McCain having it his way now
Arizona senator accepts Republican presidential nomination, promises 'change is coming'
By From staff and wire reports (Last updated: 09/05/08 12:46am)St. Paul, Minn. – John McCain, a prisoner of war turned political rebel, vowed Thursday night to vanquish the “constant partisan rancor” that grips Washington as he launched his fall campaign for the White House. “Change is coming,” he promised the roaring Republican National Convention and a prime-time television audience.
“Fight with me. Fight with me. Fight with me. Fight for what’s right for our country,” he urged in a convention crescendo.
To repeated cheers from his delegates, McCain made only passing reference to an unpopular George W. Bush and criticized fellow Republicans as well as Democratic rival Barack Obama in reaching out to independents and swing voters who will pick the next president.
“We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us,” he said of the Republicans who controlled Congress for a dozen years before they were voted out of office in 2006.
As for Obama, he said, “I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise them. I will cut government spending. He will increase it.”
McCain touched only briefly on the Iraq war – a conflict that Obama has vowed to end.
“I fought for the right strategy and more troops in Iraq, when it wasn’t a popular thing to do,” the Republican said, adding that in the months since, the long-suffering nation had been spared from defeat.
McCain’s appearance was the climax of the final night of the party convention, coming after delegates made Palin the first female vice presidential nominee in Republican history.
“She stands up for what’s right and she doesn’t let anyone tell her to sit down,” McCain said of the woman who has faced intense scrutiny.
“And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd: Change is coming,” McCain declared.
McCain and Palin were departing their convention city immediately after the Arizona senator’s acceptance speech, bound for Wisconsin and an early start on the final weeks of the White House campaign.
McCain, at 72, bidding to become the oldest first-term president, drew a roar from the convention crowd when he walked out onto the stage lighted by a single spotlight. He was introduced by a video that dwelt heavily on his time spent as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and as a member of Congress, hailed for a “faithful unyielding love for America, country first.”
“USA, USA, USA,” chanted the crowd in the hall.
McCain faced a delicate assignment as he formally accepted his party’s presidential nomination: presenting his credentials as a reformer willing to take on his own party and stressing his independence from an unpopular President Bush – all without breaking faith with his Republican base.
He set about it methodically.
“After we’ve won, we’re going to reach out our hand to any willing patriot, make this government start working for you again,” he said, and he pledged to invite Democrats and independents to serve in his administration.
He mentioned Bush only in passing, as the leader who led the country through the days after the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
And there was plenty for conservative Republicans to cheer – from his pledge to free the country from the grip of its dependence on foreign oil, to a vow to have schools answer to parents and students rather than “unions and entrenched bureaucrats.”
A man who has clashed repeatedly with Republicans in Congress, he said proudly, “I’ve been called a maverick. Sometimes it’s meant as a compliment and sometimes it’s not. What it really means is I understand who I work for.
“I don’t work for a party. I don’t work for a special interest. I don’t work for myself. I work for you.”
On the road – again to Michigan
It was a momentous night for McCain, but he is already on the campaign trail again – today at 5 p.m. at the Freedom Hill Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights, Mich.
Michigan is generally considered a battleground state but hasn’t voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1988, when it went red for George H.W. Bush.
Paul Abramson, an MSU political science professor and national elections expert, said he would be “quite surprised” if Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama didn’t take Michigan.
Despite this, Carrie White, chairwoman of MSU Students for John McCain will be one of 60 students headed to the McCain rally today.
“I think that is a very, very good sign to everyone that one, he can win Michigan,” she said. “And two, to prove how important Michigan will be in this election.”
Originally Published: 09/04/08 11:52pm
JR
09/05/08 7:25amI hope Michigan votes for McCain and Palin who will actually serve our country and the american people instead of Obama who wants to appease foreign nations (see campaign trip to europe) and not our own, who will implement socialist healthcare (who do you think pays for that?) and is pretty impressed by himself. Obama is undoubtedly a great speaker and charismatic, but won’t put the American people over his party agendas and foreign countries demands which is bass-ackwards.
Rachel
09/05/08 8:57amObama has said over and over that he wants to get out of Iraq and fix things at home in America instead of putting billions of dollars a year into a country with people who hate Americans.
I guess you have too good to understand that there are millions of people living below the poverty line that need help. the republican party is too selfish to care about them with their “pull yourself up by your boots straps mentality”. barack put it best when he countered with, “what if you don’t have any boots?”
And what is wrong with having good writers?
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Joe
09/05/08 9:31amView full comment »
SoCal Spartan
09/05/08 9:32amRachel I feel you 100%. I know Obama and his peeps want Global Peace and the Republicans need the fear factor to win, so the fact that wars can be won with words as opposed to gigantic military machinery scares them. McCain will only embrace death of those that dissent with the American way of being. We need to embrace the dissenters and adapt our culture. I speak not of the crazy dissenters who cause pain and suffering, but the medical realm in lets say Austria, etc.
And why are we planning on paying Georgia?
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beau
09/05/08 10:38amThe dems should be handing out stickers that simpley state: DON’T BE FOOLED AGAIN!
If we are and vote for John then we deserve whatever comes afterwards.
kage
09/05/08 12:25pmSarah Barrrrrrrrrrricuuuuda!
Hockeyguru21
09/05/08 1:17pmI can’t believe that there are still people willing to extend George Bush’s policies by voting for McCain. I also thought there was no chance that Georgie was going to be elected for a second term due to him being so inept. Our thought processes in this country are seriously flawed. The Republican ideals are old and short sighted. These war/Oil mongers have destroyed our economy (lets send another seventy billion to Iraq). Iraq actually has a surplus budget this year. And I’m glad our kids will be paying that debt back to China (from whence the money came). Great job Republicans!
PS- Check today’s report on the new high for jobless rates. Great job Republicans!
Spartylove
09/05/08 2:58pmMcCain/Palin is the worst thing for the US future. What do either of them know about not having a job or not having enough money? These are supposed to be the people and the world look to and reflect on the US. Is this want we what the world to think of us? Close minded and stuck in the past? We need someone who will guild us to a better future for America!
Bleed Green
09/05/08 3:20pmthe democrats are so low brow. not very well mannered people.
SoCal Spartan
09/05/08 4:02pmHypocrisy again, calling statement of fact low brow. I would much rather have Obama and Biden be the go to guys in a globalizing earth. McCain would pull the trigger before he even saw a gun. He is irrational and a scared old man. Palin is a gimp, nothing to do with quality leadership. You can back reference to issues with her that I posted previously.
Yikes is all I can say. McCain is better then Bush, but my parents beagle would be a better prez then Bush. Please God save the United States of America from John McCain, please!
There are good Republicans, but he is NOT one of them!
SoCal Spartan
09/05/08 7:52pmFurthermore from FactCheck.Org
FactChecking McCain
* McCain claimed that Obamaâs health care plan would “force small businesses to cut jobs” and would put “a bureaucrat … between you and your doctor.” In fact, the plan exempts small businesses, and those who have insurance now could keep the coverage they have. * McCain attacked Obama for voting for “corporate welfare” for oil companies. ...September 5, 2008
He made some flubs in accepting the nomination.
Summary
We checked the accuracy of McCainâs speech accepting the Republican nomination and noted the following:
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DarthTom
09/07/08 3:50pm@JR…
Way to make a fool out of yourself. McCain was in Colombia the week before Obama’s trip to Europe.
http://blogs.america.gov/campaign/2008/07/03/mccain’s-colombia-trip-well-timed/
If you’re going to try to engage in political debate, make sure you have your facts straight.
Joe
09/08/08 3:45pmSoCal Spartan
Where do you come up with this sh*t? If I wanted to mine a Republican database, I’d get Republican results. Statistics are meant to prove whatever you want them to prove. I think you are really stupid enough to believe the crap you post. But then, if you track your posts going backwards, you get caught in your own BS lies on a regular basis.
Hockeyguru21
09/08/08 10:12pmCan you say DENIAL? Standard Republican view. I always love how Republicans attack and run. For example; My father says the Democrats do nothing in regards to controlling the immigration issues. Yet, I dare ask for him to present the track record of George Bush’s efforts to control immigration. The fact is that there isn’t a track record, remember “Viva Bush”! Enough said. They also accussed John Kerry of “flip flopping”. As if that was a huge offense!
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Nobama!
09/09/08 8:21amHocketguru21:
How’s this for a campaign slogan d*ckhead? NOBAMA!
hockeyguru21
09/09/08 12:47pmAt least its original. But some things never change. I speak of your slander which made me laugh again at the attack and run syndrom afflicting Republicans. Now run off and pleasure yourself with a picture of Palin.