McCain's Backbone

John McCain is at his best as a speaker it seems when taking a serious tone and talking about serious issues.  He did a very good job tonight, and I suspect will have strengthened his support and position from the public because of it.  Specifically, here's where I thought he was great:

1) The repetition as well as revelation of additional details of McCain's life changing experience as a POW in Vietnam over the course of this convention was capped off by hearing from the man himself.  You come away with the powerful impression of a man who is utterly incorruptible and unstoppable in his determination to accomplish what he believes will benefit the United States of America and its people, simply because no matter how tough things get, he has been through worse, and in addition, the gratitude and the dedication he feels toward America and its people hardly know any bounds.

I thought the following stretch of his speech demonstrated this: "[Governor Palin] knows where she comes from and she knows who she works for. She stands up for what's right, and she doesn't let anyone tell her to sit down. I'm very proud to have introduced our next vice president to the country. But I can't wait until I introduce her to Washington. And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd: Change is coming.

I'm not in the habit of breaking promises to my country and neither is Gov. Palin. And when we tell you we're going to change Washington, and stop leaving our country's problems for some unluckier generation to fix, you can count on it. We've got a record of doing just that, and the strength, experience, judgment and backbone to keep our word to you.

You know, I've been called a maverick; someone who marches to the beat of his own drum. Sometimes it's meant as a compliment and sometimes it's not. What it really means is I understand who I work for. I don't work for a party. I don't work for a special interest. I don't work for myself. I work for you."

2) I thought he was able to bring up several policy issues, from Iraq to education to healthcare policy and so forth, enough to sketch out basic differences in the approach he would take compared to Obama. 

"I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise them. I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them. I will cut government spending. He will increase it.
My tax cuts will create jobs. His tax increases will eliminate them. My health care plan will make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance. His plan will force small businesses to cut jobs, reduce wages, and force families into a government-run health care system where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor.

Keeping taxes low helps small businesses grow and create new jobs. Cutting the second-highest business tax rate in the world will help American companies compete and keep jobs from moving overseas. Doubling the child tax exemption from $3,500 to $7,000 will improve the lives of millions of American families. Reducing government spending and getting rid of failed programs will let you keep more of your own money to save, spend and invest as you see fit. Opening new markets and preparing workers to compete in the world economy is essential to our future prosperity."

3) He also formulated the core principles which most Republicans and conservatives believe will strengthen our nation most:

"We're going to recover the people's trust by standing up again for the values Americans admire. The party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan is going to get back to basics.

We believe everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential from the boy whose descendants arrived on the Mayflower to the Latina daughter of migrant workers. We're all God's children and we're all Americans.

We believe in low taxes, spending discipline and open markets. We believe in rewarding hard work and risk takers and letting people keep the fruits of their labor.

We believe in a strong defense, work, faith, service, a culture of life, personal responsibility, the rule of law, and judges who dispense justice impartially and don't legislate from the bench. We believe in the values of families, neighborhoods and communities.

We believe in a government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans. Government that doesn't make your choices for you, but works to make sure you have more choices to make for yourself." 

4) McCain is clearly working to establish himself as an American running for president, as opposed to simply a partisan nominee.  He wants to bring new and more people to support him, beyond the GOP "base."  And he's not afraid to take on Obama and the Democrats in areas you would think he would shy away from.  Consider these lines from his speech, keeping in mind who he is running against.

"Education is the civil rights issue of this century. Equal access to public education has been gained. But what is the value of access to a failing school? We need to shake up failed school bureaucracies with competition, empower parents with choice, remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward good teachers, and help bad teachers find another line of work.

When a public school fails to meet its obligations to students, parents deserve a choice in the education of their children. And I intend to give it to them. Some may choose a better public school. Some may choose a private one. Many will choose a charter school. But they will have that choice and their children will have that opportunity.

Sen. Obama wants our schools to answer to unions and entrenched bureaucracies. I want schools to answer to parents and students. And when I'm president, they will." 

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Sarah Palin I think remains the star of the Republican convention, but McCain is the anchor and weight.  They did themselves well I think.  

I suspect the polls will really tighten up, then we shall see what happens over the next 8 weeks!