Some Brief Thoughts on McCain's Speech

Honestly, I didn't have high expectations for our Presidential nominee, especially after Sarah Palin electrified audiences at home and in the auditorium with her historic debut on Wednesday night. That, combined with the well-known fact that formal speeches are not Senator McCain's strong suit (but I am actually starting to believe that's a good thing, given our opponent), didn't exactly inspire confidence.

But as I watched Senator John McCain at the podium, it struck me (as if I didn't know it before), that this truly is the grown-up in the race. Much has been made of the fact that the "stagecraft" was a failure (National Review strikes again), or that it sounded more like a State of the Union address (FOX Panel, post-speech). These inside-baseball types are really getting on my nerves.

I readily admit that the "Maverick" wasn't even in my Top-Five list during the Republican Primary. I winced when he spoke of the mythical "bipartisanship" he believes so many citizens are hungry for. So I write this post, not as a rabid McCain cheerleader, but a mature American who realizes the high stakes of this election. And if the non-partisans, Reagan Democrats and Independents across America were seeking a "straight-talking" patriot to whom they could entrust the safety, security and integrity of this great nation, they surely discovered it last night in our plain-speaking, "Country First" Presidential nominee.

What a stark difference from Greek columns and amorphous pie-in-the-sky hope and change!