Over the next four years, America will require the leadership of a wise, competent, and principled president. Among the presidential hopefuls, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) alone has proven himself capable of undertaking this enormous responsibility. His positions on critical issues such as terrorism, immigration, and torture reflect the wisdom that stems from a lifetime of service, and he has the moral integrity Americans can trust.

While other candidates are currently scrambling to appeal to their base, Sen. McCain can rely on his consistent voting record to verify his unwavering dedication to traditional conservative values. This has enabled him to—more than anyone else—dedicate himself to achieving real solutions for real problems, despite any political risk. He reached across the aisle to work with Democratic Senators Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) and Edward M. Kennedy ’54 -’56 (D-Mass.), respectively, to increase transparency in campaign finance and to tackle the problem of illegal immigration. Whether you look at these initiatives he’s passed in his 25 years in Congress, or at the five and a half years he spent as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, it is clear that McCain has always made service to his country—and not to a political party—his number one priority.

Some on the right have surely tried to use this admirable behavior to attack his conservative credentials, but his refusal to compromise his principles for approval ratings continues to attract voters across the spectrum. Aside from his bipartisan efforts, he has consistently supported plenty of conservative legislation, such as the Gramm-Rudman Act of 1985 that cut spending to reduce the budget deficit, and the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.

With this history, Conservatives can trust Sen. McCain to remain steadfast to their values, with campaign commitments to appointing judges to overturn Roe v. Wade, cutting taxes in a responsible way to promote economic growth, and securing the border and dealing with illegal immigration fairly yet compassionately.

Even his own opponents cannot refute that he is a true American hero and an honorable man. In this election, he has won an endorsement from Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) and from newspapers like The Boston Globe, The Concord Monitor, The Manchester Union Leader, and The Des Moines Register.

Having been involved in every major foreign-policy decision over the past few decades, he certainly stands head and shoulders above his opponents in both parties as the most experienced and knowledgeable in issues that will face our next commander-in-chief.

Despite personal opinion on the decision to invade Iraq, the alarming rate at which casualties have been escalating is undeniable. Though it was extremely unpopular at the time, in 2006 Sen. McCain alone offered his recommendation to deploy more troops to the region.

Now referred to commonly as “the surge”—a tactic that has thus far dramatically lowered number of casualties—this troop escalation has proven effective, and McCain’s early criticism of Donald Rumsfeld’s tactics was correct. Last year, American casualties declined in Dec. 2007 to 23 from a peak of 121 in May 2007. This 81 percent decrease over eight months marks the lowest number of casualties since 2004.

Today, McCain is the only presidential candidate who can deliver an American victory in Iraq. Though cynics may snicker at the thought of victory, McCain has proven that we can trust him in matters of foreign affairs. McCain’s position on foreign policy is thus an example of his excellent judgment and courage.

McCain also leads the Republican pack in his vocal efforts to find a solution for climate change. While other Republican candidates refuse to acknowledge that human activity has threatened our environment, he has sponsored bills to limit greenhouse gas emissions. In town hall meetings across New Hampshire, he has discussed the need to develop alternate sources of energy. He regularly inspires Republican voters—who might not otherwise give this issue a second thought—to recognize the danger of destroying our generation’s planet and becoming entrenched in dependency on foreign oil.

McCain’s reputation as a maverick above partisan politics is well-earned. Calling on his own experience as a prisoner of war, he has ardently opposed torture and criticized many in his own party who do not. While campaigning in Iowa, he refused to “drink his morning glass of ethanol,” as he jokingly refers to other candidates’ support of ethanol subsidies to pander to the Iowa constituency. Time and time again, he has come out against special interest groups and wasteful government spending, all in the name of serving the people.

Both conservatives as a group and Americans as a whole can trust Sen. McCain to exercise excellent judgment in promoting their interests. He has won over the country with his independent streak, relentless energy, and lifetime dedication to public service. This race has plenty of politicians, but John McCain is the only leader among them.

Brenda Maldonado ’10, an inactive Crimson news editor, is an Economics concentrator in Pforzheimer House. She is chair of Harvard Students for McCain.