McCain Considers Setting Benchmarks for Iraqis (January 2007)
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.
Outstanding!
And I agree on passing up the opportunity to essentially RUIN the Republican party with a liberal nutcase RINO at the helm.
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Agreed, although McCain is hardly a saint.
Perhaps because they are...
1. Idiots
2. Ignorant
3. Uninformed
4. Misinformed 5. Easily influenced. 6. Not ACTUAL "Republicans" (RINOS tend to flock together, witness RINOS rudy and ahnold endorsing a fellow RINO)
7. More interested in a perceived "win", than they are standing up for the principles our nation and our party were founded on.
8. Weak-minded.
9. THINK, because he is a war hero, he should be given a pass on all the other liberal/crazy/nonsensical sh*t he's done in high offic since.
10. Deranged.
11. Dain-bramaged.
12. Dont's take things seriously.
13. Don't realize the gravity of the situation.
14. Don't realize the unintended consequences of a liberal/nucase RINO vote.
I COULD go on....
That's the ticket... McCain: The diveristy candidate!
Or was that adversity?
My principles are not for sale.
Could they give McCain a personality transplant? How about Electronic stability control? How about an implant to generate an electrical shock when the Amnesty thought pops into his head?
Sounds like multi-culti moral equivalence blather to me.
Is there evil in the world? Would you call it out? If so, you contradict yourself.
I'm reading, and I'm not impressed.
No they're not.
I invite you to read-up on Hillary Clinton. Check out my profile page.
You left out Barack Obama and Dick Durbin.
Give the man a break. At least he has the courage to post an alternate point of view, engage in debate, and he’s not obnoxious.
Why do you support Reconquista?
You are correct in your thinking, but all little children scrabble from time to time within a family. I think they even use the word "shuddup" to each other a lot and put their hands over their ears.
As I have said when posting I have no dog in this race yet, but I am leaning...leaning is not endorsing.
I will say I went to the caucus in Maine, and was impressed by Mitt's son, Tagg (37). He stole the show as far as speeches went. You walked away remembering the story of the "red rowboat and the anchor." The other presidential sit-in's repeated the same old rhetoric.
Susan Collins told how MoveOn.org had given Tom Allen(D) close to $400,000 to beat her in Maine. This is a huge amount of money for a guy of his stature. Allen has been carrying MoveOn's water for some time now. She said she was a McCainite, but she thought Mitt would be a good President as well.
A Paul supporter/caucus leader made a point to wear his IMPEACH CHENEY '08 BALLCAP into the auditorium during the speeches to get a table out of a closet to set up for the signatures from his towne. He had it off, however, when standing by his table. I asked the Paul speaker was that the message that was meant to be sent, and he replied I have no control over what a supporter wears..what if I was carrying a lollipop? I said that's a comparison? If so it's a pretty poor one. Then he sheepishly (saying he did not know the person, as I know he saw him, everyone in that area did) looked over at the caucus guy behind the table now set up in the hall.
If anyone ever gets to hear Tagg Romney speak in person, he is very impressive as are the other young supporters that came to help in Romney's campaign. I was very impressed with Tagg Romney. Romney did win Maine, I figured McCain would. Can't say I am disappointed. ;)
Bye, bye, McCain ho’.
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