He is also not a true conservative, or for that matter true anything, as far as I am concerned. Have you read his biography? Nicknamed McNasty in high school. Also, he graduated fifth from the bottom of his Naval Academy class of over 600 cadets. He was well known for such "accomplishments" as being a "party animal" fly boy (how did he get a prestigious flight school being a near-flunky I will leave it to your imagination, reminding you that both his father and his grandfather at that time were Admirals!).
His squadron command in Jacksonville, Fl, was nothing to brag about; he was cheating on his wife at that time, and was "rewarded" with a promotion and sent to Hawaii to serve as a Navy Captain (O-6), in a capacity of a "Congressional Liaison," where he re-established his party animal "credentials" and where he met his current wife Cindy.
His voting record is full of controversies; he was often voting with most liberal Democrats on a variety of issues, and when it came to abortion he voted against it but voted for stem cell research! No one knows what McCain is up to next. That doesn't make me very confident he is the right pick either.
As a fellow retired Naval Officer, I salute him for his ordeal as a POW. But being a POW does not make one qualified for president. I wish he would stop using that horrible experience as "qualification."
Finally, I ask myself: is this the best the Republican Party can come up with? Is there no other talent available? I know for a fact that there are decorated war veterans in respectable gubernatorial positions, or in Congress, who would fill his shoes much better. I think Gov. Huckaby would have done much better too.
The Republican Party doesn't need mavericks, and people who will reinvent themselves, nor neocons, nor RINOS, because they have not been good for the Party in my opinion.
I disagree about Hukabee, but other wise you are correct. McCain is many things, but how he got the nod is a real mystery to me. He seems to have been selected by the DNC not GOP voters in New Hampshire, and all of a sudden he got a LOT of cash.
This is the worst election I have ever seen. The only consolation is that the Dems have it worse right now.