McCain was not my candidate.  Not originally.  His close ties to, and having worked with very liberal democrats had me worried.  Once it was clear that he was going to be the Republican nominee, he was the best of what was left.  Let's face it, the Democrats were choosing a nominee that didn't believe he was ready to run on a national ticket.  Even Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, doesn't believe he is ready, and in fact would have preferred to run with John McCain.  Hillary Clinton also chose McCain over Obama.

What won me over?  Was it 2000 Democratic VP candidate turned Independent Senator Joe Lieberman's endorsement speech for John McCain?  After all, the Democrats still think well enough about Lieberman to have placed him in a leadership position as an important committee chairman.  His speech was convincing, specifically the line about how McCain could anger his own party, but he was doing it because of what he believed in.

Was it Rudy Giuliani's fantastic speech, where he compared the resumes of the two Presidential candidates?  The first candidate, John McCain has an extensive list of accomplishments and experience and even some things that provide a "Wow" moment.  The second candidate, Barak Obama, his biggest experience has been to vote present rather than make decisions on important issues, which was the job he was hired to do.   Obama has never led anything and, in fact, has been doing nothing more than running for the next highest office ever since being elected to the Illinois legislature.

Maybe it was Fred Thompson telling the fantastic biography of John McCain, including his tenure as a POW.  He contrasted that with the description of Obama as the most Liberal and inexperienced Presidential candidate ever, but may be a good match for the Democratic congress, which is the most unpopular congress in history. 

Could it have been McCain running mate Sarah Palin?  She was engaging, funny, and extremely comfortable in her speech to the RNC.  McCain has made a tremendous choice for a running mate.  She has leadership experience and is a serious reformer.  Her record for ethics reform and standing up to special interests in her time as Governor is a testament to a good leader.  She was very good at hitting Obama at his weak points with shots while smiling and having fun.  My favorite line was when she said, "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities."

Possibly it was McCain's own speech to the RNC that got to me.  After a tremendous build up by the speakers leading up to the candidates acceptance speech, my expectations were pretty flat.  How could he possibly perform as the Headliner when the warm up acts provided headliner performances?  But he did it.  He knocked it out of the park.  I particularly liked hearing him discuss how he has worked with members of both parties to do what he felt was important.  It is for this reason that Democrats like Senator Feingold of Wisconsin, as well as Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden consider him a friend and someone they enjoyed working with and consider him ready to lead.

So what won me over?  It was a combination of all the above.  While the Republican platform and ideals are what I most closely identify with, it is the person at the top of the ticket that I have to believe will follow through on those commitments while leading and protecting this country.  That is why I am proud to endorse John McCain as our next President.

I admit it.  I grew up an award show junkie.  I’m talking about the real award shows like The Oscar’s, The Emmy’s, The Golden Globe’s, The Grammy’s and the MTV Video Awards.  Not these phony award shows like the American Music Awards or the People’s Choice Awards.  The shows were sometimes entertaining and amusing and occasionally offered a real highlight performance.  For some reason I found the stars incredibly fascinating.  Mind you, this was before tabloid TV hit the airwaves, not allowing you to actually idolize anyone anymore, because they are always able to find some bit of dirt on everybody.

At some point, during one of these shows I hit the age of political enlightenment.  One of the presenters was going off on a rant about some atrocity in the world that they felt strongly about.  I was instantly turned off.  Mostly for the star that had created this horrible feeling, but also for the award show I had been enjoying.  How dare they destroy my viewing enjoyment.  I still watch these shows when I can, watching for the chance great performance, but wary of what each star will say.

Why is it that people famous for entertaining us, think that what they have to say is so important to us mere mortals?  What makes them feel that self-important?  Incredible ego, I suppose, which is the same thing that made them entertainers to begin with.  Why is what they say more any more important to me than what my drunken Uncle George has to say?

Over the years, the one common thread has been that these people made famous by saying or singing lines that were written professionally for them, sound like complete idiots when they need to speak for themselves. (Too obvious a place for an Obama reference.) 

Presidential election years just serve to increase the number of these shallow attention seekers.  By all means, I am glad that these characters have opinions.   I just wish they would keep it to themselves.  I admire the stars that silently spend their money or time to work for their causes or candidates.  I believe there is more substance in this than seeking the limelight.  I don’t think the publicity hounds realize the negative effect that their endorsements can have on their career.  Like many other people I find myself avoiding movies with stars that endorse or music from singers that endorse anything that offends me.  The same thing happens to those that support my opinion from those opposed.

Is there any chance of moving up the election? If we have to wait until November, I may be left with no one to entertain me.

Hillary Clinton wants a do-over in Michigan and Florida, because those two states had primary elections that the Democrats decided wouldn't count because the states did not follow the Democratic party rules.  Hillary Clinton is behind in the delegate count for the Democratic Presidential nomination, and those are two states that she would likely win and move her closer to Barrack Obama and improve her chances in convincing "Super Delegates" (no they are not action heroes) that she should be the Democratic nominee.  Obama does not want a do-over, because it could only hurt him.  Instead, he favors splitting the delegates from the two states 50-50 so that they are counted.  Never mind that this is not how the states would actually have voted.  If their positions were reversed, Obama would be fighting for the do-over and Clinton would want to leave it as is.  Neither really cares about everybody being represented, unless it benefits them personally.

 The Democratic Party already has the most convoluted rules for selecting delegates.  I think you can get college credit for taking the course in understanding how it works.  After this year, you can bet that they will make major changes in the system again.  If the Democrats had a similar system to the Republicans, Hillary Clinton would already have clinched the nomination.  The Democrats ruled out the peoples vote in Michigan and Florida, because those states moved their primary elections to an earlier date, against the wishes of the Democratic Party.  Apparently it is the Democratic Party that doesn't want to count every vote.

For best appearance by a Presidential Candidate on TV, the award goes to Mike Huckabee.  I saw his appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend (Yes, I know I have no life) and he was very funny, self effacing, and extremely comfortable performing in a live comedy skit.  He came across as such a likable guy, I wish he stood a chance of sticking around so we could get to see him more.