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ST. PAUL, Minnesota: John McCain vowed to fight for America as long
as he draws breath, in a patriotic pledge to bring political change
as he accepted the Republican presidential nomination.
The 72-year-old war hero and free spirit senator
offered himself as a warrior to fight one final battle for his
country, arguing a character forged in war gave him the judgment and
vision to lead from the White House.
“I don’t mind a good fight,” said McCain,
who appeared on stage late Thursday (Friday in Manila) in a white
spotlight following a video extolling his heroic story as a Vietnam
war prisoner, “ a man who found his strength in a tiny dank cell
miles from home.”
McCain’s speech ushered in the critical phase
of the US election, a frenetic cross-country marathon including
three face-to-face debates, which will decide whether he or Democrat
Barack Obama moves into the White House.
“In the end, it matters less that you can
fight. What you fight for is the real test,” said McCain, exactly
two months from election day.
McCain, who has a reputation of bucking
party’s orthodoxy, promised he and vice presidential running mate
Sarah Palin would shatter the political gridlock in Washington.
“Let me offer an advance warning to the old,
big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd:
change is coming,” McCain said, adding he was honored to accept
the party’s nomination.
Democrats: ‘Bush’ man
Democrats dismissed McCain as no agent of change
and tied him to fellow Republican President George W. Bush, who was
rarely mentioned during the party’s convention.
“After days of negative attacks—and no
mention of real proposals to fix our economy, get more people
healthcare, or make America safer—the party that brought you eight
years of disastrous policies is asking for four more,” Obama’s
vice presidential pick Joe Biden said in a statement.
Obama opposite
In stark contrast to Obama’s spectacular
convention finale in an open-air football stadium in Denver last
week, McCain stood on a simple stage stretching out into seated
Republican delegates.
McCain is attempting to co-opt Obama’s mantle
of change in a year in which polls show Americans overwhelmingly
think their country is heading in the wrong direction.
“I’m not running for president because I
think I’m blessed with such personal greatness that history has
anointed me to save our country in its hour of need,” McCain said
in a clear swipe against Obama.
“My country saved me. My country saved me, and
I cannot forget it. And I will fight for her for as long as I draw
breath, so help me God.”
His speech was punctuated by standing ovations,
but there was none of the euphoria that greeted Palin, the new
conservative heroine, on Thursday.
As the traditional red, white and blue balloons
tumbled from the rafters, McCain and Palin stood together in a cloud
of confetti as the new face of the Republican Party.
McCain mentioned Bush only once, and not by
name, as he thanked the unpopular president for preventing another
September 11-style attack.
Anti-war protest
The primetime convention speech watched on
television by millions of Americans was briefly interrupted by
several anti-war protestors who had sneaked into the crowd.
One held up a black sign reading, “You can’t
win an occupation,” and started chanting, but was quickly drowned
out by the crowd cheering “USA, USA,” and then hustled away by
security staff.
Outside the hall, hundreds of anti-war
protesters tried to march to the convention, but their path was
blocked by rows of police in riot gear, who ordered them to
disperse.
Some demonstrators refused to leave and as many
as 200 were arrested in the confrontation, US media reported.
Crossing party lines
In his speech, McCain said he had worked for
decades across the political aisle, contrasting his record with that
of Obama, a first-term senator.
“That’s how I will govern as president. I
will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving
again.
“I have that record, and the scars to prove
it. Senator Obama does not.”
McCain also attempted to make a connection with
everyday Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, with the
economy—the number one issue in the election.
“I know some of you have been left behind in
the changing economy and it often seems your government hasn’t
even noticed,” McCain said.
-- AFP
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