As an active volunteer for McCain Youth 2000 and someone who felt thoroughly disenfranchised by the Republican Party at the time, I am happy to see Sen. McCain finally get his victory lap. Unfortunately this victory lap is 8 years too late.

I welcome the political fight in the fall, and regardless of who receives the democratic nomination in August, the nominee will be running against a candidate who for independents and some democrats is extremely appealing.

Most independent-minded individuals remember how McCain 2000 stood up against evangelical figures, how he campaigned for his party's nomination from the center, how he energized a youthful, moderate base. Sadly however, McCain the 2008 model has actually gone backwards. This model is showing it's age.

John McCain will always be considered one of this country's greatest heroes. I long respected his ability to see his mistakes and correct them. I've also noticed how the republican machine has worn him down, beat him into a small, bitter version of his previous self. People forget just how awful the Bush people were to the McCain people. It was a mess and our man McCain would never forget it. Until he realized that, like Bush, he couldn't be his own man in the party of Lincoln.

I've stopped shedding (metaphorical) tears, but I do offer this unsolicited crumb of advice to the senator from Arizona: Don't run as a candidate seeking to govern for two terms.

If I were your top and most trusted adviser I would tell you to stay positive and fight hard. Keep the punches about facts, steer clear of typical republican sound bites and prepare yourself to have a very full four-year term. More on that a bit later.

I'm happy for Sen. McCain. The republican field was a rodeo of lesser-evils. He will prove to be hard-to-beat in November and will keep the polls close. His best hope for victory will be to see primary-weakened Hillary at the top of the Democratic ticket. If Obama the golden calf wins the nod, McCain's got as much of a chance as an ice cube in hell.

Labels: 2008 Election, Primary, Republican Party