McCain Stands Tall

“I understand the polls show only 18 percent of the American people support my position. But I have to do what's right, what I believe is right and what my experience and knowledge and background tells me is the right thing to do in order to save this situation in Iraq… In war, my dear friends, there's no such thing as compromise. You either win or you lose.” –Sen. John McCain

In the midst of all the latest doubt, pessimism and arguing over our direction in Iraq, along comes John McCain, digging his heels in the sand and standing up for what is right. John McCain is fighting the tide.

The tide is defeatist.

The tide is asking us to throw our arms into the air and allow iniquity to win the day.

The tide is asking us to allow ruthless and evil totalitarians in Iran and Syria to seize victory.

The tide is asking us to blow American credibility for fifty years.

Fortunately, in the middle of all this, in the middle of James Baker's wishful thinking Iraq Study Group fog, along comes John McCain, reminding Americans we have two choices: win or lose.

That’s called courage. That’s called principle. That’s called leadership.

Now I may not agree with McCain on every single issue, but I am completely behind him on national security. This includes a much bigger Pentagon budget, as well as a beef up in the troop volume for the American Army and Marine Corps.

The New York Times reported this morning that retired Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni—who originally opposed the Iraq war—now agrees with McCain on the need for more troops in Iraq. Zinni believes it would be a catastrophic mistake for American foreign policy if we bail out now. He said, “This is not Vietnam or Somalia or those places where you can walk away. If we just pull out, we will find ourselves back in short order.”

Tradesports has McCain leading the field of 2008 GOP presidential nominees with 48.5 percent. His closest competitors—Gov. Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani—both come in around 14.5 percent. Sen. McCain also leads the actual Presidential vote with 28 percent to Hillary Clinton’s 26 percent.

My guess is that Americans trust McCain.

He’s standing tall.