LAS CRUSES, N.M., May 27 (UPI) -- Two U.S. presidential hopefuls offered divergent Memorial Day views on the war in Iraq, one pledging to support the war, the other vowing to end it.
At events in New Mexico, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., offered audiences a chance to hear how the men -- should they become their parties' presidential nominees -- would address issues to appeal to voters, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
McCain said in Albuquerque that he would back the Iraq war even "if I must stand athwart popular opinion."
In Las Cruces, N.M., Obama said his intention was "to bring this war in Iraq to a close and to start bringing home our troops in an orderly fashion."
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., spent Memorial Day campaigning in Puerto Rico.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who endorsed Obama, said Western states would play a big role in this year's election.
"It's significant that they are here," Richardson told the Times, noting New Mexico was a battleground state four years ago. "Western states will get priority attention."
The last Democratic primaries are in Montana, South Dakota and Puerto Rico. The final Republican primaries are in Idaho and New Mexico.
