Hollywood's portrayal of the U.S. president has always depicted the commander in chief as an impossibly heroic, patriotic warrior. The past eight years have probably made most Americans sigh with longing for the likes of Bill Pullman, Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford to be installed in the Oval Office.
And if Republicans come out in support of Senator John McCain on Super Tuesday, their prayers may be answered come Nov. 4.
The Daily is proud to endorse McCain for the Republican ticket for many reasons, not the least of which is his tremendous personal integrity. McCain is such a respected and trustworthy man that it is easy to succumb to a he's-too-good-to-be-true cynicism when the Arizona senator starts dishing out his patented "straight talk."
As McCain's only real opposition in the primaries, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's sporadic "nice guy" routine confirms the popularly held belief that all politicians pretend cordiality while slyly disparaging one another at every opportunity.
But in the face of such political skullduggery, McCain always plays above the belt, demonstrating an honesty and sincerity that makes even those who disagree with his views proud to sit down and argue with him.
Most important, though, is McCain's unflagging commitment to this country. Whether he was suffering as a prisoner of war or as a discounted candidate whose campaign was in tatters, McCain has always persevered in the hopes that he might overcome tremendous odds in order to serve his country in the best way that he can. If it is McCain moving into the White House next year, Americans of both parties will be able to take comfort in the fact that the president has their best interests at heart.
It is this quality that could make McCain the first real bipartisan president we have seen in decades. "Bipartisanism" is the yeti of American politics: oft talked about, but rarely ever seen. Few of the Republicans in this race - or any before it, for that matter - have been especially gifted at practicing the same cooperation they preach. McCain, on the other hand, is a true master of crossing party lines to get at the issues that really matter: McCain famously collaborated with Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on immigration reform and with Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) on campaign finance reform.
He has proven that he has the courage to break with the party line when he feels America's best interests have not been served, speaking out in favor of more humane prisoner treatment, a temporary worker program and a tough but fair border policy. McCain's concern over global warming, pork-barrel government spending and the situation in Iraq also point to his ability to prioritize patriotism above party affiliations and should endear him to all Americans, regardless of political allegiance.
At a time when the country is bitterly divided between liberals and conservatives, McCain understands the importance of compromise and cooperation - a rare quality that will allow him to unite the American people in their respect for his presidency and assuage the pervasive divisiveness that plagues today's political landscape.
For these same reasons, Romney supporters often decry McCain as an unpredictable "maverick" and an inauthentic Republican. But rather than hoping McCain abandons his slim lead over Romney and runs on an independent ticket, Republicans should turn out in droves to back him on Super Tuesday if they hope to see a Republican inaugurated next January.
After the turnover of Congress in 2006 and Bush's approval ratings hitting record-setting lows, Republicans must back a candidate with mass appeal if they wish to assuage the public's mounting fear of putting Republicans in charge.
Of course, McCain is not perfect. Americans should be particularly leery of McCain's long-standing support for the war in Iraq: He voted for the invasion in 2002, spoke in favor of the troop surge last year, and told town hall meeting attendees in Derry, N.H. that he'd stay in Iraq for the next 100 (or 1,000) years if he had to.
Regardless of whether we subscribe to the belief that the surge is working, the idea of our involvement in Iraq spilling into the next century (or millennium) isn't acceptable for most Americans.
McCain must also address his plans for the economy, as his chief opponent, Mitt Romney, is campaigning on his business success and deep knowledge of fiscal machinery. By the time McCain or one of his opponents takes office next year, America will likely have gotten over the worst of its recent economic downturn on its own, but if McCain wants to address voters' most pressing concerns du jour, he can't continue to wait out the storm so quietly.
Despite any flaws he may have, McCain stands out as a strong leader we could all respect. If Republicans can recognize the value of a president with mass appeal, they will join the Daily in support of McCain on Super Tuesday.
