Not my first choice (vote, Iraq, campaign, thought)

[JimMe]

McCain was not my first choice for the Republican nomination. He wasn't even my second choice. But the more I learn about him the more I have come to respect him. If there is one word that sums up the trajectory of his professional and political life it is 'integrity.' The sense of that word is wholeness. There is no dichotomy between McCain the man and McCain the naval aviator and leader or McCain the man and McCain the politician. That was evident when, as a pow, he was given the opportunity to be repatriated by his captors and declined so as to remain with his fellow pow's. More recently he, more than any other person, pushed the administration to change directions in Iraq and was an early and ardent supporter of the surge proposed by General Patraeus. His identification with the Iraq war put his campaign on life support last summer. Asked about that he said he would rather lose a campaign than America lose a war.

I think McCain is the kind of man who knows that what ultimately matters is doing the right thing, as he is given to see the right. That doesn't make him perfect. Nor are the positions he takes necessarily beyond debate. Far from it. But if the American people are fortunate enough and wise enough to choose McCain as their president they will know without a doubt that the policies he proposes will reflect his understanding of what is in America's best interest rather than a political calculation aimed at winning re-election or advancing the prospects of a political party. But then that may be too old-fashioned for some people.

[ViewFromThePeak]

Originally Posted by JimMe

... without a doubt that the policies he proposes will reflect his understanding of what is in America's best interest rather than a political calculation aimed at winning re-election or advancing the prospects of a political party...

Yeah, he went from calling that fake Christian Falwell an agent of intolerance to speaking at his phoney tongue speaking, snake charmer university. It wasn't because of advancing his chance of getting elected and warming up to the mental patient evangelicals, was it?

[t206]

I think McCain is absolutely TERRIBLE, however I still would vote for him before I voted for the messed up policies that Obama wants to implement.

With that said, I will likely vote for neither of these clowns.

[JimMe]

Originally Posted by ViewFromThePeak

Yeah, he went from calling that fake Christian Falwell an agent of intolerance to speaking at his phoney tongue speaking, snake charmer university. It wasn't because of advancing his chance of getting elected and warming up to the mental patient evangelicals, was it?

You've got the wrong denomination. Falwell was Baptist and Liberty is a Baptist school. Unlikely you're going to find snake charmers and tongue talkers there. You must be thinking of the Pentecostals. But in 2000 if McCain was listening to your uninformed ilk about what Falwell represented I'm not surprised he thought him to be an agent of intolerance. But there was a raprochment between the two men after that campaign and I think that McCain learned that he couldn't believe everything he heard from the cultural elites, particularly as it pertains to Christians. Preaching from the Bible and any mention of sin amounts to intolerance for people like you. Likely McCain learned the difference.

[JimMe]

Originally Posted by t206

I think McCain is absolutely TERRIBLE, however I still would vote for him before I voted for the messed up policies that Obama wants to implement.

With that said, I will likely vote for neither of these clowns.

I agree he is a terrible campaigner. And some of his public policy positions (cap and trade, ANWR, illegal aliens) are hard to stomach. I expect that if he is elected I'll be gnashing my teeth as often as I'll be cheering. But I have come to admire and respect the man. That's all I'm saying.

[lilypad]

He is what there is to choose from for the rational and sane who wish to vote this year. The other choice is laughable, and abominable to even think about. We are screwed....at least for another four long years.