McCain reaches out to Republican right (Extra)

Feb 7, 2008, 22:09 GMT

Washington - Republican front-runner John McCain urged the party's core conservatives Thursday to rally behind his presidential bid after his main rival dropped out the race for the White House.

McCain, whose independent-minded stands generate suspicion on the Republican right, faced scattered boos at a meeting of conservative activists as he called for party unity to keep Democrats from taking away the White House in the November 4 election.

'My friends, I'd be honored and deeply humbled to receive the nomination of my party as we continue moving forward in this campaign,' the senator from Arizona told the Washington gathering.

'Many of you have disagreed strongly with some positions I have taken in recent years. I understand that. I might not agree with it, but I respect it,' he said.

McCain, 71, took a decisive step toward the Republican nomination earlier Thursday when rival Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor who billed himself as a true conservative, told the conference he was ending his White House bid to preserve party unity.

In his speech, McCain proclaimed himself a proud conservative who has taken stands against abortion, gun control and government subsidies.

He staunchly defended the war in Iraq and alluded to his service as young soldier during the war in Vietnam, where he was captured and tortured.

'There is no other candidate for this office who appreciates more than I do just how awful war is,' he said, adding that a US failure in Iraq was not an option.

McCain repeatedly won applause, but triggered boos when he recalled his support last year of an failed immigration reform that opponents say would have given amnesty to illegal immigrants already in the US.

He acknowledged the emotional response and pledged 'that it would be among my highest priorities to secure our borders first.' That got him a round of applause.

McCain said he phoned Romney and congratulated his rival for having run an 'energetic' campaign.

'We agreed to sit down together and we agreed on the importance to unite our party,' he said.