Learning to Heart John McCain

Who would have dreamed that musty old, ill-tempered left-leaning Republican codger John McCain, 71, would suddenly become the modern day Lazarus of his political party? Back from the dead, still in shrouds?

Certainly not I.

Nor did I ever hope for such resurrection. Let's face it, McCain was not my presidential candidate for a whole host of reasons, oh let me count the ways: first there was amnesty for illegals, non-support of the Bush tax cuts which spurred the economy forward to dazzling heights for the past seven years, and then McCain-Feingold, a scandalous travesty to my First Amendment political freedoms. There's more policy positions I differ with, but I won't bore or scare myself further here now.

Then there's another troubling aspect of the McCain shtick that has gnawed on me even more: He's a known ragaholic, often taking policy altercations with colleagues on both sides of the aisles personally and then having a hissy fits in retaliation.

In an editorial Tuesday, Investors Business Daily writes:

"'In his (McCain's) world, it's very difficult to have a simple policy disagreement," said American Conservative Union chairman david Keene. "Everything becomes personal. His position is right, and everyone else's is basically evil.'

"Lest anyone think McCain has mellowed, he got in another last year when Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, got full frontal McCain over an immigration bill, according to reports in Roll Call and the Washington Post.

"McCain, who supported amnesty for illegals, accused his colleague of making a 'chicken*** argument' to try to sink his favored bill. 'F*** You!' These are only two in his arsenal of favorites like 'liar' and 'idiot.' McCain's finger in your eye style has alienated even allies on the Hill."

In other words, for me, there's a lot to give plenty of pause about John McCain as a serious presidential candidate. On top of that, even Bill Clinton has declared that McCain is not that far on some policy issues from wife Hillary. And he's right, though I do commend McCain for his efforts and influence on the War in Iraq and of course the surge that is being so successful.

So, where this post is going is this: The handwriting is on the wall. McCain is resurrected and whether Rush Limbaugh likes it or not, it seems to be the reality.

Because of that and interviews like this at National Review with McCain last year, I am in the process of rethinking McCain and making an attitude adjustment, big time. Nothing in my mind that McCain can do, will cause me to vote for either Presidents Hill and Bill. No nothing. Nor will I ever vote for the Man From Glad, Obama.

That leaves me with whoever the Republican candidate is. And I say to trash McCain is monumentally unhealthy for conservatives and a self-indulgance we can ill afford at this time in our history.

And while John McCain will never be like a love-at-first-sight candidate for me, I'll do my best to go through a tough adjustment and stay the course with the party I know will take the hardest stand in the only issue that really matters to me today: The War on Terror against radical Islam. And who knows, maybe he'll just scare those terrorists to death with his mean ole cantankerous disposition. And that might not be such a bad thing, after all.