I fight to restore the pride and principles of our party. We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us. We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption. We lost their trust when rather than reform government, both parties made it bigger. We lost their trust when instead of freeing ourselves from a dangerous dependence on foreign oil, both parties and Senator Obama passed another corporate welfare bill for oil companies. We lost their trust, when we valued our power over our principles.
We're going to change that. We're going to recover the people's trust by standing up again for the values Americans admire. The party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan is going to get back to basics.
We believe everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential from the boy whose descendents arrived on the Mayflower to the Latina daughter of migrant workers. We're all God's children and we're all Americans.
McCain's emphasis on the bipartisan nature of the change our country needs stood in stark contrast to his Vice-Presidential pick's divisive tirade the night before. And McCain's own Republican supporters "booed" at the point when McCain offered praise for "Barack Obama and his supporters." It is just hard to reconcile this John McCain, who gave a genuine and solid, President worthy speech, is the same man who would make such an erratic and overtly political decision to pluck a dogmatic, social ultra-conservative out of Alaska and place her, barely vetted, a breath away from the Presidency.
The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn't a cause, it's a symptom. It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.
Again and again, I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as President. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not.
Instead of rejecting good ideas because we didn't think of them first, let's use the best ideas from both sides. Instead of fighting over who gets the credit, let's try sharing it. This amazing country can do anything we put our minds to. I will ask Democrats and Independents to serve with me. And my administration will set a new standard for transparency and accountability.
We're going to finally start getting things done for the people who are counting on us, and I won't care who gets the credit.
Perhaps it's this kind of reasonable record and thinking about our way forward that has the Republican base more enthusiastic about Sarah Palin than John McCain.
Comments: (69)
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By: Bonita on 9/06/2008 1:44AM
I take issue with this part of this paragraph, "from the boy whose descendents arrived on the Mayflower to the Latina daughter of migrant workers. We're all God's children and we're all Americans". What about the ones that were forced onto slave ships to this country? I notice he did not mention us! He's being true to color. He is not being inclusive either. He is being divisive just like Palin.
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By: Stan on 9/05/2008 8:25AM
McCain has sold out to the extreme right wing of the Republican party.
Any claim to being a "Mavrick" or "Reformer" thus has gone right out the window.
As Obama says in so many words, he is GW Bush take 3.
Any person other than extreme right wing partisons who vote for McCain have been fooled by smoke and mirrors.
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By: LORRAINE on 9/05/2008 8:45AM
THE ONLY CHANGE McCAIN IS GOING TO DO IS SOMEONE CHANGING HIS DIAPER , WHEN HIS A*S IS IN THE RETIREMENT HOME.
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By: Roger Asterilla on 9/05/2008 9:58AM
McCain made it clear that this race is primarily about his desire to win the white house, not about the American people.
He is still struggling to justify his decision to go against his father's wishes regarding making a career in the military. If McCain loses he will have to live with the doubt of his decision (he won't have many if any chances to rectify his choice).
Why else would a man who desires the presidency divorce himself from his party, the administration he championed for the last eight years, solicit social conservatives who despise him, pretend he wasn't part of the last eight years, and then pretend he is an older white version of OBAMA by cling to the "Change" coattails.
Throughout this selection process, McCain always shadowed Obama's campaign. In other words, McCain always put himself in a position to react to whatever Obama did or said . . . especially when he found out that Hillary's playbook didn't work for him.
It really, really sad . . . really
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By: Charlene on 9/05/2008 9:57AM
John McCain is a Hero, and has shown his integrity through out his life. He is genuine, and real. A man that I trust. As for his choice of Sarah Palin, she has a lot of good points herself, that have shown in her past political career. She has a good heart, and can make people listen. Not only do they listen, but they take the time to understand what's she's talking about. Not only will this be a great asset for foreign affairs, but we sure do need her qualities for our country. I think McCain, and Palin are gone to help build this country, stronger than it ever was before!
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By: FT on 9/05/2008 1:06PM
Now McBush is about "change"? What has he been doing for the last 25 years? What a joke! He voted 90% of the time WITH BUSH on policies. John Bush is a phony.
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By: Cocoa Delight on 9/05/2008 11:36AM
McCain used to be thought of as a "maverick" and straight talker, but he sold out long ago. Being a maverick and visionary are two separate things and a visionary he is not. A visionary wouldn't have voted 95% of the time with Bush, nor would a maverick. This old man scares me to death along with his Stepford VP Palin. We had all better get out there and show our desire for real change with Obama a true visionary.
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By: Ms. Unique on 9/05/2008 11:36AM
Look, the whole night was a REPUBLICAN MESS! You got Cindy McCain, making so many mistakes and being slow with her words. It wasn't natural to me! Come on, she had a prompter? At the beginning of McCain's speech was ROUGH! The only reason why McCain was so close to the front audience where his wife and family was is because, he is used to "Small Town Meetings" and he was "Nervous". To give you a feel how the BORING the night was, there was a lady in the audience KNITTING? Come on? What WOKE everybody up & was excitement was a woman running down the isle in the convention and interrupting his so-called speech. This thre him and everybody OFF TRACK. The part that I only liked was when McCain talked about when he was captured. McCain had detail but OLD ANSWERS! I didn't hear about ECONIMICS and what his plan would do for this country either? He said he was for "Change" and "Change is coming" about 10 times. I got tired of that.
This so-called convention didn't compare to the DNC Convention! This was a REPUBLICAN MESS!
"OBAMA/BIDEN 2008"
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By: Victor on 9/05/2008 11:59AM
McCain's speach last night makes George Bush look like a genious.Anybody that thinks McCain's speach was good, are lying with a straight face.He even forgot what party his part of last night? If he gets to be president,this country will be worse than it already is. He's worse than Bush.
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By: Mrs. Wendy on 9/05/2008 12:12PM
It is very clear that, by the haste inwhich the decision to make Governer Palin VP Nomin., that thy where looking for any way they could to get the Hillary vote. Which speaks to the levels thy will go to to win this election. The GOP's (Good old party) sociopathic, power mad leaders want to continue to drive the country into the ground.
I will give McCain that he USED to me a mavric (check out his record, by doing some research), but it is clear that he has most deffinatly "drunk the Cool-Aid". He has voted with the republicans 95% of the time, which is clear, on its face, that he has gotten tired of buckin' the system.
Finally, anyone who would even entertain the thought to vote for this man had better think twice. I love older people and all. But realisticly, he is 72 years of age! There is the very real chance he could die in office or develope dementia. Dont forget the stories about Raegen at the end of his term! Hello! Then who are we at the mercy to,but at VP that has only had two terms as governer and was a small town mayor for a while. She is the the republican leaders wet dream, because they will control, control, control. If she was truelly intellegent she would be able to see through there attemps to use her in this way and be offended!
Finally, Personally I believe (as a woman), that if you are still breastfeeding (she is do some research) and your having issues with the governance of your own home you really do not need to be taking on a job such as potentially leading the free world. Working a regular job, okay. But leading the country at a critical time and you cant even lead your home. effectively? No. What bugs be most is that if one of Obahmas girls got pregnant in this way,it would be a deal breaker. He wouldnt even have a chance for the whitehouse.
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