I think Ann Coulter is unwise in her endorsement. I think that Mitt Romney’s religion is irrelevant, and Ms. Coulter’s reference to it is beside the point. I am a bit surprised by the endorsement given her strong anti-abortion belief when Mitt Romney not that long ago ran as a pro-choice candidate when it was convenient to be pro-choice. Be that as it may, I don’t think that Mitt Romney presents the best choice for Republicans, (1) not in terms of experience and knowledge with respect to the responsibility of the Presidency to be Commaner in Chief and (2) not in terms of the fiscal conservatism and authentic conservatism we need now. John McCain does.

First, Romney has no experience and no evident knowledge concerning military matters, national security and foreign affairs. In this time of war with the radical jihadists, it makes no sense to have a President without that knowledge and experience. That was one of Victor Davis Hanson’s point in his column last week “The Old Warhorse.” If Romney thinks that all you have to do is to go see the State Department people, whch he seemed to say at one point, then you really are in trouble. Not so with respect to John McCain.

John McCain, the son and grandson of U.S. Navy Admirals and a U.S. Navy combat aviator, has spent a lifetime of service ot the nation. He is a genuine war hero and patriot. Since his election to Congress in 1982, John McCain has been involved in military affairs and national security matters; that is 25 years of experience.

The Iraq War has been a test case. He has visited the troops often; he voiced his criticism of the Rumsfeld light footprint strategy as leaving too few boots on the ground; and then he vocally and forcefully supported the surge under the leadership of General Petraeus from the start. While Democrats declared defeat and most Republicans either were looking for a way out (Senator Lugar) or were looking at their feet (Governor Romney), John McCain never wavered in his support of the troops and their mission. I know because my older son was a U.S. Army First Lieutenant serving as an infantry platoon leader in Iraq (earning a Bronze Star and an Army Commendation Medal for Valor for actions under fire) when truly supporting the troops was not politically popular. John McCain has been proved right; he took the positions he did because he knows his stuff.

That John McCain knows his stuff on military matters, national security and foreign affairs and is the best candidate to be Commander in Chief is reflected in the endorsements he has received: former Secretaries of State George Schultz, Henry Kissinger, Lawrence Eagleburger and Alexander Haig; former Navy Secretaries John Lehman and William Ball; former national security officials Robert Inman, James Woolsey, Tom Ridge, Bud MacFarlane and Tom Kean; former Cabinet Secretaries (outside State) James Schlesinger, Jack Kemp and Robert Mosbacher; and national security savy Senator Joe Lieberman.

Second, Mitt Roomney says he is a convert to the pro-life cause and is for protecting mariage, but the facts are that he was vocally pro-life and pro-gay rights when it was convenient when running for Governor of Massachusetts and that he was not talking about appointing strict constructionist judges. John McCain has always been pro-life, has taken the principled state rights position on marriage and supports the appointment of strict constructionist judges to the federal bench.

Furthermore, no one is more of a fiscal hawk concerning cutting spending than John McCain. He has the experience in dealing with federal budgetary matters; Mitt Romney does not. As much as it is said that John McCain opposed the Bush tax cuts, McCain did so because spending cuts were not included, which is the more Reaganesque position. JOhn McCain rightly says that the Republican Congress got itself into trouble with voters because spending went out of control. Going forward, McCain will keep the tax cuts so that there is certainty and not what in effect at this point would be tax increases, and that he will cut spending, which is what is the biggest need in the next five years.

Finally, the posters here who equate John McCain with the Democrats are out of touch with reality. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards are anti-military socialists who are pro-choice, who will raise federal spending and who will appoint left wing judges to the federal bench. All of that is flatly contrary to where John McCain stands.

Phil Byler on January 17, 2008 at 12:05 AM