May 20, 2004

I'm Gonna Kick It Up A Notch

Upon less sober reflection (note: Mmmmmm, Zinfandel) I've got to take that last post one more step. John McCain is the best man the Republican Party has. I don't claim either party, but if I were a Republican, I would hang my head in shame that my party chose to nominate a mediocrity like W. over McCain in 2000.

Bam!


UPDATE: I was going to respond to Ted's recollection in the comments to this post that McCain dropped out after being diagnosed with skin cancer. (The skin cancer came much later as I recall; maybe Ted is remembering Guliani dropping out of the Senate race after being diagnosed with prostate cancer?) So I Googled "2000 Republican primary" to refresh my memory of what happened, and I found this recent article in the Boston Globe about the Bush campaign's dirty tactics. To the modest extent that this was possible, it made me think even less of Bush.

Posted by Mr Green at May 20, 2004 10:08 PM
Comments

I voted for McCain :)I was disappointed when W.got the nomination.

Posted by: Desert Raspberry at May 21, 2004 01:45 AM

I don't remember details, but didn't McCain drop out because of skin cancer treatments or something? Or did he do that after not getting the nomination...

Posted by: Ted at May 21, 2004 06:46 AM

Ted,
That was well after.

I was a McCainiac in 2000, too, and I hated Bush for the South Carolina crap.
But, there was a moment in the campaign when, in a debate that featured the 3 remaining candidates: Bush, McCain and Keyes -- that GWB showed me something.

Challenging McCain on his pledge not to go negative, he produced a flyer that attacked him. McCain said that it was not his flyer and GWB looked at him quizzically and said "well it says 'paid for by JOhn McCain'..."

The hummina hummina response by McCain to lok into it was the first glimpse I had that Bush was serious about anything.

The 1st debate with Gore was a disaster, though. He looked overly scripted and rehearsed.
But the 2nd and 3rd debates were where I saw the real GWB. Talking off-the-cuff he told me showed me who he was.
I've been a reluctant and, admittedly still, wary fan.

I trust him to "do the right thing"... completely. I just don't know that I trust his willingness to question his own instincts.

Posted by: Tuning Spork at May 26, 2004 10:50 PM