The left wing attacks continue unabated against any and all Republican's. John McCain may not be perfect but compared to the socialistic, communistic philosopies for the two Democratic Presidential contenders, he looks like the salvation from the apparent dictorial politics of the left. If the Democratic controlled house and Senate would concentrate on governing instead of trying to destroy the reputation of any and all members of the Republican party it would be something refreshing to write about.

Your fear of impending defeat in the general election is discernible, Professor Cole. Liberals have spared no effort to trash the Republicans (vide the NYTimes recent fiasco re McCain's "affair"); the feral shouts for CHANGE have been trumpeted as the most profound political wisdom since John Locke. But a solid center of the American people appears to be recognizing that national security is the over-riding issue on which Democrats can not be trusted and that surrender in Iraq is not a viable program. Yale, my providential alma mater, astutely recognized that Cole's leftist cheerleading should not be confused with real scholarship. As for the straw divine, Dr. Hagee, I do not have to agree with every foolish thing he says, any more than Obama has to agree with everything his personal divine says. But I do know that Hagee loves America and loves Israel and hates the terrorists, which gives him quite an edge over Rev. Taylor. Finally, ponder Truman's approval rating in 1952 with his subsequent place in history, and compare Congress's approval rating with the President's so you understand why the Dems--mercifully--are again delivering the White House to the GOP.

"In fact the Quran recognizes Christians and Jews as "people of scripture" and only urges the early Muslims to fight back against the militant "infidels" or polytheists who were trying to wipe them out."

Nice apologist idea. But since the passage is used as an excuse for horrible atrocities against Christians and Jews TO THIS VERY DAY, it really doesn't matter what the Qur'an MEANS to say. What matters is what people WANT IT to say.

Good title, and I think it fits. In fact, McCain might out-Bush himself. McCain has the ego and mindset for it.

In fact, McCain is so much like the status quo on steroids that it might keep him from winning the election. NO matter who the Democrat is.

But, war won the elections in 2002, 2004, and even 2006. The public is tired of Iraq, but if the administration gets us into a new war, maybe against Iran, there might be a rebirth of patriotism which will put McCain over the top in November. I can't believe it's not lurking someplace in White House strategy.

You must be in the upper one percent that's actually made money in the past seven disastrous years. bush is a war criminal, responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths and million of refugees. He's put the whole fuggin' war on a credit card. He's not a conservative; he's a fascist. McLame has had his nose up Bush's ass since South Carolina in 2000. He's a lobbyist's wet dream, a belligerent jerk, a serial adulterer, and a not terribly effective liar. Other than that, he's fine. Sober up. Read some history. Get help.

John McPAIN in the BUTT has SUCH HIGH MORAL PRINCIPLES and BACKBONE that HE'D DIG UP HIS OWN GRANDMOTHER'S SKELETON and SCHTUPP IT if he thought it would HELP HIM WIN in November 2008! THIS is PRECISELY WHY TRUE AMERICANS MUST MADE GODDAMN SURE THIS PASTY-FACED, FLIP-FLOPPING, CHOLERIC, SCHIZOID, HYPOCRITICAL MADMAN IS NOT GIVEN A CHANCE TO CARRY OUT A THIRD Bush TERM AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!!!!! McPAIN MUST BE STOPPED, PUT OUT OF HIS MISERY, SLAPPED DOWN IN A RESOUNDING DEFEAT AND BECOME THE GRAVESTONE FOR THE WHOLE MAN-JACK OF THESE DETESTABLE, LOATHESOME, CRIMINAL repugnicant-rethug-repub fudge-pachyderm republicans!!!!! FOR IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT IN 2008, G.O.P. = R.I.P.!!!!!

Moreover, in a recession, you want the government to spend more money, not less, which cannot be accomplished by reducing its income.

That's a dubious proposition if I ever read one. A beginning macroeconomics student might reach that conclusion after first learning about aggregate demand. But that kind of anaylsis is overly simplistic. Government spending, per se, does not create wealth. (Keynes's hypothesis was wrong: paying people to dig ditches and then re-fill them is just an inefficient way of giving a transfer payment to the ditch diggers. It creates nothing for the overall economy.)

If you want to increase government spending, fine. Clearly, the private sector can't, and won't, provide public services like health care and education in a way that makes sense. But, please, let's at least try to demand some kind of value in return! The U.S. government is good enough at wasting resources. We needn't add to the fire by adopting an "all government spending is automatically good" mindset.

As a separate matter, I completely agree with the general premise of your article, which is that McCain has taken a pronounced rightward shift that basically destroys any credibility he one had as a "maverick." He's now, obviously, just another politician who will say anything to get elected. Aren't they all.

The election will be Bush vs. Bush.

I don't understand everyone's reference to the 'last eight years' on this site. I mean, we had a tremendous President who let the people keep their own earned money and who kicked some terrorist dirtbag ass. I love the guy and am pleased the Senator McCain seems to be finally coming around to seeing the light visa vie "W's" great policies.

The next 8 years are going to be even better than the last were. I don't see any way the dimmocrats can win in November. This is like the perfect storm, watching them dismantle what was once certain victory.

I mean a commie killing real man vrs the shrill bitch or the cullud kid? Give me a break...at the end of the day, tons of blue collar white male Dems will come around, get out of the barco loungers and go pull the lever for the real deal

President McCain.....starting to like the ring of that!