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Philip Rodney Moon
Coming from his win in New Hampshire, John McCain campaigned across Michigan trying to repeat his 2000 victory in the state’s Republican primary. McCain stopped at the Kellogg Center to speak to the Lansing area. McCain’s speech was partly arranged by MSU Students for McCain. The group’s chair, Carrie White, said the group had about 50 to 60 active members. “We expect a lot of students will vote for McCain,” White said. Hundreds filled a ballroom in the Kellogg Center waiting to hear John McCain. A few barriers that separated the press section from the general town hall meeting were removed to accommodate the large numbers. Campaign staff announced that McCain was going to be late due to McCain still meeting people from a previous rally in Howell. The Okemos High School band played patriotic songs as the supporters waited. Not all people at Kellogg were supporters. Outside a group of six members of the Young Americans for Freedom stood outside, holding signs protesting McCain immigration policies. The group posted a video on their Web site of them yelling at John McCain as he got off his campaign bus. But inside the Kellogg Center the support was much greater. A series of McCain supporters opened the event. MSU Trustee Melanie Foster was the first speaker. “Go Green, Go White, Go McCain!” Foster said to the crowd. Foster went on to compare the support from the McCain supporters with that for Izzone. A series of state and regional Republicans spoke in support of McCain such as State Senator Alan Cropsey, Former 7th District Congressman Joe Schwarz and Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty. McCain’s wife Cindy introduced him. McCain spoke of the economy, climate change and Iraq in his speech to supporters. McCain said that jobs that have gone overseas are not going to be coming back, but he said that wasn’t an end. “When I say old jobs aren’t coming back, I also mean there are new jobs,” McCain said, saying technology will bring new manufacturing jobs to the state. McCain proposed reforming federal programs that retrain workers to make them more effective and utilizing community colleges as part of the effort. “Michigan will begin this revolution,” McCain said. “I support this state.” McCain transitioned to climate change, declaring that he believes climate change is a real problem and research needs to be done to fix the problem. He also said there was still doubt among some people. “Suppose we are wrong and do something. We end up with a cleaner environment,” McCain said. “But suppose we are right and don’t do anything?” He also said that the green revolution would be an economic benefit to Michigan and not the hardship that others claim. “I’m not asking you to shiver in the dark,” McCain said. McCain also spoke about reducing foreign oil and supported the use of nuclear power as an alternative. Transitioning to Iraq, McCain said he was the only major candidate who raised doubts of Defense Secretary Rumsfeld’s strategy in Iraq. McCain said he supported the surge led by General David Petraus. He then tied the Iraq conflict into the fight against radical Islamic extremism “Al Qaeda is on the run but not defeated,” McCain declared. “The central battleground of this battle is Iraq.” McCain tied the Iraq war and battle against terrorism together, claiming he would not surrender in Iraq and would follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell to stop him. Finishing his speech on the Iraq theme, McCain began shaking hands as the anti-war song “Born in the USA” played over the speakers. Questions or Comments? Email Philip Rodney Moon at moonphil@msu.edu |
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