If he becomes the Repub candidate, will McCain's biggest worry be the potential desertion of his candidacy by the conservative wing of the party?

I don't think so because their is another looming enemy out there waiting for him: The likelihood that the prime issue in the election will turn out to be "the economy, stupid."

Iraq/National Security/Terrorism is already being superseded in the national debate by concerns about not only a recessionary economy, but an economy whose current foundation is longer manufacturing "things," but is the supplying of services, particularly services whose primary function is the profitable manipulation of capital---in fact, that's how Mitt Romney made his megabucks, not by building the best mousetrap on earth.

McCain's formidable family tradition of Naval service (two full Admirals as father and grandfather) serves him well in the Foreign Entanglement/National Security sphere, probably with all but the most intractable of conservatives. And if the general election pivoted on those issues, he'd be a tough opponent to discredit.

But McCain's career has largely been a one trick pony and he may suddenly find himself having to ride a different horse in November. A buckin' bronco named the Economy, the largest component of Domestic Policy.

His colleagues on both sides of the isle can vouch for Johnny Mac's uninterest in domestic affairs. It's just not thing, not what he's built his reputation on. Does anyone think if 9/11 or an equivalently belligerent act had not happened this century, that the Senator would be currently the putative nominee of his party?

Who can predict what the transcendent issue will be by Sept., Oct., November? But if the economic clouds get darker by then, if the problems associated with the economy become even more complex than they are today, McCain's going to find himself battling on an unfamiliar, muddy turf.

"Tough" works fine when confronting the relatively us vs. them type of issue like terrorism. But issues of the economy often turn out to be us vs. us, or at least are more subtle, with more gradations than fighting foreign enemies.

Solving economic problems is more akin to winning a baseball game. John McCain's a "punch em in the mouth" football player if ever there was one.

Frankly, I don't want a president who intends to run the economy. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't want new pet domestic programs from the president. That's a recipe for increased spending and a further bloating of the federal gov't. (A key Bush mistake.) We need someone who's willing to face the truth (e.g., "those car-making jobs are not coming back any time soon"), not give in to pressure, and doggedly pursue long-term goals such as energy independence. McCain does those things pretty well. I just wish he'd listen to America on illegal immigration.

I didn't realize that I was arguing for a president who wanted to "run" the economy. But I would like one who is at least interested in it, maybe glances at the Wall St. Journal once in awhile.

Nor did I mean to imply that I was interested in Johnny Mac proposing the litany of domestic programs in your reply, nor in a candidate denying the truth that car assembling jobs aren't likely to come back here.

In other words, your post my be a reply to something, but's it certainly does not address the content of my letter.

Good luck in finding a candidate who will ignore everything else and concentrate on illegal immigration.

I am still holding out hope that the number 1 issue come november will be honoring the dead firefighters and other innocent Americans by INDICTING the traitors responsible.

Please refer to my comments: 911 A CLEAR CASE of TREASON posted @

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in keeping with your analogy:

that will pretty much make 'McCain killing able addiction' the same as the rest of the war hogs:

football players playing water polo...

in the 'dead' sea

Get psychiatric help now. There may still be time.

Moi?

I think he was referring to the conspiracy crazy 9/11 guy seeking help.

I don’t think the president has much bearing on the economy, they are generally the fall guy for the wild adventures of others.

McCain is more adept at finding the right person for the job than being the expert; it’s called management or governance. One person dictating policy that is to be followed on every issue is expressly not what our president is intended to be in Article 2. Though GWB/Cheney with a republican congress came close to this second model, we’ve all seen the success that has brought; I’ll take a guy who knows enough to know that he doesn’t have the answer. It’ll be a breath of fresh air after the decider.