Election 2000: McCain, Angry Over Negative TV Ads, Makes Last- Ditch Effort in California
FRANK SESNO, CNN ANCHOR: Over the last period of time, we've been taking you to John McCain's speech out in California, also George W. Bush's speeches out in California, as the two of them head for the home stretch before Super Tuesday. California voting there, among the states up to bat. Jonathan Karl joins us now from the location where John McCain was speaking. Jonathan, last-minute strategy and attempts by John McCain to turn things around?</s>JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, McCain making a last- ditch effort here in California. Most of his top aides say McCain faces an almost insurmountable uphill battle in terms of winning the Republican vote here in California. But they are still holding out hope that they can win that general popularity contest where Democrats and independents have their vote count out as well in California. Just finishing up an event here in Silicon Valley, McCain expressing anger over the fact that two of George Bush's allies from Texas, the Wyly brothers, have spent $2.5 million, running television ads, attacking John McCain's record on the environment. What John McCain is saying is that this amounts to an illegal contribution to George W. Bush's campaign of $2.5 million because the ads clearly intended to help Bush. The Bush campaign, of course, denying any involvement with those ads. But the McCain campaign planning on filing a complaint with the FEC over those ads. And, here in Silicon Valley, McCain had some strong words for George W. Bush and those two Texas supporters.</s>SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are going to send a message to two sleazy Texans who put two and a half...</s>MCCAIN: ... who put at least $2.5 million, running attack ads against me, which nobody can account for -- could account for for a while, who are running attack ads, $2.5 million out of Texas into California, Ohio and New York. That is running for president in the worst way. And we reject that kind of politics in America.</s>KARL: McCain moves from here down to Southern California to hit the two biggest media markets down there: events in San Diego and in Los Angeles, before going back to Los Angeles and waiting for those returns tomorrow -- Frank.</s>SESNO: John Karl. And we do want to reiterate that George W. Bush denies any connection between the Wyly brothers and that ad campaign you just heard Jonathan Karl talking about and his campaign.