I will be honest...John McCain was beyond my last choice to be the Republican nominee for President this year. Mike Huckabee is an intelligent, funny guy, a former governor, and a great communicator who believes in America's greatness. That said, he was a big spender as a governor, soft on illegal immigration, and his glibness sometimes reminded me of Bill Clinton without the bimbo eruptions...so I never backed him at all. First, I supported Fred Thompson, perhaps the most qualified and articulate primary candidate on all the issues (social, economic, and national security) the GOP could field this year, but he is a much better man, actor, and thinker than he ever was a politician. Then, I backed Mitt Romney because he would have likely been the best candidate to make sure the economy stayed strong. Romney, although a governor, was a businessman first, and the only candidate on either side with much in the way of non-government, private sector experience. Even so, he was a lightweight on foreign policy, and virtually all of his positions are the opposite of what they were when he ran for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts.
John McCain basically got the GOP nomination because he was the last man standing, and because it was his turn. I will cover in detail another time the multitude of reasons for which I voted against Barack Obama, but here are the only reasons I voted for John McCain:
1.) his service as a naval aviator and the strength he showed as a POW;
2.) his foresight to be correct on the surge, which has led to us being on the cusp of victory in Iraq; and
3.) his choice of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.
That's it, that's all folks, and it isn't a long list. Many Republicans forget that McCain was, as recently as a few months ago, the favorite GOP Senator of the New York Times and other mainstream media outlets because he screws conservatives and conservatism every chance he gets. Among other things, his positions on immigration, free speech, and judges, as well as his economic policies are all distinctly NOT conservative. Once he ran against the Obamessiah though, the MSM turned on him in a nanosecond, which is more than a little ironic because, when/if he loses the election and goes back to being who he really is and screwing conservatives and conservatism at every turn, the MSM will love him all over again.
The conventional wisdom out there has McCain several points down, with a limited electoral map to get to the presidency. Commentators have likened his odds to having to draw an inside straight to win a hand of poker. I think that's about right, as his chances don't look good. The economy, America's first "black" presidential candidate, and a mainstream media completely in the tank for his opponent have conspired with McCain's own numerous faults to all but seal his fate on November 4. Here's to hoping that the Democrats don't get a 60 seat, filibuster-proof Senate majority...otherwise, things could get tough and ugly on a lot of fronts in a big hurry.
