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John McCain
Never in modern history has there been a
Presidential election primary campaign which has
so captured popular interest here as the contest between Texas Governor George W. Bush and Arizona U.S. Senator John McCain - - both because of the extraordinary political battle itself and because it will give Virginia voters, who usually choose presidential delegates by the convention process, their first chance in at least 100 years to vote on Tuesday, Feb. 29 in a wide open binding GOP presidential primary.
Traveling into the new century, this election further coincides with extraordinary public interest in seeing someone of strong moral and national leadership character succeed President Clinton.
Democrats have good reason to fear Senator McCain, since national polls now show the straight talking Republican reformer far more likely than Mr. Bush to beat Vice President Gore or Bill Bradley for the Presidency in November. In the South Carolina Primary last weekend, Mr. Bush won substantially by embracing the worst extreme right wing elements of the Republican Party.
In his long hard fight against the tobacco industry, moneybags democracy, porkbarrel spending and similar entrenched government ways, Senator McCain may be at odds with many of his GOP establishment comrades. But he stands in the solid mainstream of Virginia today and is connecting easily and comfortably with moderate Republicans, Democrats and independents. The Vietnam fighter pilot’s wartime heroism gives his call for American strength and idealism a power and resonance which George Bush can’t match. Those who underestimate Mr. McCain are sleeping through a revolution at work.
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