McCain Secures GOP Presidential Nomination

Although everyone, except himself, counted him out just a few short months ago, Senator John McCain of Arizona has secured enough delegates to win the Republican nomination for president last night. Needing 1,191 delegates, his wins in Ohio, Vermont, Texas and Rhode Island gave him 1,195. He can now focus on the general election.

At a victory rally, he said, "Now, we begin the most important part of our campaign: to make a respectful, determined and convincing case to the American people that our campaign and my election as president, given the alternatives presented by our friends in the other party, are in the best interests of the country we love." He's got a job to do yet.

His first task is going to be to secure his right flank. Despite winning the race rather convincingly in the last three months, there are some extremely conservative forces in the Republican Party that haven't accepted him. Indeed, former rival Mitt Romney called Mr. McCain a “liberal.” Rush Limbaugh, a blowhard in the talk radio world, even said conservatives should vote for whomever the Democrats nominate rather than Mr. McCain.

However when it comes to candidates, Democrats fall in love, but Republicans fall in line. Before the night was out, Mr. McCain's conservative challenger, Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, bowed to the inevitable with grace and dignity. He stated that he would do whatever he could to get Mr. McCain elected. At the same time, he said something that this journal wishes more politicians around the world believed. "I'd rather lose an election," he said, "than lose the principles that got me into politics in the first place." While this journal does not agree with a great many of his principles, one can only respect the attitude.

Mr. McCain will receive the endorsement of the current president today at the White House. It is impossible for Mr. Bush not to endorse him, nor is it possible for Mr. McCain to refuse the endorsement. However, it does give the Democrats some ammunition – John McCain's presidency would be a third Bush term. Mr.McCain's challenge is to define it as the first term of a different man.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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