“I would make sure we don’t torture prisoners. I would close Guantanamo Bay.”

With that statement, McCain lost two-thirds of likely GOP primary voters.

This is spot-on, and a great message for winning the Republican primary, and being an effective President. Spending probably has GOPers incensed more than anything -- vetoing a couple of spending bill would have gone a long, long way to shoring up Presidnet Bush's standing. Also, speaking more frequently -- part of Bush's problem is his lack of contact with the American people. Whenever he gives a speech, his popularity spikes, then settles down. Obvious point to me is 'more speeches.' And cowbell. Everyone loves the cowbell.

Closing Gitmo won't guarantee we stop torturing prisoners (and yes, glowsticks up the butt count as torture). How do we know the prisoners won't be treated the same way wherever it is they're transferred? But, at least McCain has the right attitude, and I applaud his willingness to address the American people every two weeks. I would hope much of it would come in the form of Oval Office addresses or large press conferences, Bill Clinton-style, rather than political speeches in front of sympathetic military crowds, as Bush 2 often gives us.

I believe, based on the '00 campaign and his overall Senate record, that McCain would be a good President. He's a conservative (and I'm not), but he goes off the facts, not ideology. Hence his maverickness on a few high-profile issues (campaign finance, torture, Senate decorum, handling of the war, etc.). I think he'd make moves I disagree with, but only after listening to and respecting his opposition. He would truly unite the American people. I'll vote for Biden or Feingold first, but then McCain or Hagel. Yes, his '08 campaign has begun with a lot of pandering to the religious right, which is too bad, but campaigning and governing are two seperate things.

The Dems will be hardpressed to beat McCain. I am a Dem and I am not sure if we have the crop of candidates that can take him on.

The war is a problem for Democrats as they have not properly defined the debate. The debate has to be defined in terms of judgment; the Republicans clearly lacked it for making Iraq part of the war on terror (when it didn't need to be), and the GOP again lacks it for not admitting Iraq was a mistake and NOT PART OF THE WAR ON TERROR. Too many Democrats won't admit they were wrong to actually give the party some footing to make a counter argument to the Neo-cons view of the world.

The rhetorical question should go something like this...
If you were a student in a history class 50 years from now and you were asked which Persian country, which was developing weapons of mass destruction and had a history of unprovoked violence against US interests, was the target of US military disarmament action, which country would you name?

McCain would still name Iraq. That in and of itself should keep him out of the White House.

OK, just for perspective, we live in a world where Iraq is unraveling, Iran and North Korea have or will have nukes and delivery systems in the very near future, entitlements are going to absolutely make my sons slaves of the federal government because payroll taxes will have to be 3 or 4 times today's rate in order to support SS & Medicare.

McCain will veto pork-barrel spending bills. A good thing. About 1% of the budget. I'd rather see him promote structural changes within the Congress that kills earmarks before they can be added to a bill. But hey, he could do that now, right?

Working more closely with our military allies. Ahhh, maybe Britain and Israel? We don't have any others. And just what does "working" mean? This is stupid political blather and even I think McCain is better than this load of crap. Is he getting senile?

Speaking every two weeks. I generally think that's a good thing and even Bush would have been (or could be) better off for that. There's a lot to quibble about - press conference, speech like the weekly radio address, etc. - but in general a good idea.

Torture. I'm not even going there. I just got out of the hospital this will put me back in. But I will note that this comment simply reinforces my committment to NEVER vote for McCain for ANYTHING, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. No matter who is running against him. Even the Hildebeast.

Bottom line, the Middle East is unraveling, the UN is proving it is even more worthless than I previously thought and the country is facing insolvency. And these four bullet points are the best he can come up with? The man is totally and completely unqualified for elective office. Of any kind. Up to and including Maricopa County Dog Catcher.

McCain is Republican. Republicans have proven that when they control government they cut taxes and spend like hell. They're great liars, but they don't know how to fight wars, they're horrible at diplomacy, and they don't understand the first rule of victory, which is to end your opponent's will to fight. They're so bad at it that they've inflamed our enemies and truly given them a "just cause" to fight against Bush's culture of death. I'll never vote for a Repub again.

Ahhh, a politician making promises. Haven't seen that before.

It's a good start.

John McCain would make a great vice president, secretary of defense or chief counsellor to President Hagel.

“I start by vetoing spending bills. There is just too much pork-barrel spending and we must become fiscally responsible.”

“I would work more closely with our military allies. We need their support in the struggle that is ahead.”

McCain has chosen two mutually contradictory goals.
The military procurement process has become a cesspool of corruption, cronyism and graft. By pledging himself to our military allies, McCain has prioritized pork and boondoggles as his primary Presidential goals.

Robert Chapman
Brooktondale, NY

Yep. See the difference between a neocon prez and a potential conservative prez? Yeah, it's easier said than done, but at least he'll fight with the Congress on controlling their drunken sailor spending ways.

Expect President McCain to step up with more troops in Iraq to secure the country if it doesn't fall into civil war before he's elected.Health care & stem cell research will be priorities as will veterans affairs.

"McCain is Republican. Republicans have proven that when they control government they cut taxes and spend like hell. They're great liars, but they don't know how to fight wars, they're horrible at diplomacy, and they don't understand the first rule of victory, which is to end your opponent's will to fight. They're so bad at it that they've inflamed our enemies and truly given them a "just cause" to fight against Bush's culture of death. I'll never vote for a Repub again."

A little bit of generalization maybe? How can you possibly pin a few mistakes by a few individuals on a whole party? Sure Bush and other republicans have made some mistakes but that hardly makes ALL republicans bad. You need to judge someone by the person they are. Its unfair to count out McCain because of Bush because i assure you they are VERY different people.

One area that concerns me very much is the illegal immigration into this country and still coming. I have not heard one candidate take a hard and fast position on illegal immigration. While I agree with a guest worker program I would like to see every illegal alien deported. Oh yea it would take a long time and be very costly but we have time and apparently plenty of money to build a fence and finance a growing government to adminster the growing illegal population. But even worse will be the adversity and diaster, which most Americans cannot visualize, resulting from the multilingualism and multiculturism in the future. We really need a President that will put his arms around this problem and a policy and strategy for the long pull.

HILARY CLINTON! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

hey shut the hack up with ur loud mouth president mcain u stink like dog p.

hey shut the hack up with ur loud mouth president mcain u stink like dog p.

McCain should and will be president are you people really that ignorant to vote for a muslim and someone who never answers a straight question I hope Americans realize on voting day that this is the most important election of all McCain is for America and I feel safe with him overlooking and protecting the United States and he is a fully qualified person to run our country not this who ha who noone knows the truth about. WAKE UP AMERICA!!! Mccain is America!!!!!

McCain should and will be president are you people really that ignorant to vote for a muslim and someone who never answers a straight question I hope Americans realize on voting day that this is the most important election of all McCain is for America and I feel safe with him overlooking and protecting the United States and he is a fully qualified person to run our country not this who ha who noone knows the truth about. WAKE UP AMERICA!!! Mccain is America!!!!!

McCain should and will be president are you people really that ignorant to vote for a muslim and someone who never answers a straight question I hope Americans realize on voting day that this is the most important election of all McCain is for America and I feel safe with him overlooking and protecting the United States and he is a fully qualified person to run our country not this who ha who noone knows the truth about. WAKE UP AMERICA!!! Mccain is America!!!!!

McCain should and will be president are you people really that ignorant to vote for a muslim and someone who never answers a straight question I hope Americans realize on voting day that this is the most important election of all McCain is for America and I feel safe with him overlooking and protecting the United States and he is a fully qualified person to run our country not this who ha who noone knows the truth about. WAKE UP AMERICA!!! Mccain is America!!!!!

McCain should and will be president are you people really that ignorant to vote for a muslim and someone who never answers a straight question I hope Americans realize on voting day that this is the most important election of all McCain is for America and I feel safe with him overlooking and protecting the United States and he is a fully qualified person to run our country not this who ha who noone knows the truth about. WAKE UP AMERICA!!! Mccain is America!!!!!

McCain should and will be president are you people really that ignorant to vote for a muslim and someone who never answers a straight question I hope Americans realize on voting day that this is the most important election of all McCain is for America and I feel safe with him overlooking and protecting the United States and he is a fully qualified person to run our country not this who ha who noone knows the truth about. WAKE UP AMERICA!!! Mccain is America!!!!!

McCain should and will be president are you people really that ignorant to vote for a muslim and someone who never answers a straight question I hope Americans realize on voting day that this is the most important election of all McCain is for America and I feel safe with him overlooking and protecting the United States and he is a fully qualified person to run our country not this who ha who noone knows the truth about. WAKE UP AMERICA!!! Mccain is America!!!!!

we need someone like mccain to be president. the whole reason we got into the war is because the un wasn't interfering like they should have been. I raelize that not many people like the idea of the war but think about it if we were in there position wouldn't we want help. all we need is a few more years and hopefully everything will calm down. but until then we do need to be in iraq. like it or not.

we need someone like mccain to be president. the whole reason we got into the war is because the un wasn't interfering like they should have been. I raelize that not many people like the idea of the war but think about it if we were in there position wouldn't we want help. all we need is a few more years and hopefully everything will calm down. but until then we do need to be in iraq. like it or not.

hello

why would you increase college tuition thats stupid