"I'm very proud to endorse my friend, and fellow republican. A hero. John McCain of Arizona for president of the United States of America," announced former New York City mayor and now former presidential candidate, Giuliani throwing his support to John McCain.

Giuliani's endorsement of McCain isn't the only one the Arizona Senator will get. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will endorse McCain later Thursday.
Schwarzenegger, a moderate Republican, is likely to give McCain a significant boost in the California primary heading into Super Tuesday.

Endorsements loomed large during part of last night's republican debate in California. McCain and Mitt Romney exchanged fierce remarks concerning newspaper endorsements.

Romney accused McCain of not being a conservative, citing his endorsement by the New York Times. McCain countered by noting that he had been endorsed by both of Romney's hometown newspapers, including the Boston Herald, known for being a conservative newspaper. He said the publication should know Romney better than anyone else.

"I'd say the same thing," Romney said. "So I'll guarantee the Arizona Republic will be endorsing me, my friend."

Mike Huckabee, who won the nation's first republican contest in Iowa, hasn't won since. But the candidate says he's still alive if he can win several southern states and Missouri in next week's Super Tuesday election. Missouri, the fourth biggest prize for Republicans, has 58 delegates at stake. Huckabee's campaign says he's still in good shape.

"The big prize is Super Tuesday and Governor Huckabee is leading in six states in the polls right now on Super Tuesday. He's still second nationally in the polls; very close to Senator McCain in the national polls. And second in delegate count. So we feel very good about where the campaign is and optimistic about how things are going to go as we look at Super Tuesday." said Tim Hutchinson, Huckabee's senior campaign adviser.

And the democratic candidates will debate tonight. It will be a one-on-one debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Obama was in Colorado - a Super Tuesday state - speaking to an audience of 15,000 people strong that waited blocks to hear him.

"I want to end the mentality that says the only way for Democrats to look tough on national security is by talking, acting and voting like a George Bush Republican. It's time to reject the counsel that says the American People would rather have someone who is strong and wrong than someone who is weak and right - it's time to say that we are the party that is going to be strong and right." said Barack Obama.

Hillary Clinton is talking about which Democrat is the most likely to win a general election. She says a candidate would need to carry Florida and Michigan - states she won in the primary - to win the White House.

"We need to work hard to win the votes of every voter in every state. And I don't see how you get to the electoral victory we need without Michigan and Florida, and I intend to do everything I can to make sure the voters in those states know that I want their votes to count." said Clinton.

And Democrats may have a spoiler in the race, but don't call him that. Ralph Nader, the longtime consumer advocate, says Clinton and Obama are both unacceptable candidates and that he's looking about entering the race. He says it's unfair to call him a spoiler because the term implies that minor candidates are second-class citizens. Some Democrats blame Nader for Al Gore's loss in the presidential election in 2000.

This upcoming Tuesday is Missouri's primary, along with nearly two dozen other states.