Too close to call as voting begins in Florida

As for McCain, Traver said, “I think he’s a little older than I’d like to see a president be.” McCain is 71 years old; Romney is 60.

As for one-time Florida front-runner Giuliani, Traver said, “I never liked him from 9/11. I thought he was taking credit for stuff he didn’t deserve credit for.”

A Giuliani supporter
But just down Centre Street in Fernandina Beach, at the Book Loft, cashier Wesley Berninger said he’d be voting for Giuliani. A student at the University of Northern Florida, Berniger said he'll vote as long as he can get back from his classes before the polls close at 7 p.m. “I read his book and I believe in his leadership abilities.”

He added, “I think McCain is too old. And there is something about Romney I just don’t like.”

Lillie Bowman who showed up at the rally in Jacksonville airport to cheer on Romney Monday night said McCain was “a very liberal Republican” and “old Washington.”

Meanwhile aboard the Giuliani campaign plane Monday, there were small signs that the former New York City mayor’s campaign was resigned to its fate: lingering hugs among staffers and reporters asking for the candidate to sign a copy of his book.

The campaign is hoping that a finish ahead of McCain will give them new life, but Giuliani has repeated the claim that the winner of the Florida primary will be the Republican nominee, essentially boxing himself into a corner.

NBC/National Journal Reporter Matthew Berger contributed to this story.

Picking the president: The candidates Click to visit that candidate's MSNBC page or click the XML symbol for an RSS feed. John McCain                Barack Obama

MORE FROM DECISION '08

Decision '08 Section Front

GOP's Chambliss wins Ga. runoff Walter: Obama unscathed in Georgia Franken pulls closer but Coleman still leads Palin campaigning in Ga. for Sen. Chambliss Palin to campaign for Sen. Chambliss Minn. board refuses voided absentee ballots Palin to stump with Sen. Saxby Chambliss Ohio Supreme Court to decide provisional votes Senate recount recalls lengthy '62 gov race Newsweek: Battleground Georgia Decision '08 Section Front   Add Decision '08 headlines to your news reader: