[Axxon]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

Maybe its just because I've been a McCain fan for a long time, going back to before 2000, but I just don't see this at all. He's not a particularly polished speaker when reading, but he has terrific presence when he's unscripted - I would expect him to do well in a debate. Cantankerous old man, that sounds like Dole, Perot, maybe Bush 41, but it doesn't seem to describe McCain at all.

I had read this last night on the conservative board I posted from earlier.

Well, awhile back I made a post saying Mccain has it in the bag..I could not have been more wrong. Now I am starting to think it will take a miracle for him to win. Listening to his speech today was painful. He seemed really blah focusing more on distancing himself from Bush then he did trying to make himself an appealing candidate. I hate to say it but his speech which was kicking off the general election, you would think he would be pumped up, was borrrring and that is not going to appeal to voters when they see Obama making this MLK style speeches in front of thousands of loud fans. This general election is going to label Mccain as old and boring, and Obama as the new young popular guy with loads of energy and charisma.

I remember Mccain in the primary debates, he was so quick to attack the other republicans, yet now, he seems to be focusing on making friends with Obama rather than running against him, and it is going to backfire big time. I watched Obama's speech after and he spent a lot of time just ripping into Mccain, does old John think that its not going to hurt his chances to be talked about like that? I dont get it.

After todays speeches I thought back to when I went to a Romney rally in Long Beach. I couldn't help but think how much different Romney's speech would have been to kick off the GENERAL election. He would have showed energy, confidence, and excitement for being there ready to take on Obama in debate as soon as possible, wheras with Mccain I get the feeling he dreads going up against Obama.

It is what it is though, guess we will see what happens soon enough.

but today I also read this there.

Today I went and saw John McCain here in Reno. He spoke for about an hour and a half, and I have come to like him a lot more. He's still not my favorite, but I feel better about supporting him. Immigration, he could be better but I think a good VP can help wim with that. ANWR, I don't agree with him but he's leaning more towards alternate energy so that kind of makes up for that problem. He's dedicated to taking out spending and I am convinced that pork barrel spending will be gone i he's elected. He has some other good ideas, like making it harder to raise taxes, taking out the AMT (alternate minimum tax) and reducing another one. It ends up being like a $2,700 tax break. I am also convinced we would win the war on terror and our military would become stronger quiickly if he wins, something I really want to see happen quickly.
He also has conservative values, like overturning Roe v. Wade and appoining conservative justices who will protect traditional marriage and not let the constitution be ripped up into shreds. I feel better about supporting him an am not as hesitant to support him as I was.

So it looks like there's some debate on this issue but it can't be good to have this kind of divide on a board that literally only allows conservatives/republicans to post since these are the people who are supposed to like their candidates.