McCain’s Growing Net Roots and Donations

The network of McCain supporter sites is going through a growth spurt, right, left, and center. On July 1st, the anniversary of John McCain’s promotion to Commander of Attack Squadron 174 in 1976, the founders of John McCain 2008 Social Network and McCain Now are launching LetsGetThisRight.com. They have worked tirelessly to launch a site that focuses on supporting Senator McCain and local Republicans across the country. They are looking to raise money for a series of candidates in important races.

On the other side of the spectrum, let me welcome Clinton supporters who now support Senator McCain to the club. The establishment and networking of Clinton supporters not willing to support Senator Obama, has been impressive to say the least. Over 125 sites and blogs have emerged within a few weeks. A list of all (or most) is available at Just Say No Deal. Here are a few that have already established a significant following. Clintons 4 McCain, Savage Politics, Puma Party (which includes the Puma Party forum), Done Dems, Hillary Clinton Forum, and Dems 4 McCain. Certainly, not all who have decided not to vote Obama have committed to voting McCain. However, there is mounting evidence that many Clinton supporters will vote McCain.

Some Hillary supporters have even decided to donate to Senator McCain’s campaign on July 4th. As a show of support, many long time McCain supporters have also agreed to contribute on that day. The request is that Hillary supporters make donations in amounts like $5.44, $25.44, or $125.44 and others donate in whole dollar amounts so Clinton supporters can be differentiated and counted.

Other new Pro-McCain sites include...
Battleground States ‘08 is a contributor based blog giving a state to state perspective on the presidential race.
Local Republicans similarly is a contributor based blog focused on down ticket candidates and state and local Republican candidates.
Grand Old Partisan is an excellent site for those interested in history. It remembers that the GOP is the party of Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.
also...
Jews for McCain
Conservative Mom in a Liberal World
Its All Dicta
McCain Brigade
McCain Independent
McCain Supporters
Local Republicans
Obama Independent or McCain Independent?
Red Arizona
Right Score
Stop Obama Vote McCain
Democrats and Independents for McCain Social Network

McCain Energy Policy

"The Two Obama's" by David Brooks

David Brook's excellent article The Two Obama's does an excellent job laying out how Senator Obama talks reform and inspiration, but plays old school politics as well as anyone out there...

"God, Republicans are saps. They think that they’re running against some academic liberal who wouldn’t wear flag pins on his lapel, whose wife isn’t proud of America and who went to some liberationist church where the pastor damned his own country. They think they’re running against some naïve university-town dreamer, the second coming of Adlai Stevenson..."

"...But as recent weeks have made clear, Barack Obama is the most split-personality politician in the country today. On the one hand, there is Dr. Barack, the high-minded, Niebuhr-quoting speechifier who spent this past winter thrilling the Scarlett Johansson set and feeling the fierce urgency of now. But then on the other side, there’s Fast Eddie Obama, the promise-breaking, tough-minded Chicago pol who’d throw you under the truck for votes..."

Brooks goes on to explain Obama's history of old school politics. That he is smart and calculating, and has laid out a path for himself that any old-school Chigago politician would be proud of...

"...Back when he was in the Illinois State Senate, Dr. Barack could have taken positions on politically uncomfortable issues. But Fast Eddie Obama voted “present” nearly 130 times. From time to time, he threw his voting power under the truck.

Dr. Barack said he could no more disown the Rev. Jeremiah Wright than disown his own grandmother. Then the political costs of Rev. Wright escalated and Fast Eddie Obama threw Wright under the truck.

Dr. Barack could have been a workhorse senator. But primary candidates don’t do tough votes, so Fast Eddie Obama threw the workhorse duties under the truck.

Dr. Barack could have changed the way presidential campaigning works. John McCain offered to have a series of extended town-hall meetings around the country. But favored candidates don’t go in for unscripted free-range conversations. Fast Eddie Obama threw the new-politics mantra under the truck.

And then on Thursday, Fast Eddie Obama had his finest hour. Barack Obama has worked on political reform more than any other issue. He aspires to be to political reform what Bono is to fighting disease in Africa. He’s spent much of his career talking about how much he believes in public financing. In January 2007, he told Larry King that the public-financing system works. In February 2007, he challenged Republicans to limit their spending and vowed to do so along with them if he were the nominee. In February 2008, he said he would aggressively pursue spending limits. He answered a Midwest Democracy Network questionnaire by reminding everyone that he has been a longtime advocate of the public-financing system.

Full David Brook's article The Two Obama's

Obama Advisor Susan Rice's Major Historical/Foreign Policy Error

Unfortunately, Susan Rice's statement regarding the Kennedy Khrushchev meeting, "Thank God he did because if he hadn't we would have not been able to resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis" is completely false. In fact historians agree that this meeting fueled the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The Weekly Standand, in detailing the Kennedy Khrushchev meeting, quotes NYT columnist James Reston who interviewed President Kennedy right after his meeting with Khrushchev,

"Reston reported that Kennedy said just enough for Reston to conclude that Khrushchev "had studied the events of the Bay of Pigs" and that he had "decided that he was dealing with an inexperienced young leader who could be intimidated and blackmailed." Kennedy said to Reston that Khrushchev had "just beat [the] hell out of me" and that he had presented Kennedy with a terrible problem: "If he thinks I'm inexperienced and have no guts, until we remove those ideas we won't get anywhere with him. So we have to act."

Kennedy responded to the meeting with a congressional request for a dramatic increase in defense spending, and a significant increase in the size of the military. Khrushchev responded to Kennedy's actions with above ground nuclear testing and erecting the Berlin Wall. The tensions between the US and Soviet Union dramatically increased due to the Kennedy Khrushchev meeting; the Cuban Missile Crisis followed.

Susan Rice's statement is simply false. There is no historical record of the Kennedy Khrushchev meeting being at all helpful in resolving the Cuban Missile Crisis and actually the exact opposite true that an inexperienced leader was bullied into an arms race.

'Obama Advisor Susan Rice's Major Historical/Foreign Policy Error' first published at Purple People Vote

Bush McCain Links

New sites supporting Senator McCain are appearing regularly. Here are a few that are worth a look.

McCain Independents
Bush McCain
Battleground States 08
Wiki Obama
Local Republicans
Obama Independents
Who Do I Vote For?
McCain Online Volunteer
Rabid Blue Dog Democrat
New Hampshire 4 McCain
McCain Democrats
Iraqi 4 McCain
Politico Mafioso - McCain Arizona
Red State Blue
McCain Jewish Vote
Vietnam Veterans for McCain

McCain - The Misleading Drumbeat of Bush McCain

"You will hear from my opponent's campaign in every speech, every interview, every press release that I'm running for President Bush's third term. You will hear every policy of the President described as the Bush-McCain policy. Why does Senator Obama believe it's so important to repeat that idea over and over again? Because he knows it's very difficult to get Americans to believe something they know is false. So he tries to drum it into your minds by constantly repeating it rather than debate honestly the very different directions he and I would take the country. But the American people didn't get to know me yesterday, as they are just getting to know Senator Obama. They know I have a long record of bipartisan problem solving. They've seen me put our country before any President -- before any party -- before any special interest -- before my own interest. They might think me an imperfect servant of our country, which I surely am. But I am her servant first, last and always."

McCain Speech

Independents for McCain

There are several specific reasons Senator McCain appeals to Indpendents like myself.

1. He works across the isle, and he gets things done. Whether it is the gang of 14, campaign finance reform, or anti-torture legislation he is a very successful legislator.

2. He has an impecable human rights record. Whether it is spear heading anti-torture legislation, promising to close GitMo, standing up for the monks in Burma, or speaking out against the genocide in Darfur, if there is human rights offense Senator McCain is front and center speaking out against it.

3. He's a straight shooter. Going into the Iowa primaries saying he doesn't support ethanol subsidies, or going to Michigan and telling people that the jobs that have gone overseas are not coming back is politically very gutsy. Senators typically have difficulty running for president because with a long record an opponent can often spin their record to highlight contradictions. However, Senator McCain's record is remarkably consistent, and he says what he thinks even if it isn't what the pundits think he should do.

4. Experience/Intelligence: Go to his events; he answers any and all questions in a very thorough way. He gives details, he allows for follow ups, he lays out his plans, and he simply knows his stuff.

5. Independence/Conviction: People like Senator McCain and Senator Lieberman have taken a lot of heat for not following the party line. They stand up for what they believe in and even if you disagree with them on issues you have to admire their backbone.

6. Walks the Walk: While Senator McCain's military experience alone may not be what makes him qualified to be President, it certainly helps that he has a strong understanding of the military. Also, you can't help but respect his service and his family's service past and present. The fact that his sons currently serve in a time of war illustates that he walks the walk. His sons didn't take a pass because they had a famous and influential father, they illustrate a McCain family committment to service.

http://mccainindependents.blogspot.com/2008/05/independents-for-mccain.html

An Independent's Argument

There are a couple issues where Senator McCain breaks with the traditional Republican party line that as an Independent I appreciate greatly. First, is protectiong the environment and addressing global warming. I'm still at a loss as to why this is a partisan issue, but it is an important issue. At a Romney town hall last summer gentleman stood up to explain that in NH many strongly Republican towns voted in favor environmental protections, and continued to explain that he was a good Republican and wanted a candidate that would address environmental issues. Senator McCain's cap and trade plan works both on an environmental level and on an economic level, by imposing regulations that are not burdensome while decreasing carbon emmissions each year.

His human rights record and definitive stand against torture is the second issue that I find compelling. I was very disappointed in the Republican party when Senator McCain was the only candidate to stand strongly against torture. He also has an impecable human rights record. He has a history of defending the oppressed whether in Darfur, Tibet, or elsewhere he consistenly voices his opposition to human cruelty.

The argument for Independents and Conservatives to vote for Senator McCain is two-fold. First his record is basically conservative, but he doesn't just follow the party line. Second, the Democrats are running on a far-left platform. For us middle-of-the-roaders, issue wise there is little moderation or compromise coming from the Democratic candidates. Senator McCain has worked across the isle numerous times, sometimes upsetting party loyalists. However, he gets things done and he sticks to his guns even when pressured not to.

http://mccainindependents.blogspot.com/2008/05/independents-argument.html