Allies laud McCain's principles

In their speeches setting the stage for John McCain's acceptance address, two of his closest political allies told voters that he is a leader who will stand firm for what is right, even when he stands alone.

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina focused on McCain's lonely support for the troop surge in Iraq last year.

The addition of 30,000 troops has helped drastically cut violence, along with Sunni tribal leaders allying with the United States and against al Qaeda in Iraq.

"We know the surge has worked," said Graham, one of McCain's closest friends in politics. "Our men and women in uniform know it has worked. And I promise you -- above all others -- al Qaeda knows it has worked."

"The only people who deny it are Barack Obama and his buddies at MoveOn.org," Graham told delegates, referring to the antiwar group supporting Obama. "Why won't they admit it? Because Barack Obama's campaign is built around us losing in Iraq.

"Without John McCain's courageous leadership there never would have been no surge. I know," Graham continued. "I was there with John McCain and Joe Lieberman every step of the way. In our visits to Iraq, we saw the situation deteriorate. The troops we met -- the sergeants, the captains, and the colonels -- had such respect and admiration for Senator McCain they felt comfortable giving him something he knows a lot about -- straight talk.

"They said, 'Senator McCain, this ain't working.' John heard their message and put their interests ahead of his own. He came back to Washington and told everyone, including Republicans, 'We must change course.'

"For his honesty, some accused John of being disloyal. But John McCain's loyalties, ladies and gentlemen, have always been to his country and to our men and women in uniform, not a political party. Calling for more troops to be sent to Iraq was one of the most unpopular things John McCain could have done. Some said it was political suicide. But you know what? It was the right thing to do."

Then, Graham turned to criticizing Democrat Barack Obama.

"If Barack Obama cannot appreciate that our troops are winning in Iraq, he should not be their commander in chief," Graham said.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Barack Obama doesn't care," Graham said, using the same taunt that Obama made against McCain's policies on the economy in his acceptance speech last week. "I'm just saying he doesn't get it."

"We should all be grateful that Barack Obama was unable to defeat the surge," he added. "The surge was a test for Barack Obama. He failed miserably."

Obama, however, did acknowledge the progress created by the surge tonight, saying on Fox News Channel, "It’s succeeded beyond our wildest dreams."

In his speech, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, who was on McCain's short list for running mate, recounted McCain's darkest days during the campaign, when many pundits were writing him off.

"It was only a little more than a year ago -- in August of 2007 -- that I drove to John's office to offer an encouraging word.
You all remember that time. It was really rough going for the campaign. Some were ready to count John out. Some questioned his resolve. Some wondered and waited for the white flag of surrender," Ridge told delegates.

"Having rehearsed my pep talk, I walked into John's office, put my arm around him, and asked, 'Hey, how are you doing?'
He paused for a moment. From his shoulders came a quick shrug. Then he looked at me and said, 'Tom, you and I both know I've been through worse,' said Ridge, a fellow Vietnam veteran.

"We sat down, he spread some papers across a table, and said, 'Now, let me tell you how I think we can win.' He talked strategy, a way forward, next steps. And later I would leave my friend's office thinking what I share with you tonight, 'That's John McCain.' "