In remarks prepared for the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, Romney says that if he were to take his campaign all the way to the convention, it would delay the launch of a national campaign effort. And that, he says, would make it more likely for Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton to win in November. In a time of war, Romney says, he won't let his campaign be part of what he calls ''aiding a surrender to terror.''
The former Massachusetts governor says it's not an ''easy decision,'' and that he hates to lose.
But he says, ''I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country.''
Romney says he disagrees with McCain on ''a number of issues,'' but that he agrees with him on ''doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating al-Qaida and terror.''
