I'm still all gooey over McCain from the 2000 GOP primaries. A leader! A maverick! A federalist! He's got some dark stuff in his past but not any of those scary CIA things like Bush Sr. He really does work with democrats to get things done. (I know, I know, they're all pals in the senate.) He isn't (or wasn't at one point in time) afraid to say what he thinks, or to tell hard truths. He does (did) what he felt was best for the most part and screw party platforms.
This isn't necessarily the case this time around, he has policy views that directly oppose policy views from the 2000 campaign, and I think that he changed his views to ingratiate himself with the social conservative republican base. He even started going to church which is unusual because he is not a particularly religious person (I think Obama is more religious than McCain.) My biggest fear during the 2008 primaries was which McCain would I be voting into office, the 2000 McCain or the 2008 McCain?
Both candidates will attempt to bring change, I have every confidence in that. However, I always have qualms about voting social conservative, and as a result I will be voting for the Obama/Biden ticket. In August I was literally having dreams that I voted for a McCain/Leiberman ticket and I would wake up with a warm happy feeling.
Probably not the answer you were looking for, Eloisel. I'm tired and I'm not going to put the effort into looking up lots of different facts. I do hope this post has given you further insight into why I love McCain. As happy as I am to be back into politics, it is bittersweet because everytime I see him I feel that this should be *his* eighth year in office, and that by voting for Obama I am turning my back on him.