GOP Ticket Visits Wisconsin First

This story was written by Carl Jaeger, Badger Herald

Twelve hours after he officially accepted the Republical party's presidential nomination, U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and his vice presidential pick Sarah Palin made their first post-convention stop Friday in Cedarburg.

With wife Cindy on hand, the trio rolled up in McCains campaign bus dubbed the Straight Talk Express, telling a crowd ofmorethan17,000 that political corruption in Washington, D.C. is going to stop.

I fought corruption, and it didnt matter if they were Democrats or Republicans, McCain said. We have former members of Congress residing in federal prison because of the system earmarking and pork barrel spending has corrupted what used to be good people.

The first earmark pork barrel bill that comes to McCains desk when he is president will be vetoed, he said, adding the information will be made public.

McCain also stressed the importance of becoming an energy independent nation.

Friends, well build more nuclear power plants. Well develop clean coal technology. Well increase the use of wind, tide, coal and natural gas, McCain said. Well make everything happen its all of the above, my friends.

He added the United States must produce more energy at home, saying We will drill offshore and we will drill now.

Were going to stop spending $700 million a year to countries that dont like us very much, McCain said. Because if some of thatmoney ends up in the hands of terrorists organizations, this is a national security issue its an economic issue.

McCain also called for some straight talk, as the nation is going through some tough times.

Youre worried about keeping your jobs, finding a new one,struggling to put food on the table, saving your home, McCain said. All youever ask a government is to stand on your side and not in your way, and thatswhat I intend to do.

McCain was introduced by Palin, calling her the mostmarvelous running mate in the history of this nation.

Palin said she empathized with the needs of people in small towns like Cedarburg, calling them people with honesty, sincerity and dignity.

They grow our food and they run our factories and they fight our wars and they love their country in good times and in bad, and they are always proud to be an American, Palin said, resulting in cheers of U.S.A. from the crowd.

McCains good judgment makes him the best candidate, Palin said, including his consistent stance on the Iraq war, in which troops have now brought victory within sight.

This is a man who has always been there to serve his country and not just his party a leader whos not looking for a fight, but he certainly isnt afraid of one, Palin said.

Palin said McCain had the vision and the will to see thesurge through to victory and criticized McCains opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for saying in an interview with Fox News on Thursday that the troop surge in Iraq succeeded.

In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers and there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change, Palin said.

University of Wisconsin College Republicans Chair Sara Mikolajczak, who attended the event Friday, said McCain and Palin successfully spread their message to Republicans and moderates alike.

I though that they both did a phenomenal job and that they really did try to hit home not only with the conservative base, but also to sway the moderates, Mikolajczak said.

She added she has been praying since the spring that Palin would be picked as McCains running mate.

UW College Democrats chair Claire Rydell said it ws nosurprise McCain and Palin stopped in Wisconsin after the convention and said McCains pick of Palin was a poor decision.

She is in no way qualified to be the vice president and definitely not president, Rydell said.

Obamas running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., is makinghis first stop in Wisconsin as the vice presidential nominee Monday in Green Bay.