St Paul, Minnesota - John McCain will tout his record as a
reformer and hopes to reclaim the mantle of change from his
Democratic opponent in a speech accepting the Republican Party's
presidential nomination on Thursday.
'Let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do
nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd: change is
coming,' McCain will say, according to excerpts of his speech
released in advance.
McCain, a 26-year Arizona senator but with a maverick reputation,
will sound many of the anti-establishment themes that have been the
cornerstone of Democratic rival Barack Obama's campaign for the
presidency.
But McCain will argue that he is the one with a proven ability to
shake up Washington and bring opposing politicians together, in an
attempt to rebuff the arguments of his Democratic opponents that he
represents the policies and practices of his unpopular Republican
compatriot, President George W Bush.
'The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these
problems isn't a cause, it's a symptom. It's what happens when people
go to Washington to work for themselves and not you,' McCain will
say.
'I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country
moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator
Obama does not,' McCain said, alluding to his five years as a
prisoner of war in Vietnam.
McCain was to be introduced by his wife Cindy on the final night
of the Republican National Convention in St Paul, Minnesota, who
would sound the theme heard throughout much of the last three days,
that McCain was a reformist and independent thinker.
'If Americans want straight talk and the plain truth they should
take a good close look at John McCain ... a man who's served in
Washington without ever becoming a Washington insider,' Cindy McCain
will say, according to excerpts of her speech.
Tom Ridge, a former Pennsylvania governor and the country's first
homeland security secretary after the September 11, 2001, attacks,
will describe McCain as a 'warrior who has sometimes stood alone.'
Obama criticized his Republican opponents on Thursday for a series
of negative attacks during the convention and too heavy a focus on
McCain's personal story as a Vietnam War veteran, while talking
little about economic issues.
'They've had a lot to say about me, but they haven't had anything
to say about you,' Obama said at a York, Pennsylvania rally.
'You haven't heard a word about how we're going to deal with any
aspect of the economy that is affecting you and your pocketbook day-
to-day,' he said.
In preparation for McCain's speech, the convention stage was
retooled and the podium extended further out into the crowd of
thousands of delegates, creating more of a townhall-style gathering,
which is famously McCain's favourite type of venue.
McCain's address follows that of his vice presidential candidate,
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who gave a fiery speech Wednesday night
that drew sharp distinctions with Obama and at times ridiculed his
lack of experience.
'I've been called worse on the basketball court. It's not that big
of a deal,' Obama said of the speech by Palin, who earned the
nickname 'Sarah Barracuda' by leading her high school basketball team
to a state championship.
Palin, who was a relatively unknown politician from one of the
least-populated US states until selected as McCain's running mate
last week, addressed delegates in what was seen as a speech to
introduce her to Americans.
More than 37 million people watched her convention speech,
according to Nielsen Media Research, only abut 1 million less than
watched Obama's acceptance speech last week.
It was unclear if McCain's acceptance speech would receive the
same ratings. Thursday was also the opening night of the American
football season.
Palin also touted herself as a reformist who understands the needs
of working class families and said McCain has a track record of
getting things done - a shot at Obama's perceived lack of experience.
Obama was first elected to the US Senate in 2004.
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