John McCain has spent a quarter of a century inside
Washington but he has never become a Washington “insider.” In stark
contrast to those who go along to get along, McCain is prominently
and sometimes uniquely an individual thinker with the tough,
resolute boldness to act according to his convictions. He has
received plenty of criticism for his indepen-dent nature, but like
Rooster Cogburn in the old movie, “True Grit,” he always proves he
can handle it.
President Harry Truman commented in regard to
the pressures of politics, “If you can’t take the heat, get out of
the kitchen.” From the prisoner of war to the senator who won’t go
with the flow, McCain can take the heat and it seems to have only
made him stronger. More than any time since the Great Depression and
World War II, our country now needs a strong leader. We need to be
kept safe from the specter of global terror and we need to get a
grip on our reeling economy. Tough decisions lie ahead for the
United States of America, and without a tough and tested leader, the
results could be catastrophic.
As we examine the field of
candidates competing this year to be president, we can see some
genuine ability. Republican Gov. Mitt Romney, with his opportunistic
talent for recalibrating his message to fit changing circumstances,
was a skillful administrator of the Olympic Games and a successful
governor of Massachusetts. Mike Huckabee, folksy and charming,
greatly improved the educational system in his nearly 10 years as
the popular governor of Arkansas. Congressman Ron Paul’s libertarian
philosophy is radically at odds with Republicans as well as
Democrats, but he is justly admired for his principled advocacy.
Rudy Guiliani inspired the nation in the dark days after 9/11 and is
fixed in our memories as “America’s mayor.” Among the Democrats,
Sen. Hillary Clinton is deeply grounded in the issues, smart as a
whip, and a superb debater. Sen. Barak Obama, while limited in
experience, is an inspirational communicator whose rhetoric is both
uplifting and unifying.
The momentous decision which
confronts us is who best can lead America at this time in our
history when the chips really are down. The answer is McCain. He is
the best Republican because he has remained consistent with the
traditional Republican principles of fiscal discipline and a strong
national defense. He is the best among the candidates of both
parties because he is the only one among them who has stood his
ground against the hyper-partisanship of the likes of both Rush
Limbaugh and Michael Moore that is now dominating and distorting our
politics. Unlike all the other presidential pretenders, McCain
refuses to cower before the likes of either of these two. He is the
only one who could crack their heads together, which would have the
greatly beneficial and satisfying effect of bringing the rest of us
together.
The American people chose another mighty maverick
as our leader a century ago. His name was Theodore Roosevelt. Of
those now competing to move into his house, only McCain has what it
takes to wield his big stick.
— Bob Brown, former Montana
State Senate president and secretary of state, is a senior fellow at
the University of Montana’s Center for the Rocky Mountain West.
frozenrope62 wrote on Jan 27, 2008 5:59 PM:
" McCain is a flip-flopper and
opportunist, too. So far, the media have been content to accept his
self-characterization as "the straight talker." There wasn't much
straight talk when he was sucking up to the religious right at Oral
Roberts U. And he's pretty crooked-talking when someone asks him
about gays or abortion. "
John Burton wrote on Jan 27, 2008 1:13 PM:
" John McCain is not a conservative,
fiscally or otherwise. His stance of illegal immigration and refusal
to endorse (he voted against them) the 2004 tax cuts are proof of
that. When a leftist newspaper like the New York Times endorses a
politician, that's tells a voter all he needs to know about that
politician's political leanings. "
RGF wrote on Jan 27, 2008 12:05 PM:
" McCain does appear better than
most. It may still be too soon to tell. If Geach doesn't like him
that's a plus and if Bob Brown likes him that's a negative.
"
Robe-Oh? wrote on Jan 27, 2008 10:17 AM:
" I have to Agree this Man Is a Known
factor. He's been there ,,done that and is far from being a Wild
Card like the rest of the Lot. really a No Brainer ! which is
fortunate for people much like the likes of me. sorry for the typos
the first time "
Robe-Oh? wrote on Jan 27, 2008 10:15 AM:
" I have to Agree this Man I a Know
factor. He's been there ,,done that and is far from being a Wild
Card like the rest of the Lot. really a No Brainer ! which is
fortunate for people much like the likes of me. "
Robert D. Geach Sr. wrote on
Jan 27, 2008 9:42 AM:
" Although, John McCain is to be
admired for his honorable military service on our nation's behalf...
and support of our troops in Iraq....he cannot to be trusted to
advance the cause of conservativism and individualism....His record
of voting with Democrats is proof enough...John McCain is the
Democrat and media's Manchurian candidate. "
