“The President of New Hampshire”
- Posted by Beth on January 9th, 2008 filed in 2008 election, Candidates, General, John McCain, Politics New Hampshire · primaries
Sez Monica Crowley in her New Hampshire wrap-up and post-NH predictions:
The President of New Hampshire: John McCain, Part Deux. He won here in 1992, only to get creamed by Governor George W. Bush in South Carolina and beyond. This year is different for him, but it’s more than a nostalgia vote. I’ve been writing in this space and saying on the radio program that McCain was coming back. There was an opening for him, which he was wise enough to exploit. He got lucky, too. His principled stand on Iraq has redounded to his benefit as the situation there has greatly improved. There is also a recognition among Republicans that there is no perfect candidate in this race, no Ronald Reagan (not one with a realistic chance of winning, anyway.) So McCain looks better, especially with the two themes running through the national campaign: experience and reform. McCain has long records of both. So he may be imperfect to conservatives, but he’s beginning to look, well, not so darn bad.
Emphasis mine, as I’ve been saying just that for quite some time now.
“However this campaign turns out — and I am more confident tonight that it will turn out much better than once expected — I am grateful beyond expression for the prospect that I might serve her a little while longer.”
With that, the crowd began chanting, as it had many times during the night, MAC IS BACK! MAC IS BACK! MAC IS BACK!
Jim Geraghty:
One of the Great Speeches of McCain’s Career
I couldn’t transcribe fast enough. Go find the video of McCain’s victory speech tonight. It’s a different style from Barack Obama’s wow-inducing speech from last Thursday, but he knows how to bring out the stirring rhetoric.
“The history of the world will not be determined by this unpardonable foe, but by the courage of free peoples. In this historic task, we will never surrender. They will.”
Churchillian.
Here’s his victory speech from last night, in two parts.
It’s funny–maybe eight or so months ago, I still had the “Bloggers for McCain’s Opponent” blogroll up. No more. I’m still with Fred, but if he doesn’t make it? Mac is back.
Don’t want me to support John McCain? Then donate to Fred. ;)
/knowing her readers, Beth ducks rotten tomatoes
PaulW says:
Wait, I thought you were voting for Saban.
Ever see the movie Moon Over Parador? “Vote however you want. It’s a free dictatorship!”
John Rich says:
Fred Thompson is just too little, too late. A good man, but clearly has missed the bus.
After losing so dismally in New Hampshire, I was hoping he would throw his support to Mac. It’s the right thing to do.
Our goal is to win in November, not go down in flames over arcane arguments of who best fills the Gipper’s shoes.
Beth says:
Well said, John. See this post from my friend Janette about that, too. :)
John Rich says:
Beth, Janette expressed the same point, and well.
We had a saying, which is pretty common amongst engineers (and lots of other practical-minded folks, I’m certain): don’t let the best be the enemy of the good.
With the exception of Ron Paul, in the general election I would vote for any of the candidates now tussling for the Republican nomination. And, likewise, I will not vote for Hillary, Obama, or any of the other Democrats in the race.
William Teach says:
I’d rather see any Republican win, even Paultard, then a Democrat Defeatoraisetaxesnannywelfarebigbrothercrat.
raz0r says:
A President McCain beats a President Obama, Clinton, or Edwards any and every day of the year.
Just waiting for the mourning to begin for Duncan Hunter. Every one that asks who I like has the same response: “Who?”.
William Teach says:
After listening to some of Paul tonight, I’d vote for Hillary, Edwards, or Obama if, God forbid, Paul got the nomination.