Confessions of a former Romney Supporter
My name is Brad Marston and this is my first post as an “author” at blogs4McCain. I was both surprised and delighted by the invitation to join and contribute here. I was also gratified to see at the official McCain website that blogs4Mcain and my blog, Azamatterofact were 2 of the five featured blogs along side MegaBlogs Michelle Malkin, Instapundit and Little Green Footballs. That is rather good company to keep.
I am a Republican in Massachusetts. From the recent headlines I think the best comparison of a Massachusetts Republican is to a homosexual in Iran. Okay. We don’t get executed but we aren’t very popular and most leaders in Massachusetts deny we exist so the parallel stands. As a Republican in Massachusetts, my initial choice was Mitt Romney. He looks, sounds and acts like a President. He could actually play one on TV if that wasn’t Fred Thompson’s gig. But John McCain kept talking and I kept listening.
I volunteer for John McCain in New Hampshire and attend as many events as I can. I will share any and all first hand accounts here. I also get a great deal of information from the campaign which I will also share.
Speaking of sharing…I posted this at PowerLine earlier today and cross post it FYI.
“I am not sure one can make a truly “conservative” case for McCain. Given that the most “liberal” Republican in the race is also leading in the polls (which are only beginning to be meaningful) I am also not sure if one should. As far as making a case for John McCain? On defense…clearly conservative. On spending…clearly conservative. On abortion…clearly conservative. On traditional family…clearly conservative. On taking by eminent domain…clearly conservative.As far as McCain/Feingold, I don’t think anyone is arguing, even today, that there is too LITTLE money in politics. As for Kennedy/McCain it would be nice if we deported all the illegals but since we are never going to, a rational approach as to what we do with the ones here seems to make sense. Personally I couldn’t give a rat’s patoot which Mexican mows my lawn or which Brazilian cleans my house. I could care even less if the process by which they gain citizenship or a green card is fair.
I am a fiscally conservative, pro-defense, socially moderate Republican. I don’t agree with McCain on every issue. However I do agree with his support for the war on radical Islam, his overall foreign policy and his dedication to fiscal restraint. Those are the issues I care about and why I support John McCain for President.”
Let’s have a President that hits the ground running…not retreating.
September 26, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Welcome to the blog Brad! I like your description of Mitt and Fred. That’s pretty close to my own thoughts on both guys. McCain is the strongest on my top five issues. Immigration could very well become an issue in the primaries — but I think for the most part, McCain’s over any bad blood with the “base.”
Bloggers who offer up campaign finance, immigration, or torture as disqualifying McCain, are relying on bad information and weak analysis.
On the issues that will matter most in the primaries: National Security, Iraq, Terrorism, Life, 2nd Am. rights, etc. McCain is the MOST consistent conservative. I agree with your PL post above — let’s work hard to help McCain online, and rebut all the haters out there!
September 26, 2007 at 9:03 pm
Thanks Seattle…It is great to be here…I came close to breaking Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment “Thou shalt never speak ill of another Republican.”
I have a 12th commandment that I have lived by for 30 years. “Thou shall always vote.”
John McCain has inspired me to my 13th…”Thou shalt work thine ass off for a man thou feeleth must be the next President of the United States.”
I am not particularly religous but have a reasonable fear that I may be smote for those last 2 commandments.
September 27, 2007 at 10:14 am
I liked Romney at the beginning. He was a new face. But he doesn’t have anything new to say. And he is now beginning to pander to various groups and audiences.
McCain, on the other hand, despite his Washington, D.C. experience, has been a consistent, conservative, independent-thinking leader his entire career. Nobody owns John McCain. And it’s high time Republicans reconsider our options b/c no other candidate has what it takes to be an excellent President.