After the flambouyant sweep of New Hampshire by John McCain, which was a huge success, the usual chorus of naysayers begin with their admonitions to us McCain supporters.  The most fervent is the complaining about his Campaign Finance Reform and how it "squashes" free speech.  It is the most arcane argument I have ever heard, how limiting huge contributions from corporations to political candidates somehow muffles the political views of any citizen.  This is the ususal parsing of any attempt to actually get something done and effect change.  I find it doubtful that our forefathers, creating the protection of Free Speech, would have worried about hampering the efforts of corporate powers to enhance their "favor" rating with politicians.  There are those who feel free speech also protects the video record of child rape that we see so effectively dispatched on the internet.

And of course, McCain's greatest transgresssion, the bill sponsored with Ted Kennedy that so many see as a free ride for illegal immigrants.  Of course, what it really is, is a pragmatic approach to an untenable problem.  As a culture, we all waited too long to address our leaky border, and then in true American style, we lament the bitter fruit that we have sown by our own collective inattentiveness.  McCain is right, the prospect of rounding up 11 or 12 million illegals, sorting through them and deporting them is just not going to happen.  I find his bill with Kennedy to be lacking in some respects, but I have to look at the bigger picture.

It seems at times, that we are all waiting for that candidate with whom we agree entirely, on everything.  Any negative becomes a deal breaker.  It is of particular irony in McCain's case, as his entire career has been premised upon working both sides of the aisle, compromising, and with the intent that action, even partially flawed, is usually better than no action, which is what we're used to from our Federal government.

Folks need to look at the big picture with this guy.  Read his books.  How often have we had the opportunity to look this deeply into a candidate, into what he is made of.  This should be considered a huge plus, and anyone who is serious should take the time for, at least, a cursory glance.

As McCain remembered in his book, "Worth the Fighting For", Morris Udall once pointed out to him that the "difference between a caucus and a cactus is...a cactus has all its' pricks on the outside."