The Mad Irishman's Conservative Consortium
In President Lincolns Second Inaugural Address he stated "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."
Monday, December 31, 2007
We're gonna win!!! New Events & New Endorsements for John McCain Plus You Are Going To Chat With Us Live At The Debate!!!
Ok, This is a long one . . . get ready!We'll start with a bit o' news.http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071230/OPINION01/228549063Nashua Telegraph: McCain Our Choice For GOP NominationEditorialEight years ago, when he was running as a political maverick against Republican establishment candidate George W. Bush, we endorsed John McCain for the GOP nomination for president of the United States.We did so because of his integrity.We did so because of his leadership.We did so because of his forthrightness and his refusal to pander to voters by telling them what they wanted to hear.A lot of things have changed in this country during these last eight years, starting with the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, which resulted in the tragic deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans and led to the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.But not everything has changed. McCain is here once again, crisscrossing the Granite State in his Straight Talk Express tour bus, displaying the same integrity, vision and, yes, straight talk that marked his earlier, unsuccessful run for the presidency.Oh, and one more thing hasn't changed: our support. READ MORE HERE
Union Leader: Where's Reagan? Alas, He Is No MoreEditorial
Republicans searching for a Ronald Reagan among the presidential nominees have not found one because there isn't one. Yet they still seek him.
We understand. We endorsed Ronald Reagan in 1976, 1980 and 1984. Since he exited the stage, America has missed his strength, vision and leadership.
The Republican presidential candidates all have invoked Reagan's name. Perhaps there is a little Reagan in each of them. But there is only one candidate who really reminds us of Ronald Reagan.
We agree with conservative critics who say John McCain has strayed on some issues, including immigration. But they forget that Reagan did, too. He supported amnesty for illegal aliens, and he even called it that.
No candidate in this race is a pure Reaganite. Mitt Romney claims to be one, but we have our doubts. What we see in Romney does not remind us of Ronald Reagan. What we see in John McCain does.McCain is a leader of the Reagan school. READ MORE HEREConcord Monitor: Republicans' Best Choice Is John McCain EditorialLike the gyroscopes that keep ships and planes on course, firm principles and a profound sense of honor guide Sen. John McCain. He learns from his mistakes, but he does not abandon long-held beliefs, even when his stands could cost him the presidency.McCain's willingness to break with his party on issues like climate change and immigration, his honesty and his refusal to pander make him the Monitor's choice in the Jan. 8 Republican presidential primary. READ MORE HERE*HIGH PRIORITY: NEW event*Tuesday January 1st1:30pmRichard Brothers Home23 Overlook DriveTilton, NHRSVP: 603-703-3496Monday, December 31, 2007House Party11:00am119 Antrim RoadHancock, New HampshireHouse Party2:00pm9 Premier DriveLondonderry, New HampshireHouse Party5:00pm30 Sea RoadRye, New HampshireHouse Party8:15pm205 East Side DriveConcord, New HampshireTuesday, January 1, 2008Laconia Town Hall Meeting6:00pmLaconia VFW143 Court StreetLaconia, New HampshireWednesday, January 2, 2008Pembroke Town Hall Meeting8:30amPembroke Academy209 Academy Ave.Pembroke, New HampshireCOMING SOON!!! ***(YES I'LL BE THERE!!! COME SAY HELLO!!!, Slainte' MAD)***The Veterans for McCain Tour: One More MissionJoining Us For The Tour: Orson Swindle, POW; Mike Cronin, POW; Navy Rear Admiral Bob Shumaker, second longest held POW in American history; Captain Frank Gamboa, USN, and many other combat decorated veterans.With Special Guest Vietnam Veteran and Former National Security Advisor to Ronald Reagan, Bud McFarlane!FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 20076:00pm Town Hall Meeting with John McCainHudson Memorial, VFW Post 579115 Bockes Rd.Hudson, NH6:30pm “Operation United Reveille IV”The Alpine Club 175 Putnam St.Manchester, NHSATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 200712:00pm Peterborough TH Meeting with John McCainPeterborough Town Hall1 Grove St.Peterborough, NHNote: This event should be the 100th NH Town Hall Style Event of the Campaign.2:30pm Bar BingoKeene Post 79959 Winchester St.Keene, NH 03431-0024SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 20079:00am Concord CoffeeConcord VFW Post #16316 Court St., Concord, NH12:00pm Salem Town Hall with John McCainSalem High School44 Geremonty DrSalem, NH2:00pm Nashua CoffeeNashua, VFW Post 4832 Quincy St.MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 20078:00am Littleton VFW CoffeeHoward Shawney, Post 816600 Cottage St.Littleton, NH 0356110:00am Lancaster VFW CoffeeJohn W. Weeks, Post 3041259 Main St.Lancaster, NH 0358411:45am Lunch at Tea Birds101 Main StBerlin, NH 035702:00pm Conway Coffee at the American LegionRalph W. Shirley47 Tasker Hill RdConway, NH5:00pm Exeter Rally with John McCainTown Center Gazebo (Old Town Hall)6:00pm Portsmouth Rally with John McCain (Our final event of the NH Primary!)Frank Jones Center - Portsmouth400 US Highway 1 BypPortsmouth NH, 03801Strafford County: John McCain Needs YOU!What a great weekend for John McCain!The senator received a record crowd of 500 people in Dover on a rainy Saturday morning, yet the excitement didn't end there! Huge crowds continued throughout the day with supporters peering through windows just to get a glimpse of our next president! We signed up lots of new volunteers and picked up the endorsement of the Concord Monitor and Nashua Telegraph! The word is out: John McCain is campaigning harder here than ANY other candidate and WE WILL win New Hampshire, but we need YOUR help!Super Saturday!Dover Sign Wave9:30-11:00AMWeak's Crossing, Park at Chili'sPhone Bank11:30AM-3:00PMRemax Realty Center, 472 High Street, Somersworth, NHSign Patrol--put out big 4x8 and yard signs throughout Strafford County!3:00PM-5:00PMSuper Sunday!Literature Drop11:30-2:00PMMeet at Remax Realty Center, 472 High Street, Somersworth, NHPhone Bank2:30-6:00PMRemax Realty Center, 472 High Street, Somersworth, NHOther Ways You Can Help Out!· Poll Standing on Election Day--WE'VE FILLED MANY WARDS, BUT WE NEED TO FILL THEM ALL!· Tell ALL your friends, family members and everyone you know why John McCain is the only candidate ready to lead on day one!· Write a letter to the editor and submit expressing your strong support for Sen. McCain and submit it to Foster's Daily Democrat letters@fosters.com.MOST IMPORTANTLY, DON'T FORGET TO CAST YOUR VOTE FOR JOHN MCCAIN ON JANUARY 8th!AND OF COURSE THE EVENT ALL YOU ONLINE MCCAINIACS AND PRIMARY JUNKIES HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ......THE LIVE BLOGGING WEBCAST DIRECT FROM THE SPIN ROOM AT THE JANUARY 5TH REPUBLICAN DEBATE FROM OUR VERY OWN BRAD MARSTON!!!LIVE Webcast/Chat/Blog From The Spin Room at the NH DebateI will be Webcasting/Blogging LIVE from the Spin Room at the ABC News/Facebook/WMUR sponsored debate from St. Anselms College in Manchester NH on Saturday, January 5th starting at 6pm.From 6pm to 7pm I will have pre-nalysis of the Republican Candidates Debate which starts at 7pm and the Denocratic Candidates Debate which starts at approximately 8:45pm.From 10:15 to midnight I will have post debate analysis, interviews with senior campaign staffers and even a candidate or two.The best part is, it is set up as a LIVE CHAT in REAL TIME so YOU can be part of the action and analysis!I will have streaming audio/video from the Spin Room from 6pm until Midnight.The Link to the webchat is here. Or you can simply come back to AzaMatteroFact on Saturday, January 5th and click on the Userplane live chat in the upper right hand corner. Sign up or enter as a guest.This chat/blog/webcast will be THE place to be for the upcoming debate that will launch some candidates towards Michigan, South Carolina and Super Duper Tuesday.Posted by Brad Marston at 8:52 PM Labels: Candidates, elections, NH PrimaryCrossPosted From AzamatterofactSlainte'MadShared with my fellow Straight Talking Bloggers at Ali Akbar,AzaMatterofact, AzaMatteroPrinciple, Blogs4McCain, BroadSideoftheBarn, ElectionNightHQ, Hoosiers4McCain, Iowa4McCain, McCain Blogettes, McCain States, McCain Talk, McCainVictory08, McCain Campaign Blog, McCain08HQ@Yahoo, Metaxupolis, My McCain Blog, NH4McCain, NJ4McCain, Pardon My French, Partisan American, PoliticoMafioso, Purple People Vote, Reality Bytes, Respectfully Republican, Stand Up For McCain>The Mad Irishman, The McCain Times, Vote McCain, With Both Hands, Porter County Politics, and But I am a Liberal.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Concord Monitor:
Concord Monitor: Republicans' Best Choice Is John McCain
Editorial
Like the gyroscopes that keep ships and planes on course, firm principles and a profound sense of honor guide Sen. John McCain. He learns from his mistakes, but he does not abandon long-held beliefs, even when his stands could cost him the presidency.
McCain's willingness to break with his party on issues like climate change and immigration, his honesty and his refusal to pander make him the Monitor's choice in the Jan. 8 Republican presidential primary.
Last summer in Concord, with his campaign broke and his unwavering support for the war in Iraq costing him politically, McCain said he would rather lose the presidential race than lose the war. No one in the room doubted that he meant exactly what he said. Since then, he has earned the support of New Hampshire voters by attending town meeting after town meeting, where he has invited tough questions and answered them.
McCain advocates an immigration policy that secures the border but stops short of the impossible task of summarily deporting the millions of people in the United States illegally. His attempt to pass immigration reform, McCain says, taught him that the American people won't trust politicians to deal with the issue unless they secure the borders first. This admission is proof that politicians can change for good reasons, not for expediency's sake.
Although his plan to address the nation's growing health insurance crisis is too modest to guarantee care for all, it is more reasonable than the plans of his opponents.
Unlike rivals who hide behind legalisms and caveats, McCain stands front and center to announce that American must never engage in waterboarding or any other form of torture. McCain spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. In one of the most stirring speeches of the presidential campaign, he said:
"We could never gain as much from that torture as we lose in world opinion. We do not torture people. When I was in Vietnam, one of the things that sustained us, as we underwent torture, is the knowledge that if we had our positions reversed, we would not impose that kind of treatment on them. It's not about the terrorists, it's about us. It's about what kind of country we are."
When McCain approaches a decision, his first battle is with his own conscience. He doesn't put his finger into the political wind but runs against it if need be to do what he thinks is right.
In his long career in public life, he has proved to be a fiscal conservative and a strong believer in personal responsibility. But he has also shown that he knows that life can be fickle and people frail, and that there are times when government must help people in need.
We do not agree with McCain on every issue. We doubted the wisdom of committing more American troops to a surge in Iraq, yet events may prove McCain right. Either way, we are secure in the knowledge that in coming to his decision, McCain put the well-being of the nation and the troops above all else.
As a soldier and a senator, McCain has proven that he can lead. His legislative history demonstrates his willingness to work in a bipartisan manner to achieve common ends. And because he has paid the price of war, he more than the other candidates can gauge whether putting troops in harm's way is worth the consequences.
Earlier in the campaign, when McCain was being counted out, a consultant might have urged a makeover: Lose the moral compass on torture and immigration, ditch the vision for a turnaround in Iraq.
Not a chance. John McCain held on to his principles and defended them with dignity.
New Hampshire residents who vote in the Republican primary should reward that integrity with their votes.
Editorial
Like the gyroscopes that keep ships and planes on course, firm principles and a profound sense of honor guide Sen. John McCain. He learns from his mistakes, but he does not abandon long-held beliefs, even when his stands could cost him the presidency.
McCain's willingness to break with his party on issues like climate change and immigration, his honesty and his refusal to pander make him the Monitor's choice in the Jan. 8 Republican presidential primary.
Last summer in Concord, with his campaign broke and his unwavering support for the war in Iraq costing him politically, McCain said he would rather lose the presidential race than lose the war. No one in the room doubted that he meant exactly what he said. Since then, he has earned the support of New Hampshire voters by attending town meeting after town meeting, where he has invited tough questions and answered them.
McCain advocates an immigration policy that secures the border but stops short of the impossible task of summarily deporting the millions of people in the United States illegally. His attempt to pass immigration reform, McCain says, taught him that the American people won't trust politicians to deal with the issue unless they secure the borders first. This admission is proof that politicians can change for good reasons, not for expediency's sake.
Although his plan to address the nation's growing health insurance crisis is too modest to guarantee care for all, it is more reasonable than the plans of his opponents.
Unlike rivals who hide behind legalisms and caveats, McCain stands front and center to announce that American must never engage in waterboarding or any other form of torture. McCain spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. In one of the most stirring speeches of the presidential campaign, he said:
"We could never gain as much from that torture as we lose in world opinion. We do not torture people. When I was in Vietnam, one of the things that sustained us, as we underwent torture, is the knowledge that if we had our positions reversed, we would not impose that kind of treatment on them. It's not about the terrorists, it's about us. It's about what kind of country we are."
When McCain approaches a decision, his first battle is with his own conscience. He doesn't put his finger into the political wind but runs against it if need be to do what he thinks is right.
In his long career in public life, he has proved to be a fiscal conservative and a strong believer in personal responsibility. But he has also shown that he knows that life can be fickle and people frail, and that there are times when government must help people in need.
We do not agree with McCain on every issue. We doubted the wisdom of committing more American troops to a surge in Iraq, yet events may prove McCain right. Either way, we are secure in the knowledge that in coming to his decision, McCain put the well-being of the nation and the troops above all else.
As a soldier and a senator, McCain has proven that he can lead. His legislative history demonstrates his willingness to work in a bipartisan manner to achieve common ends. And because he has paid the price of war, he more than the other candidates can gauge whether putting troops in harm's way is worth the consequences.
Earlier in the campaign, when McCain was being counted out, a consultant might have urged a makeover: Lose the moral compass on torture and immigration, ditch the vision for a turnaround in Iraq.
Not a chance. John McCain held on to his principles and defended them with dignity.
New Hampshire residents who vote in the Republican primary should reward that integrity with their votes.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Phone Bank for McCain!
Phone Bank for McCain!!!December 27, 2007 by Seattle
Attention All McCainiacs,
John McCain urgently needs help making phone calls into the early primary states. We are positioned to win, but without a strong push from volunteer phone bankers, we won’t be able to launch an effective Get Out the Vote Operation in the final few days.
Click the image below to sign up today!
Tags: experience, integrity, John McCain, Leadership, McCain, PoliticsPosted in Get Out The Vote, John McCain, McCain 1 Comment »
Attention All McCainiacs,
John McCain urgently needs help making phone calls into the early primary states. We are positioned to win, but without a strong push from volunteer phone bankers, we won’t be able to launch an effective Get Out the Vote Operation in the final few days.
Click the image below to sign up today!
Tags: experience, integrity, John McCain, Leadership, McCain, PoliticsPosted in Get Out The Vote, John McCain, McCain 1 Comment »
Volunteer for John McCain 2008 – McCain Online Volunteering Guide#links#links#links#links#links#links#links#links#links#links#links#links
Thursday, December 27, 2007
From the desk of Joe Lieberman............
My Fellow American,
Last week I went to New Hampshire to ask Republican and Independent voters to support John McCain in the first-in-the-nation primary on January 8.
I know that it is unusual for someone who is not a Republican to endorse a Republican candidate for President. And if this were an ordinary time and an ordinary election, I probably would not have done so. But this is no ordinary time -- and this is no ordinary election -- and John McCain is no ordinary candidate.
In this critical election, no one should let party lines be a barrier to choosing the person we believe is best qualified to lead our nation forward. The problems that confront us are too great, the threats we face too real, and the opportunities we have too exciting for us to play partisan politics with the Presidency.
My friend John McCain is that candidate, and that is why I am so proud to endorse and support him for President.
I have worked closely with John for many years on many issues. I have seen John, time and again, rise above the negativism and smallness of our politics to get things done for this country we love so much. John McCain has proven that we can trust him to do what is right for our country, not only when it is easy, but when it is hard; to do what is necessary, not only when it is popular, but when it is not; and to tell us the truth, not only when it is easy to hear, but when it is not.
As President, John McCain will bring America together again. He will inspire a new American unity and a new American patriotism. He will push all of us to work together to solve our biggest problems, and defeat our most dangerous enemies.
Throughout our history, succeeding generations of brave Americans have risked their lives for the cause of freedom -- which is America's cause. Throughout his career, from the ranks of the military to halls of the Congress, John McCain has made freedom's cause his own. He learned the ideals of patriotism and service from his father, he taught them to his sons, and he will hold those ideals high as an inspiration for all Americans.
When others were silent, and it was thought politically unpopular, John had the courage and common sense to sound the alarm about the mistakes we were making in Iraq and to call for more troops and a new strategy there. And when others wavered, when others wanted to retreat from the field of battle, John had the courage and the common sense to stand against the tide of public opinion and support the surge in Iraq, where we are at last winning.
There are many fine people running for President. Many of them are good friends of mine. But I have concluded -- and I hope you will, as well -- that John McCain is the candidate who can best reunite our country and lead us to victory.
Now I ask you to do all that you can to elect John McCain the next President of the United States. Every one of us should make a contribution. You can follow this link and make a secure donation right now.
After you have contributed to the cause I want you to follow this link to volunteer to make phone calls into the early primary states on behalf of the campaign. John McCain is the right man for the times and we all need to do our part to further the cause of liberty and freedom for all Americans.
Sincerely, Joe LiebermanUnited States Senator
PS. When it comes to keeping America safe in this time of war, John has proven that he has the experience, the strength, and the character, to be our commander-in-chief from day one. I have traveled the world with John, so I can tell you how much he is liked and admired by leaders across the globe. He will be a President our friends will respect and our enemies will fear, and a President who will lead our nation on the world stage with purpose and principle. Please join me in doing all that we can to support the election of John McCain.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
WHO CARES ABOUT A WRITERS STRIKE....
http://www.nysun.com/pf.php?id=68532&v=5955668911
New York Sun: The McCain Surge
By Nicholas Wapshott
As the Republican presidential candidates round the final bend that old warhorse John McCain is coming up fast through the crowded field.
In Iowa, where voting starts in just eight days, the most recent poll, by American Research Group, puts him surging into second place, behind Mike Huckabee with support for Mitt Romney collapsing and Rudy Giuliani fast dwindling. In New Hampshire, the latest poll, by the Boston Globe, puts him in a statistical dead heat with Mr. Romney, with Messrs. Huckabee and Giuliani trailing far behind. In the latest national poll, by Fox News Messrs. McCain, Huckabee, and Giuliani are neck and neck and neck.
This is an unexpected triumph for the senator for Arizona, who until June had sat in second place behind Mr. Giuliani In the early summer that will o' the wisp Fred Thompson overtook him, then in late November Mr. Huckabee came out of nowhere to pass him, and more recently Mr. Romney moved ahead of him on the national stage.
Senator McCain took his eclipse all in good part. Addressing a breakfast meeting of Hudson Institute members at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York a couple of months ago, he was noticeably sotto voce. The fight had not quite gone out of him, for he is a naturally pugnacious character, but he looked dented and didn't seem like a winner. Then came the beauty parade of GOP hopefuls, each trying to sound more conservative than the next, who relegated him to the back of the field.
Mr. McCain is used to waiting. After his A-4 Skyhawk was shot down during a bombing run over Hanoi in 1967, he was beaten, taken prisoner, and not released for nearly six years, during which time he was routinely tortured. For two years he languished in solitary confinement. Allowing Messrs. Thompson, Huckabee and Romney to play through while he was stuck in the rough was, for him, a mere inconvenience.
Mr. McCain is used to disappointment. His father and grandfather were both Navy admirals and he dearly wanted to match their achievement. It was not to be. He retooled his career as a politician in Arizona.
He is tough. The quotidian brutality of the Hanoi Hilton guards is not the only dirty fighting he has endured and transcended. In 2000, running for the Republican nomination against George W. Bush, he became the victim of an "anonymous" smear that suggested he had fathered a child with a black woman. (He had, in fact, adopted an orphan girl from Bangladesh.)
He has shown valor on and off the battlefield. Although undeniably a conservative, he has dared try to limit the influence on legislators of lobbyists and big donors. He introduced a line item veto to purge pork spending, only to see it struck down by the Supreme Court. Rather than wallow in xenophobia, he has tried to fix illegal immigration. He condemns water boarding, which he knows to be torture. Having resisted the blandishments of the North Vietnamese, he finds it repugnant to pander. He has taken on the Christian Right, which he believes has had a disproportionate influence upon the Republican Party. As the recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart, and a Distinguished Flying Cross, he defended the gallantry of the multi-decorated John Kerry against the sniping Swift Boat Veterans.
Nothing much has changed about Mr. McCain in the months since he fell from favor in the polls. He has shown great patience riding out the neophyte storm. He watched the ghost candidacy of Mr. Thompson come and go. He observed Mr. Romney lavish his personal fortune on the people of Iowa and New Hampshire, to diminishing effect. He has remained silent in the face of Mr. Huckabee's conspicuous pieties.
He can be excused a sly smile as, slowly and steadily, his persistence has paid off. If there is a single key to his resurgence, it is his typically strident and stalwart support for the job being done by General Petraeus's troop reinforcements in Iraq. He advocated the surge before the White House came round to his point of view. For a long while, and well ahead of the resulting tumble in casualties, he was a lone voice in defense of the president's surge policy. He was aware he was staking everything on the courage, fortitude, and efficacy of America's fighting forces. He had confidence in their success and deserves to reap the benefit.
As those around him trimmed and bowed to siren voices, he has remained resolute. From the start of the Iraq adventure, the senator insisted that we were attempting too much with too few boots on the ground and his sound judgment is at last being rewarded.
The war in Iraq remains the number one preoccupation with Republican voters and they appear to be giving Mr. McCain the credit for clear leadership and doing the right thing. The surge in Iraq has begat a surge in support for him in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Although he had every reason to distrust George W. Bush since the dirty 2000 Republican primary campaign, Mr. McCain has proven to be one of the White House's most loyal and vociferous allies. He has carried the president's water over immigration legislation and suffered the consequences without complaint. Mr. Bush's decision to stay above the fray until after the GOP has chosen its candidate has meant remaining silent over Mr. McCain's efforts on his behalf.
Nonetheless, Mr. McCain finds himself in an enviable position. Unlike Mr. Romney and Mr. Huckabee, he need only do better than expected in the sudden death states of Iowa and New Hampshire to be credited with momentum. If he were to win either, it would make him a most formidable contestant in the first great primary showdown on February 5.
The Republican Stakes are too close to call, but Mr. McCain is well placed to come out on top. Having been an early favorite to win, the senator now has that most American of narratives to fulfill: the former favorite son who falls into disfavor, then comes from behind to win. It would be a Hollywood ending for a military hero straight out of a movie.
New York Sun: The McCain Surge
By Nicholas Wapshott
As the Republican presidential candidates round the final bend that old warhorse John McCain is coming up fast through the crowded field.
In Iowa, where voting starts in just eight days, the most recent poll, by American Research Group, puts him surging into second place, behind Mike Huckabee with support for Mitt Romney collapsing and Rudy Giuliani fast dwindling. In New Hampshire, the latest poll, by the Boston Globe, puts him in a statistical dead heat with Mr. Romney, with Messrs. Huckabee and Giuliani trailing far behind. In the latest national poll, by Fox News Messrs. McCain, Huckabee, and Giuliani are neck and neck and neck.
This is an unexpected triumph for the senator for Arizona, who until June had sat in second place behind Mr. Giuliani In the early summer that will o' the wisp Fred Thompson overtook him, then in late November Mr. Huckabee came out of nowhere to pass him, and more recently Mr. Romney moved ahead of him on the national stage.
Senator McCain took his eclipse all in good part. Addressing a breakfast meeting of Hudson Institute members at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York a couple of months ago, he was noticeably sotto voce. The fight had not quite gone out of him, for he is a naturally pugnacious character, but he looked dented and didn't seem like a winner. Then came the beauty parade of GOP hopefuls, each trying to sound more conservative than the next, who relegated him to the back of the field.
Mr. McCain is used to waiting. After his A-4 Skyhawk was shot down during a bombing run over Hanoi in 1967, he was beaten, taken prisoner, and not released for nearly six years, during which time he was routinely tortured. For two years he languished in solitary confinement. Allowing Messrs. Thompson, Huckabee and Romney to play through while he was stuck in the rough was, for him, a mere inconvenience.
Mr. McCain is used to disappointment. His father and grandfather were both Navy admirals and he dearly wanted to match their achievement. It was not to be. He retooled his career as a politician in Arizona.
He is tough. The quotidian brutality of the Hanoi Hilton guards is not the only dirty fighting he has endured and transcended. In 2000, running for the Republican nomination against George W. Bush, he became the victim of an "anonymous" smear that suggested he had fathered a child with a black woman. (He had, in fact, adopted an orphan girl from Bangladesh.)
He has shown valor on and off the battlefield. Although undeniably a conservative, he has dared try to limit the influence on legislators of lobbyists and big donors. He introduced a line item veto to purge pork spending, only to see it struck down by the Supreme Court. Rather than wallow in xenophobia, he has tried to fix illegal immigration. He condemns water boarding, which he knows to be torture. Having resisted the blandishments of the North Vietnamese, he finds it repugnant to pander. He has taken on the Christian Right, which he believes has had a disproportionate influence upon the Republican Party. As the recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart, and a Distinguished Flying Cross, he defended the gallantry of the multi-decorated John Kerry against the sniping Swift Boat Veterans.
Nothing much has changed about Mr. McCain in the months since he fell from favor in the polls. He has shown great patience riding out the neophyte storm. He watched the ghost candidacy of Mr. Thompson come and go. He observed Mr. Romney lavish his personal fortune on the people of Iowa and New Hampshire, to diminishing effect. He has remained silent in the face of Mr. Huckabee's conspicuous pieties.
He can be excused a sly smile as, slowly and steadily, his persistence has paid off. If there is a single key to his resurgence, it is his typically strident and stalwart support for the job being done by General Petraeus's troop reinforcements in Iraq. He advocated the surge before the White House came round to his point of view. For a long while, and well ahead of the resulting tumble in casualties, he was a lone voice in defense of the president's surge policy. He was aware he was staking everything on the courage, fortitude, and efficacy of America's fighting forces. He had confidence in their success and deserves to reap the benefit.
As those around him trimmed and bowed to siren voices, he has remained resolute. From the start of the Iraq adventure, the senator insisted that we were attempting too much with too few boots on the ground and his sound judgment is at last being rewarded.
The war in Iraq remains the number one preoccupation with Republican voters and they appear to be giving Mr. McCain the credit for clear leadership and doing the right thing. The surge in Iraq has begat a surge in support for him in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Although he had every reason to distrust George W. Bush since the dirty 2000 Republican primary campaign, Mr. McCain has proven to be one of the White House's most loyal and vociferous allies. He has carried the president's water over immigration legislation and suffered the consequences without complaint. Mr. Bush's decision to stay above the fray until after the GOP has chosen its candidate has meant remaining silent over Mr. McCain's efforts on his behalf.
Nonetheless, Mr. McCain finds himself in an enviable position. Unlike Mr. Romney and Mr. Huckabee, he need only do better than expected in the sudden death states of Iowa and New Hampshire to be credited with momentum. If he were to win either, it would make him a most formidable contestant in the first great primary showdown on February 5.
The Republican Stakes are too close to call, but Mr. McCain is well placed to come out on top. Having been an early favorite to win, the senator now has that most American of narratives to fulfill: the former favorite son who falls into disfavor, then comes from behind to win. It would be a Hollywood ending for a military hero straight out of a movie.
ROMNEY BACKLASH
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=The+Romney+backlash%3a+Conservatives+are+coming+home&articleId=bc5bd60b-68a2-4427-93aa-d0fc2548ba3d
Union Leader: The Romney Backlash: Conservatives Are Coming Home
Editorial
THERE IS A reason Mitt Romney has not received a single newspaper endorsement in New Hampshire. It's the same reason his poll numbers are dropping. He has not been able to convince the people of this state that he's the conservative he says he is.
Like a lot of people in New Hampshire, we wanted to believe Romney. We gave him the benefit of the doubt. We listened very carefully to his expertly rehearsed sales pitch. But in the end he didn't close the deal for us. Now, two weeks before the primary, the same is happening with voters.
Republicans and right-leaning independents in New Hampshire gave Romney a chance. His events have not been sparsely attended. Nor have they been scarce. He's made more campaign stops here this year than any other Republican, even John McCain.
And after a year of comparing Romney to McCain, of sizing up the two in person and in the media, Granite Staters are turning back to McCain. The former Navy pilot, once written off by the national media establishment, is now in a statistical dead heat with Romney here.
How could that be? Romney has all the advantages: money, organization, geographic proximity, statesman-like hair, etc.
But he lacks something John McCain has in spades: conviction.
Granite Staters want a candidate who will look them in the eye and tell them the truth. John McCain has done that day in and day out, never wavering, never faltering, never pandering.
Mitt Romney has not. He has spoken his lines well, but the people can sense that the words are memorized, not heartfelt.
Last week Romney was reduced to debating what the meaning of "saw" is. It was only the latest in a string of demonstrably false claims -- he'd been a hunter "pretty much" all his life, he'd had the NRA's endorsement, he saw his father march with Martin Luther King Jr. -- that call into question the veracity of his justifications for switching sides on immigration, abortion, taxes and his affection for Ronald Reagan.
In this primary, the more Mitt Romney speaks, the less believable he becomes. That is why Granite Staters who have listened attentively are now returning to John McCain. They might not agree with McCain on everything, as we don't, but like us, they judge him to be a man of integrity and conviction, a man who won't sell them out, who won't break his promises, and who won't lie to get elected.
Voters can see that John McCain is trustworthy. Mitt Romney has spent a year trying to convince Granite Staters that he is as well. It looks like they aren't buying it. And for good reason.
Union Leader: The Romney Backlash: Conservatives Are Coming Home
Editorial
THERE IS A reason Mitt Romney has not received a single newspaper endorsement in New Hampshire. It's the same reason his poll numbers are dropping. He has not been able to convince the people of this state that he's the conservative he says he is.
Like a lot of people in New Hampshire, we wanted to believe Romney. We gave him the benefit of the doubt. We listened very carefully to his expertly rehearsed sales pitch. But in the end he didn't close the deal for us. Now, two weeks before the primary, the same is happening with voters.
Republicans and right-leaning independents in New Hampshire gave Romney a chance. His events have not been sparsely attended. Nor have they been scarce. He's made more campaign stops here this year than any other Republican, even John McCain.
And after a year of comparing Romney to McCain, of sizing up the two in person and in the media, Granite Staters are turning back to McCain. The former Navy pilot, once written off by the national media establishment, is now in a statistical dead heat with Romney here.
How could that be? Romney has all the advantages: money, organization, geographic proximity, statesman-like hair, etc.
But he lacks something John McCain has in spades: conviction.
Granite Staters want a candidate who will look them in the eye and tell them the truth. John McCain has done that day in and day out, never wavering, never faltering, never pandering.
Mitt Romney has not. He has spoken his lines well, but the people can sense that the words are memorized, not heartfelt.
Last week Romney was reduced to debating what the meaning of "saw" is. It was only the latest in a string of demonstrably false claims -- he'd been a hunter "pretty much" all his life, he'd had the NRA's endorsement, he saw his father march with Martin Luther King Jr. -- that call into question the veracity of his justifications for switching sides on immigration, abortion, taxes and his affection for Ronald Reagan.
In this primary, the more Mitt Romney speaks, the less believable he becomes. That is why Granite Staters who have listened attentively are now returning to John McCain. They might not agree with McCain on everything, as we don't, but like us, they judge him to be a man of integrity and conviction, a man who won't sell them out, who won't break his promises, and who won't lie to get elected.
Voters can see that John McCain is trustworthy. Mitt Romney has spent a year trying to convince Granite Staters that he is as well. It looks like they aren't buying it. And for good reason.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
McCain in NH again........I Love it!
Let’s please make sure this gets in front of/circulated to everyone you know. We need this to be our largest crowd yet.
Thanks!Ashley
John McCain Dover Town Hall Meeting!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
9:00AM
Greek Orthodox Church
93 Locust Street
Dover, NH
Thanks!Ashley
John McCain Dover Town Hall Meeting!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
9:00AM
Greek Orthodox Church
93 Locust Street
Dover, NH
McCain closing gap with Romney
McCain closing gap with Romney
In N.H. poll, Obama inches ahead of Clinton
By Scott Helman, Globe Staff December 23, 2007
Senator John McCain of Arizona, whose bid for the Republican presidential nomination was all but dead this summer, has made a dramatic recovery in the Granite State 2 1/2 weeks before the 2008 vote, pulling within 3 percentage points of front-runner Mitt Romney, a new Boston Globe poll indicates.
McCain, the darling of New Hampshire voters in the 2000 primary, has the support of 25 percent of likely Republican voters, compared with 28 percent for Romney. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani has slid into third place, with 14 percent. A Globe poll of New Hampshire voters last month had Romney at 32 percent, Giuliani at 20 percent, and McCain at 17 percent.
Among Democratic voters, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois has opened up a narrow lead over Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, 30 percent to 28 percent. That, too, represents a major shift from last month's Globe poll, which had Clinton with a 14-point advantage. Former senator John Edwards of North Carolina remained a steady third at 14 percent.
The Globe poll also found wide disparities in voter opinion on domestic issues, with Republicans and Democrats expressing starkly different views on the government's role in healthcare and on whether illegal immigration is a problem.
The survey provided fresh evidence of how tight the primary contests have become in New Hampshire and around the country, adding to a growing sense among political analysts, voters, and the campaigns that neither party has a clear front-runner just days before the crush of primaries begins.
The survey of 422 likely Democratic voters and 410 likely Republican voters in New Hampshire, conducted from Dec. 16 to Dec. 20, has a margin of error for each party subsample of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
The races in New Hampshire are still wide open - roughly 40 percent of likely voters in both parties indicated they are still undecided.
But McCain's momentum is striking given that he was essentially written off by the political class and by rivals after weak fund-raising and excessive early spending forced him to completely retool his campaign in July. Since then, his focus on New Hampshire, stumbles by his opponents, and a series of newspaper endorsements have helped him regain traction.
"Republicans talked about the John McCain deathwatch back in the summer," said Andrew E. Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, which conducted the Globe poll. "He's back to the John McCain of 2000."
McCain appears to have gained ground without a surge of support from independent voters, who propelled him to a double-digit win over George W. Bush in the 2000 primary and nearly catapulted him to the GOP nomination. McCain earned more support in the Globe poll from registered Republicans than from "undeclared" voters.
Jimmie Purselley, a 75-year-old retired engineer from Goffstown who was among those surveyed, said in a followup interview that he considered supporting Romney but ultimately "felt more comfortable with McCain."
"I have a high opinion of his ability to stand on his own two feet and say what he needs to say," he said.
In last month's poll, voters indicated they saw Romney as more trustworthy than McCain, but that dynamic has now reversed, with McCain the clear leader in that category. Yet while Romney's support has declined from recent polls, the survey has more ominous signs for Giuliani, who once vied for the lead in New Hampshire.
Giuliani's support has diminished in every category of candidate characteristics - from leadership and experience to electability and judgment.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, despite a surge in polls in Iowa and nationally, has not translated that success to New Hampshire, winning the support of just 10 percent of voters. More than 40 percent of respondents said Huckabee was the leading GOP candidate for whom they were least likely to vote.
On the Democratic side, the poll confirmed Obama's steady rise in New Hampshire in recent weeks, which has turned what had been a strong state for Clinton into a battleground. Aside from a CNN/WMUR poll conducted by UNH last week, which had Clinton with a 12-point edge, surveys have generally shown Obama closing in.
Once trailing Clinton by more than 20 points, Obama appears to have benefited from voters' increasingly positive perceptions of him. Clinton is still viewed by far as the most experienced Democrat, and her supporters are firmest in their preference. But Obama has cut into her leads in the areas of electability and leadership. Voters indicated they also now believe he possesses the best judgment and is the candidate most likely to bring change.
Wendy Damon, a 56-year-old from Tamworth, N.H., who works in manufacturing, said she thought about Clinton, but decided to vote for Obama.
"I just think it's nice to have something fresh - somebody whose approach is not so politically expedient," she said.
One of the major shifts in the Democratic race came in New Hampshire's biggest city, Manchester, which is home to many blue-collar voters. Last month, Clinton led Obama in the Manchester area by a wide margin, 50 percent to 18 percent. But in the new poll, Obama was narrowly ahead among Manchester voters, leading Clinton 33 percent to 31 percent.
On the issue of healthcare, the leading concern of Democrats, 80 percent of likely Democratic voters said it should be the government's responsibility to ensure universal coverage, compared with just 30 percent of Republicans. One aspect of the healthcare debate that has divided Democratic candidates is whether individuals should be required to purchase coverage - Clinton and Edwards favor a mandate, while Obama does not. A slight majority of Democratic voters who were polled - including pluralities of Clinton and Edwards supporters - opposed such a requirement.
The Globe poll also asked voters whether they were concerned about their economic security. Among voters in both parties who said they were concerned, healthcare costs were the biggest reason.
On immigration, a particularly potent issue for the GOP, likely Republican voters in New Hampshire were most concerned about illegal immigrants taking government benefits, and indicated overwhelmingly that stopping the flow of undocumented immigrants into the country should be the top priority. More than 80 percent say they oppose giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Among Democrats, 42 percent indicated illegal immigration has not been a negative influence on the country. But a plurality of Democrats, 47 percent, indicated they believe that border security should be a higher priority than dealing with those already living the country illegally. A majority of Democratic voters oppose granting illegal immigrants driver's licenses, including a plurality of supporters of Obama, who supports the idea.
Obama and Edwards, neither of whom accept campaign contributions from federal lobbyists or political action committees, saw that position rewarded by Democratic voters. Eighty-four percent of those surveyed said that whether a candidate accepted PAC and lobbyist money was "very important" or "somewhat important" to their vote.
Globe correspondent Kelsey Abbruzzese contributed to this report. Scott Helman can be reached at shelman@globe.com.
© Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
In N.H. poll, Obama inches ahead of Clinton
By Scott Helman, Globe Staff December 23, 2007
Senator John McCain of Arizona, whose bid for the Republican presidential nomination was all but dead this summer, has made a dramatic recovery in the Granite State 2 1/2 weeks before the 2008 vote, pulling within 3 percentage points of front-runner Mitt Romney, a new Boston Globe poll indicates.
McCain, the darling of New Hampshire voters in the 2000 primary, has the support of 25 percent of likely Republican voters, compared with 28 percent for Romney. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani has slid into third place, with 14 percent. A Globe poll of New Hampshire voters last month had Romney at 32 percent, Giuliani at 20 percent, and McCain at 17 percent.
Among Democratic voters, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois has opened up a narrow lead over Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, 30 percent to 28 percent. That, too, represents a major shift from last month's Globe poll, which had Clinton with a 14-point advantage. Former senator John Edwards of North Carolina remained a steady third at 14 percent.
The Globe poll also found wide disparities in voter opinion on domestic issues, with Republicans and Democrats expressing starkly different views on the government's role in healthcare and on whether illegal immigration is a problem.
The survey provided fresh evidence of how tight the primary contests have become in New Hampshire and around the country, adding to a growing sense among political analysts, voters, and the campaigns that neither party has a clear front-runner just days before the crush of primaries begins.
The survey of 422 likely Democratic voters and 410 likely Republican voters in New Hampshire, conducted from Dec. 16 to Dec. 20, has a margin of error for each party subsample of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
The races in New Hampshire are still wide open - roughly 40 percent of likely voters in both parties indicated they are still undecided.
But McCain's momentum is striking given that he was essentially written off by the political class and by rivals after weak fund-raising and excessive early spending forced him to completely retool his campaign in July. Since then, his focus on New Hampshire, stumbles by his opponents, and a series of newspaper endorsements have helped him regain traction.
"Republicans talked about the John McCain deathwatch back in the summer," said Andrew E. Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, which conducted the Globe poll. "He's back to the John McCain of 2000."
McCain appears to have gained ground without a surge of support from independent voters, who propelled him to a double-digit win over George W. Bush in the 2000 primary and nearly catapulted him to the GOP nomination. McCain earned more support in the Globe poll from registered Republicans than from "undeclared" voters.
Jimmie Purselley, a 75-year-old retired engineer from Goffstown who was among those surveyed, said in a followup interview that he considered supporting Romney but ultimately "felt more comfortable with McCain."
"I have a high opinion of his ability to stand on his own two feet and say what he needs to say," he said.
In last month's poll, voters indicated they saw Romney as more trustworthy than McCain, but that dynamic has now reversed, with McCain the clear leader in that category. Yet while Romney's support has declined from recent polls, the survey has more ominous signs for Giuliani, who once vied for the lead in New Hampshire.
Giuliani's support has diminished in every category of candidate characteristics - from leadership and experience to electability and judgment.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, despite a surge in polls in Iowa and nationally, has not translated that success to New Hampshire, winning the support of just 10 percent of voters. More than 40 percent of respondents said Huckabee was the leading GOP candidate for whom they were least likely to vote.
On the Democratic side, the poll confirmed Obama's steady rise in New Hampshire in recent weeks, which has turned what had been a strong state for Clinton into a battleground. Aside from a CNN/WMUR poll conducted by UNH last week, which had Clinton with a 12-point edge, surveys have generally shown Obama closing in.
Once trailing Clinton by more than 20 points, Obama appears to have benefited from voters' increasingly positive perceptions of him. Clinton is still viewed by far as the most experienced Democrat, and her supporters are firmest in their preference. But Obama has cut into her leads in the areas of electability and leadership. Voters indicated they also now believe he possesses the best judgment and is the candidate most likely to bring change.
Wendy Damon, a 56-year-old from Tamworth, N.H., who works in manufacturing, said she thought about Clinton, but decided to vote for Obama.
"I just think it's nice to have something fresh - somebody whose approach is not so politically expedient," she said.
One of the major shifts in the Democratic race came in New Hampshire's biggest city, Manchester, which is home to many blue-collar voters. Last month, Clinton led Obama in the Manchester area by a wide margin, 50 percent to 18 percent. But in the new poll, Obama was narrowly ahead among Manchester voters, leading Clinton 33 percent to 31 percent.
On the issue of healthcare, the leading concern of Democrats, 80 percent of likely Democratic voters said it should be the government's responsibility to ensure universal coverage, compared with just 30 percent of Republicans. One aspect of the healthcare debate that has divided Democratic candidates is whether individuals should be required to purchase coverage - Clinton and Edwards favor a mandate, while Obama does not. A slight majority of Democratic voters who were polled - including pluralities of Clinton and Edwards supporters - opposed such a requirement.
The Globe poll also asked voters whether they were concerned about their economic security. Among voters in both parties who said they were concerned, healthcare costs were the biggest reason.
On immigration, a particularly potent issue for the GOP, likely Republican voters in New Hampshire were most concerned about illegal immigrants taking government benefits, and indicated overwhelmingly that stopping the flow of undocumented immigrants into the country should be the top priority. More than 80 percent say they oppose giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Among Democrats, 42 percent indicated illegal immigration has not been a negative influence on the country. But a plurality of Democrats, 47 percent, indicated they believe that border security should be a higher priority than dealing with those already living the country illegally. A majority of Democratic voters oppose granting illegal immigrants driver's licenses, including a plurality of supporters of Obama, who supports the idea.
Obama and Edwards, neither of whom accept campaign contributions from federal lobbyists or political action committees, saw that position rewarded by Democratic voters. Eighty-four percent of those surveyed said that whether a candidate accepted PAC and lobbyist money was "very important" or "somewhat important" to their vote.
Globe correspondent Kelsey Abbruzzese contributed to this report. Scott Helman can be reached at shelman@globe.com.
© Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
Greetings
Welcome to my thoughts. You will not agree with them all, few do...but they hopefully will give you an interesting read.....
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