",,, McCain lacks a presidential temperament ..."

Conservatives have been accused of attacking John McCain unfairly during the 2000 campaign but it wasn't an unfair attack or assessment. Accusations about a lack of temperment have proven true once again and its not just about his hot temper.

I watched Sen McCain give a speech on the floor about Iraq yesterday and having followed Sen Biden who talked to his audience (tv cameras) instead of reading his speech, McCain was a letdown, giving a very bland, monitone, boring, unimpressive, canned speech. At the very end he seemed to fight tears as he reflected back to a reference to Viet Nam, how that war divided our Nation, and how he hoped Congress could pull together and unite behind an Iraq policy everyone could support. But other than that one small moment, he read from a prepared script and the delivery was very poor as he often studdered and slurred words without inflection in his voice. There was nothing new or fresh or inspiring in what I thought should have been an impassioned sales pitch of the need to support General Petreaus who has pleaded for more time. In contrast, Sen Biden was clear, consise, passionate and convincing for those who don't otherwise hold a strong position on Iraq.

Because I believe General Petreaus and our troops are on the verge of turning a corner in Iraq and increasingly gaining ground over the insurgency, I found myself wishing Sen Biden had delivered McCains speech instead. Its too important for our own security and the security situation in the region and world to leave Iraq at the mercy of those who invite families to dinner only to discover their own 10-11 year old sons have been stuff, baked, and served. When I read that from a Michael Yon article I knew the United States I know could not and would not leave Iraq and this evil, to further multiply. We need to take them on so our childrens children won't have to, or, suffer that same horror.

I like and respect Sen McCain but we see how important that Ronald Reagan persona is during tough times and the country is thirsty for somebody like that. Unfortunately John McCain is no Ronald Reagan and as much as I respect him he should remain in the Senate where his ability to compromise is a virtue. He mismanaged his campaign so who is he to criticize the President for mismanaging a war? Further, if he can't even manage a campaign we don't need him managing a war.

Giving a "good' speech does not necessarily indicate a superior presidential candidate. As for the hot temper, Andrew Jackson had one also, and he wasn't too shabby.