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NRL News
McCain
Clinches GOP Nomination, Democrats Fight On Capping one of the most incredible comebacks in modern political history, on March 5 Senator John McCain (R-Az.), who has always voted solidly pro-life on abortion, swept primaries in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont, placing him over the 1,191 delegate threshold needed to win the Republican nomination for President. By contrast that same night’s results left solidly pro-abortion Democrats Senators Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Il.) mired in what promises to be a bitterly contested and potentially bloody competition. Sen. Clinton carried Ohio comfortably, Texas narrowly, and Rhode Island for good measure. Obama, who had won 11 primaries in a row, prevailed only in Vermont. Democrats allot their delegates proportionally, meaning that Clinton only slightly shrank Obama’s lead in pledged delegates. But that margin is now less than 100 and her trifecta gave Clinton bragging rights and renewed momentum as the two gear up for the next big fight: April 23 in Pennsylvania. When it became clear that McCain had swept the four primaries and secured enough delegates, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee graciously withdrew and pledged to work hard for the Republican ticket. Soon afterwards McCain just as graciously accepted Huckabee’s concession and gave a speech that outlined the themes he will likely use this fall. The day after clinching the nomination McCain met with President Bush at the White House to accept his personal endorsement. “I’m honored and humbled,” McCain said, adding that he felt both “respect and affection” for Bush. McCain “emphasized that he would welcome the President’s personal appearances by his side ‘in keeping with the president’s heavy schedule,’” according to newspaper accounts. Just a few months before, reporters routinely described Sen. McCain’s campaign as on life support. After a disastrous start, McCain replaced most of his campaign staff with mostly unpaid advisors, retooled his message, and took out a bank loan to tide him over rough financial waters. Sen. Clinton had all been written off going into the March 5 primaries. How did she come back (politically speaking) from a “near-death” experience for a third time? The Clintons possess in spades arguably the most important quality for a presidential campaign: the ability to adjust on the run, to shift gears (up or down), depending on the changing situation. The importance of the capacity to improvise cannot be overstated. This has been dismissed as the “kitchen sink” approach—”try everything, throw everything.” But given the facts on the ground (Obamamania and a fawning press corps), Clinton’s only hope was to persevere, to refuse to give up. In other words, to keep the political waters roiled until Obama finally began to come back to earth. This is exactly what has happened in the week before the March 5 primaries. The press began to peek behind the curtain, shamed and embarrassed into acting like reporters rather than rock fans. To her credit, because she had not faltered, Clinton was able to take advantage of it. Sen. McCain is pro-life on abortion. He is an honorable man whose history of personally bravery and courage is the stuff of legends. Whomever he faces in November, this presidential contest will be one for the history books. |