landed at the Burlington airport and gave a 30-minute talk to a mostly polite audience.
And within an hour he was back on the plane, headed to another rally at the Providence, Rhode Island, airport.
Both states hold primaries on March fourth. But both are being overshadowed by the high-profile contests the same day in Ohio and Texas.
McCain says it was important to him to visit Vermont, even if his nomination already is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
(McCain) “My friends I’m here, to start with, I’m asking for your vote on Tuesday. I need it. I want it. I want to win in Vermont. And I would be very honored by your support. And it does matter. And I want to tell you, you will help us on the road to the nomination and the presidency of the United States.”
(Sneyd) The Arizona senator acknowledged that former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is still in the race.
But Vermont is pretty friendly territory for McCain. It was one of the states he won eight years ago. And he has the backing of most of the top Republicans, from Governor Douglas through the party’s ranks.
He conceded that Vermont will be a tough state for him to win in November. No Republican has taken the state since 1988.
And he’s already looking toward the general election.
McCain criticized his Democratic rivals, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, for what he calls pork-barrel politics.
The Washington Post reported both have earmarked tens of millions of federal dollars for their home states. McCain says that’s a wasteful practice and he’d veto such pork as president.
The senator hit on a number of issues in his talk – the economy, global warming, even nuclear power.
But he also acknowledged one of his challenges in the fall election – his continued support for the war in Iraq.
(McCain) “I understand that America and people in this audience are divided about this war. Thank god, Thank god none of us are divided in our support of the brave young Americans who are serving this country in the military, in uniforms, so bravely in far-off places today.”
(Sneyd) McCain says he’s determined to compete for votes across the country. So he says he’ll probably be back to Vermont again before November.
For VPR News, I’m Ross Sneyd.
AP Photo/Toby Talbot