FACTBOX: Quotes on McCain's Republican nomination

(Reuters) - Sen. John McCain of Arizona won the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday after a sweep of the primary contests in Vermont, Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island gave him the required number of delegates. McCain's last major rival, Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, bowed out of the race.

JOHN MCCAIN

"I am very, very grateful and pleased to note that tonight, my friends, we have won enough delegates to claim with confidence, humility, and a great sense of responsibility that I will be the Republican nominee."

"The contest begins tonight. As you know, like all campaigns, it will have its ups and downs. But we will fight every minute of every day to make certain we have a government that is as capable, wise, brave and decent at the great people we serve. That is our responsibility and I will not let you down."

"Our campaign must be, and will be more than another tired debate of false promises, empty sound-bites, or useless arguments from the past that address not a single American's concerns for their family's security."

"The next president must explain how he or she intends to bring that war to the swiftest possible conclusion without exacerbating a sectarian conflict that could quickly descend into genocide; destabilizing the entire Middle East; enabling our adversaries in the region to extend their influence and undermine our security there."

MIKE HUCKABEE

"It looks pretty apparent tonight that he (McCain) will in fact achieve 1,191 delegates to become the Republican nominee."

"I extended to him (McCain) not only my congratulations, but my commitment to him and to the party to do everything possible to unite our party, but more importantly to unite our country."

"It's now important that we turn our attention not to what could have been or what we wanted to have been but what now must be and that is a united party."

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN HOWARD

DEAN:

"John McCain is out of touch with the issues facing Americans each day. Instead of offering solutions to the high cost of health care, help for the middle class or ideas to create jobs, McCain offers 100 years in Iraq and more of the same Bush budgets that have heaped debt onto our children and damaged our economy."

MCAIN CAMPAIGN MANAGER RICK DAVIS:

"As our party's nomination contest comes to a close, we now face the larger test, a fundamental choice for our nation's future. John McCain offers Americans a bold vision for conservative change to cut taxes, end wasteful spending, reform our health care system, win the war against radical Islamic extremism and strengthen our national security."

(Compiled by JoAnne Allen; Editing by Stuart Grudgings)