McCain on Campus

I didn’t have to search for this week’s post.  McCain’s campaign came to me last Sunday.  Supporters from around Central Ohio gathered on Otterbein’s campus to see him rally at the Rike Center.  So, I woke up and walked down the street to catch what Sen. McCain had to say.

Among the topics discussed by McCain were taxes, “Joe the Plumber,” the economy and the troops at war. At times he spoke sternly of the problems the country is currently facing, while a good portion was spent attacking his opponent.

“Sen. Barak Obama is one of the most eloquent politicians to ever grace the stage,” said McCain.

McCain stressed his “straight-talk” methods, as opposed to Obama’s “generalities.” “Joe [Joe the Plumber] won because he is the only one to get a real answer out of Obama. We learned more about his plan in one question than in months,” said McCain.

McCain pointed out to the crowd that unlike Obama’s plan where he would “spread the wealth around,” a McCain-Palin administration would grow the wealth. “I’m not concerned with controlling your piece of the pie more than I am growing the pie,” said McCain.

With a tax debt of over 10 trillion dollars accumulated over the last eight years, McCain assured people, “We can’t spend the next four years like the last eight…I am not George Bush. I will not raise your taxes. I’ll make government live on a budget just like you do.”  Is this true?

McCain also assured that he would bring the troops home with “honor and victory.” “I have been fighting for this country since I was 17-years-old and haven’t stopped since,” said McCain. “I am an American and I choose to fight…don’t give up hope, we never give up. Remember our history.”

McCain’s daughter, Megan McCain, also had a chance to rally support for the Republican ticket. The Republican presidential nominee is a war hero, public servant and a straight talker, but also a father who never says no and puts his country first, said Megan of her dad.

Mayor of Westerville Anne Gonzales, Franklin County Coroner and House candidate for the 19th district Dr. Brad Lewis, State Representative Kevin Bacon, Congressman Pat Tiberi, and former Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery also had the opportunity to speak.

Tiberi put the campaign in a new light for supporters by talking about this past weekend. The Cardinal football team had a from-behind victory against Wilmington at the homecoming game.  “We will come from behind and win on November 4th,” said Tiberi.

Will this be possible after retired Gen. Colin Powell, Secretary of state during President Bush’s first term and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the presidency of Bush senior, endorsed the democratic ticket?  Will a from-behind victory be possible after negative statewide robocalls linking Obama with a domestic terrorist?  Will McCain be elected President after a recent Republican launched lawsuit to disenfranchise newly registered voters in Ohio?  Only the polls on Nov. 4th will tell.

***Nick Wood contributed to this entry***