BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: At noon Eastern, 9:00 on the West Coast, Republican John McCain will announce that he is suspending his campaign. Regardless of the wording, it means his underdog bid for the Republican nomination is effectively over. One adviser does tells CNN that McCain, by not withdrawing completely today, could step back in the race if George W. Bush were to stumble badly in the next coming days. Live to Sedona now, let's pick it up with Jonathan Karl out the with the mountains behind him for more on this. Hey, Jonathan, good morning.</s>JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill. In about an hour and a half, McCain will emerge from his Arizona cabin and announce his plans before this beautiful Sedona, Arizona backdrop. As you mentioned, senior aides telling CNN that McCain will suspend his campaign, effectively ending his bid for the White House. Now what the suspension does, in addition of giving him the option of jumping back in should something unexpected happened to George W. Bush, it also allows him to maintain his delegates, hold his delegates, bring them into the Philadelphia Republican convention this summer, and use them as a way to push his campaign finance reform agenda. Because what aides tell us is that when McCain makes his announcement here he will say that he is withdrawing from the race, but more importantly, he will say that his crusade to reform the Republican Party and reform the political system, is only just beginning. So he is going to be issuing as much a call to arms here as he is a withdrawal statement -- Bill.</s>HEMMER: All right, Jonathan Karl, live in Sedona. Jonathan, thank you.
Election 2000: McCain to Suspend Campaign