THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS ENDORSES JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT

"The Arizona senator's tendency to be a political maverick has earned him the mistrust of some party loyalists. ... On core conservative issues, however, there should be no doubts about McCain." -- The Express-News

"John McCain Is Right For GOP Nomination"
Editorial
Express-News February 10, 2008

John McCain seems like an unlikely candidate, let alone undisputed front-runner, for the GOP nomination in 2008. Yet for Republicans, the choice should be clear. McCain is the best nominee to lead the Republican ticket in November.

The Arizona senator's tendency to be a political maverick has earned him the mistrust of some party loyalists. The campaign finance reform measure that bears his name and his advocacy for comprehensive immigration reform and climate stewardship are considered to be examples of his past apostasy by some opponents.

In a general election, these may actually be attractive points for independent voters.
On core conservative issues, however, there should be no doubts about McCain. And since his own brush with scandal shortly after arriving in Congress in the 1980s, he has been an outspoken advocate for accountability and ethics.

McCain's strong opposition to profligate spending and wasteful earmarks also has been unpopular on Capitol Hill -- another example of his maverick spirit. But the Republican Party and the nation would be better off if his counsel had been followed.

National security issues have in large measure defined the McCain campaign. And it's on this point, more than any other, that he separates himself from his principal challenger.
Military service is not a prerequisite for entering the White House. But McCain brings a vast amount of personal and political experience that makes him uniquely qualified to address the nation's foreign policy challenges.

A year ago, he staked out an unpopular position on Iraq, judging that a precipitous American withdrawal would make matters worse while a new commander with a new strategy and additional resources could improve the security situation.

It's safe to say that if his judgment were wrong and the surge failed to demonstrate unmistakable results, McCain would not be in the running today. His judgment was correct. And he would bring a similar judgment of policy to the broad range of issues the United States confronts in the foreign policy arena.

Other candidates have held more appeal to elements of the Republican Party's conservative base. And McCain, like all candidates, has his weaknesses, not least his susceptibility to rage.
This year, however, the old warrior and occasional non-conformist is the best person to lead his party.

Read The Express-News Editorial: "John McCain Is Right For GOP Nomination"