In the post on October 6 in 2006, Global American Discourse talked about Senator John McCain’s election campaign website, entitled “Straight Talk America”. McCain has been a vocal advocate for the Iraq War and the Global War on Terror. He has been the top candidate for Republican nomination to the presidential election since the Second term of the Bush administration started. Actually, neoconservative leaders such as William Kristol and Robert Kagan had been endorsing McCain, until George W. Bush won Republican nomination for 2000 election.
Though McCain was in a financial trouble to continue his campaign around late autumn last year, he came back to the top in the Republican race. Just as his campaign site is titled, John McCain is straightforward to talk his policy. He is nicknamed Maverick. In 2005, McCain pressed President Bush to resolve the prisoner torture problem, in order to improve US image in the global community. Therefore, his contributions to recent success in the Iraq War are no less important than policy recommendations for surge by Frederick Kagan, Resident Scholar of the American Enterprise Institute, and Retired General Jack Kean of the US Army.
To begin with, I would like to mention his article “An Enduring Peace Built on Freedom” in Foreign Affairs November/December 2007. In a previous post, I mentioned Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. Hillary Rodham Clinton contributes her article, “Security and Opportunity for the Twenty-first Century” in the same edition of Foreign Affairs. None of them are as articulate as John McCain on the War on Terror and rebuilding alliance of leading democracies. McCain argues lucidly why the US-led coalition has to continue fighting in Iraq. He explains interrelations between the war in Iraq and operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As McCain mentions, premature withdrawal encourages terrorists to attack targets related to America across the globe. Niall Ferguson comments similarly in “Colossus”. In addition, McCain is well aware of potential Chinese thereat over the Taiwan Strait. Regarding China, I have to remind you that Hillary Clinton is too reckless to infuriate Japanese opinion leaders to say “Our relationship with China will be the most important bilateral relationship in the world in this century.”
While Obama argues responsible end to Iraq before US forces withdrawal, Hillary Clinton does not mention how to manage Iraq but simply insists on early retreat. The more you read, the further you understand that McCain argues more persuasive foreign policy visions than any other presidential candidates. Read each article, and compare them.
In addition, I would like to mention his address at the American Enterprise Institute, entitled “Winning the War in Iraq”, on November 10 in 2005 when the global public talked about the Iraqi quagmire. In this event, McCain criticized the Bush administration’s mishandling of Iraq, particularly the prisoner torture problem. For detail of this event, you can see the video and his article in AEI Newsletter (November 18, 2005). I recommend you to watch Q & A session in this video. Senator McCain talks lucidly, politely, and confidently about his Iraq policy ideas with the media coming from all over the world. Just after this event, Slate Magazine praised McCain’s candor and positive criticism on the Iraq policy (“Take the Blame, Mr. President”; November 11, 2005). He is not a malcontent to the President. McCain gave a positive advice to improve the Iraq policy.
It is noteworthy that Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Gulf War Commander General Norman Schwartzkopf expressed their support for McCain (“Norman Schwartzkopf Endorses McCain”; FOX News; January 23, 2008). Both leaders are top strategists and among those who understand the nature of this war and what is necessary for American victory. More importantly, they are pro-victory. At war, those who are reluctant to win are of no use, however brilliant they may be. Therefore, endorsement by Kissinger and Schwartzkopf boosts McCain’s candidacy for the next president.
Brains are not the only point that helps John McCain. According to Der Spiegel of Germany, Henry Kissinger can attract substantial money from fundraisers when he hosts them(“With Enemies like McCain’s, Who Needs Friends?”; February 12, 2008). McCain ran short of money to continue the campaign towards the end of last year, but it is overflowing now.
Further support to Senator McCain comes from Former Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton and other neoconservatives, according to “LobeLog” (“Neo-Cons and Bolton Flock to McCain Standard”; February 10, 2008). LobeLog is published by Jim Lobe, Chief of Washington Bureau of IPS News Agency. Lobe focuses on US foreign policy, particularly neoconservative influence in Washington political corridor. He says that hawk foreign policy experts including John Bolton and Robert McFarlane lauded McCain at Conservative Political Action Conference on February 9. Furthermore, Jim Lobe quotes William Kristol, saying that the media exaggerates anti-McCain sentiments among Republican conservatives.
Actually conservatives in GOP have been critical to McCain’s attitude to tax cut, social values, and climate change. Even after Mitt Romney stepped down the race, some of them are still reluctant to unite under McCain. In view of this, President Bush asserted McCain a true conservative in an interview with FOX news (“McCain a ‘True Conservative’”; Breitbart.com; February 10, 2008).
McCain is very strong on national defense. He is tough fiscally. He believes the tax cuts ought to be permanent. He is pro-life. His principles are sound and solid as far as I'm concerned.
Regarding criticism to McCain by conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, Bush said "I think that if John is the nominee, he has got some convincing to do to convince people that he is a solid conservative and I'll be glad to help him if he is the nominee."
In order to assure victory in the election, choice of vice president will be a vital question. Senator Joseph Lieberman, formerly Democrat and currently Independent, has been an ally to McCain’s legislative activities for a long time. He will attract centrists, which would otherwise vote for the Democrat. Robert Kagan and William Kristol, leading advocates of American interventionism, have been insisting that the McCain-Lieberman duo is the best administration for America. However, McCain may consider conservative a running mate, in order to placate Republican right wings. Former Senator Fred Thompson, who also ran for GOP nomination this year, is one of possible conservative running mates. In 2000 Republican race, he supported McCain shortly after he stepped down from it.
Like it or not, America needs a president who can win this war. The world needs American victory. Senator John McCain is the man in need. It is regretful that Japanese media pay disproportionately much attention to Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, simply because of their “star” personality.
America is at war. No one wants a TV star, but the most competent commander in chief for the President of the United States. With regard to this election, Global American Discourse will focus on John McCain. This is a protest against stupid Japanese media.
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