McCain Trying to Battle Back Into Race

From the Full Story at the Washington Post:

"Republican John McCain says talking tough or overseeing a business doesn't always translate into the credentials necessary to be a wartime commander in chief, a clear swipe at his chief presidential rivals.

The Arizona senator and Vietnam veteran planned to discuss his plans for the military in a speech Thursday amid signs of a revival for his candidacy. The latest New Hampshire poll showed improvement for McCain, who was returning to the state this weekend for a busy schedule of events.

More important, a campaign once low on cash planned to run its first ads of the 2008 race - largely biographical spots - in the coming days, also in New Hampshire."

Senator McCain's rise from the scrap heap - after a devastating loss in his partnership with Ted Kennedy on the immigration fiasco - is less a statement about his resilience as it is a lack of faith in his rivals. Instead of being good news for McCain, this is troubling news for Republicans. In a strong electoral field, McCain would have been thrown under the bus in June, after the immigration bill he forwarded was roundly thumped.

Add to that Trent Lott's nose thumbing at the base and the Republicans could have reworked their entire roster for 2008. However, both are back in line and running smoothly, indicating serious issues for the party. Should the Republicans lose the White House in 2008 and the Democrats pick up a bulletproof Senate, the GOP will be helpless, failing to garner even a mandate from the base.

There is much time to correct these problems ahead of the election, but the first step in the process is to get Senator McCain out of the Presidential mix, and that can be done by pounding him down in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida. If the party faithful allow him to hang around too long, his candidacy could be a disaster for general election chances.

Having said that, I'll note again that he is right on the war and an honorable man. Perhaps a leadership position in the senate, minus any input on immigration, would be a good fit for him. That will be something to consider, but the top of the ticket can't be even thought about, unless Republicans want to go ahead and concede defeat.