McCain Accepts Nomination, Touts POW Experience
(ST. PAUL) Ceding the role of attack dog to his running mate, John McCain accepted the nomination of the Republican Party tonight by talking extensively about his military experience and criticizing Barack Obama's policy positions. "I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise them. I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them," McCain said. "I will cut government spending. He will increase it."
But in an attempt to bolster his maverick image, he criticized Republicans as well. "We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption," he said. "We're going to change that. We're going to recover the people's trust by standing up again for the values Americans admire."
McCain spoke of his years as a POW in Vietnam and the appreciation it instilled in him for the United States. His record of service, he argued, uniquely qualifies him for his presidency. "I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as President," he said. "I have that record and the scars to prove it. Sen. Obama does not."