April 05, 2008
When I Grow Up I Want To Be POTUS
PRESCOTT, AZ – John McCain concluded his biography tour today before nearly 2,000 people gathered at the Yavapai County Courthouse, the same place where Barry Goldwater officially began his presidential campaign in 1964.
Unlike the other senator's other speeches during his week-long bio tour, today's focused less on him and more on the friendship between two of his predecessors, Goldwater and Democrat Morris Udall. Both former U.S. Senators from Arizona and failed presidential candidates, the two politicians have become staples of McCain's stump speech as teasing examples of how, 'Arizona may be the only state in the country where mothers can't tell their children that someday they can grow up to be President of the United States.'
As McCain explained, more seriously, the lessons to be learned from a close bipartisan friendship, a war protester found his way to the front of the crowd and yelled at the senator for supporting the Iraq war.
"They timed it perfectly," a campaign senior advisor said after the speech of the man's heckling. Just as the disruption began, McCain reached a pivotal part of his speech:
"We have our disagreements, we Americans," McCain said. "We contend regularly and enthusiastically over many questions…these are important questions; worth arguing about. We should contend over them with one another. It is more than appropriate. It is necessary that even in times of crisis, especially in times of crisis, we fight among ourselves for the things we believe in. It is not just our right, but our civic and moral obligation."
And as the man wielding a sign that said "Out of Iraq" (as well as a McCain sticker on his jacket) reached a feverish pitch, McCain spoke these words:
"We deserve each other's respect, whether we think each other right or wrong in our views, as long as our character and sincerity merit respect, and as long as we share, for all our differences, for all the noisy debates that enliven our politics, a mutual devotion to the sublime idea that this nation was conceived in."
After the speech McCain spoke with reporters in his first open press conference in more than a week – odd for the candidate known for unparalleled media access. He discussed the housing crisis, calling for "at minimum more hearings," and also commented about his upcoming meeting with the Secret Service.
"What I'd like, of course, is to have as much interface and encounters with the voters, whether they agree or disagree with me, and I think that's an important part of campaigning," McCain said. "I understand that the Secret Service has their responsibility, so I hope I'll be able to reach an accommodation with them that they feel comfortable."
(NBC/NJ's ADAM AIGNER-TREWORGY)
Posted at 06:47 PM
Comments
Morris Udall was never a United States senator.
navamske | 04.06.08 12:22 AM
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Google "McCain married to the mob" and see what you get......
Maria | 04.06.08 07:46 AM
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Goldwater was senator, Mo Udall represented Arizona in the US House, not the Senate. He was one of the few House members in recent history to mount a serious presidential campaign (1976)... he never served in the Senate, and never even ran for the Senate.
terje | 04.06.08 01:34 PM
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Goldwater was senator, Mo Udall represented Arizona in the US House, not the Senate. He was one of the few House members in recent history to mount a serious presidential campaign (1976)... he never served in the Senate, and never even ran for the Senate.
terje | 04.06.08 01:35 PM
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Goldwater was senator, Mo Udall represented Arizona in the US House, not the Senate. He was one of the few House members in recent history to mount a serious presidential campaign (1976)... he never served in the Senate, and never even ran for the Senate.
terje | 04.06.08 01:35 PM
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