Sen. Martinez Backs McCain

Polls Show No Favorite

Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), right, announced his support for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) during an appearance at the Latin Builders Association in Miami. (By Charles Dharapak -- Associated Press)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- As he seeks to win over Florida Republicans in a closed primary here next week, John McCain reiterated Friday that he "earned more Republican votes than everyone else" in New Hampshire and South Carolina. The truth, however, is more complicated.

According to National Election Pool exit polls, self-identified Republicans in New Hampshire backed Mitt Romney 35 percent to McCain's 34 percent. However, registered Republicans backed McCain over Romney 37 to 33 percent.

In South Carolina, Mike Huckabee edged out McCain among self-identified Republicans 32 to 31 percent; there is no party registration in the state. The typical margin of error for exit polls is plus or minus 4 percent, so statistically they were tied.

Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) acknowledged this just after McCain spoke with conservatives, saying that in the South Carolina primary contest between Huckabee and McCain, "Among conservatives in general, it was a one-point difference." Still, he argued that the senator's electability remains a strong selling point for conservative voters.

And while McCain's 95-year-old mother, Roberta, told C-SPAN's Steve Scully on Thursday that "holding their nose they're [Republicans are] going to have to take him," the senator said that he did not necessarily endorse that sentiment.

"I respect and love her," he said of his mother. "My mother and I, as much as I love her, don't always agree on every issue. My mother deserves a little bit of latitude, given the fact that she has always tried to speak in a candid fashion."

-- Juliet Eilperin

DURING THE SUPER BOWL

Fox Bars Candidates' Ads

The Fox network won't sell Super Bowl advertising time to a political candidate, according to a report published Friday.

Last week, the network had one 30-second spot still available to a candidate willing to pay about $2.7 million for the coveted commercial time. The game will be held Feb. 3, two days before Super Tuesday, when more than 20 states hold primaries.

The industry publication Advertising Age reported on its Web site Friday that Fox has decided since it cannot make time available to all the candidates, it won't make it available to any.

Fox lawyers pointed to Federal Communications Commission regulations to explain the company's decision.

Fox can refuse to sell political time in this situation and can invoke an FCC ruling that turning candidates down is reasonable in "unique, one-time-only" broadcasts where equal ad time can't be offered to all candidates, according to the report.

-- Matthew Mosk