The California Debate
I said it before, and I'll say it again: McCain is stretching on his accusation that Romney wanted to withdrawal from Iraq.
This was perfectly evident during last night's debate, where McCain repeatedly gave stock answers about "being a footsoldier in the Reagan Revolution" when asked simple, direct questions about things he'd said. McCain speaks his mind more often than any other prominent politician in the nation, but last night, nobody could get a straight answer out of the Straight Talker. And I say this as someone with a deep respect and admiration of McCain.
I will continue to support him, but I sincerely hope he drops this particular line of accusation. He doesn't need it, and it's beneath him.
The one positive for him last night was that, in the midst of trying to defend his accusation, he circled around a much better, more accurate point: that Romney should have taken a stand on the surge, and rejected the possibility of timetables for withdrawal unequivocally. Romney's choice to give a politician's answer to the question of timetables is what has allowed his words to be misconstrued. For McCain, the honest and reasonable accusation is that Romney didn't take a firm, decisive stand on the issue, but chose vaguer, safer answers.
This is how it must inevitably be under a McCain presidency: no one is going to be pleased 100% of the time, because no one else is John McCain. He'll do things you don't like, but so will every other candidate. The difference is, he makes no attempts at hiding the fact. And that, among other things, is one of the reasons people are supporting him.
It's one thing to talk about transparency in government, and being honest with the voters. McCain is a living, breathing example of the fact that actually living out these principles makes you a huge target by some of the same people who pay lip service to them.
» January 31st, 2008
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