JOHN McCAIN: A NATIONAL TREASURE

Yes. You read the headline right. John McCain is in fact a national treasure -- tough but humble; honorable and willing to put his career (and life) on the line; committed to the ideals that motivate America; ready to partner with any American of good faith, no matter of which political party. He really DOES put country first. His life and his political dynamic testify to it.

He should be our President. As far as I'm concerned, he already is. It is HIS ideals, his dynamic, his character, which is driving the change in this election year.

He is impulsive -- but his impulses are strong and usually correct.

He is a Republican's Republican -- and has already begun the tremendous revitalization that the Republican party badly has needed.

No, I am not an objective observer. I've admired John McCain tremendously for a long, long time. Again and again I have found myself cheering him on as he took a stand for what is right no matter the temporary political cost.

This is a man you should thank the times for putting into our midst.

But if all that I've said is so, why is John McCain running a few points behind in most polls ? Why isn't he a landslide leader at this time, after the first debate, in which he established his strength and his insight so clearly ?

Good question...

Senator McCain is running behind for three reasons:

1.His oppponent is an engaging speaker with a clear message: "throw the bums out." And a lot of Americans agree that in fact the Bush administration has been eight years of bums and blunders.

2.The mainstream media is dominated by the political Left -- and Mr. Obama won his party's nomination as the most Left of all the Democrat candidates. Thus the media is doing everything it can to stamp the message of his "superiority" on the viewing and reading public.

3.In a year in which BIG CHANGE is wanted by almost everyone, John McCain has the harder task: to convince the voters that though he's a Republican, and has supported many of the better initiatives of the Bush administration, he can "throw the bums out" just as completely as Mr. Obama promises to do.

John McCain has about 40 days left in which to convince voters of the following:

1.That his administration really WILL bring change -- bi-partisan change -- whereas an Obama presidency will simply substitute the Democrat establishment of insiders and influence peddlers for the Bush establishment of insiders and influence peddlers.

2.That however the past informs, and gives gravitas, to John McCain's politiucs, it is the future that motivates his seeking the Presidency. In June he gave a speech in whijch he outlined what he hoped Amnerica would look like in 2013, at the end of his first term. HE SHOULD GIVE THIS SPEECH AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN...

3.That he will take his case for significant change TO THE COUNTRY, ON THE STUMP, after the election as he is doing during it. That he will INVOLVED THE ENTIRE COUNTRY in his drive to change Washington's ways, priorities, and commitments.

If he does these things, he will be elected with room to spare. I'm counting on him to do it.