UPDATE: About the ARG poll

Regarding the American Research Group poll released Tuesday, we found an acute trend worth its own post. Upon further examination, it is very interesting to note that this poll is the first crystal-clear indicator of where Fred Thompson is pulling his base.

While John McCain gained a percentage point between February and April, Giuliani lost six and Gingrich lost four. Thompson rose 10 points – the exact total of the Giuliani/Gingrich loss.

If Thompson enters the race, according to this data, he will pull his support DIRECTLY from Giuliani and Gingrich. We have all known for months that if Thompson jumps in, his base will consist largely of Giuliani and Gingrich expatriates, but this is the first concrete, concise, statistical data that shows it.

Official Announcement Tour rolls through S.C.

What a day! Yesterday, we drove from Greenville to Columbia to Charleston to enjoy the official announcement tour, and enjoy we did. We planned to live blog from the tour stops, but got swept up in the frenzy and decided to just enjoy the moment and reflect later. But following the Charleston stop we had a long drive ahead and “later” became this morning.

Looking back on the day – a day which will have us fired up for months to come – it seems impossible to capture in words just what it was like to be there yesterday, in Greenville, Columbia and Charleston, and to feel the excitement and electricity palpitating through the crowds. Each was unique in composition, yet similar in vivacity.

The only downside was that, at both of the first two stops, we arrived a mere 30 minutes before McCain spoke. We thought that would afford us enough time to find a good spot, but by the time we made our way inside we were stuck in the back of the pack (it wasn’t until Charleston that we were able to get close enough to shake his hand – and that was only because we made sure to get there more than an hour early).

When McCain took the stage, he looked relaxed and refreshed. He greeted the crowds like a young child greeting the Christmas tree for the first time on Christmas morning. As he delivered each of the three speeches, he hit home on numerous points and reminded everyone in the room of the importance of the 2008 presidential election.

More than anything, McCain’s hope for Iraq and the ever-present reminders that “he’s been there,” resonated at each stop. As people exited each of the events, we overheard fleeting snippets of conversations. Words like “common sense,” “hero,” “experience,” and “conservative” were commonplace.

And the underlying theme to each event, the one thing that bound the message together more than anything else, however unintentional, was that for John McCain, this is not about winning an election. For John McCain, what truly sets him apart from of the rest of the field, Republican or Democrat, is that 2008 is about saving America.

Inevitably, while America’s future was foremost on everyone’s mind, in the back of their minds almost everyone was hoping for the same thing: a chance to meet Sen. John McCain, even if just for a brief moment.

But while all three speeches were great, these events were so much more. These three events WERE McCain people in the heart of what has become McCain country. These three events were the re-invention of an entire movement.

We have been involved in South Carolina politics for a while now, and we have seen a number of presidential primaries. It is safe to say that we haven’t seen anything like this in a long time; at least not since the 2000 Straight Talk Express stops. The 2008 version is picking up a whole lot of speed and we can’t wait to see what’s at the next stop!

McCain fights back against liberal interest group

Following a particularly vicious attack ad by the liberal special interest group MoveOn.org, Sen. John McCain Friday released a statement noting the group’s “long record of liberal extremism.” The McCain camp refer to past fanatical left-wing action by MoveOn in refuting the 30-second advertisement.

“It comes as no surprise that America’s most liberal interest group would attack John McCain’s belief that we cannot allow Iran to destroy Israel,” said spokesman Matt David. “After all, MoveOn.org posted ads comparing President Bush to Hitler during the last presidential election.”

The ads David referred to were a pair of 2004 MoveOn campaign propaganda pieces comparing President Bush to Adolph Hitler. At the time, the Washington Post wrote:

“One ad begins with Adolf Hitler making speeches, until a picture of President Bush appears. Another also uses Nazi and Bush images, with the tag line: ‘What were war crimes in 1945 is foreign policy in 2003.’ The videos appeared on the Web site of MoveOn.Org’s Voter Fund as part of a nationwide contest for an anti-Bush television ad on which the liberal group plans to spend a considerable sum.”

Fallout from the 2004 ads was well documented. Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center called the ads, “Shameful and beyond the pale [with] no place in the legitimate discourse of American politics.”

The Anti-Defamation League said the ads were “vile and outrageous,” noting that MoveOn’s explanation was “hardly comforting.”

In the accompanying release, the campaign also cited previous MoveOn ads in which the Statue of Liberty was shown with a hood over its head. From the USA Today:

“[MoveOn] used imagery they knew would be controversial: a digitally doctored photo of the Statue of Liberty, hooded to remind viewers of what happened to some Iraqis at Abu Ghraib prison as a narrator says ‘something has gone terribly wrong’ in Iraq. … the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org begins airing the ad, titled ‘Fire Rumsfeld,’ in 14 major cities today.”

The McCain campaign said the group also used ads showing a surrendering American soldier in Iraq. From a Sept. 2004 Dallas Morning News article:

“[T]he liberal group MoveOn.org produced a TV ad titled ‘Quagmire’ asserting that Mr. Bush lacks plans to end the war. ‘George Bush got us into this quagmire,’ the narrator says as an American soldier sinks deeper into quicksand, rifle overhead in a posture that suggests surrender.”

MoveOn.org has even gone so far as to oppose holding accountable governments harboring terrorists. The group’s own website proudly boasted:

“Furthermore, we assert that the government of a nation must be presumed separate and distinct from any terrorist group that may operate within its borders, and therefore cannot be held unduly accountable for the latter’s crimes.”

McCain cancels Lexington event out of respect for Va. Tech tragedy

We just received this statement via e-mail from the McCain S.C. campaign regarding Sen. John McCain’s schedule for tomorrow:

Unfortunately, due to the tragic events at Virginia Tech this morning, Senator McCain has decided to cancel his public schedule for Tuesday, April 17th, that includes the Town Hall Meeting previously scheduled for Lexington. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes. Senator McCain has asked that we keep the families of those involved in our thoughts and prayers.

2008 field long on war rhetoric, short on warriors

MCCAIN STANDS ALONE AS ONLY TOP-TIER CANDIDATE WITH MILITARY SERVICE

A well-written Associated Press article Monday weighed the influence of presidential candidate’s military background in the eyes of voters.

Despite the high-profile roles of the battle against terrorism and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan in the presidential campaign, few of the candidates can claim military experience on their resumes.

Of the top tier of 2008 candidates, only Republican John McCain has been to war and served in uniform.

…

Among the leading Republican candidates, only McCain, 70, has a military record. The Arizona senator spent more than 20 years in the Navy, almost a quarter of it in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp.

This article re-examines – and perhaps reinforces – a number of the questions looming over the 2008 presidential election.

With America fighting a global war against terrorism, and while the War in Iraq is seen by the majority of voters as the most important issue in 2008, what role will military experience play in the upcoming South Carolina presidential primary? Do voters feel comfortable electing someone without military experience to lead the U.S. military during wartime?

It is interesting to note that only one person has ever won a presidential election during a time of war without having a military background.

Franklin Roosevelt was re-elected to his fourth term in 1944 when the U.S. was nearing victory in World War II. Roosevelt contracted polio in 1921 and was unable to offer military service.

Ravenel endorsement smells like burnt waffles, lacks maple syrup

S.C. STATE TREASURER CONTRADICTS SELF BY BACKING GIULIANI

Both The State’s official blog – “S.C. Politics Today” – and Dan Hoover of The Greenville News have reported that first-term South Carolina State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel will endorse former-mayor Rudy Giuliani’s bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination at a Thursday morning press conference. This struck us as very odd given that Ravenel was elected on a conservative, anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage platform – which stands in complete opposition to Giuliani’s record.

Giuliani’s past favoritism for abortion is notorious. Just yesterday we posted yet another YouTube video revealing the “real,” very much pro-abortion, Rudy Giuliani.

So why is Ravenel – who has marched in anti-abortion rallies and attacked Democrats over the issue countless times – aiding a pro-abortion candidate? From the April 25, 2004 edition of The State:

Another Republican candidate, Charleston developer Thomas Ravenel, has attacked Democratic candidate state Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum on the issue.
Tenenbaum opposes partial-birth abortion but has lobbied for pro-choice groups in the past.

Ravenel also supported a Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage.

Former state Attorney General Charlie Condon, U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint, Charleston developer Thomas Ravenel, and former Gov. David Beasley said they support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
…
Ravenel said he supports amendment legislation sponsored by Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., which defines marriage as between one man and one woman and allows state legislatures to have the final say on related issues.

Giuliani on the other hand has said that he’s perfectly comfortable with the “pro-gay marriage tag.” The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza noted:

In the back and forth of a competitive primary campaign, Giuliani’s liberal (by GOP standards) positions on abortion and gay marriage are sure to become common knowledge to Republican voters. For many of these voters, outlawing abortion and gay marriage are at the foundation of why they are Republicans, and they simply will not support a candidate who does not agree with them on those hot-button issues — no matter how revered that person may be in other spheres.

And we won’t even get into Giuliani’s anti-gun rights record.

What the heck is Ravenel thinking?

There are a few scenarios here. Ravenel could be trying to slip one by the conservative base that elected him; with the hope that if the Giuliani bandwagon miraculously begins to writhe – inch by tiny inch – out of the stall, he can ride it far enough to temporarily fulfill his ambitions for higher office.

Ravenel could also be trying to re-position himself for a likely – unsuccessful – 2008 U.S. Senate campaign.

Or perhaps Ravenel flat-out lied to voters to get elected. Maybe the “real” Ravenel, like the “real” Rudy, is pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage and anti-gun rights.

But it is also possible that Ravenel just admires Giuliani and, as such, wants to imitate the man… by continuously changing his position on key issues.

Regardless, we doubt the conservative base will forgive Ravenel’s treachery assuming he does endorse Giuliani. No matter how he tries to spin it, by supporting Giuliani, Ravenel is arrogantly opposing the alter-ego he presented voters last fall; the one the people of South Carolina elected treasurer.

Giuliani changes position on partial birth abortion, again, part deux

FORMER MAYOR FAVORS PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION, BEFORE NEVER FAVORING PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION

In yet another YouTube-afforded “gotcha” moment, we unearthed a few clips spliced together showing a complete reversal of former mayor Rudy Giuliani’s position on partial birth abortion. The three clips from interviews on CNN, Meet the Press, and ABC reveal a little more of the “real” Rudy.

CNN clip: “No I have not supported [partial birth abortion] and I do not see my position on that changing.”

Meet the Press clip: “I would vote to preserve that option [of partial birth abortion] for women.”

ABC clip: “All of my positions are firm… I do not think it makes sense to be changing your position…”

And to think we believed Romney had the market cornered on Northeasterner flip-flopping for 2008.

McCain wins S.C. straw poll

CARRIES DILLON COUNTY BY MORE THAN 14 PERCENT

We just got off the phone with an official in Dillon County where last night Sen. John McCain overwhelmingly won a county-wide straw poll.

Here are the numbers they gave us:

John McCain – 38 percent

Mitt Romney – 23 percent

Rudy Giuliani – 14 percent

Mike Huckabee – 5 percent

Newt Gingerich – 5 percent

Undecided – 9 percent

Giuliani faces further scrutiny

RECENT EVENTS BEGIN TO REVEAL “REAL” RUDY

Coming off a very rough past week, Rudy Giuliani surely prayed that the dawning of a new week would offer some reprieve. Unfortunately for Giuliani however, stories revealing the “real” Rudy continue to surface.

First, it was discovered Monday that his third – and current – wife Judith was involved in a program that killed innocent puppies to test controversial medical-supply products.

“It was a horribly cruel, outrageous program,” Friends of Animals President Priscilla Feral said about the demonstrations of medical staplers on dogs conducted by U.S. Surgical Corp. employees during Giuliani’s tenure there in the late 1970s.

Feral said U.S. Surgical’s demonstrations on hundreds of dogs each year through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s were done to boost sales, not for medical re search or testing.

The dogs were “either put to death following the sales demonstrations because they can’t re cover from them, or they die during them,” Feral said.

“I’m not going to characterize her, but I hope she regrets it for what it was – a money-grubbing effort,” said Feral, whose Darien, Conn.-based activist group waged a heated public-relations battle with the Norwalk-based company for more than a decade.

“I guess the question would be, how does she justify this now? What is her conscience at this stage?” Feral asked about Giuliani’s association with U.S. Surgical.

“There’s no ethical justification for this.”

And then Tuesday TPM Cafe’s Eric Kleefeld cited a piece from the Charlotte Observer regarding a controversial abortion ultrasound bill – that could very well “turn the S.C. primary” – and noted that Giuliani’s failure to support the measure could sink his hopes of winning the S.C. primary.

Stories like this one make one think that it’s only a matter of time before the reality of Rudy’s social liberalism catches up to him in key conservative-dominated primary states — in this case, South Carolina.

… Rudy has just become the only one of the key GOP candidates to fail to endorse a bill making its way through the South Carolina legislature that would discourage abortion by mandating that a woman seeking one first view an ultrasound of her fetus.

Twenty-six S.C. mayors support McCain

The Associated Press is reporting that Sen. John McCain has netted endorsements and backing from twenty-six South Carolina mayors. By our count, that’s twenty-six more than all other candidates combined.

The US senator from Arizona announced Monday that a committee of mayors from across the state will help with his presidential campaign.

Committee members from larger towns and cities include North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey; Mount Pleasant Mayor Harry Hallman; Beaufort Mayor Bill Rauch; Fountain Inn Mayor Gary Long and Mayor Bobby Horton of West Columbia.

McCain says the mayors all know that their towns and their help will be valuable leading up to the state’s Republican presidential primary next year.

Sen. McCain said he was grateful to have the strong support of these local leaders in South Carolina.

“Each one of these individuals has the pulse of his or her community,” said Sen. McCain. “And as we continue to build a broad base of support in South Carolina, I believe their input will be extremely valuable. I look forward to working with them in the months ahead to help spread our message of common sense conservatism.”

See the complete list below the fold:

Giuliani refuses request re: Kerik blunder, faces criticism over 9/11

It was a ferocious firestorm of a Friday for former New York Mayor and current presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani.

Giuliani began the day by again failing to offer an explanation Friday when confronted with his involvement in recommending Bernard Kerik to lead homeland security in December 2004.

An AP story reported that Giuliani admitted the recommendation was a mistake, but a spokeswoman for Giuliani “declined to explain why Giuliani appointed Kerik police commissioner despite having information about Kerik’s relationship with Interstate Industrial.”

The acknowledgment followed a report in The New York Times that the former New York City mayor was warned about Kerik’s relationship with a company with suspected ties to organized crime even before Giuliani appointed Kerik as New York City police commissioner.

…

Once nominated by President Bush to head the Homeland Security Department, Kerik pleaded guilty last June to a misdemeanor charge of accepting a gift from Interstate Industrial, which was seeking city work.

Kerik acknowledged accepting $165,000 in renovations on his Bronx apartment from the company. But he never explicitly admitted that his efforts on the company’s behalf were tied to the work on his home.

Giuliani came under further fire Friday surrounding his administration’s handling of New York City before and after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

From the Associated Press:

“If Rudolph Giuliani was running on anything but 9/11, I would not speak out,” said Sally Regenhard, whose firefighter son was among the 343 FDNY members killed in the terrorist attack. “If he ran on cleaning up Times Square, getting rid of squeegee men, lowering crime _ that’s indisputable.

“But when he runs on 9/11, I want the American people to know he was part of the problem.”

Such comments contradict Giuliani’s post-Sept. 11 profile as a hero and symbol of the city’s resilience _ the steadfast leader who calmed the nerves of a rattled nation. But as the presidential campaign intensifies, criticisms of his 2001 performance are resurfacing.

Giuliani, the leader in polls of Republican voters for his party’s nomination, has been faulted on two major issues:

_ His administration’s failure to provide the World Trade Center’s first responders with adequate radios, a long-standing complaint from relatives of the firefighters killed when the twin towers collapsed. The Sept. 11 Commission noted the firefighters at the World Trade Center were using the same ineffective radios employed by the first responders to the 1993 terrorist attack on the trade center.

Regenhard, at a 2004 commission hearing in Manhattan, screamed at Giuliani, “My son was murdered because of your incompetence!” The hearing was a perfect example of the 9/11 duality: Commission members universally praised Giuliani at the same event.

_ A November 2001 decision to step up removal of the massive rubble pile at ground zero. The firefighters were angered when the then-mayor reduced their numbers among the group searching for remains of their lost “brothers,” focusing instead on what they derided as a “scoop and dump” approach. Giuliani agreed to increase the number of firefighters at ground zero just days after ordering the cutback.

More than 5 1/2 years later, body parts are still turning up in the trade center site.

“We want America to know what this guy meant to New York City firefighters,” said Peter Gorman, head of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association. “In our experiences with this man, he disrespected us in the most horrific way.”

The two-term mayor, in his appearance before the Sept. 11 Commission, said the blame for the death and destruction of Sept. 11 belonged solely with the terrorists. “There was not a problem of coordination on Sept. 11,” he testified.

Giuliani was also criticized for locating the city’s emergency center in 7 World Trade Center, a building that contained thousands of gallons of diesel fuel when it collapsed after the terrorist attack.

The lingering ill will between Giuliani and firefighters was resurrected when the International Association of Fire Fighters initially decided not to invite the former mayor to its March 14 candidates forum in Washington. Other prominent presidential hopefuls, including Republican John McCain and Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards, addressed the nation’s largest firefighters union.

A letter from John McCain…

Sent via e-mail to all of his supporters regarding government spending:

My Friend,

Since I announced my candidacy for President of the United States, I have worked hard to prove to voters that I am the only candidate who has the record, the leadership, and the courage to stand up to the wasteful spenders in Congress to ensure that America is lead in the right direction.

Last week, these pork-barrel spenders in the U.S. House of Representatives outdid themselves. Not only did they decide that they will dictate the future course of our military action in Iraq, they went even further by “buying” the extra votes necessary to pass this terrible, flawed legislation by adding more than $20 billion in wasteful spending. This bill would fund things like $74 million for peanut storage, $124 million for the shrimp industry and $25 million for spinach producers. What this funding is doing in an emergency war spending bill is a complete mystery to me!

My friend, if you agree with me that this is an egregious waste of your hard-earned tax dollars, I ask that you follow this link to join my campaign in standing up to say, “No More Wasteful Spending!”

For decades, I have condemned the practice of pork-barrel spending and fought to reform our broken system. Our goal of government reform is made even tougher by actions taken by the current Congressional majority. They are clearly determined to take America down a far different path than you and I want to see our great nation go.

My friend, I am running for President to bring my record, leadership and courage to our nation’s highest office and I am asking for your support today. Our campaign is fast approaching a critical deadline. On March 31st, we will file our first FEC report of the year. Unfortunately, we cannot change the fact that this is how the press, political pundits and others will look at the financial and political momentum behind our campaign.

The truth is that I enjoy being on the campaign trail talking to the voters about their opinions much more than asking for money. But the reality of this presidential campaign is that it will take millions to win. I am determined to win and ask that join me in this effort by making an immediate contribution of $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or even $2,300 to ensure our campaign will post strong numbers five days from now. Your support is crucial to my candidacy.

I truly believe that the American people see this race for the White House as an historic turning point in our nation’s history. If we are to institute real government reform and get rid of the wasteful pork-barrel spending, we need the best person in the Oval Office to lead our reform agenda.

I believe that I am that person, and I look forward to the coming months, when I can continue proving this to the voters on the campaign trail. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

John McCain

P.S. You have likely seen the reports of the latest egregious waste of your tax dollars to fund wasteful pork-barrel projects. The wasteful spenders have outdone themselves by trying to “buy” votes with over $20 billion in pork-barrel spending. My friend, if we are to put America on the right track, we need the best person to lead us from the Oval Office. I believe I am that person and I ask that you support my campaign today by making an online contribution. Our campaign is fast approaching our first big fundraising deadline on March 31st. I need your commitment today to get my message of government reform to the people. Thank you.

Giuliani: I support the First Amendment right to carry, bear arms

During Sean Hannity’s March 23 radio show, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani fielded phone calls from listeners. One caller asked Giuliani to clarify his stance on gun control, to which he replied, “I support the First Amendment right to carry and bear arms.”

Here’s the clip from YouTube:

[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lQXY_FUEh4]

So Mr. Giuliani, who wants to be the next Commander-in-Chief, cannot discern between the first two Amendments to the U.S. Constitution?

Let’s clarify for him.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Fear not gun owners, Giuliani won’t take away your First Amendment right to bear arms. Your Second Amendment rights, however…

Video from McCain speech at IAFF forum

Sen. John McCain recently spoke at the International Association of Fire Fighters’ First 2008 Bipartisan Presidential Forum. The event was held at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on March 14.

The IAFF this week released the video of McCain’s speech at the forum. Here’s a clip:

Read the full transcript of Senator McCain’s speech below the break.

Polls show strong McCain lead in SC, NH, IA

McCain S.C. reported last Sunday that Sen. John McCain held a seven point lead in South Carolina over ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The Politico’s Jonathan Martin Friday covered a new poll by the American Research Group showing similar McCain leads in New Hampshire and Iowa.

In Iowa, ARG now has McCain and Rudy tied at 29%… McCain leads Giuliani 39%-30% among Independents in the Hawkeye State.

In New Hampshire, ARG has McCain at 23% to Rudy’s 19%. Among Indepdenents there — the folks who powered the maverick to victory in the 2000 New Hampshire primary — McCain’s lead over Rudy grows to 33%-22%.

McCain’s strong polling in New Hampshire (the first primary state), Iowa (the first caucus state) and South Carolina (the first southern primary state) solidifies his “frontrunner” status. The numbers show that McCain’s grassroots campaign is resonating with voters in the three states with the most influence in determining the GOP nominee.

McCain unveils S.C. Finance Team

Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign this week announced his South Carolina Finance Committee. The all-star lineup is a “who’s who” of South Carolina politics including numerous supporters from the campaigns of Presidents George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan. The South Carolina leaders also include top executives from a wide variety of industries across South Carolina.

McCain said he welcomed the group’s support. “I am truly honored to receive encouragement from these extraordinary business leaders,” Senator McCain said. “Each one of them has an outstanding record of success as a top leader in South Carolina business, political, and civic affairs. I am confident they will be a tremendous asset to our cause.”

Complete list below the break.

Candidates differ as S.C. considers abortion law

An article in The State Sunday discussed a proposed piece of legislation that would require all women seeking an abortion to view an ultrasound image of the fetus. This controversial law would be the first of its kind in the U.S.

Some states make ultrasound images available to women before an abortion, but South Carolina would be alone in mandating that women see the pictures.

Proponents say women would change their minds after seeing an ultrasound and choose instead to keep the child or offer it for adoption.

To reduce abortions, women need “as much background as possible when they’re making decisions,” said Oran Smith, president of the Palmetto Family Council, the state affiliate of Focus on the Family.

The article further compared the field of 2008 Presidential candidates on abortion, gay marriage and gun control – citing those issues as “key indicators of how palatable a candidate is to religious conservatives in South Carolina.” Here’s how the GOP frontrunners stacked up:

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani: for abortion rights; opposes gay marriage but favors civil unions; favors some gun control.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: once favored abortion rights and gay rights; now opposes abortion rights, gay marriage and civil unions; has supported some gun control.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.: anti-abortion, but has taken different positions on the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion; says he opposes gay marriage but voted against a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage; has given conflicting statements about civil unions; opposes gun control.

UPDATE:

McCain spoke Sunday in New Hampshire on the issue of abortion. From the Boston Herald:

”I am a pro-life person. That’s been a solid 24-year record,” [McCain] said. ”I have not changed my position.”

”I have been an advocate for human rights — having been deprived of them for a period in my life — from Burma to Bosnia to China to Cuba, and I believe human rights also extend to that of the unborn,” said McCain, who endured years of torture and deprivation as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani supports abortion, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has faced criticism for switching his position on the issue.

Times and Democrat: McCain knows about personal sacrifices

An editorial in Friday’s Orangeburg Times and Democrat boldly proclaims that, “Senator [John McCain] stands firm on Iraq – as he stood firm in captivity 34 years ago.” The piece links McCain’s service and sacrifice with his strength and experience in dealing foreign policy issues.

McCain knows about consequences – and it should not go unnoted that his speech [to the International Association of Fire Fighters, in which he discussed the War in Iraq] came on a significant day.

Retired Marine Lt. Col. Orson Swindle writes: “Thirty-four years ago today, on March 14, 1973, John McCain and hundreds of other prisoners of war were released from Hanoi and began the trip home. My repatriation from Hanoi was a week earlier, having been shot down a year before John. I will never forget the feeling of relief and joy upon stepping into an American aircraft with my fellow countrymen to begin that journey home.”

…

The senator is at odds with popular opinion but refuses to waiver. He’s done so before, in very difficult circumstances.

Whether the next president or not, McCain is an American leader to be respected for his assessment and thanked for his significant personal sacrifice.

Rudy’s top SC backer: McCain’s doing well here

Dan Hoover at the Greenville News has a piece on his blog quoting Barry Wynn, the former state GOP chairman and Rudy Giuliani’s top backer in South Carolina, as saying, “McCain’s doing well here.”

Wynn noted that, among other things, the reason his guy was trailing McCain in the Palmetto State was that McCain has built a “great organization here with a lot of infrastructure.”

A poll by New Hampshire-based American Research Group shows McCain leading Giuliani in South Carolina… The Feb. 23-27 poll showed McCain at 35 percent among likely GOP presidential primary voters to Giuliani’s 28 percent. The survey of 600 respondents had a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.

Poll: McCain winning in S.C.

Dan Hoover at Greenville Online Wednesday wrote that, “Arizona Sen. John McCain… remains first in the hearts of his South Carolina countrymen.” Hoover’s statement was based off a Feb. 23-27 poll by the American Research Group which showed McCain at 35 percent to Giuliani’s 28 percent. The poll was taken among 600 likely GOP presidential primary voters in South Carolina and had a margin of error of four percentage points.

And against Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), the top Democratic contender, McCain fared even better:

In ARG’s separate head-to-head match-up of McCain and Clinton it was a 52-32 McCain rout. The poll of 1,200 likely primary voters had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

What does it mean? Hoover opined:

For second-tier and lower Republicans, the poll wasn’t good news.

…

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney remained mired in the mid-single digits, registering 5 percent, the same as in December. Coming in at 1 percent were former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, U.S. Reps. Duncan Hunter of California and Tom Tancredo of Colorado.

Thirty-four years ago today…

Orson Swindle, who was in the same Hanoi prison as Sen. John McCain during the Vietnam War, today released this letter about his close friend:

Non sibi sed patriae, not self but country, is often mentioned as an unofficial motto of the United States Navy. Being a Marine, I have always been more partial to Semper Fidelis, but I have had the honor and privilege of serving in the company of Navy men for whom that motto, whether official or not, is a way of life. My friend and former cellmate in Vietnam, John McCain, is one of those men.

Thirty-four years ago today, on March 14, 1973, John McCain and hundreds of other prisoners of war were released from Hanoi and began the trip home. My repatriation from Hanoi was a week earlier, having been shot down a year before John. I will never forget the feeling of relief and joy upon stepping into an American aircraft with my fellow countrymen to begin that journey home.

Things could have been very different for John. The son and grandson of Navy Admirals, the North Vietnamese quickly realized when they captured him that they had a special prisoner from a distinguished military family. In an effort to embarrass us and our country, they offered John early release. John consistently refused those offers, understanding that freedom without honor was not worth having. He kept faith with us, his fellow POWs, and stood by the Code of Conduct through which we pledged “I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.” Because of his dedication to principle, the North Vietnamese made his life a living hell for a number of years.

I was fortunate to know John in prison, and we have remained the closest of friends. His refusal of early release, his constant resistance, and his undying sense of humor were traits we all admired. We were inspired by his commitment to honor and encouraged by his sense of humor. His commitment to principles, straight talk, and honesty in Washington continues to inspire us today. I could never have imagined all those years ago that one day the man sharing a concrete slab for a bed next to me would be a candidate for President of the United States. I am very proud to stand next to him today.

As our country battles a new kind of evil and our fighting men and women take the battle to the terrorist, making incredible sacrifices in their efforts, I think back to those days in Hanoi, back to the experiences that have shaped my life ever since. My friend, John, has been tested through circumstance and fire, has met the challenge, and he is prepared to lead America in difficult times ahead. No one is better qualified to be Commander in Chief. He has made me proud over the years, and I know he will do the same for us all as President.

Today is a special day for John and hundreds of us who were POWs in Vietnam. I hope you will join me in remembering those who have served this great country, especially those who today fight for our freedom and safety in foreign lands. We are proud of their service. We honor their sacrifice, and look forward to the day their mission is accomplished and they too will return with honor.

Sincerely,

Orson Swindle
Lieutenant Colonel, United States Marine Corps (ret)
POW 1966-1973

And the accompanying video is truly moving:

McCain shares story of faith

Sen. John McCain, who spent more than five years in the North Vietnamese prison known as the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War, recently spoke with the Trinity Broadcasting Network about his faith during that period.

Here is a very compelling clip from the interview:

Beltway Traffic Jam

McCain in Florence, Conway

Sen. John McCain was in Florence Friday night and Conway Saturday morning, speaking to South Carolina Republicans about his 2008 presidential aspirations. McCain addressed his conservative record, illegal immigration and government spending.

“The reason why we lost that election, my dear friends, was because we let spending get out of control,” the Republican senator from Arizona told a breakfast crowd in Conway. “We came to power in 1994 to change government and government changed us.”

…

“It’s got to stop,” he said of the excesses, which also led to corruption among members of Congress. “We’re going to have to clean up our act.”

But the War in Iraq was chief among concerns addressed by the Arizona Senator.

On the Iraq war, McCain said the “titanic” struggle pits supporters of the nation’s values against those of radical fundamentalism.

“We lose this war and come home, they’ll follow us home,” he said.

McCain nets ninth Senate endorsement

The Politico is reporting that Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) will endorse Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in his bid to become the next President of the United States. The announcement will take place today in Charlotte.

It will be the ninth such endorsement for McCain from a Senatorial colleague – double the number from his 2000 presidential run. Among those on board are Senators Trent Lott (R-MS), John Warner (R-VA) and John Thune (R-SD).

Congressional endorsements don’t translate into primary votes, but when a figure like McCain gets `em from the likes of Burr, Warner, Lott and Thune, it does raise eyebrows.

McCain at CAGW’s “2007 Pig Book”

Sen. John McCain Wednesday spoke about the “2007 Congressional Pig Book,” released by the Citizens Against Government Waste. According to the CAGW, the book is “an annual compilation of all the pork-barrel projects in the federal budget.”

CAGW’s website features a complete database of projects, while the Pig Book Summary profiles the most egregious examples. Here’s a clip of McCain’s comments: