John McCain tries to fire up a less-than-excited voter
John McCain came face to face Tuesday with the "passion gap" in this year's presidential race. It came in the form of Doug Englekirk, a wiry 46-year-old contractor from the Lake Tahoe area.
Repeated polls have shown great gusto among Democrats excited about November’s election and the prospect of voting for the party’s presumptive nominee, Barack Obama. For many Republicans who are pondering their choice ... well, not so much.
Or, as Englekirk told McCain at a town hall session in Sparks, Nev.: “I speak for a lot of conservatives. I’m not very excited about this election.”
To a smattering of applause, Englekirk asked McCain what he might do or say to kindle a bit more enthusiasm from the right.
The Arizona senator responded with a question of his own: What (in so many words) was Englekirk’s beef?
He responded with a litany: McCain’s stance on illegal immigration -- which Englekirk dubbed “amnesty” -– his support for campaign finance reform, his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, his running with “the global-warming crowd” and his membership in the Senate’s so-called “Gang of 14.”
McCain addressed two of the complaints, starting with the “gang” -- a bipartisan group of senators who worked in 2006 to avoid a legislative meltdown over the appointment of federal judges.
McCain noted that he has voted for plenty of conservatives judges, including Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito, and said he would appoint to the bench only judges “who will strictly interpret the Constitution.”
McCain also said “global warming is real” and needs to be seriously addressed -- a position he staked out early in this campaign and one widely seen as an effort to distance himself from President Bush.
Wrapping up his response to Englekirk, McCain said: “I’m a conservative. Unabashed conservative. But I also believe I am in keeping with the vision of one Ronald Reagan. It’s healthy to have disagreements.”
Afterward, Englekirk said McCain had sold him -- up to a point.
He appreciated the candidate's answer about the Gang of 14, but worried the federal government would just use the global warming issue as an excuse to pick taxpayer pockets.
“I can’t vote for Obama,” Englekirk said, a baseball cap pulled low on his brow. “I’m going to vote for McCain. I’d just like to be excited about it.”
-- Mark Z. Barabak
Photo credit: Bloomberg News
His mother said it best' Hold your nose and vote for my son" or words to that.
VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com
Posted by: VJ Machiavelli | July 29, 2008 at 08:23 PM
both candidates offered are not valid choices.
to keep looking for the 'lesser evil' comparing the two is not helpful. they are both set up to destroy the american republic and nation, puppets for the new world order global government. the crumbling bridge that still affords america to reclaim its freedom, national sovereignty, civil liberties, inalienable rights, for the people, is the constitution. the only candidate who will defend america is RON PAUL.
'why do we want to win the election?
we want to see represented in our government the constitutional principles.
the principles built into our american system. the principles of limited government and strong individuals with rights and privileges.
a system in which the government is the servant of the people instead of the people being the servant of the government.
the only sane reason to vote for a candidate is not to say that you won, but to say that your principles won.
i see no merit in voting for a candidate that does not represent my principles.
i see no merit in winning an election, and losing my country. i see no merit in winning an election, and losing my freedom. other candidates may be able to win, for a political party. other candidates may be able to win for the pharmaceutical cartel, or the military industrial complex, or the banking cartel, or the international corporations...
but there is only one candidate - his name is RON PAUL - who CAN WIN FOR AMERICA.
to win for america is the whole object of patriotism.'
- g. edward griffin
Posted by: dave | July 29, 2008 at 09:31 PM
Ron Paul is a chef who offers a helping of easy answers with a side of paranoia.
Vote for who you want. But try to be practical will ya?
Posted by: Robert Dale | July 30, 2008 at 02:04 AM