Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial: The case for McCain

Source: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20081019_Editorial__Another_View.html

The Editorial Board's endorsement of Barack Obama was not unanimous. Dissenters said:

No one is better prepared than John McCain to serve as commander in chief and lead the country as it seeks successful outcomes in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and to work with Pakistan to help kill or capture the perpetrators of 9/11. McCain's actions as a POW in Vietnam were heroic. In Congress, he has become intimately familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of the Pentagon.

The Arizona senator has stood up to generals and presidents from Reagan to Bush on defense issues. He often offers sound alternatives, such as the counterinsurgency strategy that has brought greater security and stability to Iraq.

Just the possibility of McCain in the White House chills the spines of pork-barrel spenders in both parties. And McCain understands that raising taxes to "spread the wealth" is not a form of patriotism, but a burden - to Joe the plumber and other Americans trying to make ends meet.

A President McCain would work across the political aisle. He's done it before, often angering fellow Republicans. And his character is unassailable. The selfless and courageous way he conducted himself during 51/2 years as a POW says much about the man.

He's made mistakes, such as the Keating scandal during the savings and loan crisis, but he's more than atoned for that error with his work on campaign-finance reform. That issue alone shows two other things about McCain: He'll go against his party if he thinks it's in the best interests of the country. And his word is good. He promised to stick with public financing of this year's campaign and did so.

Ask people to describe McCain and the first response often is, "He's honest." What you see is what you get. There are no mysterious associations to dance around. No 20-year attendance of a church whose pastor preached anti-American sermons. No serving on an education reform panel with a domestic terrorist. No financial support from a convicted felon. No ties to a group currently under investigation for possible voter-registration fraud.

And McCain didn't hire as a strategist David Axelrod, who helped lead Mayor John Street's race-baiting reelection campaign.

America needs an honest president with experience, common sense, sound temperament and good judgment in the Oval Office. Those qualities will make it easy for many to vote for McCain.