John McCain Is The Republican Nominee
It was a given before last night, but Mike Huckabee finally dropped out after giving a most gracious speech. After giving his victory speech, McCain now begins the journey to the White House:
Now, we begin the most important part of our campaign: to make a respectful, determined and convincing case to the American people that our campaign and my election as President, given the alternatives presented by our friends in the other party, are in the best interests of the country we love. I have never believed I was destined be President. I don’t believe anyone is pre-destined to lead America. But I do believe we are born with responsibilities to the country that has protected our God-given rights, and the opportunities they afford us. I did not grow up with the expectation that my country owed me more than the rights owed every American. On the contrary, I owe my country every opportunity I have ever had. I owe her the meaning that service to America has given my life, and the sense that I am part of something greater than myself, part of a kinship of ideals that have always represented the last, best hope of mankind.
I understand the responsibilities I incur with this nomination, and I give you my word, I will not evade or slight a single one. Our campaign must be, and will be more than another tired debate of false promises, empty sound-bites, or useless arguments from the past that address not a single American’s concerns for their family’s security. Presidential candidates are judged on their records, their character and the whole of their life experiences. But we are also expected to concentrate our efforts on the challenges that will confront America on our watch and explain how we intend to address them.
America is at war in two countries, and involved in a long and difficult fight with violent extremists who despise us, our values and modernity itself. It is of little use to Americans for their candidates to avoid the many complex challenges of these struggles by re-litigating decisions of the past. I will defend the decision to destroy Saddam Hussein’s regime as I criticized the failed tactics that were employed for too long to establish the conditions that will allow us to leave that country with our country’s interests secure and our honor intact. But Americans know that the next President doesn’t get to re-make that decision. We are in Iraq and our most vital security interests are clearly involved there. The next President must explain how he or she intends to bring that war to the swiftest possible conclusion without exacerbating a sectarian conflict that could quickly descend into genocide; destabilizing the entire Middle East; enabling our adversaries in the region to extend their influence and undermine our security there; and emboldening terrorists to attack us elsewhere with weapons we dare not allow them to possess.
The next President must encourage the greater participation and cooperation of our allies in the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The next President must lead an effort to restructure our military, our intelligence, our diplomacy and all relevant branches of government to combat Islamic extremism, encourage the vast majority of moderates to win the battle for the soul of Islam, and meet the many other rising challenges in this changing world.
I will leave it to my opponent to argue that we should abrogate trade treaties, and pretend the global economy will go away and Americans can secure our future by trading and investing only among ourselves. We will campaign in favor of seizing the opportunities presented by the growth of free markets throughout the world, helping displaced workers acquire new and lasting employment and educating our children to prepare them for the new economic realities by giving parents choices about their children’s education they do not have now.
I will leave it to my opponent to claim that they can keep companies and jobs from going overseas by making it harder for them to do business here at home. We will campaign to strengthen job growth in America by helping businesses become more competitive with lower taxes and less regulation.
I will leave it to my opponent to propose returning to the failed, big government mandates of the sixties and seventies to address problems such as the lack of health care insurance for some Americans. I will campaign to make health care more accessible to more Americans with reforms that will bring down costs in the health care industry down without ruining the quality of the world’s best medical care.
And I will campaign to reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil with an energy policy that encourages American industry and technology to make our country safer, cleaner and more prosperous by leading the world in the use, development and discovery of alternative sources of energy.
These are some of the challenges that confront us. There are others just as urgent, and during this campaign I’ll travel across the country in cities and rural areas, in communities of all ethnic backgrounds and income levels, offering my ideas and listening to the concerns and advice of Americans. Americans aren’t interested in an election where they are just talked to and not listened to; an election that offers platitudes instead of principles and insults instead of ideas; an election that results — no matter who wins — in four years of unkept promises and a government that is just a battleground for the next election. Their patience is at an end for politicians who value ambition over principle, and for partisanship that is less a contest of ideas than an uncivil brawl over the spoils of power.
Nothing is inevitable in America. We are the captains of our fate. We’re not a country that prefers nostalgia to optimism; a country that would rather go back than forward. We’re the world’s leader, and leaders don’t pine for the past and dread the future. We make the future better than the past. We don’t hide from history. We make history. That, my friends, is the essence of hope in America, hope built on courage, and faith in the values and principles that have made us great. I intend to make my stand on those principles and chart a course for our future greatness, and trust in the judgment of the people I have served all my life. So stand up with me, my friends, stand up and fight for America — for her strength, her ideals, and her future. The contest begins tonight. It will have its ups and downs. But we will fight every minute of every day to make certain we have a government that is as capable, wise, brave and decent as the great people we serve. That is our responsibility and I will not let you down.
March 5, 2008 - 07:48 AM on March 5th, 2008
This doesn’t mean I will vote FOR McNuggets.
March 5, 2008 - 08:22 AM on March 5th, 2008
[...] Blogger News Network wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt It was a given before last night, but Mike Huckabee finally dropped out after giving a most gracious speech. After giving his victory speech, McCain now begins the journey to the White House: Now, we begin the most important part of our campaign: to make a respectful, determined and convincing case to the American people that our campaign and my election as President, given the alternatives presented by our friends in the other party, are in the best interests of the country we love. I have ne [...]
March 5, 2008 - 08:43 AM on March 5th, 2008
Well, it’s official. No matter what happens in the Democrat primaries the Progressives and Socialist will win come November.
March 5, 2008 - 08:44 AM on March 5th, 2008
Well, it’s official. No matter what happens in the Democrat primaries the Progressives and Social-ist will win come November.
March 5, 2008 - 08:57 AM on March 5th, 2008
My favorite Juan McCain quote:
“The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” McCain said. “I’ve got Greenspan’s book.”
Kinda like saying “I’m not a doctor, but I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night.” before doing major brain surgery.
March 5, 2008 - 10:04 AM on March 5th, 2008
#1, PCD, you’re old enough to vote?!
SFL is shocked!
By the way you talk/write, I thought you were 16…maybe 17 yrs old.
March 5, 2008 - 10:55 AM on March 5th, 2008
6, Listen, Child, I’ve been around the block long before you were born. I knew your momma well.
March 5, 2008 - 12:47 PM on March 5th, 2008
Yep, we’re stuck with McCain. I hope he doesn’t turn out to be the Bob Dole of the 2008 election.
March 5, 2008 - 07:47 PM on March 5th, 2008
#7, thanks for proving my point
#8, he will.
March 5, 2008 - 10:05 PM on March 5th, 2008
I,de rather have RON PAUL and SFL probibly voted for JIMMY CARTER
March 5, 2008 - 11:32 PM on March 5th, 2008
“SFL probibly voted for JIMMY CARTER”
————
Born six months after `76 election.
I would have if I could of, though! Not voting for Ford, that’s for damn sure.
March 6, 2008 - 12:14 AM on March 6th, 2008
I was 14 when Carter was elected. I listened to his campaign speeches and idiotic promises and, even at that age, KNEW that he’d be a disaster for the country. Coming from a heavily unionized area in rural Ohio, voting Democrat was almost a given for most of the area. Unfortunately even a modicum of common sense didn’t seem to be. 4 years later when the steel mills and factories were almost silent, and coal mining had taken huge hits due to EPA policies on acid rain, the unions still supported the Democrats that had caused the double digit inflation, double digit unemployment and double digit mortgage interest rates. I remember the Carter administration well. Only an absolute idiot would say that they would vote for him after the way that he screwed up the economy, the military, and US intelligence agencies when he was President.
March 6, 2008 - 07:23 AM on March 6th, 2008
9, SFL, you always prove why you are too stupid to vote. I voted AGAINST Carter and Ford. I didn’t think either were worthy or good enough to be President. I got to question Jimmy. He’s a dolt, like you are.
March 11, 2008 - 09:06 PM on March 11th, 2008
I’ve been following John Mccain’s health issues and I have a question. Who would be the republican nominee if something happens to John Mccain? I’m hoping someone can answer this.
March 11, 2008 - 09:49 PM on March 11th, 2008
The party would hold a special session in which the members would nominate a new candidate. Ususally the person that had the most votes in the primaries, but you would need to check out the RNC rules.
March 15, 2008 - 12:13 AM on March 15th, 2008
Pam,
Thank you so much for answering
JJ
March 15, 2008 - 06:22 AM on March 15th, 2008
No problem jj.
March 15, 2008 - 04:54 PM on March 15th, 2008
Maybe Trent Lott could take his place, if god forbid, there be a need…