Posted on 02/03/2008 11:19:47 PM PST by moderate_conservative
Facing an uphill battle in the November elections, Republicans need to nominate a presidential candidate who represents the best traditions of the Grand Old Party: fiscal responsibility, devotion to national security and honest conduct of the nation's business.
Republican voters should consider themselves lucky. They have two candidates highly qualified to occupy the Oval Office: John McCain and Mitt Romney, two principled political figures who could chart a new course for our country and lead it forward with honor.
In a close call, our endorsement goes to McCain, a war hero, experienced player in the U.S. Senate and Washington politics, a principled conservative and a leader with an extra something -- that crucial capacity to stir our souls.
If the GOP's chances in November don't look so good these days, they certainly don't look any worse than McCain's own hopes of securing the GOP nomination just a few months ago. His campaign bank account empty, forced to lay off staff and dismissed as a viable contender, McCain soldiered on against the odds and now appears poised to capture the party's nomination.
His character, political courage and grasp of the crucial issues facing the country guarantee that McCain can energize Republicans and capture the independent voters the GOP will need to retain the White House in the face of the low poll numbers of President Bush.
No one can read his account of the cruel years of torture and solitary confinement in the Hanoi Hilton without feeling a lump in the throat. He never broke.
And anyone who reads his memoir, Faith of My Fathers, understands the foundation on which McCain built a reputation as a politician of the highest ethical standards not afraid to defend unpopular positions and fight for what he believes in. He clung to his belief that the U.S. should increase the troop commitment in Iraq, which caused his early lead to evaporate, and most thought would kill his chances to be president.
McCain is a free thinker who judges each issue on its merits, not on its political implications.
Like the GOP base, McCain understands -- in a way Republicans feel that the Democrats fail to comprehend -- that America faces an implacable enemy in Islamist fanaticism. He articulates eloquently the conservative belief that the consequences of defeat in Iraq would be crippling to the U.S. military's morale, damaging to national security and a signal victory for America's enemies. Like the GOP base, he believes that it wasn't the invasion of Iraq that was a mistake, it was the misguided strategy that didn't put enough boots on the ground. Continued success in the surge will enable McCain to make that argument persuasively to war-weary American voters.
On domestic issues, McCain adheres to Republican orthodoxy that cutting taxes, government spending and regulatory red tape are necessary to preserving a strong economy. McCain risked political suicide last year to promote, unsuccessfully, a reasonable and humane immigration reform package, which included border security provisions, along with a guest-worker program and a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants.
McCain now says he knows America wants border security first. But he has not hedged on his commitment to treat illegal immigrants with compassion. It may be unpopular in some conservative circles, but immigration reform is of vital interest to traditional Republican allies in business.
While boasting core Republican credentials, McCain also has proved that he can reach out to Democrats and work cooperatively toward meaningful solutions -- a trait in rare supply in today's deeply divided capital.
McCain has also been a consistent and loud voice against pork-barrel spending, he is in favor of campaign finance reform, and he has warned about the risks of global warming.
If he is nominated, as we expect he will be, McCain should make Romney America's No. 2 Republican. Given McCain's advanced age, a vice presidential choice has never been more important. A man of impeccable personal integrity, Romney has amassed an enviable record of accomplishment in the business world, public service and elective office. He built a lucrative venture capital and investment business, valuable experience for a White House faced with today's economic insecurities.
He raised the Olympics in Utah from the ashes and led them to a successful conclusion. And as governor of Massachusetts, one of the nation's bluest states, Romney demonstrated how a Republican leader could work with a Democratic legislature to promote economic growth and tackle a complex issue such as expanding health care. Romney has excelled in everything he has done.
But it is McCain we want to see at the top of the ticket. The Democrats are promising the voters what Republicans see as a simplistic and defeatist way out of Iraq -- just withdraw the troops. Straight-talking McCain sees different realities and declares, "The American people deserve to know that the path ahead will be long and difficult."
Admittedly that may be a hard sale in an election year. But it's what Republicans believe, and in McCain they have the standard bearer who can carry that message to the nation and who stands the best chance of convincing Americans that a Republican president needs to lead the nation in seeing Iraq through to a successful end.
Republicans are hungering for a thoughtful Republican who knows how to get things done. That is evidenced by McCain's wins in states as diverse as New Hampshire, South Carolina and now Florida, where only registered Republicans could vote.
Cast a ballot for John McCain. Cast a ballot that counts.
| ILLINOIS LEADERSHIP TEAM U.S. Congressional Representatives Rep. Mark Kirk Rep. Ray LaHood Rep. Peter Roskam Rep. John Schimkus Former U.S. Senator Sen. Peter Fitzgerald Former Governor Governor Jim Edgar State Senators Sen. Dan Cronin Sen. Kirk Dillard Sen. John Jones Sen. Dave Luechtefeld Sen. John Millner Sen. Dale Risinger Sen. Frank Watson State Representatives Rep. Dan Brady Rep. Jim Durkin Rep. Mike Fortner Rep. Sid Mathias Rep. Mike McAuliffe Rep. Jim Meyer Rep. Rosemary Mulligan Rep. JoAnn Osmond Rep. Raymond Poe Rep. Randy Ramey Rep. Jim Sacia Rep. Jil Tracy Rep. Jim Watson Republican National Committeewoman Mary Jo Arndt Major General John Borling, USAF (Ret). Former Ambassador and Former Illinois Republican Party Chair Rich Williamson |
ILLINOIS DELEGATES Gregg Abbott Helen Albert Mike Amrozowicz Mayor Jim Ardis John Atchley Kirby Ballard Joe Bartolomucci Tony Becker Harry Bond Maj. Gen. John Borling Scott Boukal Rep. Daniel P. Brady Julie Brady Kevin Brady Mary Jane Brady Will Callard Dean A. Casper, Jr. Mayor Thomas Tolbert Chisum Vincent P. Churak Robert Cook Michael Corrigan James L. Coxworth Sen. Dan Cronin Larry DeYoung Sen. Kirk Dillard Richard E. Diller Mary Pat Dixon William Durkin Rep. Jim Durkin Barbara Dwyer Deb Detmers Fansler Bobby Vaughan Ferguson Joann Finger John Fogarty, Jr. Rep. Mike Fortner Jim Fuchs Susan Gere Kimberly Pate Godden Gustavo Gonzalez Joyce Gooding Thomas Gooding William S. Graham Kent Gray Mike Hagerty Donald B. Hall J. Sue Hamilton John Harty Thomas Hayes Sean Healy William L. Henniger Herbert Hentschel Roy Hertel Nora Kathleen Hickey Stephanie Hitt Damon Hofstrand Mark Hosty Robert Hudon Bill Jacklin David A. Kelm Virginia Kenney Pam Kinsey U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood Nadja Lalvani Prem Lalvani Pastor Ceasar LeFlore Stephen Liehr Cindy Limbach Andrew Loveday Alex Martella Rilio Mastrantonio Rep. Sidney Mathias Karen Matjasko Matthew Mau John McCrory Tom McRae Margaret McSweeney Ann Melichar Rep. James Meyer Mary Jo Mikottis Jack Murphy Tim O'Neill Rep. Joann Osmond Ray Pawlak Nick Peric Rep. Raymond Poe Dennis Presley William Read Nate Rice James A. Riemer, Jr. Wayne Rosenthal Carlos Saucedo Lisa Schumacher John Scully William G. Shepherd Det. Larry Shepherd U.S. Rep. John M. Shimkus Karen Slattery Michael Sneed Jason Speer David Stanton Nina Stephenson Eugene Syring Steven Tomaszewski Mayor Bruce Tossell Rep. Jil Tracy Mayor Henry Vicenik Charlie Watts Becky Weber Mary A. Welling Ambassador Rich Williamson Alderman Elmo R. Younger, Veteran of WWII |
IBTZ!
You just signed up to post this?!?!?
I hear kitties!!
N00b!
etc etc.
The way I see it, one goes a little left, the other goes pinko commie!
Moderate as in “progressive?” Thanks, but no.
Spare us the SPAM . John .
The CST suggests a ticket McCain/Romney.
John McCain is going to win Illinois easily. I’m not a big McCain cheerleader. I don’t like the politically expedient types whether they are called “mavericks” or not but I still see him as the most conservative individual left in the race. He also has more credibility. He may be a thorn but he is the thorn I know and provided he picks a conservative running mate I will support him in the general election.
Your boy was ranked 48th out of 49 Republican senators in the most recent yearly rating by the ACU. That’s not moderate, that’s McLame.
I’m confused. Which is which?
Apparently, we have a LOT OF STUPID REPUBLICANS in Illinois.
Thanks for the warning.
Thank you for your valuable work.
LOL,
Mr. Cap N’ Trade McAmnesy is the pinko commie!
Welcome to FreeRepublic.com.
There’s no such thing as “moderate conservative.”
That is like saying one can be a “little pregnant.”
Either you’re conservative or you’re not conservative.
Sometimes, it’s just that simple.
This is one of those times.
Time to pee on Peoria.
1. Wanted to be John F’n Kerry’s running mate....
2. Was a corrupt member of the “Keating Five”....
3. Has been duped by the Euro-socialist “global warming” alarmists....
4. Wants to roll out the red carpet for the illegal alien hordes....
5. Was one of two senators (along with the ignoble Lincoln Chafee) who originally joined the Democrats in voting against the Bush tax cuts....
6. Proudly put his name to the most dangerous assault on free speech (McCain-Feingold) in the nation’s history....
7. Opposes the effective interrogation technique known as “waterboarding”, and wants to close Gitmo so he can bring captured terrorists to the United States where he can "lawyer them up" and give them access to the courts....
8. Joins the environmental extremists in opposing drilling for oil in a relatively miniscule section of the frozen, barren, wasteland known as ANWR....
9. Is older than Bob Dole was when Dole ran for President in 1996, and who would be the oldest man in history to try to win the Presidency as a major party candidate....
10. Impeded conservative initiatives in the Senate at nearly every opportunity, according to a genuine conservative, former Senator Rick Santorum (R - PA).
Don’t be astonished.
I was replying specifically in regards your moniker.
Answer still stands.
Reread the post.
Not you, it is in general. Thanks in any case.
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