McCain on Americans’ responsibility to the world

By Jennifer J. Foster

What’s worth fighting for? Freedom, our national security, McCain says, adding, “We must temper that with our ability to effectively ... cause the outcome that we want.“ Tyranny and tragedy exist throughout the world, and we can’t right every wrong, but we can be a beacon of hope. McCain seems to be trying to say that we can always do something, but it doesn’t always have to be—nor should it always be—with military force.

What is criteria for deploying American troops? Stop genocide “where we can.“ McCain talks about Rwanda as an example and says America can provide logistical assistance. (Notice how he dropped Mike Huckabee’s name? Always a good thing in front of a religious crowd.)

McCain is off to talking about the “re-emergence” of Russia and Russian power. He is obviously a passionate defender of Georgia; its democracy; and its leader, Mikhail Saakashvili. McCain calls Georgia a “great little nation” and says Russia has to respect Georgia’s “territorial integrity.“ McCain notes how this is not just a political issue, but it has to do with energy, as well, noting Russia’s increasing need of energy.

Religious persecution: Warren says they are “so-called allies” that conduct religious persecution. McCain talks about the bully pulpit of the presidency and describes how Reagan used it in Eastern Europe to encourage the end of communism and the Cold War.

Orphans: This is obviously a personal subject for Warren. Now he looks like he’s going to cry. 148 million orphans ... wow. McCain talking about how adoption needs to be easier in this country, to applause; he says Teddy Roosevelt was the first modern president to talk about adoption. This is a personal subject for McCain; his wife brought a baby girl from Bangladesh home to join their family 17 years ago. I didn’t know until tonight that McCain didn’t know about it first.

Why does he want to be president? “To inspire Americans to serve a cause greater than themselves.“ This is the end of McCain’s stump speech, with a bit of Barack-style optimism and bipartisanship thrown in. Americans feel it’s time for us to put our country first. We may disagree on a specific issue, but I want everyone to know that when I go to Gee’s Bend, Ala. (Wow!! Gee’s Bend made this big event!), and when I’m in front of people I know probably won’t vote for me, I will be the president of everyone and I will always put my country first, McCain says.

What about people who don’t want politicians in churches? The nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, he says, and he’s happy to be there, honored to be there.

And that’s that!

McCain on domestic issues

By Jennifer J. Foster

On the Supreme Court, McCain says he wouldn’t have nominated the liberals of the Court—Ginsburg, Souter, Breyer and Stevens (notice that he left out Kennedy, everyone’s popular voter!). McCain says Court nominees should have a proven record and not legislate from the bench; in fact, he says, some of the most damaging things that have happened to this country have come from the bench.

On faith-based organizations, McCain says FBOs shouldn’t have to forfeit federal funds if they prostyletize. (I don’t think I’ve spelled that right either time I’ve written it.) McCain adds another friendly anecdote, and a “Thank God” for good measure. “First in, last out,“ Warren adds.

Merit pay for teachers: McCain has found his stride now. All the discomfort and tension of the earlier segment are gone. “Yes, yes, and find the bad teachers another line of work,“ McCain says simply. Warren notes that he’s responding so quickly that they may have time to play poker. “Choice and competition,“ McCain says, and then he takes off on the issue with a passionate defense of plural education: “I want every American to have the choice that Cindy and I made and that Sen. Obama and his wife made,“ McCain says, and that includes choices of charter schools, home schools and vouchers, which work, he says. “What kind of opportuniity is it if you send them to a failing school?“ McCain says. That’s the money line.

Taxes: Who’s rich? “I want everybody to get rich,“ McCain says, taking off on his tax-credit grocery list. McCain picks $5 million as a baseline number. Everyone laughs, but is he joking? McCain says, to laughter, he’s sure the comment will be distorted. Notice that he never did answer the question with a baseline—because it may be $5 million for him.

What takes precedence when our rights to privacy and our national security collide? McCain tosses in a secret ballot for union organizers for good measure. We are going to have to step up our monitoring of all the new communications methods. McCain is all over the map on this one.

McCain has been on a roll, but in my opinion, that last answer was sloppy.

McCain’s worldview

By Jennifer J. Foster

Here we go with McCain’s worldview:

What does being a Christian mean to him: What could top that story about the Vietnamese guard? Wow, there is nothing to say beyond what he said.

Abortion: Babies are entitled to human rights at conception, McCain says; I will be a pro-life president, and this presidency will have pro-life policies. (McCain needed this after the bumpy—and by bumpy, I mean nearly disastrous—week he’s had with the pro-life community.)

Marriage: One man, one woman; that’s my definition. I am a federalist; states should make those decisions. But if courts say states have to follow other states’ decisions, then he would support a federal amendment. That is a consistent position.

Stem-cell research: This has been a great struggle and a terrible dilemma, McCain says; I am wildly optimistic that other research (skin-cell research?) will make this debate an academic one. (This is not consistent with what he just said about life beginning at conception.)

Does evil exist? Yes, and we should defeat it. Believe McCain when he says he would get Osama bin Laden; he would no doubt cross into other nation’s sovereign territory to do it. Whether you believe that’s appropriate, and an appropriate precedent for American foreign policy, may be what determines whether you vote for John McCain.

McCain’s gut-wrenching decision

By Jennifer J. Foster

McCain says his toughest decision was refusing the special release he was offered due to his father’s rank in the military. He says it is not only the toughest decision but also the one he’s happiest with.

Commercial break, so I’ll say now that this is as unscripted as I’ve ever seen John McCain. Those first two or three questions really seemed to really shake him; his answers, especially the one about his failed marriage, seemed to put him on his heels. Several times, he’s seemed close to tears.

Seen that on CNN or Fox News Channel or MSNBC?

Such is the power of the atmosphere at Saddleback!

McCain’s flip-flop

By Jennifer J. Foster

Oil drilling, McCain says; he does a very bad, but very funny, impersonation of Ah-nold. Back to seriousness, he talks about how energy independence is a national security issue. Good line about if you live long enough, anything can happen—there is a pro-American president of France!