April 1st Guest Post Number 10, John McCain

Guest Post "Talked Straightly" from the mouth of John McCain

I'd like to thank XWL for graciously hosting my thoughts.

My fellow Americans, as I continue my run for the Republican Nomination for President of the United States in Election 2008, I have had to field some pointed questions regarding my past support (OK, it was beyond support, it was co-sponsorship) of McCain-Feingold Finance Reform.

I am here to say that the application of that law has been thoroughly misguided. I did not expect things to go as they have. I am man enough to admit that I was inattentive to the possibility that my bill would be used in ways I didn't expect.

I thought that this one time the laws of unintended consequences could be ignored, boy, was I wrong.

So now, due to this (and other positions), my position as the "true conservative" and "straight talker" in this campaign is in jeopardy. I'm here to assure you that nothing could be farther from the truth. Granted, my campaign has had problems, but these problems will correct themselves over time.

During the debates over the next few months I will show that Rudy is too liberal, and Mitt is too weird to govern this country. I will talk so straightly that your heads will spin.

I realize that some libertarians accuse me of being a 'big government' conservative along the lines of President George W. Bush, and I will tell them (at least until the primaries are over) that nothing could be farther from the truth. I embrace the small government movement, even if I've rarely voted against big government projects.

I will say whatever it takes to get the support of the various constituencies that have soured on me in the past, whether it's the Christian Conservatives who didn't like me in 2000 (we've kissed and made up), or the Libertarian Republicans who distrust me now (trust me, trust me, trust me, please), when I say I am a 'straight talker' I mean it. I will talk as straight as possible to each group, and hope nobody with a recording device posts my words so that one of the other groups heres my contradictions (or I'm toast).

In summary, I can't wait to the debates begin (at least so long as Sen. Thompson stays out of the race, he scares me).