A few months ago the New York Times endorsed Arizona Senator John McCain for the Republican side of the Empire State's primary. It is no secret that the Maverick McCain warmed up to liberal leading media outlets such as the NYT in order to attract independents and moderates. Now that the Senator has all but wrapped up the GOP nomination, I wonder if he knew what hit him this week with the rag's indirect accusation of infidelity based on unnamed McCain staffers flimsy accounts.
Maybe - if he was a true conservative, he should has saw this coming. There is a long tradition of right wing bashing from the New York Times. For they are always in the tank with the democrats.
I hope John McCain has learned his lesson. A Republican should never cozy up the the left wing media! He will see that there will be more biased stories and fabrications about him to come as we inch closer to November.
The real story of the week is McCain's lesson.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
THE TWELVE WORST PRESIDENTS
1. Woodrow Wilson
(Twenty-Eighth, Democrat 1913-1921)
Elected with only 40% of the popular vote in a three way race in 1912, Wilson had a vision of spreading democracy everywhere. His administration would seek out pro-US factions all over the world and sometimes intervene in the name of democracy. Instead of making friends, that diplomacy would make enemies. His vision would take America into World War I, and allow the allies to defeat Germany, which would leave a European bitter. That environment would help lead to the rise of Hitler and the Nazis. A strong case can be made that Wilson’s actions made World War II unavoidable. At home, he set up the Federal Reserve System and imposed the income tax. Wilson took the federal budget from less than 3% of GDP to over 20%. Personally, he was said to be a racist and a mad man. Wilson suffered a stroke in 1919, and ignored most of his presidential responsibilities for the last two years of his term. Woodrow Wilson, more than any other president, did far more harm to America than good.
2. James Buchanan
(Fifteenth, Democrat 1857-1861)
Supported the states rights for slavery. With his flawed interpretation of the Constitution, he thought the states had a right to secede from the nation, and going to war to stop it was illegal - but Buchanon did not do a darn thing to prevent it! With lack of leadership in trying to compromise the differences between the North and South, southern states began to secede, one by one. The Civil War was unavoidable after his four years in office.
3. Warren Harding
(Twenty-Ninth, Republican 1921-1923)
Several scandals occurred during his administration, involving bribery, kickbacks and fraud, and they were mainly due to the fact that Harding appointed many of his friends, as well as some political opponents to prominent positions. No evidence exists that the president benefited from these scandals, but Harding was slow to respond, and should have used better judgment, as the public saw him as a weak and ineffective leader. Harding died two and a half years into his term, and one wonders if he would have finished it (Impeachment) if he had lived.
4. John Tyler
(Tenth, Whig 1841-1845)
He became president upon the death of William Henry Harrison, and was expected to carry out his policies. But he didn’t. His non-support for Harrison and the Whig party policies lead to all but one of the Harrison/Tyler cabinet to resign. The Whigs viewed Tyler as a hypocrite. A life long slave owner, he supported the states right to choose slavery and defended South Carolina's choice to secede if it wished.
5. Herbert Hoover
(Thirty-First, Republican 1929-1933)
Hoover had the unfortunate circumstance of becoming president six months before The Wall Street Crash of 1929. He then made a fatal economic error by supporting and signing into law a tariff act that fueled international trade wars and made the Great Depression even worse. You don’t raise taxes in a depression! That one decision lengthened the Great Depression and sealed his fate as one of the worst presidents.
6. Franklin Pierce
(Fourteenth, Democrat 1853-1857)
Advocating the states right to decide slavery issues, Pierce made the mistake of supporting the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise, which guaranteed free territories north and west of Missouri. Ignorant of the local anti-slavery feelings in the region, his actions would result in bloody rebellions in Kansas and sewed the seeds for Civil War.
7. Jimmy Carter
(Thirty-Ninth, Democrat 1977-1981)
His Administration is rightly associated with the loss of Iran, the hostage crisis and the "Desert One" debacle, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, not to mention recession, inflation, "malaise" (his own word), disco, rampant promiscuity on Main Street, and drugs in his own teetotaling White House. Perceived by the world as weak and thankfully paved the way for Ronald Reagan. Carter gets the tag for the worst former president we have ever had after his almost forgettable four year term.
8. Ulysses Grant
(Eighteenth, Republican 1869-1877)
Grant’s administration is remembered by several scandals that he managed badly. There was an attempt to corner the gold market, stolen money and bribes. Although Grant never profited from any of the crimes, he hardly acted against the criminals, and went as far as criticizing those who spoke against them. He hired friends and political contributors rather than looking out for the countries needs. Overshadowed by his popularity as a General, in reality his presidency was mostly ineffective and achieved little in eight lackluster years.
9. Lyndon Johnson
(Thirty-sixth, Democrat 1963-1969)
His Great Society was wasteful and counterproductive. Big government in all of it’s glory. It taught the poor and the minorities to rely on the big brother in Washington instead of earning some self confidence. The ripples of his programs would be long lasting and still crash on the shores of our society today. Johnson’s escalated the Vietnam War, after saying he would not while campaigning for re-election in 1964. His mismanagement of Vietnam was legendary.
10. Andrew Johnson
(Seventeenth, Democrat 1865-1869)
Elected with the Republican President on the Union ticket in 1964, Johnson, a democrat, became commander in chief upon Lincoln’s assassination. He got in trouble with republicans right from the start when he vetoed Civil Rights legislation. He has the distinction of the first president to be impeached. Twice it was attempted, and both times it failed. Impeachment was more political, initiated by a republican controlled house, rather than based on any serious crimes. Johnson had some good intentions, and historians have graded him better recently, but with impeachment and his inept reconstruction in the South, he makes my list just barely.
11. Martin Van Buren
(Eighth, Democrat 1837-1841)
His administration got off to a bad start in just two months when hundreds of banks began to change the way of converting money, setting of a wide spread panic and economic depression, that left Van Buren’s four years in ruin. He was snake bit, and probably was not his fault, but that specter was always with him as he governed. Van Buren was able to hold control of his fellow democrats, getting re-nominated, but was handily defeated by Harrison in 1840. A truly unspectactular four years.
12. John Quincy Adams
(Sixth, Democratic-Republican 1825-1829)
Expectations were high for the son of the second president, as he squeaked into office over Andrew Jackson (who got the most votes) in an election that was decided in the House of Representatives. As James Monroe’s Secretary of State, Adams was one of the prime movers of The Monroe Doctrine. However, once in office, his foreign policy left much to be desired, as did much else he tried to do, since most of his decisons were met with opposition by congress. At times he was indecisive, and would not fire any of his cabinet who were Jackson supporters.
Note: William Henry Harrison(Ninth, Whig March-April 1841) and James Garfield (Twentieth, Republican March-September 1881) could easily be number one and two, however, both cannot be fairly judged, based on their short time as president. Surely any the above ten would rank higher in non-accomplishments, but the one month spent by Harrison before death and the five and a half months spent by Garfield before his assassination pales in comparison to the years spent wrecking America by each of the men on my list.
Why is Richard Nixon (Thirty-Seventh, Republican, 1969-1974) not on my list? Although he was the only president to resign, the Watergate scandal overshadowed some of his accomplishments in foreign policy. I do not believe he was a good president, however, it is my opinion ten men did much worse in the oval office than Nixon.
(Twenty-Eighth, Democrat 1913-1921)
Elected with only 40% of the popular vote in a three way race in 1912, Wilson had a vision of spreading democracy everywhere. His administration would seek out pro-US factions all over the world and sometimes intervene in the name of democracy. Instead of making friends, that diplomacy would make enemies. His vision would take America into World War I, and allow the allies to defeat Germany, which would leave a European bitter. That environment would help lead to the rise of Hitler and the Nazis. A strong case can be made that Wilson’s actions made World War II unavoidable. At home, he set up the Federal Reserve System and imposed the income tax. Wilson took the federal budget from less than 3% of GDP to over 20%. Personally, he was said to be a racist and a mad man. Wilson suffered a stroke in 1919, and ignored most of his presidential responsibilities for the last two years of his term. Woodrow Wilson, more than any other president, did far more harm to America than good.
2. James Buchanan
(Fifteenth, Democrat 1857-1861)
Supported the states rights for slavery. With his flawed interpretation of the Constitution, he thought the states had a right to secede from the nation, and going to war to stop it was illegal - but Buchanon did not do a darn thing to prevent it! With lack of leadership in trying to compromise the differences between the North and South, southern states began to secede, one by one. The Civil War was unavoidable after his four years in office.
3. Warren Harding
(Twenty-Ninth, Republican 1921-1923)
Several scandals occurred during his administration, involving bribery, kickbacks and fraud, and they were mainly due to the fact that Harding appointed many of his friends, as well as some political opponents to prominent positions. No evidence exists that the president benefited from these scandals, but Harding was slow to respond, and should have used better judgment, as the public saw him as a weak and ineffective leader. Harding died two and a half years into his term, and one wonders if he would have finished it (Impeachment) if he had lived.
4. John Tyler
(Tenth, Whig 1841-1845)
He became president upon the death of William Henry Harrison, and was expected to carry out his policies. But he didn’t. His non-support for Harrison and the Whig party policies lead to all but one of the Harrison/Tyler cabinet to resign. The Whigs viewed Tyler as a hypocrite. A life long slave owner, he supported the states right to choose slavery and defended South Carolina's choice to secede if it wished.
5. Herbert Hoover
(Thirty-First, Republican 1929-1933)
Hoover had the unfortunate circumstance of becoming president six months before The Wall Street Crash of 1929. He then made a fatal economic error by supporting and signing into law a tariff act that fueled international trade wars and made the Great Depression even worse. You don’t raise taxes in a depression! That one decision lengthened the Great Depression and sealed his fate as one of the worst presidents.
6. Franklin Pierce
(Fourteenth, Democrat 1853-1857)
Advocating the states right to decide slavery issues, Pierce made the mistake of supporting the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise, which guaranteed free territories north and west of Missouri. Ignorant of the local anti-slavery feelings in the region, his actions would result in bloody rebellions in Kansas and sewed the seeds for Civil War.
7. Jimmy Carter
(Thirty-Ninth, Democrat 1977-1981)
His Administration is rightly associated with the loss of Iran, the hostage crisis and the "Desert One" debacle, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, not to mention recession, inflation, "malaise" (his own word), disco, rampant promiscuity on Main Street, and drugs in his own teetotaling White House. Perceived by the world as weak and thankfully paved the way for Ronald Reagan. Carter gets the tag for the worst former president we have ever had after his almost forgettable four year term.
8. Ulysses Grant
(Eighteenth, Republican 1869-1877)
Grant’s administration is remembered by several scandals that he managed badly. There was an attempt to corner the gold market, stolen money and bribes. Although Grant never profited from any of the crimes, he hardly acted against the criminals, and went as far as criticizing those who spoke against them. He hired friends and political contributors rather than looking out for the countries needs. Overshadowed by his popularity as a General, in reality his presidency was mostly ineffective and achieved little in eight lackluster years.
9. Lyndon Johnson
(Thirty-sixth, Democrat 1963-1969)
His Great Society was wasteful and counterproductive. Big government in all of it’s glory. It taught the poor and the minorities to rely on the big brother in Washington instead of earning some self confidence. The ripples of his programs would be long lasting and still crash on the shores of our society today. Johnson’s escalated the Vietnam War, after saying he would not while campaigning for re-election in 1964. His mismanagement of Vietnam was legendary.
10. Andrew Johnson
(Seventeenth, Democrat 1865-1869)
Elected with the Republican President on the Union ticket in 1964, Johnson, a democrat, became commander in chief upon Lincoln’s assassination. He got in trouble with republicans right from the start when he vetoed Civil Rights legislation. He has the distinction of the first president to be impeached. Twice it was attempted, and both times it failed. Impeachment was more political, initiated by a republican controlled house, rather than based on any serious crimes. Johnson had some good intentions, and historians have graded him better recently, but with impeachment and his inept reconstruction in the South, he makes my list just barely.
11. Martin Van Buren
(Eighth, Democrat 1837-1841)
His administration got off to a bad start in just two months when hundreds of banks began to change the way of converting money, setting of a wide spread panic and economic depression, that left Van Buren’s four years in ruin. He was snake bit, and probably was not his fault, but that specter was always with him as he governed. Van Buren was able to hold control of his fellow democrats, getting re-nominated, but was handily defeated by Harrison in 1840. A truly unspectactular four years.
12. John Quincy Adams
(Sixth, Democratic-Republican 1825-1829)
Expectations were high for the son of the second president, as he squeaked into office over Andrew Jackson (who got the most votes) in an election that was decided in the House of Representatives. As James Monroe’s Secretary of State, Adams was one of the prime movers of The Monroe Doctrine. However, once in office, his foreign policy left much to be desired, as did much else he tried to do, since most of his decisons were met with opposition by congress. At times he was indecisive, and would not fire any of his cabinet who were Jackson supporters.
Note: William Henry Harrison(Ninth, Whig March-April 1841) and James Garfield (Twentieth, Republican March-September 1881) could easily be number one and two, however, both cannot be fairly judged, based on their short time as president. Surely any the above ten would rank higher in non-accomplishments, but the one month spent by Harrison before death and the five and a half months spent by Garfield before his assassination pales in comparison to the years spent wrecking America by each of the men on my list.
Why is Richard Nixon (Thirty-Seventh, Republican, 1969-1974) not on my list? Although he was the only president to resign, the Watergate scandal overshadowed some of his accomplishments in foreign policy. I do not believe he was a good president, however, it is my opinion ten men did much worse in the oval office than Nixon.
THE TWELVE GREATEST PRESIDENTS
1. George Washington
(First, Federalist 1789-1797)
He is The Father of our Country, and I believe him to be not only our greatest chief executive, but possibly the greatest American that has ever held the office. The legendary general won The Revolutionary War based upon revolutionary ideas. Loved by all at the time, he was the obvious choice for our first President, after presiding over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Having commanded through peril his armies to victory, he gave up power twice, once after serving as commander-in-chief of the army, and then, uneventfully, after serving his second term as president thus creating the informal term limits for presidents. As president, he suppressed Shays Rebellion and preserved the Articles of Confederation.
Washington is remembered for his great personal integrity, and a deeply held sense of duty, honor and patriotism. His personal character stands above more than being a war hero or founding father. One of Washington's greatest achievements, in terms of American values, was refraining from taking more power than was due.
2. Thomas Jefferson
(Third, Democratic-Republican 1801-1809)
Jefferson was a remarkable man. He role as a statesman and a founding father was in addition of being a author, inventor, architect, archaeologist, paleontologist and horticulturist. This background surely became his intention explore and expand the States to the new west. As president, possibly Jefferson's greatest achievement was his purchase of "Louisiana," which did not just double the size of the United States, but it meant that the future refugees from Ireland, Italy, Poland, Russia, and Germany would have land to settle and, with all the risks inherent in true freedom, to thrive. Jefferson skillfully defeated the Alien & Seduction Acts, which was the first threat to the new nation’s constitutional liberties. Our third president also was a staunch believer in limited government. Sometimes his eight years in office were uneventful, due to that philosophy. Jefferson is also remembered for what he called a "wall of separation between Church and State." A regular church goer he was one of the few who successfully divided personally religious convictions with government.
3. Ronald Reagan
(Forty-First, Republican 1981-1989)
His Presidency will be forever remembered for winning the forty year Cold War without bloodshed. True to his principles, Reagan was always optimistic and believed modern government did more harm to Americans than good. He cut taxes in which businesses and consumers prospered, that also contributed to the high tech revolution of the 1980’s and restored the principles of limited government to their proper place. Reagan's best moment was
when suffered a near mortal gunshot wound from a would-be assassin, he faced it not just with courage, but with humor.
4. Abraham Lincoln
(Sixteenth, Republican 1861-1865)
There was no better man for the time. Lincoln united American at it's darkest hour. He was a a honest man of high morals, those qualities where an inspiration to politicians who followed him.
Lincoln lead the Republican Party the first political party in history founded specifically on universal moral principles. Many believe him to be our greatest president since he preserved the Union and his vision began the process of emancipation. (Why fourth, not first or second? The achievements of the previous two occurred without bloodshed, and Lincoln chose one of the worst Presidents ever has his running mate, Andrew Johnson.)
5. Franklin Roosevelt
(Thirty-Second, Democrat 1933-1945)
Roosevelt was elected to four terms, leading the nation, and the world, through World War II, Americans and all freedom loving people in the world loved him. He served 12 years spanning crises more acute than any others in U.S. (Save the Civil War.) Also known for bringing the nation out of the great depression with is policies. FDR’s legacy was indelible.
6. Dwight Eisenhower
(Thirty-Fourth, Republican 1953-1961)
Eisenhower's Military Experience enabled him to be a strong leader during the cold war, in which he managed and averted many crises. A Conservative in office, he emphasized fiscal restraint with his economic policies, where federal budgets cut and managed. One of his best known achievements was creating the interstate highway system.
7. James Monroe
(Fifth, Democratic-Republican 1817-1825)
His legacy is the Monroe Doctrine (1823) which was a blueprint for America ’s Westward expansion, and used by several presidents since. His administration has be labeled "The Era of Good Feelings." The Missouri Compromise (1819) kept the nation together and adverted a war. Monroe's was great at selecting good people. He picked a great cabinet, and often asked for their advice. A quality vital for good leadership.
8. Theodore Roosevelt
(Twenty-Sixth, Republican 1901-1909)
Roosevelt's diplomacy via “speak softly and carry a big stick,” meant peace through strength, and he severed with that philosophy. His ‘Square Deal’ busted trusts and businesses became more responsible. Roosevelt was known as ‘The Great Conservationist’ and he started the National Park System. He built The Panama Canal & Mediated the Russo-Japanese War.
9. James Polk
(Eleventh, Democrat 1845-1849)
Few presidents accomplished as much as Polk did in four years. The US became a coast to coast country when Polk acquired the American Southwest as a result of the Mexican War, and got the Oregon Territory by making peace with Britain. Polk successfully reduced tariffs and was an advocate of free trade. He kept his promise to serve only four years.
10. Harry Truman
(Thirty-Third, Democrat 1945-1953)
Truman's most remarkable attribute was that he came into the presidency virtually unprepared for it, and accepted all the challenges and responsibilities without doubt. His “The Buck Stop’s Here” Leadership style, he was not afraid to make a tough decision, and he made many. Lead the country through the end of World War II, making the decision to drop the A-bomb.
11. Calvin Coolidge
(Thirtieth, Republican 1923-1929)
The most under rated president in American History. Overlooked and misunderstood by the many who list him as one of the worst. He finished the term of Harding, and was re-elected in 1924. In just over five years, Coolidge was a small government conservative, which might explain his exclusion from many historians who believe a president must be an active legislator to be effective. He used the veto pen many times. Coolidge believed that business was the backbone of America. He cut taxes resulting in the ‘Roaring Twenties’ prosperity, and was responsible for starting commercial aviation. He was the first to recognize the power of the image of the President, and used PR firms regularly.
12. Andrew Jackson
(Seventh, Democrat 1829-1837)
To many, Jackson is listed as a great president based his leadership qualities and his expanding the role of the executive branch. He also increased participation by citizens in the political process. That was the beginnings of our Political Party System. His new plans would still exclude blacks and women. As the nation headed west, Jackson wanted to destroy the American Indian Tribes on the way. A fact that tarnished a somewhat remarkable administration.
(First, Federalist 1789-1797)
He is The Father of our Country, and I believe him to be not only our greatest chief executive, but possibly the greatest American that has ever held the office. The legendary general won The Revolutionary War based upon revolutionary ideas. Loved by all at the time, he was the obvious choice for our first President, after presiding over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Having commanded through peril his armies to victory, he gave up power twice, once after serving as commander-in-chief of the army, and then, uneventfully, after serving his second term as president thus creating the informal term limits for presidents. As president, he suppressed Shays Rebellion and preserved the Articles of Confederation.
Washington is remembered for his great personal integrity, and a deeply held sense of duty, honor and patriotism. His personal character stands above more than being a war hero or founding father. One of Washington's greatest achievements, in terms of American values, was refraining from taking more power than was due.
2. Thomas Jefferson
(Third, Democratic-Republican 1801-1809)
Jefferson was a remarkable man. He role as a statesman and a founding father was in addition of being a author, inventor, architect, archaeologist, paleontologist and horticulturist. This background surely became his intention explore and expand the States to the new west. As president, possibly Jefferson's greatest achievement was his purchase of "Louisiana," which did not just double the size of the United States, but it meant that the future refugees from Ireland, Italy, Poland, Russia, and Germany would have land to settle and, with all the risks inherent in true freedom, to thrive. Jefferson skillfully defeated the Alien & Seduction Acts, which was the first threat to the new nation’s constitutional liberties. Our third president also was a staunch believer in limited government. Sometimes his eight years in office were uneventful, due to that philosophy. Jefferson is also remembered for what he called a "wall of separation between Church and State." A regular church goer he was one of the few who successfully divided personally religious convictions with government.
3. Ronald Reagan
(Forty-First, Republican 1981-1989)
His Presidency will be forever remembered for winning the forty year Cold War without bloodshed. True to his principles, Reagan was always optimistic and believed modern government did more harm to Americans than good. He cut taxes in which businesses and consumers prospered, that also contributed to the high tech revolution of the 1980’s and restored the principles of limited government to their proper place. Reagan's best moment was
when suffered a near mortal gunshot wound from a would-be assassin, he faced it not just with courage, but with humor.
4. Abraham Lincoln
(Sixteenth, Republican 1861-1865)
There was no better man for the time. Lincoln united American at it's darkest hour. He was a a honest man of high morals, those qualities where an inspiration to politicians who followed him.
Lincoln lead the Republican Party the first political party in history founded specifically on universal moral principles. Many believe him to be our greatest president since he preserved the Union and his vision began the process of emancipation. (Why fourth, not first or second? The achievements of the previous two occurred without bloodshed, and Lincoln chose one of the worst Presidents ever has his running mate, Andrew Johnson.)
5. Franklin Roosevelt
(Thirty-Second, Democrat 1933-1945)
Roosevelt was elected to four terms, leading the nation, and the world, through World War II, Americans and all freedom loving people in the world loved him. He served 12 years spanning crises more acute than any others in U.S. (Save the Civil War.) Also known for bringing the nation out of the great depression with is policies. FDR’s legacy was indelible.
6. Dwight Eisenhower
(Thirty-Fourth, Republican 1953-1961)
Eisenhower's Military Experience enabled him to be a strong leader during the cold war, in which he managed and averted many crises. A Conservative in office, he emphasized fiscal restraint with his economic policies, where federal budgets cut and managed. One of his best known achievements was creating the interstate highway system.
7. James Monroe
(Fifth, Democratic-Republican 1817-1825)
His legacy is the Monroe Doctrine (1823) which was a blueprint for America ’s Westward expansion, and used by several presidents since. His administration has be labeled "The Era of Good Feelings." The Missouri Compromise (1819) kept the nation together and adverted a war. Monroe's was great at selecting good people. He picked a great cabinet, and often asked for their advice. A quality vital for good leadership.
8. Theodore Roosevelt
(Twenty-Sixth, Republican 1901-1909)
Roosevelt's diplomacy via “speak softly and carry a big stick,” meant peace through strength, and he severed with that philosophy. His ‘Square Deal’ busted trusts and businesses became more responsible. Roosevelt was known as ‘The Great Conservationist’ and he started the National Park System. He built The Panama Canal & Mediated the Russo-Japanese War.
9. James Polk
(Eleventh, Democrat 1845-1849)
Few presidents accomplished as much as Polk did in four years. The US became a coast to coast country when Polk acquired the American Southwest as a result of the Mexican War, and got the Oregon Territory by making peace with Britain. Polk successfully reduced tariffs and was an advocate of free trade. He kept his promise to serve only four years.
10. Harry Truman
(Thirty-Third, Democrat 1945-1953)
Truman's most remarkable attribute was that he came into the presidency virtually unprepared for it, and accepted all the challenges and responsibilities without doubt. His “The Buck Stop’s Here” Leadership style, he was not afraid to make a tough decision, and he made many. Lead the country through the end of World War II, making the decision to drop the A-bomb.
11. Calvin Coolidge
(Thirtieth, Republican 1923-1929)
The most under rated president in American History. Overlooked and misunderstood by the many who list him as one of the worst. He finished the term of Harding, and was re-elected in 1924. In just over five years, Coolidge was a small government conservative, which might explain his exclusion from many historians who believe a president must be an active legislator to be effective. He used the veto pen many times. Coolidge believed that business was the backbone of America. He cut taxes resulting in the ‘Roaring Twenties’ prosperity, and was responsible for starting commercial aviation. He was the first to recognize the power of the image of the President, and used PR firms regularly.
12. Andrew Jackson
(Seventh, Democrat 1829-1837)
To many, Jackson is listed as a great president based his leadership qualities and his expanding the role of the executive branch. He also increased participation by citizens in the political process. That was the beginnings of our Political Party System. His new plans would still exclude blacks and women. As the nation headed west, Jackson wanted to destroy the American Indian Tribes on the way. A fact that tarnished a somewhat remarkable administration.
Friday, February 15, 2008
NASCAR IS SECOND ONLY TO THE NFL
If one follows the national Sports media in this country, you may often hear the term "four major sports leagues." They refer to the National Football League (NFL,) Major League Baseball (MLB,) the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL.) These entities are where our home town teams play, and for decades they have been a fabric in our American Sports Culture. They have unofficially been labeled our nation's top four sports.
So let me make it official: NASCAR should be mentioned in this discussion. In fact, I will go further and claim stock car racing is number two, second only to professional football in America!
The sport sometimes still appears stuck in the south where its roots are. You don't hear about NASCAR much on talk radio where the major media are on the west coast and in the northeast. The cable sports panels hardly ever mention the "good ol' boys." To the non-fan, to even mention the fact that NASCAR competes well with the major sports seems silly. But, make no mistake, there is a huge fan base that watch and go to the races, buy the gear and follow their favorite drivers.
I should say 'worship their drivers.' Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson and Tony Stewart top the list of brand names that rabid die-hards follow like housewives tune into soap operas. With no pun intended, those personalities drive the sport. Forty three of them in every race. This is the most important difference from all those professional 'team' sports. But wait, Stock Car Racing is a team sport! From the car owner to the crew chief down to the pit crew, it is as much as a team effort as anything played with a stick and ball.
In 2008, according to television ratings and merchandising sales figures, there is no question that the NFL leads the pack. No other sport in the United States attracts half the viewers or sells the most gear as the National Football League.
Looking at the average Nielsen TV Ratings for the last complete regular season, the NFL leads with a 10.2 share. Second is NASCAR Sprint Cup with 4.2, which is more than double than the next number the list. Tied for the third position is the NBA and MLB at 2.0, and professional Hockey comes in at a dismal 1.1 rating. College Sports do respectable with football at 3.8 and 1.6 for basketball.
Clearly, NASCAR wins the battle for second place when it comes to the ratings through the season, however, when it comes to the playoffs, Baseball (6.8,) Basketball (3.9) and the major college sports (New Years Day and BCS games averaged a 7.5 and March Madness came in at 6.1) draw more viewers than NASCAR's ten race chase format at a 3.8 rating. The Chase occurs when Pro Football begins and baseball is in their post season, so the competition is tough, but the sport appears to hold up fine.
Even though NASCAR had a down year in 2008, since TV rating were down, the entity stands tall among the other professional leagues. Major League Baseball has been tarnished by the steroids scandal, the NBA has lost viewers and some credibility recently with their referee scandals and the professional Hockey strike of a few years ago nearly killed the league. Even the NFL does not know what to do about the New England Patriots video taping issue. Professional Stock Car has had their problems too, however, one thing you can say is about NASCAR is that they usually address them, such as penalties for bending rules. Top drivers like Gordon and Johnson were docked 100 championship points last year. In 2008 NASCAR has vowed keep the sport fan friendly. That is a key, those fans need to keep coming and keep buying the merchandise.
Figures for licensed sports merchandise are hard to find, and they are only estimates. NASCAR claims sales of over two billion dollars. That does not come close to the NFL ($3.5 billion,) and MLB ($3.3 billion.) Without exact figures, the sport could be neck and neck for third with the NBA ($2.2 billion.) One thing no other sport can claim is the huge local economic impact of a event. Stock Car racing scores big in that department.
February 17 will be the 50th running of the Daytona 500, the sports biggest event. According to a report conducted by The Washington Economics Group, Inc. the race has a total economic impact of $1 billion. Compare that to the estimated impact of the recent Super Bowl XLII in Glendale of $400-500 million to the Phoenix area. In speaking of Phoenix, it is also estimated that the area gets about $350 million annually from the two NASCAR weekends they host. One more bit of extraordinary trivia: Of the 20 largest events of 2007 in terms of attendance, NASCAR clams 17 of them.
There is no question that NASCAR solidly holds second place as the nations most popular sport, given the statistics of attendance, TV ratings and economics.
So let me make it official: NASCAR should be mentioned in this discussion. In fact, I will go further and claim stock car racing is number two, second only to professional football in America!
The sport sometimes still appears stuck in the south where its roots are. You don't hear about NASCAR much on talk radio where the major media are on the west coast and in the northeast. The cable sports panels hardly ever mention the "good ol' boys." To the non-fan, to even mention the fact that NASCAR competes well with the major sports seems silly. But, make no mistake, there is a huge fan base that watch and go to the races, buy the gear and follow their favorite drivers.
I should say 'worship their drivers.' Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson and Tony Stewart top the list of brand names that rabid die-hards follow like housewives tune into soap operas. With no pun intended, those personalities drive the sport. Forty three of them in every race. This is the most important difference from all those professional 'team' sports. But wait, Stock Car Racing is a team sport! From the car owner to the crew chief down to the pit crew, it is as much as a team effort as anything played with a stick and ball.
In 2008, according to television ratings and merchandising sales figures, there is no question that the NFL leads the pack. No other sport in the United States attracts half the viewers or sells the most gear as the National Football League.
Looking at the average Nielsen TV Ratings for the last complete regular season, the NFL leads with a 10.2 share. Second is NASCAR Sprint Cup with 4.2, which is more than double than the next number the list. Tied for the third position is the NBA and MLB at 2.0, and professional Hockey comes in at a dismal 1.1 rating. College Sports do respectable with football at 3.8 and 1.6 for basketball.
Clearly, NASCAR wins the battle for second place when it comes to the ratings through the season, however, when it comes to the playoffs, Baseball (6.8,) Basketball (3.9) and the major college sports (New Years Day and BCS games averaged a 7.5 and March Madness came in at 6.1) draw more viewers than NASCAR's ten race chase format at a 3.8 rating. The Chase occurs when Pro Football begins and baseball is in their post season, so the competition is tough, but the sport appears to hold up fine.
Even though NASCAR had a down year in 2008, since TV rating were down, the entity stands tall among the other professional leagues. Major League Baseball has been tarnished by the steroids scandal, the NBA has lost viewers and some credibility recently with their referee scandals and the professional Hockey strike of a few years ago nearly killed the league. Even the NFL does not know what to do about the New England Patriots video taping issue. Professional Stock Car has had their problems too, however, one thing you can say is about NASCAR is that they usually address them, such as penalties for bending rules. Top drivers like Gordon and Johnson were docked 100 championship points last year. In 2008 NASCAR has vowed keep the sport fan friendly. That is a key, those fans need to keep coming and keep buying the merchandise.
Figures for licensed sports merchandise are hard to find, and they are only estimates. NASCAR claims sales of over two billion dollars. That does not come close to the NFL ($3.5 billion,) and MLB ($3.3 billion.) Without exact figures, the sport could be neck and neck for third with the NBA ($2.2 billion.) One thing no other sport can claim is the huge local economic impact of a event. Stock Car racing scores big in that department.
February 17 will be the 50th running of the Daytona 500, the sports biggest event. According to a report conducted by The Washington Economics Group, Inc. the race has a total economic impact of $1 billion. Compare that to the estimated impact of the recent Super Bowl XLII in Glendale of $400-500 million to the Phoenix area. In speaking of Phoenix, it is also estimated that the area gets about $350 million annually from the two NASCAR weekends they host. One more bit of extraordinary trivia: Of the 20 largest events of 2007 in terms of attendance, NASCAR clams 17 of them.
There is no question that NASCAR solidly holds second place as the nations most popular sport, given the statistics of attendance, TV ratings and economics.
Friday, February 8, 2008
TRUE CONSERVATIVES SHOULD BACK MCCAIN
Many Republican conservatives have stated that they cannot vote for John McCain due to his moderate and even liberal actions in the past. On Thursday, the Arizona Senator gave a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, appealing for support. At times he was booed, and and the Senator took it! A noble effort, in my opinion, and one that tells me he may be serious about coming back to the right side of the party. Conservatives should embrace this man!
In his speech at the CPAC, McCain reaffirmed his commitment to the conservative wing of his party. He also admitted his shortcomings: "Surely, I have held other positions that have not met with widespread agreement from conservatives. I won’t pretend otherwise, nor would you permit me to forget it." The all but chosen GOP Nominee now has eight and a half months to convince conservatives of his intentions.
General elections sometimes come down to a choice of selecting the lesser of two evils. As much as John McCain has violated basic conservative principles in the past, a true conservative should inherently know that a vote him is much better than the alternative. The alternative being at least four years of a big government, higher taxing, security risking liberal. It should be an easy decision to make.
John McCain is going to need a united Republican party behind him. The pro-democratic mainstream media will attempt to deface his character, defame him profanely and lie about him.
The good news is that it will be nothing that the veteran Naval Officer has not gone through before. It will pale next to his five and a half year hell as a North Vietnamese Prisoner of War. Senator McCain can take it. And so should good conservatives take this man on November fourth.
In his speech at the CPAC, McCain reaffirmed his commitment to the conservative wing of his party. He also admitted his shortcomings: "Surely, I have held other positions that have not met with widespread agreement from conservatives. I won’t pretend otherwise, nor would you permit me to forget it." The all but chosen GOP Nominee now has eight and a half months to convince conservatives of his intentions.
General elections sometimes come down to a choice of selecting the lesser of two evils. As much as John McCain has violated basic conservative principles in the past, a true conservative should inherently know that a vote him is much better than the alternative. The alternative being at least four years of a big government, higher taxing, security risking liberal. It should be an easy decision to make.
John McCain is going to need a united Republican party behind him. The pro-democratic mainstream media will attempt to deface his character, defame him profanely and lie about him.
The good news is that it will be nothing that the veteran Naval Officer has not gone through before. It will pale next to his five and a half year hell as a North Vietnamese Prisoner of War. Senator McCain can take it. And so should good conservatives take this man on November fourth.
TIME TO EAT SOME WORDS ABOUT JOHN MCCAIN
As a Republican, I must live with the fact that John McCain will be the GOP nominee. I certainly will cast my vote in November for the Arizona Senator. It is true that I do not like him, however, whoever his opponent will be in the General Election, I certainly will detest. The alternative? It will either be liberals Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Both cast a shadow of a fate that would be far worse for our country.
It is time for all Republicans to unite and Elect John McCain President.
It is time for all Republicans to unite and Elect John McCain President.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
ALL ABOUT THE SUPER BOWL
Super Bowl XLII will be played tomorrow (February 3, 2008.) It's the New York Giants vs. the New England Patriots in Glendale, Arizona. I will be rooting for the Giants to hand the Pats their first loss of the season, thus preventing New England from becoming undefeated.
Here is are a few lists of my Super Bowl Memories:
THE TEN BEST SUPER BOWLS
1) SB XXXII (San Diego) Denver 31, Green Bay 24.
John Elway and the two TD underdog Broncos finally win it all, upsetting the defending Packers in a back and forth battle that came down to the wire.
2) SB III (Miami) New York Jets 16, Baltimore 7.
More for the significance of the AFL beating the mighty NFL, and less for the game. It was the day the AFL became respected and the Super Bowl, as a major event, was born.
3) SB XXXVIII (Houston) New England 32, Carolina 29.
An action packed game coming down to a game winning field goal in the final seconds.
4) SB XXXVI (New Orleans) New England 20, St. Louis 17.
The upset and last minute drive that launched the modern Belichick Patriot Dynasty.
5) SB XXV (Tampa) New York Giants 20, Buffalo 19.
This came down to a missed field goal with seconds remaining.
6) SB XXIII (Miami) San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16.
Joe Montana's legendary two minute drive for the winning touchdown in the last minutes.
7) SB XXXIV (Atlanta) St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16.
The Titans came from 16-0 to tie, then saw them Rams go ahead, only to come up a yard short on the final play of the game.
8) SB X (Miami) Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17.
The Cowboys had the lead in the final quarter, but could not stop the talented Steelers.
9) SB XVII (Pasadena) Washington 27, Miami 17.
Down most of the game, the Redskins outlasted the Dolphins in the end, thanks to John Riggins.
10) SB V (Miami) Baltimore 16, Dallas 13.
Believed by many as a bad game due to the many turnovers, but it came down to the final seconds with Jim O'Brien's winning field goal.
THE TEN WORST SUPER BOWLS
1) XL (Detroit) Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10.
Ben Roethlisberger goes 9 of 21 with two picks as the winning QB. It was the worst performance by a winning team in the Super Bowl. It was also the worst officiated Super Bowl by far. This game sucked!
2) XXIV (New Orleans) San Francisco 55, Denver 10.
Clearly, this game was gonna be a blowout and a snoozer after a first quarter dominated by the 49ers.
3) XX (New Orleans) Chicago 46, New England 10.
A mismatch that became evident by halftime.
4) XXXV (Tampa) Balitmore 34, New York Giants 7.
The glamourless Ravens actually shut out the Giants, a kickoff return was NY's only points. Who was Drent Dilfer? He was the winning quarterback.
5) VIII (Houston) Miami 24, Minnesota 7.
Played in the oddest SB location, University of Rice Stadium. The Dolphins put the game away early by scoring the first two times they had the ball.
6) XI (Pasadena) Oakland 32, Minnesota 14.
The Vikings were a terrible Super Bowl team, and this was their last and weakest stand.
7) XXVIII (Tampa) Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9.
The Defending Champ Redskins did not show up to play. The Raiders killed them!
8) XXXIX (Jacksonville) New England 24, Philadelphia 21.
Down by 10 points with 5 minutes left, the Eagles clumsily wasted their time trying to come back. It was too little, too late.
9) XLI (Miami) Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17.
Last year's contest was the first one played in rain. The Bears jumped to an early lead, but could not hold it to a Colts team that did not play very well.
10) XXXVI (Minneapolis) Washington 37, Buffalo 24.
This game was over when the Redskins made it 24-0 early in the third quarter.
OVERRATED SUPER BOWLS
SB XIII (Miami) Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31.
Listed on many 'Top Ten Lists,' but not on mine. It was not that close. Pittsburgh dominated the second half, building a 35-17 lead. It was over then.
SB XIX (Palo Alto) San Francisco 38, Miami 16.
The featured match-up between Dan Marino and Joe Montana never materialized, as Montana's team dominated.
SB VII (Los Angeles) Miami 14, Washington 7.
Remembered as the cap to the first undefeated season by the Dolphins. The Redskins should have been shut-out. Only Mike Bass' return of the famous blocked field goal and subsequent pass of Garo Yepremian prevented that.
UNDERRATED SUPER BOWLS
IV (New Orleans) Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7.
This was the last AFL-NFL match up, and, clearly, the Chiefs were far superior. The game showed the world that the American Football League may have been the better league. It also took away much from the idea that the Jets victory over the Colts in SB III was just a fluke.
XIV (Pasadena) Pittsburgh 31, Los Angeles Rams 19.
The underdog Rams had nothing to lose, and played the Steelers nip and tuck until the fourth quarter. Terry Bradshaw would say later that this game scared him the most.
XXVII (Pasadena) Dallas 52, Buffalo 17.
Although this was a blow-out, I cannot forget Don Beebe's effort to strip Cowboy's defensive end Leon Lett of the ball at the goal line to prevent a touchdown. Down 52-17 at the time, Beebe could have packed it in, but, no, he showed heart and effort, and was my real hero of the game.
SUPER BOWL XLII PREDICTION: New England 37, New York Giants 26.
Here is are a few lists of my Super Bowl Memories:
THE TEN BEST SUPER BOWLS
1) SB XXXII (San Diego) Denver 31, Green Bay 24.
John Elway and the two TD underdog Broncos finally win it all, upsetting the defending Packers in a back and forth battle that came down to the wire.
2) SB III (Miami) New York Jets 16, Baltimore 7.
More for the significance of the AFL beating the mighty NFL, and less for the game. It was the day the AFL became respected and the Super Bowl, as a major event, was born.
3) SB XXXVIII (Houston) New England 32, Carolina 29.
An action packed game coming down to a game winning field goal in the final seconds.
4) SB XXXVI (New Orleans) New England 20, St. Louis 17.
The upset and last minute drive that launched the modern Belichick Patriot Dynasty.
5) SB XXV (Tampa) New York Giants 20, Buffalo 19.
This came down to a missed field goal with seconds remaining.
6) SB XXIII (Miami) San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16.
Joe Montana's legendary two minute drive for the winning touchdown in the last minutes.
7) SB XXXIV (Atlanta) St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16.
The Titans came from 16-0 to tie, then saw them Rams go ahead, only to come up a yard short on the final play of the game.
8) SB X (Miami) Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17.
The Cowboys had the lead in the final quarter, but could not stop the talented Steelers.
9) SB XVII (Pasadena) Washington 27, Miami 17.
Down most of the game, the Redskins outlasted the Dolphins in the end, thanks to John Riggins.
10) SB V (Miami) Baltimore 16, Dallas 13.
Believed by many as a bad game due to the many turnovers, but it came down to the final seconds with Jim O'Brien's winning field goal.
THE TEN WORST SUPER BOWLS
1) XL (Detroit) Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10.
Ben Roethlisberger goes 9 of 21 with two picks as the winning QB. It was the worst performance by a winning team in the Super Bowl. It was also the worst officiated Super Bowl by far. This game sucked!
2) XXIV (New Orleans) San Francisco 55, Denver 10.
Clearly, this game was gonna be a blowout and a snoozer after a first quarter dominated by the 49ers.
3) XX (New Orleans) Chicago 46, New England 10.
A mismatch that became evident by halftime.
4) XXXV (Tampa) Balitmore 34, New York Giants 7.
The glamourless Ravens actually shut out the Giants, a kickoff return was NY's only points. Who was Drent Dilfer? He was the winning quarterback.
5) VIII (Houston) Miami 24, Minnesota 7.
Played in the oddest SB location, University of Rice Stadium. The Dolphins put the game away early by scoring the first two times they had the ball.
6) XI (Pasadena) Oakland 32, Minnesota 14.
The Vikings were a terrible Super Bowl team, and this was their last and weakest stand.
7) XXVIII (Tampa) Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9.
The Defending Champ Redskins did not show up to play. The Raiders killed them!
8) XXXIX (Jacksonville) New England 24, Philadelphia 21.
Down by 10 points with 5 minutes left, the Eagles clumsily wasted their time trying to come back. It was too little, too late.
9) XLI (Miami) Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17.
Last year's contest was the first one played in rain. The Bears jumped to an early lead, but could not hold it to a Colts team that did not play very well.
10) XXXVI (Minneapolis) Washington 37, Buffalo 24.
This game was over when the Redskins made it 24-0 early in the third quarter.
OVERRATED SUPER BOWLS
SB XIII (Miami) Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31.
Listed on many 'Top Ten Lists,' but not on mine. It was not that close. Pittsburgh dominated the second half, building a 35-17 lead. It was over then.
SB XIX (Palo Alto) San Francisco 38, Miami 16.
The featured match-up between Dan Marino and Joe Montana never materialized, as Montana's team dominated.
SB VII (Los Angeles) Miami 14, Washington 7.
Remembered as the cap to the first undefeated season by the Dolphins. The Redskins should have been shut-out. Only Mike Bass' return of the famous blocked field goal and subsequent pass of Garo Yepremian prevented that.
UNDERRATED SUPER BOWLS
IV (New Orleans) Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7.
This was the last AFL-NFL match up, and, clearly, the Chiefs were far superior. The game showed the world that the American Football League may have been the better league. It also took away much from the idea that the Jets victory over the Colts in SB III was just a fluke.
XIV (Pasadena) Pittsburgh 31, Los Angeles Rams 19.
The underdog Rams had nothing to lose, and played the Steelers nip and tuck until the fourth quarter. Terry Bradshaw would say later that this game scared him the most.
XXVII (Pasadena) Dallas 52, Buffalo 17.
Although this was a blow-out, I cannot forget Don Beebe's effort to strip Cowboy's defensive end Leon Lett of the ball at the goal line to prevent a touchdown. Down 52-17 at the time, Beebe could have packed it in, but, no, he showed heart and effort, and was my real hero of the game.
SUPER BOWL XLII PREDICTION: New England 37, New York Giants 26.
Friday, February 1, 2008
JOHN MCCAIN IS A TERRIBLE CHOICE FOR THE GOP
The Republican Party is on the verge of making the mistake of selecting Senior Arizona Senator John McCain as its 2008 nominee. If this occurs, it is almost certain that McCain and the GOP will go down in flames in November.
It is hard to label the Arizona Senator a Republican. He certainly is not a conservative. His image will always take a back seat to the principals his Party. The independent McCain is famously known as a Republican "Maverick." In reality, he will say almost anything to remain popular to members of both parties, and that is why, rather than fighting for key GOP issues, he often sells himself as a sort of healing messiah and shakes hands with he opposition. As an example, the following is a list of legislation he has co-sponsored with some prominent liberal Democrats:
--McCain-Feingold - Limits free speech.
--McCain-Kennedy -Grants amnesty for illegal aliens.
--McCain-Lieberman -Caves in to the 'global warming' crowd and would raise taxes.
--McCain-Kennedy-Edwards - Their “patients’ bill of rights” gave more power to trial lawyers.
John McCain is a hero. Five years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam was pure hell! God, I admire how he was able to weather that terrible storm, and I could not be more grateful to him for his service to our country. However, that is not a qualification, nor a requirement to become President of the United States. They are two separate things, and his history as a POW should never shield him from political criticism. It seems to me, however, that John McCain, and many of his supporters, believe it should. And, that is one of the reasons that I must say I do not like John McCain.
Looking back at the 2000 GOP South Carolina Primary, I found McCain to be arrogant and smug in his campaigning, I wondered out loud if he truly hated conservatives then. I think so, and he still does today. The Arizona Senator flips-flops like pancakes. Some of his actions, such as the legislation listed above, are seen as driving a knife in the back of his fellow Republicans. You could almost call him a liar when he calls himself a conservative in his campaign ads.
Only a few months ago, I honestly believed that John McCain was finished, for there was no way that the conservative base of the Grand Old Party would accept him. In a way, that still holds true. Luckily for McCain, that base has been divided among the other candidates: Mike Huckabee grabbed the religious conservatives, Mitt Romney corralled the economic leaning crowd and Rudy Giuliani won over most of the hawks. Without one candidate to unite the conservatives, the Senator became the front runner, and appears unstoppable, since Romney and Huckabee are still in the race, and will continue to split the base.
The only hope for true conservatives, like me, lies on Super Tuesday. The alternative to McCain is Mitt Romney, not Mike Huckabee. My eye sees Romney as a much more viable candidate than Huckabee. There must be a swarm of support for Romney on February 5th across the nation, or the GOP will be finished in 2008. The conservative base will not show up in November, as Republicans will suffer the same fate as they did with Gerald Ford 1976 and Bob Dole in 1996. The swarm could happen. The John McCain media gushing may spark a rush to the polls next Tuesday by conservatives. I am hopeful it will, as I cast my vote for Mitt Romney.
It is hard to label the Arizona Senator a Republican. He certainly is not a conservative. His image will always take a back seat to the principals his Party. The independent McCain is famously known as a Republican "Maverick." In reality, he will say almost anything to remain popular to members of both parties, and that is why, rather than fighting for key GOP issues, he often sells himself as a sort of healing messiah and shakes hands with he opposition. As an example, the following is a list of legislation he has co-sponsored with some prominent liberal Democrats:
--McCain-Feingold - Limits free speech.
--McCain-Kennedy -Grants amnesty for illegal aliens.
--McCain-Lieberman -Caves in to the 'global warming' crowd and would raise taxes.
--McCain-Kennedy-Edwards - Their “patients’ bill of rights” gave more power to trial lawyers.
John McCain is a hero. Five years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam was pure hell! God, I admire how he was able to weather that terrible storm, and I could not be more grateful to him for his service to our country. However, that is not a qualification, nor a requirement to become President of the United States. They are two separate things, and his history as a POW should never shield him from political criticism. It seems to me, however, that John McCain, and many of his supporters, believe it should. And, that is one of the reasons that I must say I do not like John McCain.
Looking back at the 2000 GOP South Carolina Primary, I found McCain to be arrogant and smug in his campaigning, I wondered out loud if he truly hated conservatives then. I think so, and he still does today. The Arizona Senator flips-flops like pancakes. Some of his actions, such as the legislation listed above, are seen as driving a knife in the back of his fellow Republicans. You could almost call him a liar when he calls himself a conservative in his campaign ads.
Only a few months ago, I honestly believed that John McCain was finished, for there was no way that the conservative base of the Grand Old Party would accept him. In a way, that still holds true. Luckily for McCain, that base has been divided among the other candidates: Mike Huckabee grabbed the religious conservatives, Mitt Romney corralled the economic leaning crowd and Rudy Giuliani won over most of the hawks. Without one candidate to unite the conservatives, the Senator became the front runner, and appears unstoppable, since Romney and Huckabee are still in the race, and will continue to split the base.
The only hope for true conservatives, like me, lies on Super Tuesday. The alternative to McCain is Mitt Romney, not Mike Huckabee. My eye sees Romney as a much more viable candidate than Huckabee. There must be a swarm of support for Romney on February 5th across the nation, or the GOP will be finished in 2008. The conservative base will not show up in November, as Republicans will suffer the same fate as they did with Gerald Ford 1976 and Bob Dole in 1996. The swarm could happen. The John McCain media gushing may spark a rush to the polls next Tuesday by conservatives. I am hopeful it will, as I cast my vote for Mitt Romney.
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