I was reluctant to watch the big speech last night. I didn’t watch Obama’s. I didn’t watch Palin’s. Why should I have watched John McCain’s?

I’m glad I did. I have a few thoughts about it.

First, John McCain’s personal story of courage and commitment is inspiring. His bravery as a POW during Vietnam should inspire every American. But I have never believed that heroic exploits on the battlefield qualify one for public office. If so then we should have elected John Kerry when we had the chance despite what the Swiftboaters have to say.

I don’t agree with those who say that McCain’s speech was unsubstantive. I believe it was. He is not polished, he is not suave, he is not smooth in his delivery. But he is charismatic. You can tell that there is some sort of gray matter between those ears, unlike the empty vacuum you’ll find in our current Pinocchio.

Until now, we have not had a real chance to hear John McCain speak directly from his heart. All we’ve heard are media soundbites and McCain’s responses to distracting issues.

We’ve mostly heard his voice filtered through the screen doors of PR hacks and marketing gurus.

McCain’s speech last night was somewhat inspiring, but disheartening. It was inspiring because I’d like to believe that he will go to Washington and “clean it up.” I’d like to believe that he will end the corruption and restore respect to the Oval Office. I’d like to. But I can’t.

You see, like many Americans, I’m tired of being lied to. I’m fed up with politicians who promise great things and then never deliver. Politicians like G.W. Bush.

I was a Bush supporter when he ran in 2000. He wasn’t perfect, but I considered him better than the alternative. I was wrong. We have eight years that prove it. And the sad fact of the matter is, when John McCain proclaimed near the end of his speech that the Republican Party has strayed from its own principles, nothing could have been more true. Except that John McCain, who spent most of his speech trying to convince us that he will usher in change, has backed Bush 95% of the time.

I find it difficult to believe that a man who opposes a person’s right of choice with regard to Internet gambling can claim to support freedom. I find it difficult to believe that a man who believes that winning in Iraq is the most important thing in the world can claim to support Republican principles. I find it hard to believe that a man who denies homosexuals the same rights afforded to other Americans can claim to be against justices that “legislate from the bench.” It seems that John McCain has no problem with a president who legislates from his easy chair, and that’s my problem with him.

John McCain still speaks as a maverick, but underneath all that gristle is a man seething with the hot lava of party restraint. Until last night he has restrained himself from being too bold and that’s to the detriment of every American. If you vote for John McCain, you are voting for the same party that endangered America’s security and spent most of his time training new terrorists in Iraq. John McCain wants to continue that mission.

I have no doubt that McCain will be a better commander-in-chief than George W. Bush. But there is more to the presidency than fighting wars. We cannot be too linear in our thinking about the qualifications of the office. John McCain may be a great man and a great American, but the verdict is still out as to whether that will translate into a great presidency.

Impressions On John McCain…

John McCain’s personal story of courage and commitment is inspiring. His bravery as a POW during Vietnam should inspire every American….