A Democratic governor puts wind in John McCain's sails

John McCain got an unexpected boost in his bid to woo independent and Democratic voters this afternoon: a shared stage with Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

Kulongoski is a Democrat who has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. So reporters were stunned to see him turn up at wind-power firm Vestas near Portland International Airport along with McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The event, a major speech on global warming, was designed to pitch McCain's environmental views to moderate Western voters.

The governor didn't mention McCain in his brief remarks. Instead, he introduced Jens Soby, the president of Vestas, and promoted Oregon's attempts to be "the renewable [energy] capital of America."

Soby introduced McCain, who did not miss the chance to thank Kulongoski and use his presence to push a second independent-wooing pitch: his ability to work across party lines.

McCain lauded Kulongoski -- a former Marine who attends every funeral for an Oregon serviceman or woman killed in Iraq -- for his military service. He called him "a great governor" whose leadership had lured Vestas to Oregon.

"As president of the United States," McCain said, "I will sit down with Gov. Ted Kulongoski and all of the governors of this country, whether they are Democrat or Republican, and work for the betterment of the nation."

-- Jim Tankersley

Jim Tankersley writes for the Swamp of the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau.

Comments

[jon]

in all probability, the candidate who will stand strong concerning moral issues will likely win in november...lets not forget what appeared in the dollar "IN GOD WE TRUST"...hillary would surely not get the nomination because of her stand on certain morality issues...america became a great country of a very strong and deeply religious foundation it once had when it was founded...and now america is slowly losing steam, even her image abroad because america has been perceived to be losing ground primarily because we ceaselessly fail to keep in touch with God...the government even prohibits our children to pray in school...there may be separation of the church and the state but we have to teach our children to be morally upright if we have to keep america going...or we would another to be labeled as "the grandeur / glory that was"...

[dave]

jon,
the still-president of the country is widely perceived as a 'religious nutcase.' who incidentally also has declared the constitution and principles his country was once founded on and flourished, to be 'just a goddamn piece of paper.' and has been seen to violate and destroy about all and any right and constitutional law, and to be a relentless advocate to commit and promote treason and corruption, and global terror where he can. and is seen as of the same ilk of short sighted, delusional fascist profiteers, abusive false patriots who loathe liberty and peace, as e.g. preemptively-declared would-be nominee mccain, who says he expects the next american president to cooperate with corrupt dictatorships. moral hypocrisy equals ethical corruption. not a solid foundation for constitutional government and beneficial policies.
'when fascism comes to america, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross' - sinclair lewis

[LCSusan]

I don't see how a leader can transform the nation unless he is willing to sit down with those in the political and religious arenas who hold views other than those he and his supporters hold.

http://strictlyanecdotal.com/2008/05/08/thank-you-gary-hart-for-reminding-me-of-my-place.aspx