After watching "the Maverick," John McCain, spend the last 8 years poking his thumb in the eye of conservative Republicans (voting “NO” on the Bush tax cuts, campaign finance reform, immigration, gang of 14, etc.) while foolishly wallowing in the media's adoration, it should come as no surprise that Senator McCain never won the hearts, minds and souls of true conservatives. Nevertheless, comparing the two candidates it should have been enough for most Americans to simply vote "against" Obama on character, affiliations, experience, liberalism and a thousand other reasons, but still McCain never gave conservatives (outside of Sara Palin) enough to vote FOR. He is a good, decent, even heroic man, but ran a disorganized, apologetic campaign that was complicated by the perfect political economic/war weary/GWB-haters storm. Further diminishing his effectiveness, he had an impossible task of delivering messages into the “fifth column” headwinds of an Obama loving media, who turned on him (and Palin) like a pack of angry dogs the moment he became the Republican nominee. No surprise to conservative who are all too familiar with the anti Nixon – Ford - Reagan – Bush – Bush bashing media over the past forty years, but the nadir of bias, corruption and journalistic malpractice was breathtakingly disturbing.

Even with all the winds of change, economic meltdown and media cheerleading, McCain still had a chance at victory. If he had wisely voted against the bail-out, rightfully tied Frank & Dodd to Freddie & Fannie, been more measured/less erratic in responding to the credit crisis, aggressively used the hateful and racially charged, anti-American Jeremiah Wright issues, beat the national security drums daily, accurately blamed the last two years on Democrats and repeatedly explained the nonsense of Obama’s supposed tax cut for 95% of the folks when only 60% pay taxes (who will ALL get a tax increase by doing away with the Bush tax cuts) he might have squeaked out a narrow victory. Lord knows we tried to help, knowing the character of BHO, but in the end we need Republicans to be conservatives. We need small government, less taxes, strong military, education reform, educational reform, environmentally friendly, personal responsibility, energy independent, family values, character driven, fiscally responsible, issues oriented, national security, flag waving, American loving, plain spoken, accountable, smart, visionary inspiring leaders who put American and our people first … conservatives. These are indeed “the times that try men’s souls.”

Michael Tetrick - Chicago, Il. 60657 – 773.858.6860 --  tetjet@comcast.net -- http://tetjet.townhall.com