Off to DC

Sorry about the lack of attention paid to the blog recently, I am leaving for Washington D.C tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to update it there.

Ensure Strong Defense. Restore Public's Trust

John McCain, in the Des Moines Register, gives us a look at what his Presidency would be about:

I believe our nation's best days are ahead and remain committed to an America with a strong national defense; a smaller, more accountable government; a robust economy with abundant opportunity for all who seek it; and a nation of traditional values that protects the rights of the unborn and the traditional family.

As president and commander in chief, I will protect the security of this great nation from all enemies. Today, we confront a titanic struggle against Islamic extremism that will not be won quickly or easily. But we will win it. While our ultimate victory is not in doubt, the length and intensity of this struggle remain to be determined. It is up to us and our determination for victory.

I, too, look forward to bringing our troops home, but I know that we must bring them home in victory and with honor. We must recognize that our enemies are in this fight to win. Be assured that I would employ all instruments of national power - military, intelligence, law enforcement, economic and political - to defeat them.

At home, Americans have lost trust in their government. The ambition of my presidency will be to restore that trust. I will fight to ensure a political process worthy of the sacrifices that have been made by so many to keep us free and proud and will see to it that the institutions of self-government are respected pillars of democracy.

You can read the full article here. Also, John hasn't written off Iowa, despite rumors to the contrary.

NH Primary Date Set

The final date for the New Hampshire primary has been set, its now January 8th, 2008. Less than seven weeks away.

News Round-up

Here is a brief round-up of some campaign news:

Things are going much better in Iraq, and John McCain points out you can tell by the Democrat's silence.

Also, as President, John McCain vowed he would only support negotiations if they would actually benefit the USA, not simply for the sake of appearances.

He also called for a re-importation of drugs from Canada as a way to help alleviate health care costs. This is all part of his health care plan aimed at cutting costs for Americans.

Still the Best Candidate to Beat Hillary Clinton

Some new polling numbers are out, and they show what we have known for a while now: John McCain is the Republican best suited to beating Hillary Clinton in 2008.

Update 11/22:

Given that Hillary is the likely Dem nominee, I suggest reading this and this.

Powerline on the Straight Talk Express

Paul Mirengoff, of the popular conservative blog Powerline, recently took the time to ride with John McCain on the straight talk express. I highly suggest you read the entire post here.

John McCain Hitting Stride

Here is the opening paragraph from Frank Donatelli's article at The Hill concerning John McCain:

Evidence continues to accumulate that Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) is making progress in his comeback effort to secure the Republican presidential nomination. McCain and dark horse Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee are on the upswing, while the support levels for other candidates are either flat or actually declining.

Read the full piece here.

Other Further Items

On November 5th, John addressed a Conference on the Bio Economy at Ames, Iowa. Here is a brief excerpt of his speech:

Many Iowans have heard that I oppose federal subsidies for ethanol production. Some of you will have heard that I oppose a protective tariff against sugar-based ethanol imports from places like Brazil. Some of my opponents will describe my positions as opposition to American ethanol producers or, for some inexplicable reason, a personal dislike of Iowa. Neither is true, of course, and I appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight. But I have always believed before you can win someone's vote, you have to earn their respect. And I intend to earn your respect by being honest with you.

Yes, I oppose subsidies. Not just ethanol subsidies. Subsidies. And not just in Iowa either. I oppose them in my own state of Arizona. I am a proud of the conservative tradition that the government can sometimes best serve the interests of the American people by knowing when to stay out of their way. And I've always been reluctant to grow the size of government to do the business of the American people for them or to favor one industry over another or because one sector of our economy has better lobbyists than another. I want the government to do its job, not your job, to do it better and to do it with less of your money. I want our economy to grow, not the size of government. And I don't want government to divert resources from the growing industries that hold the key to America's continued economic success. Excessive and intrusive regulation undermines the flexibility needed for business success.

The full speech can be found here.

Also, if you missed it, here is an article at RealClearPolitics about why John McCain is, by far, the most experienced candidate when it comes to matters of foreign policy.

Senator Brownback Endorses John McCain

Senator Sam Brownback, from Kansas, has endorsed John McCain's bid to become America's next President. Here is his statement of support:

Today I am proud to endorse my friend and a true American hero, John McCain, for President of the United States. While I respect all of the Republicans running for president this year, John McCain is the only candidate who can rally the Reagan coalition of conservatives, Independents, and conservative Democrats needed to defeat Hillary Clinton or any other Democrat in the general election next year. John McCain has spent a lifetime standing up for human rights around the world, including a consistent 24-year pro-life record of protecting the rights of the unborn. John McCain alone has the courage, leadership and character to lead our party to victory in 2008 while keeping faith with our most cherished values -- life, faith and family.

John McCain gave this statement in response to Senator Brownback's announcement:

I am deeply honored to receive the support of my friend Senator Sam Brownback. Sam Brownback is a man of faith and compassion whose integrity and unwavering commitment to protecting the dignity of human life, both born and unborn, has been an inspiration to me. We Republicans must stand firm in our deepest principles to rally the conservative Reagan coalition and win a great victory next November. Sam Brownback's counsel and friendship will be invaluable as we work to achieve this worthy goal, and I thank him for his support.

I am sorry about the late posting of this news and others recently. I intend to explain, in further detail and in my own words, why this endorsement matters so much.

McCain: Experience to Lead

Republished in full from JohnMcCain.com :

Today, John McCain responded to recent assertions by Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Governor Mitt Romney that their experience makes them the most qualified candidates to lead the United States as President. While he respects his opponents' accomplishments, McCain welcomes the challenge to compare all of the candidates' experiences, so that the voters can make an informed choice about who is best qualified to be Commander-in-Chief from day one. Here is a brief summary of his qualifications:

• Graduated U.S. Naval Academy, 1958
• Earned flight wings, Pensacola, Florida, 1960
• Deployed on aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise in Caribbean during the Cuban Missile Crisis
• Served as Lieutenant Commander aboard aircraft carriers U.S.S. Forrestal and U.S.S. Orinsky in the Vietnam War, flying and leading combat air strikes over North Vietnam
• Shot down over Hanoi, October 26, 1967
• Served 5 ½ years as Prisoner of War, 1967-1973
• Attended National War College, 1973-1974
• Served as commanding officer of largest attack squadron in the U.S. Navy, 1976
• Served as U.S. Navy's chief liaison to the U.S. Senate, 1977-1981
• Retired a Captain, USN, 1981
• Elected to U.S. House of Representatives, 1982
• Elected to U.S. Senate, 1986
• Has served on Senate Armed Services Committee for 20 years, now senior Republican member of committee
• Played a leadership role in Congress in every major national security issue since the deployment of U.S. Marines to Beirut in 1983
• Chairman of the International Republican Institute
• Chairs an annual senior delegation to a NATO conference in Europe
• Has travelled extensively, knows and has worked with scores of world leaders
• Has written about, spoken and debated extensively on national security questions for two decades

Because of his long and deep experience in national security, John McCain had the judgment to know in 2003 that we were making terrible mistakes in Iraq that would doom us to failure, and he said so repeatedly. Governor Romney and Mayor Giuliani did not. He had the foresight to call almost four years ago for the strategy we are now successfully following in Iraq. Governor Romney and Mayor Giuliani did not. And he played an indispensible leadership role in support of General Petraeus' new plan for Iraq against the united opposition of Senator Hillary Clinton and other senior Democratic leaders. Governor Romney and Mayor Giuliani did not. So, when it comes to experience, we think it's pretty clear who in this race has the right kind, who uses it to make the right decisions, and who has the courage to defend their position even when it is politically unpopular at the time: John McCain.

Why I Am Endorsing Sen. John McCain

Dr. Jerry Zandstra, formerly of the Brownback campaign, has endorsed John McCain for President. On October 30th he wrote an article at Redstate explaining his reasons for endorsing John. A brief excerpt:

Pragmatically, two recent polls (Fox News and News/Opinion Dynamic Poll) show that Sen. McCain is best positioned to defeat Sen. Hillary Clinton in the general election. Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney are 12 points behind Hillary.

But true Republicans are deeper than mere pragmatism. My reasons of principle fall into two categories. The first is that of ongoing issues and principles and consist of what are usually thought of as core positions in Republican platform. I have examined several years worth of comments and articles on Sen. McCain’s position on abortion. He is a consistent opponent of abortion. While some other Republican candidates, like Mayor Giuliani, are pro-choice or, like Gov. Romney, have only recently become opponents of abortion, Sen. McCain’s record is clear, consistent, and lengthy.

You can read the whole thing here.

Upward Movement in the Polls

The new Washington Post polls are out, and John McCain is up 7 points since the last poll was taken. This now puts him above Fred Thompson, although that is within the margin of error. The results were Rudy Giuliani at 33 percent, with McCain at 19, Thompson at 16, Romney at 11, and Huckabee at 9.