The turnaround may just begin with the speech that McCain gave today in Virginia. I read the transcripts earlier today while I was at work and thought it seemed mediocre. Tonight I was able to catch a replay on C-SPAN and after hearing McCain deliver it, I was impressed to say the least.

The lead Obama has taken in the polls lately has had me ready for what some call “red meat”! I’ve been angry that this radical, left-wing socialist is trying to hurt my country, OUR country, and honestly, I’ve felt powerless to stop it. My question, like many other’s question was “Why isn’t McCain standing up for us and for the country he no doubt loves?!”

Today’s speech wasn’t what I had been hoping for. No talk of Obama’s ties to domestic terrorists, hate-filled pastors, or any other fellow radicals. I don’t even think I heard the words Fanny, or Freddie, or Franks, or Dodd. But somehow, it left me more optimistic than I’ve been in a while.

On the issues, McCain made the case for energy independence, lower taxes, slashing spending, and putting the government on a “budget” via veto pen. And perhaps more importantly, he explained how those things would help everyday Americans in these hard times.

He contrast that with Obama’s hugely expensive, big-government programs that risk stifling small business and sending jobs overseas or removing them altogether. Of course, Obama would have to pay for these thing with higher taxes, but that would be no problem with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi’s hands in our wallets.

Experienced Steady-handed Statesman or Risky Inexperienced Liberal was the theme of the day. And with so much at stake, I believe the question that McCain has posed will cause people to take a second look at the old war hero. In McCain’s word’s:

The next President won’t have time to get used to the office. He won’t have the luxury of studying up on the issues before he acts. He will have to act immediately. And to do that, he will need experience, courage, judgment and a bold plan of action to take this country in a new direction. We cannot spend the next four years as we have spent much of the last eight: waiting for our luck to change. The hour is late; our troubles are getting worse; our enemies watch. We have to act immediately. We have to change direction now. We have to fight.

McCain made the case for himself today better than I’ve ever seen it done. He connected with the people on a personal level and made the sharp contrasts between himself and Obama. He showed himself as the safe choice and then emplored us all to “choose wisely”.

KK