Bravo factoid and RightWingSparkle.

John McCain was and is right about Iraq and has stood steadfast behind the troops that he reveres. I care deeply about that because my older son, a U.S. Army First Lieutenant (with Ranger tab), finished in October his first extended tour of duty in Iraq as an infantry platoon leader, and I have greatly appreciated John McCain’s stand. To the poster who compared John McCain to John Murtha, please check in with reality. John McCain was lonely through the earlier part of this year in his support of General Petraeus and the troops, while Murtha has been crying defeat all along.

John McCain is the most knowledgeable of any candidate about the military and national security matters. With my older son in the U.S. Army and my younger son to be commissioned a U.S. Marines Second Lieutenant upon graduation this year (having already passed officer training at Quantico), I care deeply who our Commander in Chief will be; and with flesh and blood literally on the front line, I want that Commander in Chief to be the one who knows what he is doing about military matters. We have more battles ahead with Islamo-fascism.

John McCain is pro-life.

John McCain is a staunch fiscal conservative who has been for years attacking prolifigate federal spending.

John McCain promised to the Federalist Society and has repeated since the pledge to nominate judicial conservatives to the federal bench — a matter of huge importance to the future of the country.

John McCain’s books on character and courage are terrific.

John McCain, the son and grandson of U.S. Navy Admirals and a naval aviator, is a real war hero. His account of his war years is inspiring. That took real character. Calling John McCain “wishy-washy” is stupid.

John McCain can beat Hillary, an anti-military socialist who will nominate left wing judges. All of you who are attacking John McCin so venomously are being foolish. What you throw at John McCain does not justify the venom.

Immigration: John McCain has been saying he gets it for months, that law enforcement must come first. I saw him say this point in New York City during an interview by the Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan. The immigration bill signed by then President Ronald Reagan in 1986 had law enforcement provisions that were not enforced, and that led to the current problems.

Keating: John McCain was not found to have done anything criminal — far from it. The poster who brought up Cunningham seems not to know the difference between a criminal conviction and an accusation that upon investigation does not warrant action.

Gang of 14: the compromise enabled John Roberts and Sam Alito to be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court and a number of conservatives to be confirmed to the U.S. Courts of Appeal. We don’t know that the alternative would have worked with the likes of Olympia Snowe and Lincoln Chafee voting. Instead, the filibuster was preserved for the time of a Democrat controlled Congress, like now. It is Chuckie Schumer who is complaining, saying that the Democrats got snookered.

McCain-Feingold: John McCain supported campaign finance reform in order to cut the influence of money on politics. The problem is that the distinctions in the law have not worked to achieve the honest end John McCain intended. The matter is now in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bipartisanship: John McCain grew up in era when Democrats and Republicans could work together to come up with solutions, and the American people in general are not going to fault him for that. They expect such issues as health care and environmental protection to be addressed, and we need to have them addressed in sensible ways other than by Democrat socialism and Democrat insanity.

Given John McCain’s strengths and a perspective about what he is criticized for, I do urge those of you who had dismissed John McCain, to think again.

Phil Byler on December 4, 2007 at 11:58 AM

To Zetterson:

Thanks for saying that my 11:58 AM post is well written. The trouble with your response is that your 12:25 PM post stating your continued objection to McCain all comes down to one issue — immigration. I go through the substantive issues of Iraq, the military, national security, abortion, federal spending, judicial nominations as well as the matter of electability against Hillary, and you apparently have nothing to say. One of my points is that everyone needs to look at the larger picture and realize that on some of the most important matters, McCain is the best.

Phil Byler on December 4, 2007 at 4:17 PM

To James:

Sorry, but your 12:28 PM post is a non sequitur. That John McCain lost the Republican primary fight to George W. Bush in 2000 does not mean that it has been decided in 2008 that John McCain is not right for the Republicans in 2008. That is what is being contested now.

Phil Byler on December 4, 2007 at 4:20 PM