Dennis Miller on John McCain

First let me say I'm posting from my blackberry, so no links until I edit later.

I happened to be listening to Dennis Miller on the radio on my way to a meeting this morning. He was a Guiliani supporter and was very frank that he's very happy to now support John McCain.

He took a call from a guy not happy about McCain, so he asked "what don't you like about Mccain"

The caller listed three issues: immigration, McCain Feingold, and Gitmo.

Dennis Miller went on then to debunk the callers first two issues, suggesting that the on immigration a moderate view will be more practical, suggesting that McCain Feingold wasn't really that big a deal anyway.

On gitmo he suggested that he'd be asking Senator McCain that same question too. No one seems to support water-boarding, but some are concerned about bringing terror suspects to the US and giving them "rights"

That's it, the only issue left in Dennis Miller's mind. Good now time for McCain to give his straight talk ... Surely he's got the experience since he was in a POW camp.

Dennis Miller endorses McCain

Steven Forbes looking at John McCain

Romney for Senate in Massachusetts

I love this idea and prediction: Mitt Romney to pull out next Wednesday and run against John Kerry

So what is next? If you look at the winner take all states, McCain has a
substantial lead. He will easily win New York (101 delegates), Connecticut (30
delegates), New Jersey (52 delegates) and Arizona (53 delegates). Many of the
other states are proportional in delegate selection and the race between McCain
and Romney is competitive. Therefore, Romney will not be able to pick up big
chunks of delegates to stop McCain.

My prediction is that McCain will be the Republican nominee next Wednesday.
Moreover, Rudy Giuliani will be the Attorney General. What is best right now for
the Republican Party is for the nasty attacks between McCain and Romney to end.
Governor Romney should reevaluate his candidacy before looking foolish. Wouldn’t
his millions be better spent taking on John Kerry and winning? With McCain on
top of the ballot a Republican Presidential candidate will finally have
coattails in the northeast. So if Romney put his millions into beating John
Kerry he could actually win. Furthermore, Romney keeps stating that Washington
is broken. This would not only give him a graceful exit, but also a chance to
fix “broken Washington.” It makes perfect sense. Have McCain beat Hillary and
Romney beat Kerry.What is best right now for the Republican Party is for the
nasty attacks between McCain and Romney to end. Governor Romney should
reevaluate his candidacy before looking foolish. Wouldn’t his millions be better
spent taking on John Kerry and winning?”

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/news/lone_republican/index.php/2008/01/30/big-win-for-mccain-romney-for-senate/

Florida results - Multiple Updates

8:00 p.m. McCain 34% and Romney 31%

Looks like it will be close, with early voters factoring in

38% in and Mccain has about 23,000 vote lead so far.

Clinton got dem side nailed, and probably begins to tear into Barack again tomorrow.

Dear Michelle Malkin: Time to reconsider

Found this very well-written letter from Publius Pundit site (extremely strong on international and security issues) to Michelle Malkin (who is beating a war drum against John McCain)

Dear Michelle Malkin,
As a conservative female blogger with a litmus test in the forthcoming U.S. presidential elections, I think we have a lot in common. Ironically, though, our litmus tests drive us to the exact opposite conclusion on Senator John McCain.

I love the man, because his stance on Russia -- my litmus test -- is exactly correct. Boot them out of the G-8 and then do all that is humanly possible to contain their neo-Soviet aggression, which includes sending truckloads of cash to terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, shiploads of weapons to freaks like Hugo Chavez and, worst of all, nuclear technology to Iran. In general, Russia is seeking to destabilize the Middle East so as to keep oil prices artificially high, since their economy
depends on oil. The Kremlin is trying to do in 2007 with natural resources what
it tried to do in 1967 with nuclear missiles. I presume McCain's stance on other
foreign policy issues will be just as good. I have no reason to think
otherwise.

You hate McCain, because you think his stance on illegal immigration -- your
litmus test -- is exactly incorrect. In the past, he's embraced a very liberal
attitude towards what you call "shamnesty," a legal measure that would allow
illegal immigrants already her to become legal with due paperwork and
penance.From what I can gather, you like Mitt Romney because he's tougher on
immigration (Giuliani i son life support, and also apparently pro-immigrant). It
probably doesn't surprise you to learn that I disdain Romney because he's way,
way too soft on Russia. Indeed, I'm not at all sure he has any clue what is
actually going on behind the new Iron Curtain these days.

Now, I want to be clear in saying I'm completely sympathetic with your position on illegal immigration, and I'm sure that your quite sympathetic to my position on Russia. You've routinely blasted Hugo Chavez, and you're one of the world's leading
champions in the battle against Islamic extremism.

So I'd like to ask you to take another look at Senator McCain.He's promised that, if elected, he'll make establishing border security a priority over "shamnesty," and you say you don't believe him. I understand your concern, because he's been abominably
wishy-washy on this point. But I think you'll have to agree that Romney has been
just as wishy-washy on the subject of America's foreign policy, if not more so.
If you'll excuse me for saying so, I don't think you've done enough to criticize
Romney on this point, and I'm a bit disappointed by that. Frankly, the idea of
him making our Russia policy terrifies me.

The letter continues head to Publius Pundit to read the remainder

McCain Surge in Florida last 24 hours

Zogby/CSpan/Reuters Tracking (Jan 25-27)
McCain 33 (+3 vs. previous day)
Romney 30 (nc)
Giuliani 14 (+1)
Huckabee 11 (-3)
Paul 2 (-1)
Rasmussen (Jan 27)
McCain 31 (+4)
Romney 31 (-2)
Giuliani 16 (-2)
Huckabee 11 (-1)
Paul 4 (+2)
Strategic Vision (Jan 25-27)
John McCain 27
Mitt Romney 26
Rudy Giuliani 17
Mike Huckabee 15
Ron Paul 5
Undecided 10
Suffolk University (Jan 25-27)
McCain 30
Romney 27
Giuliani 13
Huckabee 11
Paul 4
Quinnipiac (Jan 24-27)
McCain 32
Romney 31
Giuliani 14
Huckabee 13
Paul 3

Florida Governor Endorses John McCain

Latin Builders Association - John McCain

Originally from McCain's Big Florida Endorsement

From CBS News' Dante Higgins:

MIAMI -- John McCain snagged a big endorsement at the Latin Builders Association in Miami:

Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla.“I’ve decided the best person to lead our country under these uncertain times, the man that we should trust with the leadership of our nation as our commander and chief has to be John McCain,” said Martinez.His endorsement was rumored for days but then news came yesterday that the endorsement was off when Martinez told reporters that he wouldn’t endorse anyone and that he’d stay neutral through the primaries.

Then he changed his mind.“I got home last night and I realized that this election was coming up on Tuesday. I spoke with my wife who is a great counselor and we made the decision that I couldn’t sit on the sidelines. John McCain is a good man. And I basically just decided that I couldn’t just sit idly by. So there are still several days and I thought it would be important to get the word out,” he said.“I would not endorse anyone that I didn’t have total confidence is going to be Castro’s worst nightmare,” the Cuban-American Martinez said to a roar of applause.Martinez also chimed in on McCain’s approach to a National Catastrophic Fund, which is to bring the federal government together with state and local leaders to figure out how to deal with funding after natural disasters, not to back a federal mandate.“Look, that’s the approach that Senator [Bill] Nelson [D-Fla.] and I have followed which is to bring together all the players.

Now we tried to get a [catastrophic] fund but it’s not going to happen. It’s not going to pass through the Senate. There are too many senators from states that are not impacted, so I think the senator’s [McCain's] approach is right.”McCain's campaign hopes Martinez's backing will help him with the Cuban-American vote and will be a blow to Giuliani who has been actively courting those voters in Florida for weeks

Romney's failing health plan

Give a few bucks for McCain Now - He can Win!

For immediate release from McCain Victory 2008. (Brad forwarded this from a PoliticoMafioso e-mail that he sent to literally thousands of his contacts. I couldn't have said it better myself. Of course niether could he so he borrowed most of it from our mutual friend Sheridan Folger who authors The Mad Irishman's Conservative Consortium.}

Dear Friends,

I am sure you are all as excited as we about John McCain‘s stunning victory In New Hampshire and South Carolina. McCain Victory 2008 was and is a large part of that surge in momentum for Senator McCain. McCain Victory 2008 has taken on a new challenge; to prove to certain politicians that our Democracy can NOT be BOUGHT!

This week we will have our largest fundraising drive to date via McCain Victory 2008 In preparation for and leading up to the important Florida Primary. Mitt Romney is desperate and rather in shock that his attempt at purchasing the electorate has not been a success. That, however; is NOT stopping Mitt. Romney is seemingly willing to spend as much of his personal fortune as necessary to buy the GOP nomination. That could easily amount to $40 million, on top of the $20 million he has already contributed to his own campaign.Romney is able to outspend all rivals on television advertising by as much as 10-to-1 in Florida and state after state. (Think: February 5th)

If someone asks you “Can Mitt Romney Win the GOP nomination?” Ask them: “Is he still willing to write the check?”I am contacting you on behalf of McCain Victory 2008 and the fund raising team to request your support in the form of an immediate donation to combat Mitt Romney’s tactics.We are funding vital television advertisements in Florida to the tune of $100,000 To prove to Mitt once and for all that

OUR VOTES NOT FOR SALE!

Can You Donate $50 ? Can You Donate $100? Can You Donate $500? Can You Donate $1000For those of you who have continually supported McCain Victory 2008 and John McCain we sincerely thank you and ask for your help once again. McCain Victory 2008 consists of 50+ Bloggers, 300+ Members and 5000+ Contacts more than enough dedicated volunteers to crush the $100,000 goal!In McCain Victory 2008’s first month in operation we, along with the help of you and your friends increased Senator McCain’s online ‘buzz’ and fundraising by a huge 520%!I am asking you to help us out this week by giving a donation to the John McCain Campaign. Be sure to Check the Box and state the I sent you.

We work very hard to provide you all with the tools you need to achieve our common goal of getting John McCain to the White House. We sincerely hope that throughout this election we can count on you and your friends for a generous donation of $100 or more. However, please note that any donation amount is always welcomed!!The cash flow into the campaign since the fabulous New Hampshire Win and equally stunning South Carolina Victory has been AMAZING!John McCain raised over $1 Million in NY the other night!

My friends, Mitt Romney has deep pockets and an even deeper belief that he can purchase this nomination.Help us teach Mitt that THE MOST PRECIOUS OFFICE IN THIS NATION NOT FOR SALE!!Giuliani has made Florida a “make it or break it” state. We want to make it a “Broke Mitt State”! Your generous contribution will make that happen!So here is the deal. If we can raise $100,000 Senator McCain will have a personal conference call with everyone who donates the legal maximum of $2300 per person or $4600 per couple and the top 15 “MV08 Donation referrers.” Go Here to Donate to John McCain 2008. All donations go directly to the campaign. If you encourage family, friends and contacts to donate, make sure they put your name in the “referred by” box at the bottom of the form.

The campaign is tracking our dollars raised and who is out there working to make sure John McCain goes onto victory in 2008!I thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to whatever support you can provide. If youare able to donate privately directly to the campaign by clicking here now , please also check with your friends to see if they will match your contribution!Let’s make sure that we all do something today to make us feel proud.Let’s make certain that the McCain Campaign has the added resources for victory in Florida.If you require additional information about McCain Victory 2008, please contact me and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.You may also visit http://www.mccainvictory08.com/ online or contact the official campaign directly by phone at:[866-775-2008].

You can also donate online.Thank you for your consideration. McCain Victory 2008 couldn't do it without the generosity of donors, supporters and volunteers like yourself.A true supported grass roots campaign untarnished by rich business men from Mass.

Jeff VathTeam Captain - McCain Victory 2008Jeffyex@aol.comFor More On Mitt Romney's Economic Failure In MA , His Lies, His Corruption, His Inability to be Electable against the Democrats Please Visit Our Official Site For These Important Articles.

Stallone endorsing McCain - Rambo vs. Chuck Norris?

Romney has support of gov't spenders

From Red State

Former Democratic Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn famously said, "Son, Republicans aren't the enemy. The Senate is the enemy." For conservatives interested in small government and familiar with Congress, there might be a different formulation: "Son, Democrats aren't the enemy. Appropriators are the enemy." Along similar lines, Americans' for Prosperity Phil Kerpen says, "It is often said, and largely true, that Washington has three political parties — the Democrats, the Republicans, and the Appropriators." Today, Bob Novak calls the appropriators (and leadership) the "Business as usual GOP."

Given that this is a "change election," it strikes me as fair to ask who the appropriators support. The answer is clear: Mitt Romney.


Of his 37 Congressional endorsements (the list is not complete. It misses Rep. John Carter (R-TX), an appropriator ), 14 of them are appropriators, including, yesterday, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), the Senate Republican Appropriator-in-Chief. Someone recently off the list is former Speaker Dennis Hastert, also no inspiring hero of conservatives interested in small government.

John McCain has 4 out of 33 congressional endorsements. That number would go to 5 if Jeff Flake, a small government hero, is appointed to appropriations. But, as Novak points out, don't count on it.

And Rudy Giuliani has 4 out of 25.

Here's my question. If Mitt Romney is the "change" candidate who will fix Washington, what did he tell the business as usual crowd to make them so happy with him

The Phoenix: John McCain is Back

From Time: John McCain Rising

In war and in politics, John McCain has endured more than his share of near death experiences. He's been shot out of the sky and held captive, hung from ropes by his two broken arms and beaten senseless. This is his second run for President; he lost before, has nearly lost again and has been all but disowned by his party. So on the night of South Carolina's Republican primary, when the victory he needed to keep his campaign alive seemed as if it might be slipping away once again, McCain stood silent amid the chaos of his crowded hotel suite, his eyes fixed on the television screen.

The normally loquacious Senator, who is rarely silent and hates to miss a punch line, was tuning the rest of the room out. Rumors that the primary was about to be called for McCain had fizzled, supplanted by whispers that Mike Huckabee had taken a slim lead in the ballot count. For a moment, it all seemed as though it were going to fall down again. But the announcement came: "McCain wins South Carolina!" The room erupted in cheers; McCain's wife Cindy dissolved into tears; and the candidate's pale, scarred, 71-year-old face spread into a triumphant grin.

"Whether it was because of what happened eight years ago in South Carolina or because his campaign was declared dead last July, I don't know," says Mark Salter, McCain's adviser, speechwriter and alter ego. "But he was as happy as I've ever seen him." The old warrior in McCain has learned to savor every battle won because he knows it could be the last. McCain has traveled a long road to get where he is now, positioned as the ever-so-slight front runner for the Republican Party's presidential nomination. Last summer his once formidable campaign all but collapsed in debt and acrimony, with even his closest friends and advisers questioning whether he should bother marching on.

Now having won two important early contests (New Hampshire came first), McCain finds himself burdened with the front-runner label for the second time in a month, the third time in the past year and the fourth time since the 2000 primaries, when he challenged, briefly triumphed over and then was crushed in South Carolina by George W. Bush. Up to this point in McCain's career as a presidential candidate, becoming the man to beat has meant, inexorably, that he was about to be beaten. Whether that history repeats itself may depend on Florida, where the GOP primary is a closed affair. That means no independents or crossover Democrats, the voters who secured McCain's victories in New Hampshire and South Carolina, are permitted to cast ballots. If McCain does manage to win in such a pure party contest, it could be enough to persuade Republicans, desperate for clarity in this wild election cycle, to rally around him.

"Florida is turning out to be the decisive state for the Republican Party," says Scott Reed, who ran Bob Dole's 1996 campaign. "Whoever comes out on top is going to have a tremendous amount of momentum." Maybe. But John McCain has been in presidential politics long enough to know that there is always the McCain exception to every rule. After he decisively beat former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in neighboring New Hampshire, McCain's low-budget campaign expected a windfall of fresh donations to help propel it forward. But the haul was disappointing; donors still weren't ready to buy in to a candidate they view as too much of a risk. The towering obstacle between McCain and victory is not so much his rivals for the nomination but the suspicion long held by many Republicans, especially rock-ribbed conservatives, that the Senator and former war hero is too much the maverick on issues that matter deeply to them to be trusted to occupy the White House.

GOP JITTERS

Conservative fears about McCain are often irrational: through a 25-year career in Congress, first in the House and then in the Senate, McCain has proved himself consistently pro-life on abortion and a hawk on defense, a scourge of wasteful government spending and a generally reliable vote in favor of tax cuts. Yet at last year's Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering of party power brokers, McCain was booed. Conservative élites are the ones most likely to break out into hives at the mention of McCain's name. Former Republican House majority leader Tom DeLay has declared that he would not vote for McCain in the general election, even if Hillary Clinton were the Democratic nominee. Railing against McCain and Huckabee, both of whom he views as anathema to conservatives, talk-radio kingpin Rush Limbaugh recently warned his 13.5 million listeners, "If either of these two guys gets the nomination, it's going to destroy the Republican Party." A few days later, Limbaugh was so outraged by the possibility that Republicans might support McCain that he bellowed, "If you Republicans don't mind McCain's positions, then what is it about Hillary's positions you dislike? They're the same!"

The truth is that McCain and Clinton remain far apart on the political spectrum. But it is also true that conservatives have a lengthy bill of complaint against McCain. In the past decade he has joined with Democrats on a series of crusades in Congress — with Russ Feingold on campaign-finance reform and Ted Kennedy on immigration reform — that a majority of Republicans have opposed. He voted against President Bush's tax cuts in 2001 and '03, each time citing the need for fiscal restraint. And during his 2000 campaign, he labeled Pat Robertson and the Rev. Jerry Falwell "agents of intolerance." He has seemed to delight in doing battle with members of his own party and creed. "John's mistake is that he makes it personal," says a close friend in Washington. "When he's convinced he's doing the right thing, he has a hard time staying above the fray." All the while — and this may be what galls conservatives most — McCain has been hailed by liberals and lionized in the mainstream news media for being a rebel. This maverick reputation, so prized for its general-election appeal, makes it difficult for McCain to pass the primary threshold. As was the case in 2000, McCain in 2008 has yet to win even a plurality of Republican votes in a presidential primary outside his home state of Arizona and the generally liberal Northeast. This frustrates McCain, something I saw over dinner with him in Washington in May 2002, when McCain told me he was probably through with running for President. He had tried it two years before and almost pulled off a historic upset against Bush. But, he said, "you can't bottle lightning." Twice during dinner, patrons went over to shake McCain's hand and urge him to run again — against Bush in 2004 — as an independent or Democrat. The Senator was gracious and noncommittal. But after the second time, he gave me an exaggerated roll of his eyes and shook his head. "I'm a Republican, for chrissakes!"

THE RIGHT STUFF

But conservative and independent voters have the same question about McCain: What kind of Republican is he? In 2000, when the U.S. was at peace and the economy was luxuriating in the frothy end days of the first Internet boom, McCain's first campaign was about character and biography much more than issues. McCain was the authentic hero, the fighter pilot who had been shot down over Hanoi and spent more than five years as a prisoner of war. He was the reformer and the straight talker, the rare politician who — perhaps because of his experience as a POW — wasn't going to compromise his principles or hold his tongue to please his party. He was also, at his core, still the rowdy, runty, red-tempered plebe who finished near the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy despite an IQ of 133. McCain became a symbol in 2000 of courage and candor. Few took close looks at his policy positions. It was almost enough to get him the Republican nomination.

This time is different. Character and authenticity still matter, but McCain's reputation as an expert on defense and foreign affairs carries far greater weight in the post-9/11 world than it did eight years ago. On Iraq, McCain supported the invasion and still does. But he was an early critic of the way the Bush Administration was prosecuting the war and called for a change in strategy that would include a surge in U.S. troops to gain control of Baghdad. At the time, advocating an increase in U.S. troop levels in Iraq rather than a reduction was unpopular even within the GOP. But McCain stood by Bush when the policy was implemented. For all his expertise, McCain tends to prefer blunt declarations about Iraq — "the surge is working." He says U.S. troops should remain in Iraq for 100 years if necessary. What he doesn't often discuss are the trade-offs required to sustain an unending commitment to a war that drains more than $9 billion from the U.S. Treasury every month. Instead, he is dismissive of those who doubt that he's right. "It's almost a ludicrous argument — 'How long are we going to stay?'" McCain insisted to me between campaign stops in Florida's panhandle. "It's like asking 'How long are we going to stay in Japan?' Well, we've been there since World War II." The success of the troop surge has given McCain points for prescience and reaffirmed his political courage.

Yet there's a downside too. As violence in Iraq has ebbed, economic anxiety has rocketed to the top of voters' concerns. This shift exposes one of McCain's weaknesses. He is a conviction politician, passionate about the issues that animate him, dismissive of and uninterested in those that don't. Iraq, foreign policy, the military and treatment of veterans — these topics get him excited. In the domestic realm, he's fire and energy when he rails against pork-barrel spending. But mention other issues — taxes, health care, education policy — and he briefly resorts to talking points before changing the subject. "Obviously, the economy is a very, very vital issue," he told me. "There's no doubt about that, O.K.? But the issue that's going to be with us after the economy recovers is the challenge of radical Islamic extremism, of which Iraq is the central battleground."

CAN'T HELP HIMSELF

What's both refreshing and vaguely masochistic about McCain is that even when he knows it's in his short-term political interest to dodge a question or adjust his message, he often just won't — or can't — do it. If McCain becomes the nominee and wins the White House, he will be 72 when he takes office, the oldest person ever to ascend to the presidency. He has suffered serious skin cancers over the years, not to mention brutal physical torture as a prisoner of war. His age and health, therefore, are of legitimate concern to voters. But McCain doesn't downplay his liabilities; he highlights them. "I'm older than dirt, with more scars than Frankenstein," he likes to joke. McCain has what author and friend Michael Lewis once described as "a love of actual risk" that is "freakish" in a politician.

Before the Michigan primary, he told voters in the economically ravaged state that lost auto-industry jobs "aren't coming back," a dose of undiluted straight talk that probably cemented his loss there to Romney. And no sooner had he arrived in Florida than he declared himself opposed to a costly national catastrophic-insurance bill that is widely backed by Sunshine State voters and supported by Florida's popular Republican governor, Charlie Crist, whose endorsement McCain covets. Still, McCain's appeal tends to transcend his positions on the issues — when it doesn't contradict them entirely. He is the candidate most associated with supporting the President's war in Iraq, yet he is the hands-down choice so far of antiwar and anti-Bush voters in his party's primaries. He has accrued a far more conservative record in political office than Rudy Giuliani, Romney or, in many cases, Mike Huckabee, but he is, as he was in 2000, the favorite of independents and Democrats who choose to vote in GOP primaries. That's the main reason that skeptical Republicans may fall in line behind McCain, even if they don't fall for him.

This is shaping up to be a dismal election year for the GOP; regaining control of the House or Senate is beyond reach, and the incumbent Republican President has approval ratings that top out in the 30s. Home foreclosures are rampant, joblessness is up, and the markets are plunging. The Iraq war, while quieter, remains deeply unpopular. In other words, conditions could scarcely be worse for a Republican trying to win the White House. And yet every poll suggests that McCain — because of his appeal beyond his party — could actually win. "McCain has his flaws," says Ken Duberstein, a former chief of staff to Ronald Reagan, "but everyone is starting to recognize that he's the most electable Republican out there." As if to dare Republican pooh-bahs to keep dragging their feet, McCain is holding a top-dollar fund raiser at a Washington steak house favored by lobbyists, on Jan. 28, the day before the Florida primary. The message: Get on board now, before McCain's nomination is a fait accompli.

If McCain does get the nod of his party, he has promised, he will wage a civil campaign. And he says he's confident that whoever wins the Democratic nomination will play by the same above-the-belt rules. Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards are his colleagues, after all, and McCain has worked with each of them in the Senate. He once even bonded with Clinton over late-night vodka shots in Estonia on a congressional trip. "I am confident we'd have a respectful debate with any of the three," McCain says. "Why not? I've worked with them all. They're all patriots." That's the kind of talk that strikes terror in the hearts of many Republicans and makes them worry that McCain might lack the fire to attack his Democratic rival or, if he won the White House, might abandon the bedrock values of the GOP in his zeal to make deals with Democrats. If McCain loses Florida, and the nomination, it will be because Republicans can't overcome their doubts about him — and because McCain isn't willing to make it easy for them.

By James Carney

John McCain on Federal Reserve Rate Cut Today

"Financial market events raise the urgency of cutting taxes and pro-growth
policies in the United States. Last week I offered a strong, pro-growth plan to
immediately stimulate the economy and strengthen it over the long term. The role
of the Federal Reserve is to ensure that our financial markets are
well-functioning and to support economic growth. I am confident that the action
taken this morning to cut two key rates will support these goals. The U.S.
economy has proven to be quite resilient. I am concerned about financial market
events, but with the right leadership and pro-growth policies the economy can
weather this upheaval."

Tons of endorsements in Florida for McCain

From: Latest Endorsements for John McCain

There are SO many new Endorsements for Sen. John McCain's candidacy for President that even I can't post them all. Here are the Endorsements with some excerpts from each and a link to the original article:

The Tuscaloosa News Endorses John McCain For President "McCain stands head and shoulders above the rest of the Republican field in terms of stature, honesty and character. ... McCain has a strong record as a critic of earmarking and a champion of budgetary restraint. He's tough, smart and shoots straight. He would never dishonor the high office that he seeks."Read the entire

Article CLICK HERETHE KANSAS CITY STAR ENDORSES JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT "No one in the still-crowded Republican field has a better claim to the battle cry of 'change' than Sen. McCain of Arizona. He has a very long track record of denouncing business as usual in Washington, which led us to endorse him in the 2000 GOP primary as well. He has been a tireless advocate of campaign finance reform and better ethics in government. Unlike most of his opponents in this year's GOP race, McCain has extensive foreign policy experience -- a critical difference." --The Kansas City StarRead the Entire Article CLICK HERE

Daily Herald (IL): For President, Republicans: John McCain "Who better to be at the helm when the next terrorist attack comes than a man who is tough enough to stand up to our enemies as a former distinguished military leader and strong enough to have beaten the odds against his very survival as a prisoner of a war?"Read the Entire Article CLICK HERE

Tuscaloosa News: We Endorse McCain. . . "The looming recession will demand a president who is dedicated to fiscal responsibility. McCain has a strong record as a critic of earmarking and a champion of budgetary restraint. He's tough, smart and shoots straight. He would never dishonor the high office that he seeks". . . . Read the Entire Article CLICK HERE

The Sacramento Bee Recommends: McCain "McCain is a partisan Republican in the mold of Theodore Roosevelt. And, like T.R., he is not a prisoner of doctrinaire thinking or poisonous hyperpartisan politics. On issues that matter to California -- such as immigration, climate change and free trade -- McCain has forged bipartisan coalitions and been willing to take unpopular stands."Read the Entire Article CLICK HERE

Gainesville Sun Endorses John McCain "The Sun endorses John McCain for the Republican presidential nomination because he would return a principled, ethical leadership that has for too long been missing from the White House. "Read the Entire Article CLICK HERE

Palm Beach Post: Florida Primary: Republicans: McCain "But the best choice for GOP voters is a former POW who might have been the Republican nominee eight years ago if he hadn't been the target of a low-road attack in the South Carolina primary on behalf of George W. Bush. The Post recommends John McCain for Republicans in the state's Jan. 29 primary."Read the Entire Article CLICK HERE

More Endorsements for John McCain

Tampa Bay Tribune
Orlando Sentinel
The Palm Beach Post
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Bradenton Herald
Pensacola News-Journal

Obama supporter moves to McCain

From the Daily Dish

I am a lifelong Democrat and have been a strong Obama advocate--even donating
money for the very first time in my life. (And I am over 50.) Still, all
along, I thought, if Clinton gets the nomination, I'd vote for her over a
Republican. Especially after the past decade of the Republican
experience. However, after seeing Clinton in action in these past weeks
and at last night's debate (as well as Bill's "contributions"), I will never
vote for her. Never. If she gets the nomination, I will have to hope that McCain
is nominated and give him a good look.
While I have considerable disagreement
with him on a policy level, he is a man of integrity. (Mostly; but that's
another email.) Perhaps a McCain presidency balanced by a Democratic
Congress will serve the country well. But no matter the Republican
nominee, one thing is certain: I will not vote for Hillary. The
person who once bemoaned the politics of personal destruction now applies them
with stomach-turning zeal. Not to mention her well-crafted art of the
politics of distortion. No, that's not what I want for this country.
We've had enough of destruction, distortion and manipulation. Obama is a
breath of welcome fresh air. If the country does not see it, well, then I
suppose we'll "get what we deserve." Again.

McCain may send "mom" to chat with Chuck Norris

From: Reuters Alerts - McCain making light of 67 year old Chuck Norris' assault on his age. Now, if I were running for President in Florida, I think I'd leave the age thing alone. Maybe Huckabee will apologize?

"I'm going to send my 95-year-old mother to just go over and wash Chuck
Norris' mouth out with soap," McCain quipped at a new conference.

The Arizona senator, 71, spoke when asked about a claim by Norris, a
67-year-old Hollywood action star who is campaigning for rival Mike Huckabee,
that he is too old to handle the pressures of the White House.

"I didn't pick John to support because I'm just afraid that the vice
president would wind up taking over his job in that four-year presidency,"
Norris said on Sunday at a fundraiser he hosted for Huckabee at his Texas
ranch.

Onward to Florida

... and the possibilitiy of a reduction in the number of candidates on the republican side. Immediately after John McCain's big win in South Carolina, I headed out for a day out of town and wasn't able to post here. So first some final thoughts on South Carolina:

• I'd sure like to see Fred Thompson stay in the race through Super Tuesday, he's a friend of McCain and I think he'll eventually support the Mac. But for now, he can appeal to the right wingers (perhaps as many as 10%) and keep them from giving support to Huckabee or Romney. Remember just two weeks ago when Romney's people tried to get Thompson angry with McCain by floating the "endoresement rumor."
• The line up of newspapers and media endorsing John McCain is now a daily announcement. Why do so many media outlets like McCain? My thought is that they like Mac because he speaks straight. The media gets so sick of the double talking from politicians that even if they have some "issues" they disagree with, they like John McCain's honesty and integrity.
• I also disagree with Chuck Norris, and I think many voters do too, McCain isn't too old. Who's Chuck Norris to say anything? He's 67 himself.

Now onward to the Florida primary. What are your guesses? 10 days is a long time between primaries right now, we finally get a chance to breath and think before the next big one.

• Look for the polls to show Guiliani finally getting some support. I think the voters are so gullible that they will start lining up for the new guy because the media keeps telling them they should.
• Romney will keep talking about his delegates and "golds" and "silvers" but when will he put a stop to spending the cash?
• Huckabee may find the evangelical bible belt gets fickle when you head south of Georgia.

More this week, stop in often

Porter County Politics Says Mccain wins

We have a winner ... Porter County Politics called it for Mccain

What is a true conservative?

One major attack leveled at Senator John McCain is that he isn't a true conservative. I've heard it, you've heard it, we've all read it.

So, what is a true conservative? Senator McCain believes in the constitution, believes in America, believes in low taxes and small government, believes in protecting gun rights and unborn babies, believes in states rights. So, for some reason he isn't a conservative?

Who decided that a true conservative had to back "all" tax cuts even when they had a negative affect on the economy? I think a true conservative demands spending cuts with all tax cuts.

Who decided that a true conservative had to back torture of terror suspects? I think a true conservative demands that America stand above the brutality of torture and say that we won't be terrorized into acting like animals.

Who decided that a true conservative would ship millions of Mexicans across the border? I think a true conservative believes in open borders, globalism, security in freedom and equal access. The Democrats are pushing to socialize medicine and social services, not me. Privatize medicine even more, privatize social services even more. Then this whole "I don't want no spanish speaking worker getting free medicine" baloney can go away. Frankly, aren't conservatives learning that we better take care of "the least of these" or we're gonna be in the minority anyway?

How to identify a true conservative

Huge McCain Endorsement Today

For Immediate ReleaseContact: Press OfficeTuesday, January 15, 2008703-650-5550COLUMBIA, SC --

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that John McCain will receive a major endorsement in Greenville, South Carolina, tomorrow, Wednesday, January 16th.Wednesday, January 16, 2008GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA
WHO: John McCain
WHAT: Major Endorsement and Campaign Rally
WHEN: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. EST Press Set Up Time: 10:15 a.m. EST
WHERE: Carolina First Center 1 Exposition Drive Greenville, South Carolina 29607

source: The John McCain Monitor

Blogger finds his way back to McCain

McCain worth another look

"Despite the fact that I was a McCain supporter in 2000, I haven't written much about John McCain, largely because I long ago wrote him off after the disastrous and unconstitutional McCain Feingold bill.

(Well, there was one exception; when James Wolcott went out of his way to call McCain an "insatiable warrior," and a "seething nest of proto-fascist impulses," I warmed to him a little. To McCain, that is. I already loved James Wolcott....)
I think it should be remembered that a lot of people supported McCain's Campaign Reform atrocity (including Fred Thompson, whom I support). President Bush signed it, and the Supreme Court upheld it. Still, from this blogger's perspective it remains McCain's Sin Number One, and his name is indelibly on it. Such callused trifling with the First Amendment is very tough for me to forgive and forget."

But this election is not about me or what I think, and it is not even necessarily about what the small-l-libertarian blogosphere thinks; it's about winning. Right now, I'm supporting Fred Thompson, but I can't ignore possible future realities. The fact is, I would vote for McCain over Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, or John Edwards, and so would a lot of people."

Hoosiers for McCain: Keep reading, you'll find very interesting perception from a self-avowed libertarian conservative who is practical enough to say "I would support McCain today"

Twas the nite before Michigan

... and all were asleep, waiting and watching as Romney and McCain square off in their second straight head to head primary on the morrow. I have to call em like I see em, here's the match up as I see it.

Strengths for Romney - home field advantage since his dad was governor, he seems to have picked up the voter sentiment regarding a "one state recession" and decided to run with that as his main issue. He's getting some support from Democrats that don't think he can beat Hillary, so they are crossing over to vote for him so he can eventually lose to Hillary.

Weaknesses for Romney - he still seems plastic and made up, just got beat by Ole Mac in New Hampshire so he's showing signs of weakness.

Strengths for McCain - Ole Mac is Back, he won New Hampshire and is neck and neck with Romney in his home state. He is still a straight talker and he is still winning over those who are sick of politicians. McCain has the endorsement rolling in from Michigan media. He isn't taking the bait on the "one state recession", Michigan made a lot of foolish decisions. Time to cut taxes, cut spending, and go get back in the competition.

Weaknesses for McCain - He's still getting called old and he's still getting treated like he doesn't deserve to run the country since he wasn't a governor. I guess being a United States Senator and an American hero isn't enough for some.

Other Important Reads for tonite:
South Carolina’s Largest Paper Endorses JOHN McCAIN for President!
G.O.P. Voters, in Big Shift, Favor McCain Over His Rivals from the New York Times
JohnMcCain wins over formerly unfavorable Republicans
McCain Wins Key Michigan Endorsement

J.D. Hayworth wasting his vote

My response to Hayworth's article expressing his support for Duncan Hunter and suggesting that John McCain isn't hard enough on illegal aliens:

First let me say thanks for stating your thoughts, even though you knew that McCain for President supporters would vehemently disagree. Your vote for Duncan Hunter is a bit of a waste, and I think in the privacy of the voting booth you know that and won’t waste your vote.

John McCain, as all the commenters above have said so well, is the only Republican that can beat Hillary. I don’t think you want her to be President, so we probably all agree that an Honorable American Hero is favorable over Hillary. If that American Hero happens to be a senator instead of a governor, so be it. If that American Hero happens to take some middle spectrum positions, so be it.

My pastor and father both taught me to “major on the majors and minor on the minors.” Frankly, national security is major, and both houses of Congress have taken positions of fear instead of standing firm with their leader the current President. Time to elect a man that we can follow toward freedom.

More responses:
My answer to Hayworth

Michigan News Media Endorse McCain

From Mad Irishman McCain for President. It would appear that John McCain is surging again with media support in Mitt Romney's own homestate.

MICHIGAN NEWSPAPERS ENDORSE JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT

Kalamazoo Gazette, Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, Port Huron Times-Herald And Jackson Citizen Patriot Endorse John McCain"McCain is our pick, in part, because we believe he would be the best standard-bearer for the GOP in November. He would have the broadest appeal in a general election. But more important, we believe he would be the better president of those running in the Republican field. [McCain] knows about enduring adversity in a way that none of the other candidates could possibly know. He certainly has more experience in foreign policy matters than the others. He knows how to work with both Republicans and Democrats." -- Kalamazoo Gazette

"McCain is a solid conservative whose views resonate with Livingston County Republicans. He is a pragmatic, tested politician who will forge necessary alliances, whether with Democrats when bipartisan solutions are needed or with other nations in battling terrorism. ... Perhaps most important to Republicans, McCain is the conservative that will likely fare best in November against whomever the Democrats nominate." -- Livingston County Daily Press & Argus"McCain is the one who deserves the victory. The state's voters gave McCain a stunning victory eight years ago. There are strong reasons to do so again. In a field of capable candidates, McCain shines." -- Port Huron Times-Herald


"Fundamentally, [McCain] is a straight shooter who has stood by our involvement in Iraq and the need for immigration reform even if it has cost him votes. On Thursday, McCain candidly acknowledged that some jobs have left Michigan and South Carolina, another upcoming primary state, for good. While Romney has shifted positions on substantive issues, there's no doubt where McCain stands. ... McCain or Romney would do the job well, but our vote is for McCain." -- Jackson Citizen Patriot

Roundup of big news for John McCain

It looks good for McCain in Michigan and beyond

"Things are certainly looking good for John McCain.The most recent poll in Michigan, from Mitchell Interactive, shows him leading the field by seven percent. His lead in the RCP average for Michigan is now at two and a half percent.After the surprising (and perhaps questionable) CNN poll yesterday that showed him opening up a 13-point lead nationally he leads the pack nationally in the RCP average by four percent. And remember: the national polls are probably the best indication of how a candidate is likely to do on Tsunami Tuesday, Feb. 5."

"A long-awaited Republican presidential primary endorsement from South Carolina’s largest newspaper, The State, has finally been announced. With exactly one week until Republicans vote, the paper’s editorial board is officially backing Sen. John McCain.

FOR SOUTH CAROLINA, and to some extent for the nation, the choice among Republican candidates for president has come down to two men.
First Rudy Giuliani, then Mitt Romney looked at political realities and fled the Palmetto State, deciding their priorities lay elsewhere. Fred Thompson seems to be running in this first-in-the-South primary just to say he did. Ron Paul keeps on being Ron Paul, former nominee of the Libertarian Party.

The two remaining contenders here happen to be the two strongest candidates — Mike Huckabee and John McCain. Gov. Huckabee is an exciting newcomer who shows a wonderful ability to connect with voters’ concerns, and Republicans could do far worse than to choose him. But his utter lack of knowledge of foreign affairs is unsettling."

John McCain: One of Us!
For months, I have been posting about John McCain in his bid to become Our President. I identify John McCain with two Great American Presidents, Andrew Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt. Like Jackson, McCain is welded to personal Honor and devotion to Country.

My Illinois Blogging Pal John Rubery the Marathon Pundit has a coda"One man with courage makes a majority." President Andrew JacksonThat about sums up John McCain, but there is more.

New Editor

Hoosiers for McCain now has a new editor, Steve Dalton from Valparaiso. Steve also authors Porter County politics in Northwest Indiana, a site that previously endorsed John McCain for President.

Steve: "I'll continue the process of linking Hoosiers to the good news about John McCain ... His Honor and Heroic leadership".

Thanks for the opportunity

New Blogger NEEDED

Greetings! AS I have taken an non-partisan gig, I am no longer allowed to publically endorse anyone for president....so Hoosiers need a new McCain Blogger. Please submit interest to david.george.henry@gmail.com ASAP. It is now or never, Indiana!