John Mccain For President

John McCain For President

Proposition: The upcoming presidential election may be the most important election of

our lives due to the fact that we are currently at war with Islamic extremists who wish to

destroy our way of life. John McCain is the only candidate who has the experience and

knows how to lead us during these challenging times.

Definition:

a.) Leadership is the capacity or ability to lead. (The American Heritage

Dictionary)

b.) A Candidate is a politician who is running for public office. (Webster’s

Dictionary)

c.) Terrorism refers to the unlawful use of force or violence by a person or

an organized group against people or property with the intentions of

intimidating or coercing. (The American Heritage Dictionary)

d.) National security describes the measure taken by a state to ensure its

survival and security. (Webster’s Dictionary)

Threshold:

a.) In this debate, I will discuss:

1.) Flaws that have been made under the current administration in

conducting the war on terror, and serious differences I have with other

candidates plan on managing the war.

2.) Reasons why Senator John McCain is the best candidate to ensure

America’s security against terrorism.

3.) Senator McCain’s experience on other issues that show his

experience and leadership in making the right decisions based on the

needs of the country.

b.) However, I will not discuss:

1.) Opinions or reasons why we initially invaded Iraq.

2.) Personal opinions or biases as to why other candidates lack the

ability to serve as Commander in Chief.

Application:

John McCain is the only candidate who has proven himself not only in combat, but also

in public service. He actually led the Republican nominees in the 2000 Presidential

Election until the South Carolina Primary where he lost to then Governor George Bush.

He opposed our initial policy regarding the number of troops we sent into Iraq and

continually expressed his dissatisfaction in the fact that we did not have enough troops on

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the ground to win the war quickly and decisively. He is however, a huge supporter of the

current “surge” that is showing many signs of improvement in security for the Iraqi

population and our troops on the ground.

A.) In 1967 McCain’s plane was shot down while he was conducting a bombing raid over

North Vietnam. Based on U.S. Naval records and the book Faith of My Fathers, McCain

ejected from his aircraft landing directly in the middle of Truch Bach Lake.

a.) Several hundred Vietnamese pulled him from the lake while kicking and

beating him repeatedly. He had broken his left arm, his right arm in three places,

and his right knee. He also received numerous lacerations and abrasions due to the

impact of the crash and the beatings he received.

b.) Following his capture McCain was taken by North Vietnamese soldiers to a

French built prison named Hoa Lo, which was commonly known to the U.S.

prisoners as the Hanoi Hilton.

c.) For five and a half years McCain suffered through unspeakable abuse and

torture at the hands of his captors. The following excerpt is based on information

obtained through the website Friends of John McCain, “ Within a few months of

McCain’s becoming a prisoner of war, his father, Admiral Jack McCain, was

appointed commander of all U.S. forces in the Pacific. The North Vietnamese,

sensing a propaganda prize, offered McCain early release”. McCain refused.

d.) McCain returned home in 1973, was personally recognized fro heroism by

President Nixon in 1975, and went on to retire from the Navy in 1981 after

receiving the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and Distinguished Flying

Cross.

B.) John McCain is the only candidate with over twenty years experience in the U.S.

Senate. Since 1987 McCain has served as a U.S. Senator, representing the state of

Arizona, and is well known for crossing party lines when he felt he was right.

a.) Based on the book Political Money, by Annelise Anderson, McCain and

Wisconsin Democratic Senator Russ Feingold passed the McCain- Feingold Bill

which restricted limits on campaign contributions and prevented anyone who was

ineligible to vote from donating to campaigns.

b.) More recently McCain was a cosponsor of an illegal immigration bill that he

and Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy proposed to help reduce illegal aliens.