Robert Caldwell:
The latest polls show that Republican voters are far from agreeing on a consensus candidate, a presidential nominee who embodies conservative ideals and can win in 2008. Even as that search continues, Sen. John McCain has climbed back into contention with a dramatic resurgence showing conclusively that he deserves a second look from the Republican faithful.
In recent weeks, McCain has garnered national-news endorsements from four newspapers; two from traditionally conservative papers, the Manchester, N.H., Union-Leader and the Boston Herald, and two from liberal papers, The Des Moines Register in Iowa and The Boston Globe, that endorsed in both parties' political primaries.
Amidst this impressive, and effectively bipartisan, validation, McCain's candidacy was endorsed by Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, the centrist Democrat-turned-independent. Lieberman's endorsement carries particular political significance. Al Gore's vice presidential running mate in the 2000 presidential campaign, Lieberman has since demonstrated notable political courage and independence by staunchly defending the war in Iraq and the larger, integral struggle against a global terrorist enemy.
Lieberman's endorsement of McCain sends two noteworthy political signals. First, that McCain retains the appeal to independents that distinguished his 2000 primary challenge of George W. Bush and without which Republicans have no chance of winning the presidency in 2008. Second, that McCain's national security credentials are unmatched by any other presidential contender in either political party.
Underscoring that latter point, McCain has also been endorsed by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, still the nation's most serious and substantive voice on foreign policy and national security issues. That Kissinger, a notably nonpartisan figure in recent decades, would step out of his customary role of elder statesman to endorse McCain's quest for the Republican presidential nomination qualifies as hugely significant.
I had written McCain off long ago. Turns out that write-off was very premature indeed.
