McCain to Discuss Abstinence in S.C.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson talks about the progress of the 2007 Legislative Session during a news conference at the Capitol in Santa Fe, N.M., Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007. (AP Photo/Jeff Geissler) (Jeff Geissler - AP)

In the ABC interview, Romney said he was a registered independent before running for the Senate as a Republican. That allowed him to vote in either the Republican primary or the Democratic primary.

"When there was no real contest in the Republican primary, I'd vote in the Democratic primary, vote for the person who I thought would be the weakest opponent for the Republican," he said.

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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ While Democratic Sen. Barack Obama has the backing of Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, rival John Edwards is getting the endorsement of the state's Democratic Party chairman.

Former state legislator C. Richard Cranwell announced his support for the former North Carolina senator two days after officials with close ties to Kaine said the governor will back Obama.

"This indicates that Virginia is in play for the presidential sweepstakes for the first time in a long time," Cranwell said in an Associated Press interview Friday.

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WASHINGTON (AP) _ Republican Newt Gingrich has a message for all the presidential candidates: it's just plain stupid to start running this early.

The former House Speaker who might end up being a candidate derided the early entry into the presidential race by so many candidates.

"I think the current process of spending an entire year running in order to spend an entire year running in order to get sworn in January 2009 is stupid," Gingrich said at a National Press Club event with Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York.

"I wouldn't consider thinking about running for president prior to late September," said Gingrich.

The only reason to start this early, he said, was to line the pockets of the high-paid political consultants.