The Case for John McCain

The Case for John McCain

On February 10, 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States in front of the Old State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois.   Back in 2000, US Senator John McCain ran in the GOP primaries against George W. Bush.  He resumed his quest for the Presidency in 2007.     One could make the argument that both men were running for president well before the 2008 election cycle actually began.

            Now are at the point of final decision.    Many voters in “early voting states” have already cast their ballot for the candidate of their choice.  The undecided voters are still yet to weigh in, along with Democrats, Republican and Unaffiliated voters in 50 states across the United States.    The pundits, polls and conventional wisdom say that Barack Obama has won the election.   In fact, the Obama campaign is building a huge stage and preparing for “world victory party” event in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois.   But don’t count John McCain out just yet.

            Here is the case for John McCain:  First, he is well versed and experienced in military affairs and foreign policy.   With 22 years of military experience in the US Navy, 6 years of brutal imprisonment in the Hanoi Hilton, and his time of service on the US Senate Armed Services Committee, John McCain has been involved in every major foreign policy and military decision over the past 25 years.    As the Commander in Chief, this hands on experience really matters.    Senator Obama simply lacks the experience, judgment and resolve in military and foreign policy matters.

            Secondly, Senator McCain has demonstrated a conservative perspective in the selection of judges, yet he has maintained a pragmatic approach in the US Senator.   He as worked with Democrat and Republican presidents to confirm the most qualified judicial appointments.    John McCain supported Justices Alito and Roberts.    And he was part of the Gang of 14 that was composed on 7 Democrats and 7 Republican Senators that helped break the partisan logjam that was holding up judicial confirmations.

            Thirdly, John McCain is a maverick.  He has challenged his own Republican party, the President of the United States and the Democrats on the other side of the isle.   He has also worked with members of his party and the opposition Democrats when compromise was necessary to move a difficult issue forward.    Was he always successful?  No, but he did make progress on many issues.   Did McCain challenge the status quo?   Yes, but not without being criticized by his own GOP colleagues and Democrat Senators.  As for Senator Obama, his has a very thin resume of accomplishment in the US Senate.    He has been too busy running for higher office to actually get things done in the US Senate.

            The fourth reason for electing the Maverick from Arizona is that, John McCain has made friends and his share of enemies.   Both friends and enemies respect and know who John McCain is.    Not a perfect person, but an accomplished American.  A man who still goes to the nursing home to visit former Congressman Mo Udall, a fellow Arizonian who reached across the isle to help the younger candidate McCain over 40 years ago.  Senator Obama on the other hand his an interesting web of “friends’, who tend to be on the radical left of the American politic, and when these “friends” are not politically expedient, they are cast aside in favor of Obama’s ambition and looking good.

            The fifth reason is John McCain’s position supporting the culture of life.   From his pro-life record, to his family’s adoption of those less fortunate, Senator McCain has made the case for the human and civil rights of those youngest and least cared for in American.   His answer to Rick Warner’s question about when the human rights begin for an unborn child was straightforward.   In contrast, Barack Obama tried to dodge one of the most critical civil rights question of our day by responding that a clear answer from him was above his pay grade.    Really?

            Finally, John McCain is a reformer and advocate of lower government spending.   He has proposed a spending freeze at the Federal level and he has targeted Congressional earmarks and pork barrel spending.    In the first Presidential debate, Senator Obama couldn’t answer the “what programs or initiatives would you cut or delay?” question from PBS news anchor Jim Lehrer.   Senator Obama has no clear record of reform as an elected official, nor has he stood up to his own party on issues of reform (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Congressional earmarks, unlimited amounts of campaign dollars or government corruption).     John McCain has taken on reform issues from campaign finance, to immigration to the reform of Fannie Mae.    Along with Governor Sarah Palin, a President McCain will reform the broken culture of overspending in Washington.

            The case for John McCain is solid and strong.    While his opponent is well spoken and smooth, he lacks what John McCain has: credible authenticity to be entrusted as the President of the United States.

© 2008, Four Corners Media, Jasper Welch  www.jasperwelch.org