Unlike the speech that the Republican vice presidential candidate gave last night, John McCain's speech was geared more at showing the contrast between Barack Obama and himself, putting Washington on notice and discussing problems Americans face.
With a completely different tone and style than was seen last night by vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, McCain spoke about the problems in Washington, spoke about his choice of Sarah Palin as his vice presidential candidate and spoke to what he wishes to accomplish as President.
McCain pushed bipartisanship and challenged the status quo of the atmosphere in Washington and laid out the how, where and why he wanted to lead America.
McCain stated "The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn’t a cause, it’s a symptom. It’s what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you."
Regarding Palin, McCain said, "I’m very proud to have introduced our next Vice President to the country. But I can’t wait until I introduce her to Washington. And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd: change is coming."
The differences between his and Obama's experience were highlighted when McCain said, "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."
Surrogates of John McCain this week has spoken about his trials in Vietnam and a POW, but it isn't a topic McCain speaks about often himself, although he touches on it when explaining his love for America by saying, "I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's." he later said, "I was never the same again. I wasn't my own man anymore. I was my country's."
Other topics John McCain spoke about included the areas of concern expressed by the voters, specifically the economy, Taxes, education, healthcare, reform, drilling and energy, as he laid out what he planned to do for the country.
One specific excerpt which the crowd reacted to was:
My fellow Americans, when I’m President, we’re going to embark on the most ambitious national project in decades. We are going to stop sending $700 billion a year to countries that don’t like us very much. We will attack the problem on every front. We will produce more energy at home. We will drill new wells offshore, and we’ll drill them now. We will build more nuclear power plants. We will develop clean coal technology. We will increase the use of wind, tide, solar and natural gas. We will encourage the development and use of flex fuel, hybrid and electric automobiles.
Senator Obama thinks we can achieve energy independence without more drilling and without more nuclear power. But Americans know better than that. We must use all resources and develop all technologies necessary to rescue our economy from the damage caused by rising oil prices and to restore the health of our planet. It’s an ambitious plan, but Americans are ambitious by nature, and we have faced greater challenges. It’s time for us to show the world again how Americans lead.
He ended his speech to a roaring crowd by saying:
I’m going to fight for my cause every day as your President. I’m going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as I thank Him: that I’m an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on earth, and with hard work, strong faith and a little courage, great things are always within our reach. Fight with me. Fight with me.
Fight for what’s right for our country.
Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.
Fight for our children’s future.
Fight for justice and opportunity for all.
Stand up to defend our country from its enemies.
Stand up for each other; for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.
Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. Nothing is inevitable here. We’re Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.
Thank you, and God Bless you.
Sarah Palin warmed the crowd up yesterday, energized them and John McCain came out tonight and laid out his case as to why he should be elected as the President of the United States of America.
It was a completely different speech than those the country heard over the last two days, meant to close the deal, so to speak.
There were interruptions from Code Pink members that were taken away, but McCain got a laugh from when he said to the crowd "Don't pay attention to static and background noise." The audience applauded and there was no more interruptions after that line.
Whether he accomplished that or not is up to those that heard him and it is assured that the answer to that questions will be different depending on what side of the aisle political pundits discussing it are on.
Other featured speakers tonight were Gov. Tim Pawlenty (Minn.), former Gov. Tom Ridge (Penn.), U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Mrs. Cindy McCain.
Cindy McCain discussed her husband's character, duty to country, saying that John McCain leads by example and she reflected a bit about her husband.
You can find all speeches as prepared for delivery at the Republican National Convention website.
McCain and Palin will travel together for the next few days, then they will both go their own ways, going to a variety of states which will include hitting battleground states and taking their case to the American people in different places.
Then debates will be held between now and election day in November, three with the presidential candidates and one between the two vice presidential candidates.
The text, as prepared for delivery, of John McCain speech can be found here.
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