The Candidates
The McCain camp leaked excerpts of the Senator’s speech tonight in New Orleans to Drudge. The speech signals the beginning of the general election against Senator Barack Obama. It sounds like an incredible speech:
You will hear from my opponent’s campaign in every speech, every interview, every press release that I’m running for President Bush’s third term. You will hear every policy of the President described as the Bush-McCain policy. Why does Senator Obama believe it’s so important to repeat that idea over and over again? Because he knows it’s very difficult to get Americans to believe something they know is false. So he tries to drum it into your minds by constantly repeating it rather than debate honestly the very different directions he and I would take the country. But the American people didn’t get to know me yesterday, as they are just getting to know Senator Obama. They know I have a long record of bipartisan problem solving. They’ve seen me put our country before any President — before any party — before any special interest — before my own interest. They might think me an imperfect servant of our country, which I surely am. But I am her servant first, last and always. ….
I disagreed strongly with the Bush administration’s mismanagement of the war in Iraq. I called for the change in strategy that is now, at last, succeeding where the previous strategy had failed miserably. I was criticized for doing so by Republicans. I was criticized by Democrats. I was criticized by the press. But I don’t answer to them. I answer to you. And I would be ashamed to admit I knew what had to be done in Iraq to spare us from a defeat that would endanger us for years, but I kept quiet because it was too politically hard for me to do. No ambition is more important to me than the security of the country I have defended all my adult life.
Senator Obama opposed the new strategy, and, after promising not to, voted to deny funds to the soldiers who have done a brilliant and brave job of carrying it out. Yet in the last year we have seen the success of that plan as violence has fallen to a four year low; Sunni insurgents have joined us in the fight against al Qaeda; the Iraqi Army has taken the lead in places once lost to Sunni and Shia extremists; and the Iraqi Government has begun to make progress toward political reconciliation.
None of this progress would have happened had we not changed course over a year ago. And all of this progress would be lost if Senator Obama had his way and began to withdraw our forces from Iraq without concern for conditions on the ground and the advice of commanders in the field. Americans ought to be concerned about the judgment of a presidential candidate who says he’s ready to talk, in person and without conditions, with tyrants from Havana to Pyongyang, but hasn’t traveled to Iraq to meet with General Petraeus, and see for himself the progress he threatens to reverse.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:46 pm
For those who are counting, last month the United States casualties were the lowest since the Iraq war began. Civilian casualties were the lowest since they’ve been tallied in Jan 06.
If things get substantially better than they already are, McCain wins big.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Wow this looks like it will be a great speech, i just hope the channels show this speech instead of showing and talking about the Dem’s, any idea what time the speech is being given?
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Outstanding.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
YEAH!
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Bryan,
Jon Martin says that McCain will be speaking at 8pm central time. Somehow I doubt it will get much coverage, unfortunately.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Why on earth is he giving this speech today of all days.
Defies belief.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Humbleness juxtaposed next to Obama’s arrogance will work well.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
waste of a great speech, networks are going to be fawning over Obama all day today
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Heath,
Do you ever have anything positive to say about McCain or his campaign or are you just going to be Mr. Negativity until Election Day because Romney lost?
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
The networks have to cover it now that we’re in general election mode. Equal time and all.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:57 pm
LJ,
Thanks yea i dont guess we’ll be seeing him but maybe they will show a little bit of the speech, one can only hope because it sounds really good.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I’m glad to see McCain to nip this “third-term” bullcrap in the bud.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
McCain squandered the Republican’s advantage of having a nominee early by waiting three months to start the general election campaign.
What on earth did he gain by waiting. He should have been blitzing this country for the last 100 days, hitting swing state after swing state, attacking the liberalism, inexperience, etc. of both Democrats.
He should have put together the ticket.
He should have been campaigning his heart out.
Instead, he grilled burgers and dogs in AZ.
But now, rather than having a five-mile edge on the DNC, McCain and Obama are in the exact same place - the expected nominee, about halfway through their Veep process, and just starting their campaign for the general.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:05 pm
…and Heath is right.
Past support (and present, and future) for Romney aside - why is MCCain choosing today, when Obama’s win and Hillary’s exit are going to be the top stories, to kick off the campaign.
He’ll get a ten-second soundbyte.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
He has to say something today. Obama certainly is going to be in general election mode. Tomorrow on all of those stupid morning shows they are going to have to talk about both Obama and McCain - and McCain needs to go on the offensive against the Bush Third Term stuff because Obama has no other card to play.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:10 pm
And by getting this out there tonight when all of the white women that are skeptical of Obama and preferred Hillary watch Today Show or its ABC equivalent they’ll see McCain refuting this Bush III nonsense.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Thus begins the race between the Lady and the Tiger.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm
McCain has done great things with his time off act and Heath, he has been raising loads of money along with the RNC and have spent NONE of it, he has compiled on the money in his warchest and he will be in great shape come November. Also he’s already done his reintroducing tour’s across this country with great success and i’m hearing that Barack Hussein will start his next week, so we’re already ahead of him there and can go on the attack right away. John McCain has done a great job with his time.
McCain/ Pawlenty 08
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Word on the street that McCain will invite Jodi to his next Cookout with VP picks.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:29 pm
On April 20, 2005, Rell signed into law a bill that made Connecticut the first state to adopt civil unions for same-sex couples without being directed to do so by a court. The law gives homosexual couples all of the 300+ rights, responsibilities, and privileges that the state gives to heterosexual couples, including the right to adopt children, awarding state income tax credits, inheritance rights, and allowing homosexual partners to be considered next-of-kin when it comes to making medical decisions for incapacitated partners, yet does not require employers to give equal insurance benefits as they would to heterosexual couples. The bill was amended to define marriage as “between a man and a woman” after Rell threatened a veto. Rell signed the bill despite some Republican opposition to it, including from the Chairman of the State Republicans at the time.
Next in line.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:35 pm
#20: Bryan, you do realize that your current Republican president and vice president have both voiced support for civil unions over the course of the past eight years?
Anyway, Rell’s problem is that she makes the ticket seem old she’s pro-choice, and she’s anti-gun and raised taxes. Those are enough strikes against her to nix her.
Palin, Meg Whitman, or Carly Fiorina.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Bryan, Rell is definitely out of consideration now.
If McCain tried to install her as VP, I doubt the convention would permit it.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:41 pm
DaveG,
That’s true but i was just making a point that she has some social liberalness to her that would make her unappealing to the base, as opposed to sarah palin of Alaska. So i think if McCain chooses a women VP, which i dont think he will, the only choice IMO is Sarah Palin of Alaska because she would appeal to alot of women and she is conservative down the line.
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Whoa. I’m watching MSNBC right now and Chris Matthews just read another portion of McCain’s speech and it sounds like McCain is going to court Hillary’s supporters hardcore. He says that Hillary showed “great compassion and drive” and that the reason that Hillary did not achieve the nomination was because the “pundits, media, and party leaders declared Obama the victor.” Wow. This is going to be amazing to watch. Everyone set your Tivo’s.
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:19 pm
LJ,
That’s a GREAT way to ensure McCain gets coverage. Olberdork and Matthews will go apeshit!
I love it!
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:34 pm
JINDAL is speaking…
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 pm
So the rumor is that Clinton and Obama are working on a deal where Obama askes her to be Veep but he turns it down.
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 pm
egs,
From the Boston Globe at the time:
“I have said all along that I believe in no discrimination of any kind, and I think that this bill accomplishes that, while at the same time preserving the traditional language that a marriage is between a man and a woman,” Rell said after signing the bill into law.”
http://www.boston.com/news/specials/gay_marriage/articles/2005/04/21/conn_approves_gay_civil_unions/
So, Rell supported the civil union law on the condition that the definition of “marriage” remains the same, and that’s not good enough? I hate to break it to you, but homosexual couples are going to have the same partnership rights as straight couples; the only real question now is whether or not the partnerships will be called “marriages.” Also note that the CT law was passed in the legislature and not imposed in a judicial decision. I thought that Rell’s performance met all of the mainstream social conservative requirements for such things. Have the goalposts moved while I wasn’t looking?
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:43 pm
#28: Indeed, civil unions are the right-wing position of the future, as against full-fledged gay marriage.
I predicted we’ve go through a civil union state for 10-20 years before full-fledged gay marriage, but it looks like much of the country will go straight to gay marriage.
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Rell’s position is almost 100% what mine is.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Our species could be extinct in 10-20 years.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
econ grad stud, what the…?
Well, given your previous statements on mankind, I’m sure you’d think that was the optimal outcome for it.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I have to admit, I am shocked to see the anger and criticism againt Johnny Mac?
He has the party united behind him, and now his campaign and the RNC has more $ than DNC and Obama, and his VP selection process has begun.
In 2000, I was crushed when McCain lost. I was angry. But after a couple of weeks, I sent a donation to GWB and supported him. It was my duty to fight against Liberalism, because I wanted my country secure, I wanted spending halted and I wanted a strong justice system.
Heath and others, may I ask you if you are willing to have four years of illegal aliens with Drivers licenses, if you are willing to have our President make friends with Iran, to socialize our health care system, to have members of the nation of Islam in the White House, to pay higher taxes, to reneg on trade agreements with our best friends, and underfund our military.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I am here rather late, but only because my stomach literally hurts from listening to McCain and Clinton. I’m sorry but McCain came off as creepy (that grin was scary), ungracious, and yes, bitter. Clinton was ungracious and yes, a sore loser. I don’t want to hear anymore nonsense about the cream floating to the top because poop also floats.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Some constructive criticism for the McCain camp:
First, the speech itself looks excellent, with one flaw — it should have been given weeks ago. The campaign needs to beef up its rapid response efforts.
Second, McCain needs to resign from the Senate effective immediately. It is pretty clear that Obama’s strategy will be to introduce/ support poll tested legislation that he knows McCain and Bush will both oppose so that he can push the whole “McSame” angle. McCain needs to resign to deny him the opportunity and needs to do it now.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Adam I’ll have plenty of nice things to say if he picks Mitt!
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:47 pm
That speech was just horrible. Even Fox News was ripping it.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
> “Our species could be extinct in 10-20 years.”
LOL — you mean it won’t even take a generation? Are you anticipating mass suicides as we realize the horror of living on the same planet with gay people who are married?
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Bobh, about 70,000 years ago our species almost went extinct. We were down to 2,000 people.
A good germ or a meteoroid could wipe us out easily. A nearby Supernova would be a bit less gory but just as final.
Great Apes like humans, chimps, bonobos, orangutans, and gorillas are especially vulnerable to extinction.
I’m not going to peer into the future like MetroRepublican. I’ve not got the certainty she’s got.
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:30 pm
So your comment had nothing to do with the context within which it was made? Or am I missing something?
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:33 pm
#39, wait a minute… I figured you were the type who thought the Earth was only 6,000 years old.
June 4th, 2008 at 12:01 am
I did not know Metro was female (or was that a shot at sexuality?).
Funny that you are talking about extinction because just the other day I was wondering what humanity might look like if it did become extinct and was revived/reborn after a couple million years. That’s what happens when you are not working and have too much time on your hands.
June 4th, 2008 at 1:13 am
Bobh, Metro made prophecies about 10-20 years from now. I was pointing out we may not be here then. Even if we’re still here thing could turn out differently.
#41, I’ve said before I accept evolution and common descent.
June 4th, 2008 at 9:02 am
After watching both McCain’s and Obama’s speeches on TV Tuesday night, McCain no less than NEEDS to run Alaska Gov Sarah Palin as his VP mate.
June 4th, 2008 at 9:05 am
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/06/the_vp_case_for_gov_sarah_pali.html
June 4th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Last night I could not help but recognize McCain’s slogan on a banner behind him, “a leader we can believe in” is a bit of a rip-off of Obama’s “Change we can believe in.” Its a tricky thing to try to co-opt a message another candidate has established and the peril of doing so was evidenced this morning on CNBC. A McCain spokesperson literally said, “Its about ‘Change we can believe in.’”
I understand the desire to grab a piece of that message, but there is real danger in conceding that the message for the Fall is the one Obama is most identified with.