John McCain

Jan. 13, 2008

Editor’s Note: During the 2004 Presidential Campaign, the Northern Express reached out to all the candidates, and only Senator John Edwards responded to our interview request. On Tuesday, Michigan will host the Democratic and Republican Presidential Primaries, and again we reached out to all the candidates and only Senator John McCain responded. McCain granted our Rick Coates an interview in June of 2006, and again last week. The 2006 interview was when McCain visited Boyne Mountain, and at the time was just in the exploratory stages of considering his run for President.
In a brief article in 2006, Coates predicted McCain would win the New Hampshire Primary and would be the front-runner for the Republican nomination. As the 2008 Presidential campaign continues, the Express will continue to reach out to the candidates.
It should be noted that Barack Obama also agreed to an interview with us, but is not participating in the Michigan Democratic Primary because of disagreements with the Democractic National Committee over Michigan moving its primary date up (Hillary Clinton is the only major Democratic candidate on the ballot; those supporting other candidates may vote uncommitted. All the major Republican candidates are on the primary ballot). If Obama secures the Democratic nomination, we will run his interview next fall.
There is some confusion with voters, and we would like to note that this is not an election on Tuesday, but rather a “delegate” process for both parties. If you vote on Tuesday, you must choose either the Republican or Democratic ballot, as the political parties and not the taxpayers of Michigan fund the presidential primary election.
Senator John McCain will appear on Tuesday, January 15 at the Hagerty Center, part of the Northwestern Michigan College West Bay Campus in Traverse City (next to the Holiday Inn) at 8:15 a.m. His “Get Out The Vote Rally” is free and open to the public. To learn more about this event and where John McCain stands on the issues, visit johnmccain.com.


By Rick Coates


For the most part, the political pundits had been writing Senator John McCain off as a serious contender for the 2008 Republican nomination for President. McCain’s campaign was somewhat in disarray during the summer of 2007, and compared to some front-runners, he trailed well behind in fundraising. While only 71, some were labeling McCain as “too old.” Others pointed to McCain being part of the “old guard,” and that public sentiment was looking for a fresh face in Washington D.C.
Early polls in both political parties seem to support this. Barack Obama came from virtually nowhere on the Democratic side as the candidate not connected to the Washington D.C. beltway. Focus with the Republican candidates seemed to be on Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney, also candidates not part of the Washington D.C. scene, while McCain, who was among the front-runners in 2000, was being dismissed by most. As the Iowa caucus neared, Governor Mike Huckabee’s campaign began gaining momentum, but again, the media’s focus remained primarily with the Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani campaigns.
After the Iowa caucus, where Huckabee won and McCain finished fourth, the pundits were still not looking in McCain’s direction. With Romney finishing second in Iowa and with New Hampshire a neighboring state of Romney’s Massachusetts (he was Governor there), many again dismissed McCain. Huckabee and Romney (Guiliani’s strategy being to wait until Super Tuesday to actively campaign) seemed to be the parties’ new favorites. Just prior to New Hampshire, Romney won the little reported Wyoming primary (like Michigan, Wyoming moved its primary date up to garner national relevance, but the Republican National Committee stripped the state of half its delegates for the Republican National Convention).
When the dust settled in New Hampshire, it was John McCain who came out the winner. Though New Hampshire was also docked half of its delegates (so was Michigan), the state has traditionally served as the barometer for both political parties. The winners in New Hampshire have won a majority of their parties’ nominations in past campaigns. But this political season has been anything but predictable. Regardless, McCain’s victory has breathed new life into his campaign and has his supporters around the country chanting, “Mac Is Back.”

WHERE HAS MCCAIN BEEN?
If John McCain is back, where did he go in the first place?
“Nowhere. I have been here the whole time. We sure showed them what a comeback looks like,” chuckles McCain. “The fact that I have been telling the voters the truth is resonating with them. I have had some pretty fiery discussions with the voters, and even my own supporters, over some issues - but people want to hear the truth.”
It is that philosophy that McCain and his campaign are banking on. They believe that voters are more likely to vote for a candidate who doesn’t change their message as the polls change.
When McCain visited Northern Michigan in June of 2006 for a fundraising event for State Representative Kevin Elsenheimer (R-Bellaire), he called it “one of the prettiest places in the country.” He looks forward to returning, and will kick off his primary day activities in Traverse City on Tuesday. In 2000, McCain narrowly defeated now-President Bush collectively in the Northern Michigan Republican County primary. Michigan is considered to be a “home field advantage” for Mitt Romney, who grew up in the state and whose father, George, was Governor here during the ‘60s. Now the pundits are calling this a must-win state for Romney.
“I won in 2000, and we still have a strong base in Michigan,” said McCain, feeling confident of his chances in the state. “Michigan is hurting right now, and I believe that Michiganians have to realize that those lost jobs are gone for good. I am pledging to create a community college-based federal program to educate and retrain those who have lost jobs for new jobs. Also, I believe my approach to cutting taxes and spending in Washington D.C. will ultimately benefit Michigan’s economy.”
McCain doesn’t consider making such a promise going against his position on “pork-funding” coming out of Washington D.C. - something he has been campaigning against.
“There is a difference between creating programs to stimulate the economy and all out pork projects,” said McCain. “I’ve never asked for, nor received a single pork barrel project, and my colleagues in Washington D.C. had better get used to this when I am President.”

RELIGIOUS RENEGADE
Despite his years within the Washington D.C. “Beltway,” McCain has been labeled an “outsider” and “renegade” by some. He has challenged those even in his own party at times. His proposed immigration policy differs greatly from several in both parties, and was considered to be one of the jeopardizing buttons for his campaign. McCain has supported a program that would give illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship.
Within the Republican Party, Huckabee and Romney have been labeled the “religious” candidates. McCain’s religious beliefs are seldom reported on. He considers himself to be deeply religious, but has chosen the path of “separation of church and state.” McCain was raised an Episcopalian, but has been a member of the North Phoenix Baptist Church in Arizona for close to 20 years, stating, “I found the message and fundamental nature more fulfilling, plus they’re great believers in redemption and so am I.” McCain also has a different position of publicizing his beliefs than some of the candidates who appeal to the Republican party’s religious right.
“I don’t advertise my faith; maybe I should. I have always taken the position that faith is between my creator and me. Look, it is my faith that has me here today - it is what sustained me during a very difficult time in my life (referring to his five years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War),” said McCain. “That doesn’t mean that I believe that I have been called by God to be elected President, but rather my faith in Judeo Christian principles has called me to serve something greater than myself.”
While McCain has stepped up his efforts to appeal to religious-based voters, his focus remains on his total message–a message that he believes overall is best for America’s future.
“I think Americans have made it very clear that they are not happy with the way business has been conducted in Washington,” said McCain. “They are tired of the way we have been spending their money. Somewhere, Congress came up with the idea it was their money, and poor choices have been made, and now we have mortgaged our children and grandchildren’s future. The next President has to sit down in a bipartisan fashion as was done in 1984, and make the tough choices to reform Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. But first we have to eliminate the wasteful spending in Washington. We can’t continue to fund these pork projects while asking Americans to make tough choices on the future of Social Security and Medicare.”

IRAQ AND THE NUMBERS
Another political hot button is Iraq.
“I have been openly critical of the way the current Administration has fought this war,” said McCain. “But just because the strategy wasn’t working doesn’t mean we give up the mission. We are now changing that failed strategy and moving in a direction of a counterinsurgency strategy that several military strategists and I believe will work. My position is that a greater military commitment is needed to achieve long-term success in Iraq.”
“It means that to accomplish the goals of a secure, economic and politically independent Iraq,” he continues, “we need to commit more troops.”
While the issues will sway some voters, popular and public opinion will sway others. At this point in the primary process, momentum appears to be as, if not more, important than a candidate’s position on the issues. But this election is anything but predictable; a good example is with polling. Often considered to be a reliable gauge for candidates, recent polling data has not been consistent with final results. Some New Hampshire polls showed Barack Obama with a double-digit lead over Hillary Clinton, but Clinton prevailed. On the Republican side, some polls showed McCain trailing frontrunners Romney and Guiliani by double digits, while other polls had McCain the frontrunner by one percentage point.
A poll taken during the first week of December of probable Michigan Republican primary voters showed McCain at 13%, Huckabee at 19% and Romney at 20%. As of Friday, January 11, polls were all over the place with Strategic Vision showing McCain with 29%, Romney at 20% and Huckabee at 18%. The Republican Party took a collection of polls including one taken by the Detroit News that shows the candidates at a virtual deadlock with Romney at 20.5%, McCain at 19.5% and Huckabee at 19%. The McCain camp says the polls are just that, polls, and it really gets down to getting out the vote and they feel good about how things are shaping up for them in Michigan.
“We are certainly seeing momentum building here in Michigan as a result of New Hampshire,” said McCain’s Michigan campaign spokesperson John Yob. “We took Michigan in 2000, and Northern Michigan was a big part of that. It was at an event at the Park Place in Traverse City in 2000 that it became apparent to Senator McCain that he was going to beat George Bush in Michigan. It is because of the good feeling from eight years ago that Senator McCain wants to put the finishing touch of his Michigan primary campaign in Traverse City with a rally.”

INDEPENDENTS AND ENDORSEMENTS
McCain’s appeal also seems to be reaching over to Democrats and independent voters as well. His win in New Hampshire has been credited to independents who were thought to be leaning towards Barack Obama who apparently decided to vote for McCain. Senator Joe Lieberman, who was Al Gore’s running mate in the 2000 campaign, has crossed party lines and is backing McCain.
“It gets down to credibility,” said McCain campaign spokesperson Brian Rogers. “Our exit polling in New Hampshire showed that people who oppose the war still voted for McCain. Senator McCain doesn’t listen to the polls, and remains steadfast on the issues and his positions. It is that sort of integrity that is increasing his popularity and bringing in several political and editorial endorsements.”
Those editorial endorsements include the Detroit News. In their January 3 editorial endorsement of McCain, The Detroit News wrote: “McCain is already a respected national leader with a strong grasp of foreign and military affairs. He would be well received on the international stage where his experience and judgment would fortify American leadership… We think he is best positioned among the Republicans to prevail in a general election that will be decided by middle-of-the-road independents. And for good reason. He won’t hesitate to forge the alliances necessary to overcome congressional paralysis… Michigan’s economic disorder looms largest among our concerns, complicated by international trends that have diminished the vitality of our industrial base. It matters much to this state who occupies the White House… We endorse Arizona Sen. John McCain with enthusiasm.”
Despite what appeared to be a political version of the Titanic this summer, with key members leaving his campaign, lack of funding and many in the media writing him off, McCain appears now to be the comeback kid. Drawing on the “never give up” approach that he learned during five long years as a prisoner of war, he has resurrected his campaign and now is among the Republican frontrunners. His supporters believe it is that type of resilience that will make McCain perfect for the White House.