[JayCo]

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How the heck can you support McCain after he caved in to pressure to support Bush? That crap they pulled on McCain in 2000 was absolutely disgusting. Then McCain turns around and kisses Bush butt in 2004? I lost all respect for him when he did that.

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I'm quite incoherent since it's 3am, but here goes...

I can still back McCain mainly because I think he's a man of integrity who also possesses a brain. IMO his party loyalty / support of Bush in 2004 came from his belief that it was in the country's best interest to do so, and he put aside his personal political interest to serve that. (He also avoids participating in and reacting to negative campaigning better than most, IMO- he came out strongly against the group trying to smear Kerry's Vietnam service record even while casting his support for Bush.) Having said that, it sounds like you & I agree that McCain was misguided in his support for Dubya then. However, he does strike me as a pragmatist who seems unafraid to diverge from blind adherence to the party line or to criticize this administration or his party if he feels it is merited (e.g., his public & active lobbying that Cheney is dead wrong to oppose an anti-torture amendment, his ongoing championing of campaign finance reform, a willingness to go across the aisle and work with Democrats on occasion, etc.).

Like any politician, he's far from perfect, but I believe he acts more out of conscience and a coherent, thoughtful perspective of issues. His actions generally strike me as attempt to actually get something accomplished rather than just acting out of blind party loyalty and/or political expediency. I have been periodically disappointed in his support of W (since IMO W's administration has taken the Republican Party and the country as a whole giant steps backwards), but as of today I see no other prominent politican I'd rather see in the Oval Office than McCain. While virtually every prominent member of the GOP openly critical to Bush's policies has become more or less silent or has been quietly pushed aside (Powell et al), McCain remains vocal and active in moving agenda items he feels important forward, oftentimes in contrast to White House public stances. (Let's not forget his classic Daily Show bit looking under the couch cushions for the elusive WMDs.)

I'm registered as an independent, but I'd be shocked if in 2008 I didn't end up voting McCain both in the Republican primary and final election.