Friday, February 29, 2008

Virginia Supreme Court Upholds First in the Nation Felony SPAM Conviction

Early cutting-edge efforts by former Attorney General and Virginia Co-Chairman for the McCain '08 campaign Jerry Kilgore pay off and Attorney General Bob McDonnell brings it home!

McDonnell Announces Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Nation’s First Felony SPAM Conviction
February 29, 2008
www.vaag.com

Richmond
- Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell announced today that the Virginia Supreme Court has upheld the nation’s first felony SPAM conviction. “SPAM” refers to unsolicited bulk email sent by fraudulent means.

In November of 2004, Jeremy Jaynes was convicted by a jury in Loudoun County Circuit Court on three counts of violating Virginia’s groundbreaking Anti-Spam Act, which was passed into law in 2003. This marked the first ever felony conviction in a SPAM case, and the case received international attention. After convicting the defendant, the same jury sentenced him to serve nine years in jail. The defendant appealed his conviction. In September of 2006 the Virginia Court of Appeals affirmed the constitutionality of Virginia’s Anti-SPAM Statute and upheld the conviction. The Virginia Supreme Court today upheld this decision.

Speaking about today’s decision, Attorney General McDonnell remarked, “This is a historic victory in the fight against online crime. SPAM not only clogs email inboxes and destroys productivity; it also defrauds citizens and threatens the online revolution that is so critical to Virginia’s economic prosperity. Thanks to the Virginia Anti-SPAM Act we now have the tools to go after Spammer’s and put them behind bars.”

McDonnell continued, “I want to specifically thank my predecessor, Jerry Kilgore, for proposing the Anti-SPAM Act, and ensuring its passage. I also want to thank him for securing the initial conviction of Jeremy Jaynes. What was accomplished today would not have been possible without the leadership of Jerry Kilgore. I also want to thank my Computer Crime Section for their steadfast work on this case. Virginia is leading the nation in the effort to keep citizens safe and secure online.”

Former Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, added, “Today’s decision marks a huge step forward in the effort to safeguard the Internet from online criminals. SPAM slows down commerce, fills up inboxes, and entraps innocent citizens. I applaud this decision, and I especially thank the dedicated lawyers in the Office of the Attorney General who began this fight when I was in office, and have successfully completed it today under the direction of Attorney General McDonnell.”

Chuck Curran, AOL’s Chief Counsel for Policy & Regulatory, noted, "We are pleased that the Virginia Supreme Court has upheld Mr. Jaynes’ conviction under the Virginia Computer Crimes Act and we applaud the tireless efforts of Attorney General McDonnell, former Attorney General Kilgore, and their entire prosecutorial team to hold large-scale spammers accountable. In 2003, Attorney General Kilgore and Virginia legislators worked together with the industry to adopt first-in-the-nation felony penalties for junk e-mailers who send large quantities of spam by falsified means. Tough anti-spam laws like Virginia’s provide a critical deterrent for spammers who try to fill e-mail boxes with unwanted and fraudulent solicitations.”

Jeremy D. Jaynes was regarded as the eighth-worst spammer in the world on The Spamhaus Project’s Registry of Known Spammer Organizations at the time of his arrest. At the time, prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Computer Crime Section argued to the jury that Jaynes, utilizing AOL’s private computer network, located in Virginia, peddled his products to unsuspecting victims from around the world. His global fraud resulted in millions of dollars of profit which he used to purchase a mansion and a number of homes in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Jaynes was convicted thanks to Virginia’s Anti-Spam Act. The Act prohibits the sending of unsolicited bulk e-mail by fraudulent means, such as changing the header or routing information to prevent recipients from contacting or determining the identity of the sender. Such conduct is punishable as a class 1 misdemeanor or as a class 6 felony if any one of the following conditions applies:
  • The volume of Spam transmitted exceeds 10,000 in any 24-hour time period, 100,000 in any 30-day time period, or one million in any one-year time period.
  • Revenue generated from specific Spam exceeds $1,000 or total revenue from all Spam transmitted to any ISP exceeds $50,000.
  • The defendant knowingly hires, employs, uses or permits any minor to assist in the transition of Spam.

A class 6 felony is punishable by a one to five-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $2,500, or both. Virginia’s anti-SPAM legislation also includes asset forfeiture provisions to allow law enforcement authorities to seize any assets or proceeds obtained through the illegal Spam operation. It also enhances penalties for violation of Virginia obscenity laws through the sending of illegal e-mails. The legislation authorizes the Attorney General’s Computer Crime Section to investigate and prosecute Spammers if illegal e-mails are sent to, from, or through any computer or computer network located in any Virginia locality.

To learn more about the Computer Crime Unit and Virginia’s groundbreaking anti-SPAM laws, please visit: http://www.vaag.com/CONSUMER/SPAM/index.html

To read the full Virginia Supreme Court Opinion, please visit:
http://www.courts.state.va.us/opinions/opnscvwp/1062388.pdf

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Cal Thomas: Virginia Leading the Nation-Deporting Illegal Alien Sexual Predators

As we mentioned here, deporting illegally alien child sexual predators is immigration enforcement that we can all agree on. Now, Virginia has been recognized nationally as a leader of enforcement measures that we can all agree on.

National Columnist Praises McDonnell's Immigration Initiative
From the McDonnell Newsroom
February, 28, 2008

Nationally syndicated columnist Cal Thomas has written a column about Attorney General McDonnell's recent action to identify and deport criminal alien sex offenders in Virginia. Thomas is America's most widely syndicated newspaper columnist. His column appears in over 550 newspapers nationwide, and he is heard on over 300 radio stations. To read today's column please visit:

Click here to see the full article appearing in today's Orlando Sentinel

Deport sex offenders who are illegal aliens
By Cal Thomas
Thursday, February 28, 2008

The argument one hears most often for not enforcing illegal immigration laws is that we can't deport the estimated 12 million people already in this country. It just isn't physically, tactically or politically possible, say people who think this way.

Maybe not, but authorities can start with people who not only broke laws to get here, but are breaking more laws now that they are here.

Virginia's Republican Attorney General, Robert McDonnell, is beginning the deportation process with a class of people not even the most vehemently pro-immigrant activist should defend. They are sex offenders and McDonnell, working in cooperation with the Virginia State Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, has identified 171 people who have been convicted of sex crimes. Some are illegal aliens, others have legal status, but their convictions violate the conditional terms of their residency and make them subject to deportation.

In a telephone interview from Richmond, McDonnell told me that because federal statutes have pre-empted what states can do on most immigration issues, Virginia had to look for ways to initiate deportation of criminal sex offenders while working with the federal government. Asked whether the targeting of illegal alien sex offenders is the first step toward going after other criminal aliens, McDonnell said, "We're planning to do all of them. My position is that criminal illegal aliens or criminal aliens have forfeited their right to be in the country. There is broad agreement, regardless of which side people are on in the illegal immigration debate, that the criminal alien should be detained and deported."

In addition to checking on the immigration status of everyone released from a Virginia prison, McDonnell says people convicted of crimes will now be investigated for their residency status before they are locked up, possibly allowing the federal government to deport them prior to their serving all of their sentence. One northern Virginia jurisdiction with a high illegal alien population is the city of Manassas. In response to intense citizen complaints, the Manassas City Council has authorized local police to begin checking the immigration status of people they arrest for any crime. If they find the suspects are in the country illegally, they are now authorized to begin deportation proceedings. On March 3, neighboring Prince William County will begin implementing a similar program to crackdown on illegals. These two jurisdictions are in sync with what McDonnell is now doing statewide.

Immigrant rights leader Ricardo Juarez of Mexicans Without Borders (a name that tells you something about his goal) is quoted in The Washington Examiner newspaper as saying, "This policy will only make the situation worse and will drive people out." Precisely. That is the intent of the program; to drive criminal illegal aliens out, preferably back to where they came from and especially if they have twice violated our laws.

Not all of the Virginia sex offenders fit the demographic stereotype. Yes, most are from Mexico, or Central and South American countries, but quite a few are from other nations, including Ethiopia, India, Iran, Thailand, even Scotland. So this is not about ethnicity. It is about breaking the law.

The issue of illegal immigration and most especially that of criminal aliens should be a major issue in the presidential campaign. It is bad enough when immigration activists countenance the breaking of our laws and defend people who do it; it is something else when they attempt to defend sex offenders and others who have broken other laws while here.

There is no right to come to America, but there is an obligation to obey the same laws everyone else has to obey or suffer the consequences. Virginia and at least two of its jurisdictions are onto something. Other states and localities might wish to consider a similar approach.

The federal government seems to be getting the message. Perhaps shamed by Virginia, immigration officials, according to the Washington Post, are now actively "scouring jails and courts nationwide" to identify immigrants who qualify for deportation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reports that in a 12-month period ending last Sept. 30, "it placed 164,000 criminals in deportation proceedings," an increase from the 64,000 the agency identified and placed in deportation proceedings the previous year. ICE "estimates the number will rise to 200,000 this year." It's a start.

Cal Thomas is co-author (with Bob Beckel) of the forthcoming book, "Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America."

Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate Passes Cuccinelli's Pro-Life Legislation Defeating Saslaw and Kaine Efforts-A Last Gift from W.F. Buckley, Jr!

February 27, 2008

Dear Fellow Republican:

For the first time this year, the Republicans got one of our budget amendments adopted! It was my budget amendment to deny taxpayer funds to Planned Parenthood. This is an amendment that has been before the Senate before, but it has never been successfully passed in the Senate.

This year, however, was different. Our Republican caucus stuck together in support of the Planned Parenthood amendment, and we were joined by Finance Committee Chairman, Democrat Chuck Colgan to reach a 20-20 tie. Not surprisingly, Lt. Gov. Bolling voted for the amendment, and it passed 21-20. Now, it wasn’t a simple path to get to 21-20, with about 4 hours of wrangling over procedure, but I’ll discuss that below.

After the consideration of amendments, the budget was passed, but it had the overwhelming opposition of the Republican caucus because it still raids the lottery funds, grabs way too much money from the rainy day fund, and creates new programs (like Gov. Kaine’s pre-K) at the expense of core services like transportation. Oh yeah, and then there’s those gas tax dollars still included…

Tumult
From the moment I put in the amendment today, the Dems were scrambling to try and prevent a vote on the merits on the amendment. They even invented a couple of new motions and tried those out… to no avail.

Then they scoured the House budget for language that was similar to my proposed amendment. The House budget had an amendment to block funding for Medicaid abortions except under limited circumstances (e.g., life of the mother, rape, incest), and the Dems were prepared to argue that because the House abortion funding amendment had been rejected in the Senate (by the Dems), the subject had already been considered and ruled upon under Rule 47 of the Senate Rules.

Now, mind you, I had prepared multiple amendments, including (but not limited to) an amendment to block Medicaid funding of abortions and an amendment to block embryonic stem cell research, both in addition to the Planned Parenthood amendment. And I had already asked the Senate Finance Committee (SFC) staff if there was language in the House budget addressing ANY of these three amendments, as I knew that if they were in the House amendments that I needed to address them at a different point in the process to avoid the Rule 47 trap that the Dems wanted to spring.

The SFC staff told me that there was language in the House budget similar to my amendment to block Medicaid funding of abortions, but there was NOT language like the Planned Parenthood amendment.

One problem was simply that the amendments sounded very similar, so I was worried about losing the amendment on Rule 47 challenge. Thus, I rewrote the amendment to solve that problem, and on we went.

At that point (4 hours later…), the Dems seemed to run out of steam, and we pressed ahead with the amendment. I introduced the amendment and explained it, and then Janet Howell and Dick Saslaw went hyperbolic on us.

Senator Janet Howell (Fairfax Dem) got up and actually argued that passing this amendment would lead to women seeking illegal abortions… though she was quite unable or unwilling to explain how passing the amendment would have such results (presumably because that would not be the result). This kind of baseless hyperbole is about as close as the abortion industry allies in the Senate ever get to actual “debate.” So much for the high minded exchange of views in the Senate.

Then the Majority Leader, Dick Saslaw (Also Fairfax Dem [seeing a pattern here?]), added his own bit of hyperbole by threatening us all with the prospect that if the Planned Parenthood amendment were passed, “your pet project could be next!” Of course, this implies that funding Planned Parenthood is a “pet project” of Senator Saslaw’s… an interesting revelation.

The whole 4+ hour process revealed something more than just disagreement over this amendment. The Dems literally brought the Senate to a screeching halt for over 4 hours to try and derail this little amendment. Why? Because their caucus is now dominated, particularly the leadership (aside from the Finance Committee Chairman), by super-liberal Democrats that are happily beholden to the most vigorously pro-abortion elements of their base (and I distinguish that from those that are merely pro-choice on the issue). This is consistent with their stacking of the Education & Health Committee 10-5, a partisan margin wider than any other committee in the entire Senate. Why did they do that? To kill any bill that had ANYTHING to do with abortion, and that’s exactly what they’re doing.

The budget debate will next move to the conference committee. The Senators that I understand will be on the conference committee will be Colgan, Houck, Howell, Saslaw, Stosch and Wampler. I don’t know who the House conferees will be yet. The conferees will begin trying to resolve the differences between the two budgets over the next week.

Note that all of this is begin done with a Governor in the background who has been using the budget as a political payoff to Planned Parenthood since the 2007 election. Gov. Kaine cut abstinence funding while keeping Planned Parenthood funding. I guess that tells you who’s side Gov. Kaine is on.

We may be half way through the path to a final budget, so we’ll see what happens the rest of the way. In closing, I must say that I appreciated my entire caucus sticking out the sparring over the Planned Parenthood amendment and voting for the amendment. It was clear half way through the day that one side or the other was going to break, and thanks to a united caucus, it was the Dems.

Sincerely,




Senator Ken Cuccinelli
Virginia 37th District

Others can sign up for The Compass at Senator Cuccinelli’s website at: http://www.cuccinelli.com/

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

God Rest Ye Soul William F. Buckley, Jr. (1925-2008)

From the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute:

A beloved icon of conservatism, William F. Buckley, Jr. passed away this morning at home in his study. “Mr. Buckley once told me that he knew Clare Boothe Luce would be proud of the Institute’s work,” said Michelle Easton, president of the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute. “What an honor that this founder of the modern conservative movement supported our work for America’s women.”

Clare Boothe Luce was an admirer of Buckley—and he of her. And no wonder. Buckley’s philosophy, intellect and courage contributed so extraordinarily to the rise of the conservative movement. “Truly a man before his time, Mr. Buckley genuinely appreciated all the strong women who touched his life, personally and professionally,” says Easton. “We will miss him dearly.”

Rest in peace, Mr. Buckley.

Bob McDonnell Online Op-Ed: Getting Things Done

McDonnell Online Op-Ed: "Getting Things Done"
From the McDonnell Newsroom
http://www.bobmcdonnell.com/
February 26, 2008

Attorney General Bob McDonnell has written an op-ed for the Virginia Blog, "The Virginian Federalist." The op-ed, entitled "Getting Things Done" focuses on the seven campaign promises the Attorney General made when running for office in 2005 and how each one of those promises has been achieved in office. To read the op-ed please visit: The Virginian Federalist blog.

Getting Things Done

I am now more than halfway through my term as the 44th Attorney General of Virginia. That's hard to believe. Time moves quickly though, and already the attention of political observers has turned to upcoming elections. However, even as we look ahead, I think a little time spent looking back is in order.

Every campaign season voters are inundated with promises and pledges. Then we move forward, and rarely is a glance back afforded. But a vibrant and participatory democracy is dependent upon faith being kept between candidates and voters. Accountability matters. Rhetoric must lead to results or citizens lose confidence.

With this in mind I have recently gone back through the platform we ran on in our 2005 campaign. I want to be accountable for how we have done once in office.

I am pleased to report that the proposals we made in 2005 have been enacted.

When I ran for Attorney General we made seven major campaign promises. If elected, we pledged to:

+ Protect Children from Sexual Predators

+ Take Dangerous Drug Dealers off our Streets

+ Defend Virginians against 21st Century Crimes like Identity Theft

+ Combat Gang Violence

+ Strengthen Virginians' Property Rights

+ Curb Frivolous Prisoner Lawsuits

+ Protect Virginians from Terrorist Threats.

Here is what we have accomplished:

Protect Children from Sexual Predators

A cornerstone of our first legislative agenda was passing "Jessica's Law" in Virginia, establishing a 25-year mandatory minimum sentence for certain sexual predators who commit violent crimes against children. We created a state of the art Sex Offender Registry. We instituted GPS monitoring for certain sexually violent predators upon release, and an improved civil commitment process to detain the most dangerous. We also instituted proactive, innovative educational programs to teach children about Internet safety.

Take Dangerous Drug Dealers off our Streets

When I ran for Attorney General I spoke about the importance of getting drug dealers off of our streets and away from our children. In particular I was concerned that we were failing to go after the "mid-level" drug dealers through whom so much of the drug traffic flows. With the help of Del. Rob Bell and Sen. Ken Stolle, we created a new "mini-kingpin" statute that imposed a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence and a fine of up to $1 million on these mid-level drug dealers.

Defend Virginians against 21st Century Crimes like Identity Theft
Virginia has a reputation as a national leader in combating 21st Century crimes. We pledged to continue to improve our laws. We have done so. In the 2006 session we increased the number of identity theft crimes that are prosecutable as a felony. We have expanded our Identity Theft passport program for victims, publish informative booklets and educate the public about this fast growing but preventable crime.

Combat Gang Violence
I believe we have to approach the gang problem with punishment and prevention, by enacting tougher penalties for gang members, and creating new opportunities for young people to keep them out of gangs. We are doing this. We passed legislation adding to the list of crimes that make someone eligible for prosecution under Virginia's gang participation laws. We've secured legislation that punishes gang recruitment, and we've given judges the ability to impose restrictions on interaction with gang members as part of an individual's terms of probation. In southside Richmond communities our innovative GRIP program is keeping young people gang-free by giving them positive opportunities, and has led to a significant decline in the crime rate in Richmond.


Strengthen Virginians' Property Rights
In the case of Kelo v. New London, decided in the middle of the 2005 campaign, the U.S. Supreme Court gave the government broad authority to take private property for public purposes. It was a bad decision, and it spurred us to act. It was not an easy fight. However, on July 1st, 2007 our legislation protecting private property rights, championed by Del. Rob Bell, Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, Sen. Steve Newman and Sen. Tommy Norment became law. This legislation creates strict limitations regarding any taking of private property, and forbids the taking of private land when the primary purpose is private financial gain, private benefit, an increase in tax base or revenues, or an increase in employment.

Curb Frivolous Prisoner Lawsuits
Frivolous prisoner lawsuits have a debilitating effect on our courts system, and the professionals who work in it. These lawsuits waste taxpayer dollars and take precious time away from more important matters. Working with Del. Terry Kilgore we passed our proposals to curb frivolous prisoner lawsuits by giving judges discretion on issuing subpoenas, and permitting the dismissal of certain inmate lawsuits without the need for hearings.

Protect Virginians from Terrorist Threats
Virginians are well aware that the Commonwealth is a target for terrorists. We must be prepared for these threats. Working with Del. Beverly Sherwood and Sen. William Wampler we codified the mission and outlined the preparedness and security duties of the Office of Commonwealth Preparedness and the Secure Commonwealth Panel, and made this office permanent. We also changed the funding structure to be based on threat, and conducted a legal table-top exercise to prepare all state agencies for coordination in the event of an attack.

Records matter. I am pleased to say that we have kept our campaign promises, and through our work we have begun to build a safer and stronger Virginia. There is much more to be done. As we unveil new policy proposals I hope voters will look at our record and know that we are committed to solving problems and getting results for the citizens of Virginia.

Bob McDonnell is the 44th Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia

Letter From McCain '08 Campaign Manager Rick Davis: Join the McCain Aces Today

Dear Friend,
It has been an exciting and hard-fought few months. Support from McCainiacs nationwide fuels our campaign and helps spread our message to fellow supporters who will cast primary votes.

You are one of our strongest supporters, and I join the Senator and our entire campaign organization in expressing our deep gratitude for your commitment.

Your steadfast support fueled a surging campaign through the primaries that is now poised to win the Republican nomination. We should all be proud to stand with John McCain he is ready to be the next President of the United States.

As a special way of saying thanks, we have a unique opportunity for you to stand up and be recognized through our new 'McCain Aces' supporter group. With a donation of $25 dollars or more, you will become a 'McCain Ace' and your name will be permanently featured on our website's 'McCain Aces' board. This wall of recognition will be a record of your support for John McCain. It takes courage to stand with the right presidential candidate through thick and thin, we want to recognize your efforts and commitment.

Please make a donation today by following this link. Once you've made your contribution, your name will appear on www.JohnMcCain.com/McCainAces.

The more Aces we have on our board, the better. After you join, please ask your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors to join you in taking a public stand for John McCain.
We have already begun to see the stepped-up attacks from our Democratic opponents and the liberal media. Our country needs John McCain as its next commander in chief, and it's up to us - his most dedicated supporters - to ensure he is the Republican nominee for president. Thank you.


Sincerely,
Rick Davis, Campaign Manager

Monday, February 25, 2008

Let the Games Begin! Obama to Hillary: You are running a Shameful, Fear Mongering Campaign!


What's all this about? Check out the picture above from Drudge. Clearly the Clinton campaign must be trying to make certain inferences...Let the dirty politics begin. Thankfully on the Democrat side! Huck time to move along on March 4th at midnight or sooner.

The Associated Press photograph above portrays Obama wearing a white turban and a wraparound white robe presented to him by elders in Wajir, in northeastern Kenya.
Obama's estranged late father was Kenyan and Obama visited the country in 2006, attracting thousands of well-wishers. The Drudge Report posted the photograph today and said it was being circulated by "Clinton staffers" and quoted an e-mail from an unidentified campaign aide.

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe immediately accused Clinton's campaign of "the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we've seen from either party in this election."

Washington Times: 171 foreign-born criminal sex offenders targeted, deported

Criminal aliens targeted, deported
Washington Times
February 21, 2008

By Seth McLaughlin

RICHMOND — Virginia's attorney general and federal immigration officials yesterday said they are in the process of deporting 171 foreign-born criminal sex offenders, including about 20 living in Northern Virginia. "

The bottom line is Virginia is not going to be a place where criminal illegal aliens will have any safety," said Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell, a Republican. "We are going to make sure that those people who come here illegally and violate the criminal laws of Virginia, are detained, prosecuted and deported."

Mr. McDonnell, who plans to run for governor next year, said the offenders facing deportation were a mix of illegal aliens and immigrants with temporary legal status. "

Among the sex offenders we've arrested on the street are those convicted of rape, carnal knowledge of a minor, sexual battery, sexual abuse and taking liberties with children," said Bill Reid, special agent in charge for the D.C. office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The state and federal partnership, dubbed "Operation Cold Play," falls under the umbrella of ICE's "Operation Predator," targeting sex offenders across the country. "
***
In July, Mr. McDonnell requested state police thumb through the roughly 14,500 names in Virginia's registry to find all those who were foreign-born.

State police shared the resulting list of 527 names with ICE to determine which persons were illegally present or "aliens who had committed crimes," Mr. McDonnell said.

From that list, federal officials discovered 135 "convicted criminal alien sex offenders" were being held in state prisons or local jails in Virginia, 84 had already left or been deported and 36 were walking the streets after having been released by the Department of Corrections.

Alexandria had the highest number with eight, Manassas had four, and Woodbridge had three.
***

Sunday, February 24, 2008

In Latest Virginia Polling, McCain Handily Beats Obama and Clinton

Good news for the Commonwealth. With a solid 9-point victory on February 12, the latest Virginia Rasmussen Poll published on February 21, 2008 shows our man Johnny Mac leading Sen. Obama by 5% and Sen. Clinton by 10%. It doesn't hurt that the bogus NYT article is rallying Conservatives to unite their support for McCain. Conservatives cannot trust the NYT. NYT Exec. Editor Bill Keller should be ashamed.

John McCain 49%
Barack Obama 44%

John McCain 51%
Hillary Clinton 41%

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Victory! Victory! A Clean Sweep of the Potomac Primaries for John McCain

What an awesome victory party last night in Alexandria. I have plenty of pictures and will post them tonight. Here is John McCain's speech. The room was absolutely packed at the Holiday Inn in Old Town Alexandria, but the excitement was contagious as John McCain swept all three jurisdictions. VA MD and DC! Click here to read an AP article on how Johnny Mac is fired up and ready to go to face the Democrats. I have highlighted my favorite quotes below that I hope become part of Senator McCain's stump speech from here on out: We are the makers of history not its victims! and I am fired up and ready to go!

Oh and a friendly shot across the bow to Obama: Platitudes and placating foes, that's a reference to you!

Remarks By John McCain To Potomac Primary Victory Party
February 13, 2008

ARLINGTON, VA - U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released the following remarks by John McCain as prepared for delivery tonight Alexandria, Virginia:

Thank you. Thank you, voters of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, for a clean sweep of the Potomac primary. I want to commend my friend, Governor Huckabee, whose spirited campaign, many gifts as a communicator and advocate, and passionate supporters are a credit to him and our party. He certainly keeps things interesting, a little too interesting at times tonight, I must confess. But I have even more reason to appreciate just how formidable a campaigner he is. And thank you, my friends, for your support and all your hard work. We have come a long way in this campaign, and we have had our ups and downs. But as luck, that product of opportunity and industry, would have it, we are approaching the end of the first half of this election on quite an upswing. Without your faith and commitment we would not be here, and I am immensely grateful to you.

But now comes the hard part, and for America, the much bigger decision. We do not yet know for certain who will have the honor of being the Democratic Party's nominee for President. But we know where either of their candidates will lead this country, and we dare not let them. They will promise a new approach to governing, but offer only the policies of a political orthodoxy that insists the solution to government's failures is to simply make it bigger. They will appeal to our dreams of a better future for ourselves, our families and our country, but they would take from us more of the wealth we have earned to build those dreams and assure us that government is better able than we are to make decisions about our future for us. They will promise to break with the failed politics of the past, but will campaign in ways that seek to minimize their exposure to questions from the press and challenges from voters who ask more from their candidates than an empty promise of "trust me, I know better." They will paint a picture of the world in which America's mistakes are a greater threat to our security than the malevolent intentions of an enemy that despises us and our ideals; a world that can be made safer and more peaceful by placating our implacable foes and breaking faith with allies and the millions of people in this world for whom America, and the global progress of our ideals, has long been "the last, best hope of earth."

We will offer different ideas, based in a better understanding of the challenges we face, and the resolve to confront them with confidence in the strength and ideals of free people. We believe that Americans, not our detractors and certainly not our enemies, are on the right side of history. We trust in the strength, industry and goodness of the American people. We don't believe that government has all the answers. We believe that government must respect the rights, property and opportunities of the people to whom we are accountable. We don't believe in growing the size of government to make it easier to serve our own ambitions. We believe that what government is expected to do, what we cannot do for ourselves individually, it must do with competence, resolve and wisdom.

The American people don't send us to Washington to serve our self-interest, but to serve theirs. They don't send us to fight each other for our own political ambitions; but to fight together our real enemies. They don't send us to Washington to stroke our egos; but to help them keep this beautiful, bountiful, blessed country safe, prosperous, proud and free. They don't send us to Washington to take more of their money, and waste it on things that add not an ounce to America's strength and prosperity; that don't help a single family realize the dreams we all dream for our children; that don't help a single displaced worker find a new job, and the security and dignity it assures them; that won't keep the promise we make to young workers that the retirement they have begun to invest in, will be there for them when they need it. They don't send us to Washington to do their job, but to do ours; to do it better and with less of t heir money.

The work we face in our time is great, but our opportunities greater still. In a time of war, and the terrible sacrifices it entails, the promise of a better future is not always clear. But I promise you, my friends, we face no enemy, no matter how cruel; and no challenge, no matter how daunting, greater than the courage, patriotism and determination of Americans. We are the makers of history, not its victims.

Hope, my friends, is a powerful thing. I can attest to that better than many, for I have seen men's hopes tested in hard and cruel ways that few will ever experience. And I stood astonished at the resilience of their hope in the darkest of hours because it did not reside in an exaggerated belief in their individual strength, but in the support of their comrades, and their faith in their country. My hope for our country resides in my faith in the American character, the character which proudly defends the right to think and do for ourselves, but perceives self-interest in accord with a kinship of ideals, which, when called upon, Americans will defend with their very lives.

To encourage a country with only rhetoric rather than sound and proven ideas that trust in the strength and courage of free people is not a promise of hope. It is a platitude.

When I was a young man, I thought glory was the highest ambition, and that all glory was self-glory. My parents tried to teach me otherwise, as did the Naval Academy. But I didn't understand the lesson until later in life, when I confronted challenges I never expected to face.In that confrontation I discovered that I was dependent on others to a greater extent than I had ever realized, but that neither they nor the cause we served made any claims on my identity. On the contrary, I discovered that nothing is more liberating in life than to fight for a cause that encompasses you, but is not defined by your existence alone. And that has made all the difference, my friends, all the difference in the world.

I do not seek the presidency on the presumption that I am blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save my country in its hour of need. I seek the presidency with the humility of a man who cannot forget that my country saved me. I am running to serve America, and to champion the ideas I believe will help us do what every American generation has managed to do: to make in our time, and from our challenges, a stronger country and a better world.

I intend to do that by fighting for the principles and policies I believe best serve the interests of the American people: for a government that takes and spends less of your money and competently discharges its responsibilities; that shows a proper respect for our rights and values; that provides a strong and capable defense; that encourages the enterprise and ingenuity of individuals, businesses and families, who know best how to advance America's economy, and secure the dreams that have made us the greatest nation in history. As I have done my entire career, I will make my case to every American who will listen. I will not confine myself to the comfort of speaking only to those who agree with me. I will make my case to all the people. I will listen to those who disagree. I will attempt to persuade them. I will debate. And I will learn from them. But I will fight every moment of every day for what I believe is right for t his country, and I will not yield. And, my friends, I promise you, I am fired up and ready to go.

Thank you, and God bless you.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Blogger Buzz - Virginia Leadership Rallies in Richmond to Support John McCain

(Pictured above: Scene from Richmond Campaign Rally for Senator John McCain at the Virginia Aviation Museum)


Senator McCain could not help but check out this very cool A-4C USN bomber down in Richmond this afternoon.

Check out all of the Conservative Support lining up behind Senator McCain. In this photo alone from this afternoon's Richmond Rally, you can easily see former AG Jerry Kilgore, U.S. Senators George Allen and John Warner and Presidential Candidate and soon-to-be Virginia GOP Primary Delegate Victor John McCain--standing on the far right of course.

Also today, we learned that Governor Jeb Bush of Florida and social conservative Gary Bauer have both endorsed John McCain for President.

Virginians, All Hands on Deck! Tomorrow is GOP Primary Election Day (February 12, 2008) Vote for John McCain!

The Commonwealth of Virginia is holding its Republican 2008 Presidential Primary tomorrow, February 12, 2008! Hello...It is Finally ELECTION DAY PEOPLE!

Make sure and exercise your right to vote. Remember Freedom is not Free, so make the most of it and come out to support John McCain tomorrow. Go to the Polls tomorrow and Stand Strong for Freedom.

Encourage friends and family to vote for John McCain as well. In addition to exercising democracy, Primaries are one of our few ways we can identify Republicans in Virginia for future elections--so please come out to vote to help build our Virginia Republican Party.

Click here to visit the Virginia State Board of Elections to find out where you are supposed to vote tomorrow!

Although the Virginia Republican Primary Ballot will have six Republican candidates on it, all but three are still actively pursuing the 2008 Republican nomination. The right candidate who is: "Too Tough to Die" and "Will Never Surrender" for the American People is John McCain.

Remember President Ronald Reagan's quote when he assumed office: "The Only Way to Guarantee Peace is to Surrender." This is not a time to have Commander-in-Chief who needs to learn on the job. John McCain will beat Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the General Election in November.
Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson will both appear on tomorrow's Virginia ballot, but they are out of the 2008 GOP race and have endorsed John McCain for President.

Delegate Chris Saxman, U.S. Senator John Warner and former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore serve as John McCain's 2008 Presidential Campaign Co-Chairmen for Virginia.

Former U.S. Senator and Governor George Allen, former Governor Jim Gilmore, Attorney General Bob McDonnell, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and U.S. Representatives Tom Davis, Thelma Drake and Eric Cantor and Actor Sylvester Stallone have all endorsed John McCain for President.
See you tomorrow night at 7pm in Alexandria, Virginia at the McCain '08 Victory Party - Holiday Inn and Conference Center, Historic Old Town Alexandria!

John McCain Visits the Virginia Aviation Museum in Richmond Today

From all early reports the McCain '08 event in Richmond went well this afternoon. I can't wait to see the pictures. I wonder if they allowed Senator McCain to climb into this Douglas A-4C Skyhawk (pictured above), a U.S. Navy Light Bomber used throughout the Vietnam War and I believe the type of jet flown by the Senator.

The A-4 was a U.S. Navy, carrier based, single-seat bomber manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Corporation from 1956 - 1979. This was the longest production run of any US military fighter aircraft in history. Approximately 2,960 A-4s (all models) were built and believe it or not for only about $860,000 per jet. Now, we regularly spend millions per fighter, i.e. F-22.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

George Allen to Appear at 8:00AM on Monday for "Richmond Morning News" to Discuss His Support of John McCain

George Allen to Appear on “Richmond’s Morning News” with Jimmy Barrett TODAY
Monday, February 11th, 2008

Governor George Allen will appear on “Richmond’s Morning News” with Jimmy Barrett on WRVA 1140AM at 8:00am to discuss Senator John McCain and Tuesday’s Virginia Primary. Tune in to 1140AM in the Richmond area or go to http://www.wrva.com/main.html to listen live.

Young Republican Leadership Conference April 30-May 4, 2008 in Washington, DC


(Hopefully, with the nomination well in hand and a victory Tuesday in Virginia, Senator McCain will be able to attend YRLC2008 as well to share his insight with YRs from around the Nation)

Please visit the 2008 Young Republican Leadership Conference's new web site here.

On the YRLC2008 web site you will find all the information you need for attending the planned YR Leadership Conference! You should also be hearing from your local YR Club Chair about this exciting opportunity so close to the Commonwealth!

Speakers Include:
Speaker Newt Gingrich
Congressman Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Chairman Republican House Policy Committee,
Cyrus Krohn, former publisher of Slate, an online news magazine and current Republican National Committee eCampaign Director

The Conference will also include:
Visit to the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives
Tour of the U.S. Capitol
Visit to the White House

Please check the www.YRLC2008.net website often for the latest updates.

You can also become a member of the yrlc2008 blog for up to the minute info from us as well as attendees of the conference.

Young Republican Federation of Virginia's 2008 Annual Convention April 4-5, 2008 in Richmond

(Pictured above: Richmond, VA site of the YRFV's 2008 Convention)


What: YRFV 2008 Convention
Who: Young Republicans from around the Commonwealth
When: April 4-5, 2008
Where: Omni Hotel Richmond
100 South 12th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Phone: (804) 344-7000


For more information, please contact: YRFV Convention 2008

Former Governor Jim Gilmore, U.S. Representatives Eric Cantor (VA-7) and Thelma Drake (VA-2) endorse John McCain for President

Joining Delegate Chris Saxman, U.S. Senator John Warner, Attorney General Jerry Kilgore and Congressman Tom Davis in support of Senator McCain are fellow former Co-Chairmen for Fred Thompson '08 Senator George Allen and Attorney General Bob McDonnell in support Senator John McCain.

As can be seen below, former Governor Jim Gilmore (article in the WashTimes today), Congressman Eric Cantor (Very cool Cantor blog here) and Congresswoman Thelma Drake are also now supporting McCain for President. More to come tomorrow...

Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore Endorses John McCain
February 9, 2008
From the McCain '08 Newsroom

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that former Virginia Governor, Jim Gilmore, has endorsed John McCain for president.

"There is one issue that is more pressing than all others -- winning the war against radical Islamic extremism," said Governor Gilmore. "And there is one man who is best prepared to step-in and serve as commander in chief from day one John McCain. I have known John McCain for years. He is a proven conservative leader with a track record of cutting taxes, eliminating wasteful government spending, upholding our traditional values, and promoting a strong national defense. I urge my fellow Virginians to join me in voting for and supporting John McCain this Tuesday."
_________________________________
RTD: McCain: Democrats Misunderstand War
By Bill Geroux, Richmond Times-Dispatch
February 9, 2008

NORFOLK -- Sen. John McCain, newly confident of being the GOP's presidential nominee, used the home of the world's largest Navy base yesterday to state his qualifications for becoming commander-in-chief.

The visit, four days before Virginia's presidential primary, came as McCain announced a campaign rally for 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Virginia Aviation Museum at Richmond International Airport.

Also yesterday, McCain picked up endorsements from Attorney General Bob McDonnell, who previously backed former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, and from Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th.
***
In Norfolk, McCain said the surge in Iraq is working and that he will listen mainly to Gen. David Petraeus, the military commander in Iraq, about what troop levels are needed. McCain said it would be a mistake to set a timetable for U.S. withdrawal, as Democrats suggest.

***
McCain recalled that his first duty station in the Navy was nearby at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach. He joked about having led the good life of a young jet pilot at the beach.
______________________________________________
U.S. REP. THELMA DRAKE TO ENDORSE SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT
February 9, 2008

(Virginia Beach, V.A.) U.S. Representative Thelma Drake (VA-02) will hold a press conference on Monday morning, Feb. 11th, to endorse Senator John McCain for president. With her will be Doug McCain, son of Senator John McCain and Virginia Beach resident.

John McCain Election Night Party in Alexandria, VA this Tuesday 2-12-08!

Virginia Election Night Party, Alexandria
What: Virginia Election Night Party, Alexandria
When: February 12, 2008 7:00pm
Where: Ballroom, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites
Alexandria Historic District
625 First Street Alexandria, VA22314

John McCain returns to Virginia for an Election Night Party on Tuesday, February 12th at 7:00pm in Alexandria.

To RSVP, please email Virginia Volunteers for McCain

Attorney General Bob McDonnell Endorses John McCain for President

(Now the whole FDT team has endorsed John McCain for President: Former Senators Fred Thompson and George Allen and here, Attorney General Bob McDonnell.)
2/8/2008
Dear Friend,
Yesterday, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney formally ended his campaign for President. With this decision, it is now clear that Senator John McCain will be the Republican nominee for President of the United States in 2008. I will be supporting Senator McCain and I urge all Republicans, independents, and fair-minded Democrats to join me.
I served, along with my good friend Governor George Allen, as the Co-Chairman of the Fred Thompson campaign in Virginia. He is a consistent conservative, and for that reason Fred Thompson found strong support among Virginia conservatives. Unfortunately, with such a late start to the race, the Thompson campaign was never able to get the traction it needed.
Now it is time for our party to unify around our nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona.
John McCain's heroic service to our nation needs no retelling. He is a highly decorated war hero and former POW. Only a few other Americans can truly understand what he went through for our nation. His personal experience bolstered his passion for freedom. His valor is unmatched, his sense of duty unquestioned, his love of country unparallelled. As a veteran myself, with a daughter who has served in Iraq, I can say with confidence that there is no candidate more qualified to lead our armed services in this global war against terrorism.
Senator McCain has been a stalwart champion of fiscal responsibility and a vocal opponent of runaway earmarks and excessive government spending. He is pro-life and he has consistently voted for life and traditional values. Throughout his service in the United States Senate, John McCain has earned an 82% lifetime conservative ranking from the American Conservative Union.
I know there is significant concern with some of John McCain's positions over the years. I have very much disagreed with some of his views on immigration, energy policy and campaign finance. However, the Republican nominating contest is effectively over. John McCain is going to be our nominee. He will face either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama in the general election. The stakes are too high and the differences are too vast, to not do all we can to ensure that John McCain is elected the next President of the United States.
John McCain will be a strong Commander-in-Chief in waging the War on Terror, while either Democrat would vacillate. John McCain will appoint strict constructionist judges to the bench, the Democrats will not. John McCain knows you grow an economy and bolster free enterprise by keeping taxes low and limiting government regulation, the Democrats believe in higher taxes and spending, and more government programs. John McCain will make the Bush tax cuts permanent. Both Democrats would eliminate them.
These are not slight differences in philosophy. These are fundamental differences on the crucial issues of our time, and the direction American takes on these economic and international policies will be determined by our choice for President. The stakes could not be higher.
I thank Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee for their spirited campaigns and immense contributions to the debate about the future of our nation. They have ensured the vitality of the nominating process and enlivened our democracy.
I will be casting my vote for John McCain this Tuesday. After that, I will be doing all I can to unify our party, promote our vision for America, and keep a Republican in the White House.
I hope you will join me in electing John McCain the next President of the United States.

Fred Thompson Endorses John McCain for President


(Hopefully all of the Ann Coulter types who plan to support Hillary will crawl back into their holes now. The FredHead leader has endorsed John McCain for President. Fred Thompson is yet another staunch conservative supporting John McCain. Senator McCain will rock on Tuesday 3-0. The Huckster will be the next to fall and fall hard.)

Fred Thompson Backs McCain
By Michael D Shear
Washington Post
February 9, 2008

Fred Thompson, the one-time Republican presidential candidate, endorsed Sen. John McCain Friday, calling on the party to "close ranks" behind the presumed nominee.

"This is no longer about past preferences or differences. It is about what is best for our country and for me that means that Republican should close ranks behind John McCain," Thompson said in a statement reported by the Associated Press.

Thompson's endorsement was expected. The two men were colleagues for years in the Senate and shared what associates called a friendship.

John McCain Campaigns Tomorrow, Monday Feb. 11th, in Richmond - Be There!

Please join John McCain and the Virginia Leadership for a Virginia Rally in Richmond on Monday, February 11th at 5:30pm. The Virginia primary is on Tuesday, February 12th and we need your support to secure the Republican nomination!
Join Senator John McCain and The Virginia Leadership
at a Virginia Rally in
Richmond
Monday, February 11th
5:30pm

Virginia Aviation Museum
5701 Huntsman Rd
Richmond, VA

John McCain Spanking the Competition in Virginia!

McCain has huge lead in Va.
The Politico
By: Jonathan Martin
February 10, 2008

John McCain appears on track to enjoy a convincing win in the Virginia primary Tuesday.

Mason-Dixon, polling for some of the commonwealth's finest newspapers, has:

John McCain: 55%
Mike Huckabee: 27%
Ron Paul: 5%

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Sen. John McCain Campaigns in Norfolk, VA on Friday, February 8, 2008

(Pictured above: National Maritime Museum in Norfolk. Senator McCain will be campaigning at Nauticus tomorrow in Norfolk)
(Pictured above: Visitors walk the main deck aboard the battleship Wisconsin (BB-64) during the grand opening as a permanent center piece exhibit at Norfolk's Nauticus Naval Heritage Museum, Apr. 16, 2001. The opening marked the 57th anniversary of the ship's commissioning, conducted at the Philadelphia Navy Yard)

(Pictured above: Virginia Senator John Warner addresses the crowd aboard Wisconsin (BB-64) during its 60th anniversary of the battleship's commissioning, April 16, 2004. Senator Warner will appear with Senator McCain tomorrow)
From McCain 08 Newsroom

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that John McCain will hold a National Security Roundtable and media availability in Norfolk, Virginia on February 8th.

Friday, February 8, 2008
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

WHO: John McCain
Former Secretary of the Navy William Ball
U.S. Senator Sam Brownback
Former Governor Frank Keating
Former Secretary of the Navy John Lehman
U.S. Senator John Warner

WHAT: National Security Roundtable
WHEN: Friday, February 8, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. EST
Press Set Up Time: 8:45 a.m. EST

WHERE: National Maritime Museum
One Waterside Drive
Norfolk, Virginia
______________________________________
WHO: John McCain
WHAT: Media Availability

WHEN: Friday, February 8, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. EST
Press Set Up Time: 10:15 a.m. EST

WHERE: National Maritime Museum
One Waterside Drive
Norfolk, Virginia

John McCain Delivers Speech at CPAC 2008 and Wins Over Conservatives

Remarks By John McCain to CPAC
From the McCain 08 Newsroom
For Immediate Release
February 7, 2008

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released the following remarks by John McCain as prepared for delivery:

Thank you. Thank you for inviting me. It's been a little while since I've had the honor of addressing you, and I appreciate very much your courtesy to me today. We should do this more often. I hope you will pardon my absence last year, and understand that I intended no personal insult to any of you. I was merely pre-occupied with the business of trying to escape the distinction of pre-season frontrunner for the Republican nomination, which, I'm sure some of you observed, I managed to do in fairly short order. But, now, I again have the privilege of that distinction, and this time I would prefer to hold on to it for a while.

I know I have a responsibility, if I am, as I hope to be, the Republican nominee for President, to unite the party and prepare for the great contest in November. And I am acutely aware that I cannot succeed in that endeavor, nor can our party prevail over the challenge we will face from either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama, without the support of dedicated conservatives, whose convictions, creativity and energy have been indispensible to the success our party has had over the last quarter century. Many of you have disagreed strongly with some positions I have taken in recent years. I understand that. I might not agree with it, but I respect it for the principled position it is. And it is my sincere hope that even if you believe I have occasionally erred in my reasoning as a fellow conservative, you will still allow that I have, in many ways important to all of us, maintained the record of a conservative. Further, I hope you will grant that I have defended many positions we share just as ardently as I have made my case for positions that have provoked your opposition. If not, thank you for this opportunity to make my case today.
I am proud to be a conservative, and I make that claim because I share with you that most basic of conservative principles: that liberty is a right conferred by our Creator, not by governments, and that the proper object of justice and the rule of law in our country is not to aggregate power to the state but to protect the liberty and property of its citizens. And like you, I understand, as Edmund Burke observed, that "whenever a separation is made between liberty and justice, neither . . . is safe."

While I have long worked to help grow a public majority of support for Republican candidates and principles, I have also always believed, like you, in the wisdom of Ronald Reagan, who warned in an address to this conference in 1975, that "a political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency or simply to swell its numbers."

I attended my first CPAC conference as the invited guest of Ronald Reagan, not long after I had returned from overseas, when I heard him deliver his "shining city upon a hill" speech. I was still a naval officer then, but his words inspired and helped form my own political views, just as Ronald Reagan's defense of America's cause in Vietnam and his evident concern for American prisoners of war in that conflict inspired and were a great comfort to those of us who, in my friend Jerry Denton's words, had the honor of serving "our country under difficult circumstances." I am proud, very proud, to have come to public office as a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution. And if a few of my positions have raised your concern that I have forgotten my political heritage, I want to assure you that I have not, and I am as proud of that association today as I was then. My record in public office taken as a whole is the record of a mainstr eam conservative. I believe today, as I believed twenty-five years ago, in small government; fiscal discipline; low taxes; a strong defense, judges who enforce, and not make, our laws; the social values that are the true source of our strength; and, generally, the steadfast defense of our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which I have defended my entire career as God-given to the born and unborn.

Those are my beliefs, and you need not examine only my past votes and speeches to assure yourselves that they are my genuine convictions. You can take added confidence from the positions I have defended during this campaign. I campaigned in Iowa in opposition to agriculture subsidies. I campaigned in New Hampshire against big government mandated health care and for a free market solution to the problem of unavailable and unaffordable health care. I campaigned in Michigan for the tax incentives and trade policies that will create new and better jobs in that economically troubled state. I campaigned in Florida against the national catastrophic insurance fund bill that passed the House of Representatives and defended my opposition to the prescription drug benefit bill that saddled Americans with yet another hugely expensive entitlement program. I have argued to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, to reduce the corporate tax rate and abolish the AMT. I have defended my position on protecting our Second Amendment rights, including my votes against waiting periods, bans on the so-called "assault weapons," and illegitimate lawsuits targeting gun manufacturers. I have proudly defended my twenty-four year pro-life record. Throughout this campaign, I have defended the President's brave decision to increase troop levels in Iraq to execute a long overdue counterinsurgency that has spared us the terrible calamity of losing that war. I held these positions because I believed they were in the best interests of my party and country."
Surely, I have held other positions that have not met with widespread agreement from conservatives. I won't pretend otherwise nor would you permit me to forget it. On the issue of illegal immigration, a position which provoked the outspoken opposition of many conservatives, I stood my ground aware that my position would imperil my campaign. I respect your opposition for I know that the vast majority of critics to the bill based their opposition in a principled defense of the rule of law. And while I and other Republican supporters of the bill were genuine in our intention to restore control of our borders, we failed, for various and understandable reasons, to convince Americans that we were. I accept that, and have pledged that it would be among my highest priorities to secure our borders first, and only after we achieved widespread consensus that our borders are secure, would we address other aspects of the problem in a wa y that defends the rule of law and does not encourage another wave of illegal immigration.
All I ask of any American, conservative, moderate, independent, or enlightened Democrat, is to judge my record as a whole, and accept that I am not in the habit of making promises to my country that I do not intend to keep. I hope I have proven that in my life even to my critics. Then vote for or against me based on that record, my qualifications for the office, and the direction where I plainly state I intend to lead our country. If I am so fortunate as to be the Republican nominee for President, I will offer Americans, in what will be a very challenging and spirited contest, a clearly conservative approach to governing. I will make my case to voters, no matter what state they reside in, in the same way. I will not obscure my positions from voters who I fear might not share them. I will stand on my convictions, my conservative convictions, and trust in the good sense of the voters, and in my confidence that conservative pr inciples still appeal to a majority of Americans, Republicans, Independents and Reagan Democrats.
Often elections in this country are fought within the margins of small differences. This one will not be. We are arguing about hugely consequential things. Whomever the Democrats nominate, they would govern this country in a way that will, in my opinion, take this country backward to the days when government felt empowered to take from us our freedom to decide for ourselves the course and quality of our lives; to substitute the muddled judgment of large and expanding federal bureaucracies for the common sense and values of the American people; to the timidity and wishful thinking of a time when we averted our eyes from terrible threats to our security that were so plainly gathering strength abroad. It is shameful and dangerous that Senate Democrats are blocking an extension of surveillance powers that enable our intelligence and law enforcement to defend our country against radical Islamic extremists. This election is going to be about big things, not small things. And I intend to fight as hard as I can to ensure that our principles prevail over theirs.

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama want to increase the size of the federal government.
I intend to reduce it. I will not sign a bill with earmarks in it, any earmarks in it. I will fight for the line item veto, and I will not permit any expansion whatsoever of the entitlement programs that are bankrupting us. On the contrary, I intend to reform those programs so that government is no longer in that habit of making promises to Americans it does not have the means to keep.
Senator Clinton and Senator Obama will raise your taxes.

I intend to cut them. I will start by making the Bush tax cuts permanent. I will cut corporate tax rates from 35 to 25% to keep industries and jobs in this country. I will end the Alternate Minimum Tax. And I won't let a Democratic Congress raise your taxes and choke the growth of our economy.

They will offer a big government solution to health care insurance coverage.
I intend to address the problem with free market solutions and with respect for the freedom of individuals to make important choices for themselves.
They will appoint to the federal bench judges who are intent on achieving political changes that the American people cannot be convinced to accept through the election of their representatives.
I intend to nominate judges who have proven themselves worthy of our trust that they take as their sole responsibility the enforcement of laws made by the people's elected representatives, judges of the character and quality of Justices Roberts and Alito, judges who can be relied upon to respect the values of the people whose rights, laws and property they are sworn to defend.
Senator Clinton and Senator Obama will withdraw our forces from Iraq based on an arbitrary timetable designed for the sake of political expediency, and which recklessly ignores the profound human calamity and dire threats to our security that would ensue.
I intend to win the war, and trust in the proven judgment of our commanders there and the courage and selflessness of the Americans they have the honor to command. I share the grief over the terrible losses we have suffered in its prosecution. There is no other candidate for this office who appreciates more than I do just how awful war is. But I know that the costs in lives and treasure we would incur should we fail in Iraq will be far greater than the heartbreaking losses we have suffered to date. And I will not allow that to happen.

They won't recognize and seriously address the threat posed by an Iran with nuclear ambitions to our ally, Israel, and the region.

I intend to make unmistakably clear to Iran we will not permit a government that espouses the destruction of the State of Israel as its fondest wish and pledges undying enmity to the United States to possess the weapons to advance their malevolent ambitions.
Senator Clinton and Senator Obama will concede to our critics that our own actions to defend against its threats are responsible for fomenting the terrible evil of radical Islamic extremism, and their resolve to combat it will be as flawed as their judgment.

I intend to defeat that threat by staying on offense and by marshaling every relevant agency of our government, and our allies, in the urgent necessity of defending the values, virtues and security of free people against those who despise all that is good about us.

These are but a few of the differences that will define this election. They are very significant differences, and I promise you, I intend to contest these issues on conservative grounds and fight as hard as I can to defend the principles and positions we share, and to keep this country safe, proud, prosperous and free.

We have had a few disagreements, and none of us will pretend that we won't continue to have a few. But even in disagreement, especially in disagreement, I will seek the counsel of my fellow conservatives. If I am convinced my judgment is in error, I will correct it. And if I stand by my position, even after benefit of your counsel, I hope you will not lose sight of the far more numerous occasions when we are in complete accord.

I began by assuring you that we share a conception of liberty that is the bedrock of our beliefs as conservatives. As you know, I was deprived of liberty for a time in my life, and while my love of liberty is no greater than yours, you can be confident that mine is the equal of any American's. It is a deep and unwavering love. My life experiences in service to our country inform my political judgments. They are at the core of my convictions. I am pro-life and an advocate for the Rights of Man everywhere in the world because of them, because I know that to be denied liberty is an offense to nature and nature's Creator. I will never waver in that conviction, I promise you.

I know in this country our liberty will not be seized in a political revolution or by a totalitarian government. But, rather, as Burke warned, it can be "nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts." I am alert to that risk and will defend against it, and ta ke comfort from the knowledge that I will be encouraged in that defense by my fellow conservatives.

You have heard me say before that for all my reputation as a maverick, I have only found true happiness in serving a cause greater than my self-interest. For me, that cause has always been our country, and the ideals that have made us great. I have been her imperfect servant for many years, and I have made many mistakes. You can attest to that, but need not. For I know them well myself. But I love her deeply and I will never, never tire of the honor of serving her. I cannot do that without your counsel and support. And I am grateful, very grateful, that you have given me this opportunity to ask for it.

Thank you and God bless you.

Loudoun Times-Mirror Newspaper Endorses John McCain for President

For president -- John McCain
Opinion
By Staff
Loudoun Times-Mirror (Northern VA Newspaper)
February 6, 2008

On Feb. 12, Loudoun County and Virginia -- along with Maryland and D.C. -- vote in Democratic and Republican party primaries toward a historic November election.

As a birthplace of more American presidents (eight) than any other state, Virginians take special pride in this quadrennial national leadership process.

America is searching for a trusted leader, one who would bring the national parties together for the common cause, both home and abroad.
Among the candidates of both parties, only Republican Sen. John McCain has demonstrated leadership qualities and a broad understanding of the issues. He has shown the vision to meet future challenges.

McCain boasts a rare blend of courage and national experience, boldly fighting for more than two decades for needed change in the U.S. Senate. He is a national hero, visibly forged by those years he spent as a prisoner of war in Vietnam after his Navy plane was shot down.

In this campaign, during which most candidates have fashioned and then refashioned their "‘core" beliefs to fit the political winds, McCain shows unswerving conviction and integrity. His values, beliefs, personal goals and principles were brutally tempered in war and have since been built and deeply tested in congressional service.
Consider these most essential issues facing the country:

  • McCain's fundamental beliefs on domestic issues are founded upon his conviction that it is each person's basic responsibility to look after himself or herself, and that the government's job is essentially to take care of those fairly needing help. On the current national economic situation, he remains a believer in the power of tax cuts and is leader of a new growing band of both Democrats and Republicans determined to end wasteful (i.e. pork barrel) spending in Washington.

  • On foreign policy, McCain as president would clearly be best prepared to maintain a strong, secure nation respected around the world for honoring its commitments.

  • On the Iraq war, McCain said at the war's beginning that our attack to take down Saddam Hussein as a threat to Middle East peace was the right thing to do, but that in launching the full Iraq war, the Bush administration failed by having no plan to end it and bring peace to the region. McCain then led the firing of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and initiated the controversial and so far successful U.S. troop surge, devised by Gen. David Petraeus.

  • McCain advocates immigration reform to safeguard our borders and provide a just pathway to U.S. citizenship (not amnesty) for the estimated 12 million illegal aliens currently in this country.

  • McCain has long been out front on both the global warming issue and on conservation of the nation's natural resources and open-space land.
    On an issue of special concern to Virginia, McCain is a firm supporter of the country's right-to-work law guaranteeing that working people may choose whether or not to join a labor union and not be forced by a proposed new federal law that would require everyone to join and pay union dues to keep a job.

  • On all of the major national issues confronting this country, McCain has shown a special capacity to reach across liberal and conservative political lines to achieve consensus. In war and in peace, through our toughest recent times, this seasoned American leader has, with the courage of his convictions, made things successfully happen in the best interests of Americans. He would lead us and return respect of America and its ideals throughout the world.
The Times-Mirror endorses, without reservation, the election of U.S. Sen. John McCain to become our next president and commander in chief.

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