CORRECTION APPENDED

Writing in The New Republic this week, Leon Wisseltier confessed that as he watched the returns from New Hampshire earlier this month, he could not help but feeling “rather stirred by the one from Arizona.” He was referring, of course, to John McCain, the veteran Arizona senator who after a summer of campaign ups and downs has made a miraculous recovery, finding himself once again a major contender for the Republican nomination [see correction below].

Like Wisseltier, we find ourselves rather stirred by McCain. Having held public office for more than 25 years, McCain still appears vigorous, energetic and ready to lead the nation at the age of seventy-one. Although we cannot support all of his policy positions, we believe that, all things considered, McCain is the clear choice for the Republican nomination.

McCain’s political career has been marked by a deep sense of idealism and integrity, shaped by a lifetime of diverse experiences. A veteran of the Vietnam War, McCain was held as a prisoner of war for more than five years, enduring endless torture and interrogation, and at times, being denied any medical treatment. This memory informs McCain’s stance on torture—he is unequivocally against it. This sets him apart from much of the Republican Party (and many of his opponents), whose view of what constitutes torture is much more narrow. McCain’s foreign policy viewpoint is also much broader and pragmatic than many of his Republican contemporaries. During his extensive experience in the Senate, he has been on the front lines of many foreign policy debates and has traveled extensively to foreign areas in turmoil.

Of course, we still have certain qualms about McCain’s campaign. His steadfastness in supporting the Iraq War, for instance, worries us. While we agree that a timed withdrawal would be a foolhardy move on the part of the military, McCain’s undying faith in Petraeus, the recent surge, and his confidence that this is a fight we can win seems panglossian. Staying in Iraq in the long-term is not a viable solution for our nation or its military; we therefore hope McCain would work to get out of the region safely and peaceably as expeditiously as possible, even if that does not include “winning” the war.

We also worry about McCain’s stance on healthcare. He opposes any form of government-mandated or government-organized universal health care and supports tax exemptions for individuals and families to purchase health insurance. He thinks that by increasing competition among health insurance companies, prices can be driven down. While faith in the cogs of the free market is laudable, an issue as pressing as insuring the millions of uninsured Americans—and fixing our broken healthcare system—may require a bit more of a kick-start.

On immigration, McCain is often dubbed a dove. Admirably, he pushed an immigration policy proposal last summer that would grant amnesty and establish a path to citizenship for millions of illegal aliens currently living in America, despite taking a great deal of heat from the Republican base. We applaud McCain on these counts. Nevertheless, McCain also voted for a bill that includes erecting a Mexican border wall—a proposal that is likely to be more costly than it is effective and one that we simply cannot support.

Yet taking a broader perspective, McCain manages to be progressive where many members of his party fail. For instance, he is an ardent supporter of embryonic stem cell research and supports government funding of the science. He has recognized the need to address the current climate crisis, advocating a cap-and-trade policy. Although we wish he would go further in his efforts at fostering environmental awareness and conservation efforts, he is by far the best Republican candidate in this regard.

He also holds a realistic view of American education, having criticized No Child Left Behind and asserted that states ought not be forced to comply with it if they believes it interferes with their ability to effectively educate the state’s children.

McCain is also a major advocate of campaign-finance reform, having crossed party lines to join Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin to limit soft money and curb the corruption associated with funding a campaign. He has also publicly condemned pork barrel spending in Congress, which he believes interferes with national interests.

In light of his stances on these important issues, as well as his wealth of experience, we advise voters Republican primary voters to check the box for John McCain at the polls. He is not merely “that Senator from Arizona”—he is a public servant that has worked for the welfare of the entire country for more than a quarter of a century. A man like that is hard to find or pass up.

January 18's staff editorial "McCain for Republican Nominee" stated that Leon Wisseltier was the author of a piece in The New Republic. In fact, the author's name is spelled Leon Wieseltier. The Crimson regrets the error.