Folks, here’s The State‘s endorsement for the 2008 S.C. Republican Primary. Officially, it’s being published in Sunday’s paper. But it’s available online now.
At long last, eight years later than we should have, we are endorsing John McCain of Arizona. As readers of this blog will know, this makes me a lot happier than I was this time in 2000. This time, we’ve done the right thing.
Just click here to read the endorsement.
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The endorsement was very well written. I have personally met Senator McCain and could feel a sense genuine sincerety- a sense that I feel many mainstream candidates lack. At first I was McCain supporter, and then I got caught up in the Huckabee craze. Now that my head is back out of Heaven, I am convinced that McCain is the right man to lead in 2008.
Thanks, Zac. Gov. Huckabee is a very appealing candidate, too. He made a good impression when he came to interview with us, way back before most people thought he had a chance.
But as you see, our board ended up with McCain. I preferred him all along, but it was very gratifying to have my colleagues agree.
All of them liked Huckabee, too — just not as much as McCain, as it turned out.
As soon as I can get to it over the next few hours, I’m going to go ahead and post my Sunday column, which is about our board’s discussion of the candidates Friday.
McCain does it again–another big newspaper nod
Well, the Arizona Republian has done it again, John McCain nabbed another major newspaper endorsement, this time The State, South Carolina’s largest newsapaper.
Great endorsement Brad!! I have been a supporter since the 2000 campaign. Sen. McCain is a much bigger man than I am in that he said he got over the horrible personal attacks during that campaign in about three days. I am still working on it!
I hope the voters of S.C. will right the wrong that was done to Sen. McCain in 2000 and vote for him on January 19th.
While I do not read your blog very often I do read The State online everyday and sometimes in print to get my fix on your left leaning and to try and not keep up with the Lamecocks. After saying that while I may have to vote for McCain it will be out of necessity in the General Election. I am a Bush person and I love our president and believe he has done the right thing for America. While you say you got it wrong in 2000 not. You may have it wrong in 2008. Go Rudy.
It is sad to see the sate of South Carolina endorsing John McCain. To endorse an obvious liberal for the Republican party and a loose cannon like McCain is ver sad indeed.
Moye, a number of people I respect agreed with you in 2000, which is why — on a split decision — we endorsed George W. Bush.
I just never agreed.
I can’t agree more with you and The State in your endorsement of Senator McCain. I don’t always agree with his positions but 1) he means what he says and says what he means and 2) as with the immigration issue, he listens and can change his mind, and 3) he will appoint top-notch business and community leaders to his cabinet (I’ve heard him mention Warren Buffett and Bill Gates as potential appointees). But, most important to me as I watch the Iranians test the U.S. Navy is his understanding of our military and the challenges it faces. My son is in the U.S. Army and there’s no one else in either party that I trust more to decide when to put my “treasure” at risk. Gov.’s Huckabee and Romney are both, at heart, good men and would make excellent running mates for Senator McCain. But for now, I’m on the Straight Talk Express.
A very politically correct choice.
McCain is not even close to being conservative, which is probably why you endorsed him. The only way I will vote for him is if I’m forced to in a general election. Hopefully, it will not come to that. I was against his amnesty bill (even if you pay a fine to live here, it is still amnesty!). He did not support the Bush tax cuts, but now he says he did as long as it was accompanied by spending cuts (yeah sure), he supported the closing of Gitmo, which meant giving terrorists legal rights in our legal system and a burden on our correctional facilities, and on and on and on. If you need to be reminded of what’s wrong with McCain, just read Mark Levin’s column on his record at NRO or Real Clear Politics. Somehow I knew even before today that The State endorsement would either be for McCain or Huckabee. I can only hope that Romney or Thompson end up being our party’s nominee.
Well, of course we should listen to your newspaper. After all, you participated in giving us eight (8)–count’em–years of George Bush.
Headline should be “Dog Bites Man” as this one was a foregone conclusion as soon as McCain announced to run.
The entire endorsement reads like a press release from McCain’s campaign office, glossing over the real issues true Republican’s will have with McCain.
McCain’s support for allowing illegal immigrants to stay in the United States is reason enough for me to choose a different candidate. The fact that he would be the oldest President ever should also not be ignored. Does America need an 80+ year old President when his second term would complete? Do we forget Reagan’s final years in office when he was likely experiencing the effects of dementia and Alzheimers?
In my view, McCain is a less conservative Bob Dole. Like 1992, it’s unlikely any Republican can win in 2008. As the economy tanks, so will the chances for Republicans.
Brad, what a shame. You basically spilled the beans two weeks ago when you told the only Conservative in the race to do what you guys had already decided. Think about what you’re endorsing – Amnesty!!! I guess you think the tax cuts would have been better defeated as if no progress was good progress. What a shame. Another bad day for the Republican Party,and you and this pathetic paper are complicit.
BGBest
Lexington SC
This proves RUSH LIMBAUGH’S point that the Mainstream Media is setting up so-called GOP candidates as sitting ducks for either Obama or Clinton to beat!!
If this RINO McCain is the nominee, all his baggage – Keating Five, Affairs etc – will come out in a hurry…from his same friends in the media! PLUS Evangelicals will sit on their hands. Same with the other RINO – Huckabee!!
GOP voters should pick GOP candidates, not the liberal media or Lindsay Graham!
McCain is the unsurprising choice of editors because he is a RINO, a liberal on spending, a progressive enemy of individual rights, a toady of big business and Mexico, yet hawkish on the war in Iraq.
As McCain said in the last debate, more illegals spill across the border in his state than any other.
Yeah, Brad, check the transcript from Myrtle Beach. He did say that, live on national television.
If he couldn’t stop the slipstream across his border in his umpteen years in the Senate, why should I think that he’d stop it as president?
Truth is, I don’t.
But congratulations anyway. Eight years out of vogue is pretty timely for The State, so much do the lot of you have your heads planted in the end zone at Williams-Brice, where the sun shines only by accident.
So now would be a good time to endorse Lou Holtz to ooach the Gamecocks, don’t you think?
Go left, young man, for every turn from there must be right.
McCain is open to doing what Republicans desire, as his sharp mind never forgets, he is a real Republican “elephant” not a “rino”. Rush Limbaugh lives on the ocean in Palm Beach, not reality. The State is mature enough to admit its prior mistakes. McCain is now a Baptist and represents Goldwater’s Arizona, very conservative in this Southern Man’s book.
McCain is open to doing what Republicans desire, as his sharp mind never forgets, he is a real Republican “elephant” not a “rino”. Rush Limbaugh lives on the ocean in Palm Beach, not reality. The State is mature enough to admit its prior mistakes. McCain is now a Baptist and represents Goldwater’s Arizona, very conservative in this Southern Man’s book.
McCain-Feingold……….McCain-Kennedy…….see a pattern. John McCain does not know how to sell his ideas without turning to the big and powerful liberals to sell them for him. Problem is…what did they get in return? Mike Huckabee first sells his plans to the People and then he does not have to resort to these dangerous coalitions with the Move-On liberal left. Sen. McCain is not a liberal he just can’t lead without them. Think about it. Mike Huckabee is the only practical, solid, consistent, conservative that can win the White House.
Thompson/Allen 08
As a response to Weldon VII, I voted for George Bush twice, with no regrets. He has appointed two of the best conservative Supreme Court judges in history, with the help of the “gang of 14”. However, I must remind you that as Gov. of Texas, his borders were no more secure that any others. As President for 7 yrs he still has not secured the borders and with a republican Congress for most of those years. I can’t help but think the Feds knew we needed those workers for all thoe years, after all, we have eliminated 49 million Americans through abortion.
Let He who is without sin cast the first stone at John McCain. Sure, he has made mistakes regarding illegal immigration and Iraq, but this is not only about the past it is,more importantly, about the future of America. There is only one man fit to lead America forward, John McCain. His knowledge of the situation in Iraq and the global war on terrorism is unmatched, and his stance on what he would do to secure the borders is not any worse than any other candidate. I have only one vote, of course, and it is without going to John McCain on January 19
Rick, I voted for Bush twice, too, because I had no better choice. I regret only two thinga: 1) He communicates poorly; 2) His presidency has sent my cost of living through the roof.
If I must vote for McCain for the same reason I voted for Bush, I will. But Bush has been left of where I wanted him to be, and McCain will be farther left still.
Nevertheless, McCain would be a godsend by comparison to Clinton or Obama. But he ranks no better than third among my favorite candidates, because, like Huckabee, he’s about one issue away from being a Democrat himself.
I’m Weldon VII, and I approved this mesage.
Let He who is without sin cast the first stone at John McCain. Sure, he has made mistakes regarding illegal immigration and Iraq, but this is not only about the past it is,more importantly, about the future of America. There is only one man fit to lead America forward, John McCain. His knowledge of the situation in Iraq and the global war on terrorism is unmatched, and his stance on what he would do to secure the borders is not any worse than any other candidate. I have only one vote, of course, and it is without going to John McCain on January 19
Brad,
I must totally disagree with your endorsement for. McCain is simply not a conservative in every sense of the word. He is way out of bounds on economic policy. If the GOP has any chance of winning, we must nominate someone with proven conservative leadership in all areas. The immigration mess put a huge stain on McCain as far as I’m concerned. Not once, but twice he attempted to push though amnesty. Why you would endorse this man is beyond me. Furthur, in regards to Fred Thompson, your bias is apparent. Way back in September, you were ridiculing him. Your snootiness and arrogance reminded me of the New York Times. So much for balanced media.
Juan McAmnesty? I’m not surprised.
I have a hard time understanding how you can support a man who said Iraq “success will be fairly easy” and not four years later tell us that “I knew it was going to be long and hard and tough.” Is honesty and admittance of mistakes too much to ask of a candidate? Now he wants to commit us to a potential 100 years more in Iraq? I can fully respect his service to this country. I cannot support a liar who believes the American people are ignorant. His nomination would mean sure defeat for the Republican Party in November. Hopefully no one takes you seriously. I’d suggest you endorse David Walker, US Comptroller General, and run his story front page: Current US spending effectively leaves each US household accountable for $400K in debt. The ignorance and naivity of this country and its ‘journalists’ will spell its ruin.
What a travesty your paper’s thinking is: it doesn’t match the thinking of the strong and conservative needs and desires of the people of the fine state of South Carolina.
I respect the man, McCain and his past in the Navy, but his record in the Senate has been abysmally left of center and terribly UN-business favored –not Republican in any way; and PRO-AMNESTY, don’t fall for all the protestations, which you will live to regret!.
This is what I mean:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/80fa0a2c-49ef-11dc-9ffe-0000779fd2ac.html
As a South Carolinian by birth and a Republican by registration, I bear part of the what should be the collective shame of my home state’s role in propeling the worst president ever into the White House. Please, this time, compare the qualities of our candidates to the qualities of not only Reagan, but also Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Ford. Please, for the sake of our future choose a person of judgement, character, courage and experience. Only one candidate fits that bill, John McCain. He was the right choice in 2000 and he is the right choice in 2008. As a resident of North Carolina I can only pray that you will not choose “the guy you’d like to have a beer with” or simply a “great communicator”. The stakes are too high and the job too difficult for novices and folksy front men for corporate tyranny. We need a tough love, truth telling leader to get us out of the ditch. Please use carefully this great opportunity because we may all well again be stuck with your choice.
I disagree with your assessment that Romney fled the state because of ‘political realities’ there in South Carolina. It seems quite obvious to me that Romney has staked his candidacy on winning Michigan. If he doesn’t win there, and ends up dropping out, he will have squandered even more money entrusted to him by voters across the country. It’s a generous thing for him to try to save as much of that money as he can, to return back to those who supported him.
Perhaps more importantly, Romney looks to be attempting to change the focus of his message. His resume and his record of bringing beneficial changes to many different venues really resonates with people. The Republican party suffers less from a lack of ideas than they do the competence to implement them. With his record of stellar competence, it should have been his primary focus from day one. Taking his previous advertising off the air until the conclusion of the Michigan primary will allow him to refocus that message instead of following the less effective message focus he was using before.
Let’s not forget that McCain sat out Iowa in favor of New Hampshire, and that Huckabee essentially sat out New Hampshire in favor of South Carolina. Romney is the ONLY candidate on the Republican side that has been competitive in every state contested thus far, and have make a strong attempt to connect with the voters in each of those states. Part of the reason Democrats were so successful in 2006 was because they tried to be competitive in every district. When something came up and a Republican Senator or Congressman faltered, they were there to compete for that position. The way every other candidate on the Republican side has walked away from entire states of voters is sad, and I’m shocked that you would attack Romney for doing so when he’s the only one that hasn’t.
You would think an MSM would research the man just to refresh their memory;
Candidate Research – Know Who you’re Voting For ( The Easy Way )
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/entry/candidate_research_know_who_youre_voting_for/
Of COURSE you endorse the AZ senator. For all your talk talk talk about change at the end of the day you just stand for more of the same. That’s why all you do is write. You can complain all day long and never really have to DO anything.
Thanks for the endorsement. Now I know who NOT to vote for.
“A dispassionate examination of the available facts always leads to McCain.”
Dispassionate. Devoid of personal feeling. As I fear the November electorate will emote with respect to the senator from the fill-dirt state.
When The State endorses a Democrat next week, let’s see how dispassionate the pointing of that finger turns out to be.
Congratulations to The State newspaper for endorsing the third most war-mongering public personality in American government after George Bush and Dick Cheney.
“…For four years, he was nearly alone in his insistent criticism of the Bush administration for sending too few troops to quell the violence.” In other words, McCain not only wanted this war to happen, but he wanted more war. It wasn’t a wise and prudent Viet Nam hero, who saw, and suffered from the horror of war, who should have used all of that so-called experience and knowledge to advocate a strong and cautious diplomatic approach to the claims against Iraq rather than blunt force at any cost. The fact that the Bush administration hoodwinked almost everybody into going to war, at the expense of momentum in Afghanistan, does not phase Senator McCain one bit. He followed Saddam to the gates of hell, and vows that he will follow Osama Bin Laden to the gates of hell, also. This man, who The State endorses, is sick. Any serious American statesman who clowns before a crowd of his supporters, like McCain, and sings “bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” and then gives that choir boy grin he uses to disarm and deflect criticism, has got to have some serious problems. So State, go on with your endorsement. But, fortunately, an editorial board does not have a vote.
McCain spent too much time in the Hanoi Hilton. He is still enraged. That “choir boy grin” is a sign of a very deep hostility — quite psychopathic. He wants war. If he wins the Presidency, prepare to see a lot more American blood and gold poured into that stinking religious cesspool that reaches from Palestine to Pakistan.
Please, nominate McCain. His ridiculous pandering to Bush and this moronic war was politically astute enough not to go unpunished come November. So, if the office ages you so much, how old will McCain be after his term? 100?
I am amazed at how many folks who have been complicit in this Bush tragedy-of-errors still are employed as journalists and public thinkers (hell, the Times just hired Kristol!). I mean really, how wrong do you have to be before you get fired in this business? So, Brad, for choosing this clown, not once but twice in the primary and the general…ya fired!
John McCain is sooooooo Bob Dole.