Observations on Manchester (NH) Union-Leader’s Endorsement of McCain, Part 1: How It Will Help the Campaign
Senator McCain received a huge boost over the weekend, scoring the endorsement of the Manchester (NH) Union-Leader. Although newspaper endorsements in general are of little value, the Union-Leader has traditionally been an influential voice in GOP politics in the Granite State. It certainly won’t hurt his candidacy, and it gives McCain some positive free media. And not just the endorsement itself - the positive free media (and further reminder that the campaign is very much alive) that will flow as other media outlets report it. It thus will have a ripple effect far beyond New Hampshire. And it will help convince his donors that the campaign still has a shot, so it should have a beneficial effect in the finance sector, as well.
Here’s the text of the endorsement:
By PUBLISHER JOSEPH W. MCQUAID
On Jan. 8, New Hampshire Republicans will make one of the most important choices for their party and nation in the history of our presidential primary. Their choice ought to be John McCain.
We don’t agree with him on every issue. We disagree with him strongly on campaign finance reform. What is most compelling about McCain, however, is that his record, his character, and his courage show him to be the most trustworthy, competent, and conservative of all those seeking the nomination. Simply put, McCain can be trusted to make informed decisions based on the best interests of his country, come hell or high water.
Competence, courage, and conviction are enormously important for our next President to possess. No one has a better understanding of U.S. interests and dangers right now than does McCain. He was right on the mistakes made by the Bush administration in prosecuting the Islamic terrorist war in Iraq and he is being proved right on the way forward both there and worldwide.
McCain is pro-life. Always has been. He fights against special-interest and pork-barrel spending, and high spending in general, which ticks off liberals and many in the GOP who have wallowed at the public trough. Yet he also has the proven ability, unique among the contenders, to work across the political divide that has led our government into petty bickering when important problems need to be solved.
We have known John McCain for many years. We will write more about him in the days ahead. For now, we leave you with this to ponder:
When McCain was shot down and taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese, he was repeatedly beaten. When his captors discovered that his father was a top U.S. admiral, they ordered him released for propaganda purposes. But McCain refused, insisting that longer-held prisoners be released before him. So they beat him some more. He never gave in then, and he won’t give in to our enemies now.
John McCain is the man to lead America.
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