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Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) thinks John McCain (R-Ariz.) has what it takes to be the next president of the United States. Brownback, who dropped his own bid for the White House this past October, recently endorsed McCain and, along with former Governor of Oklahoma Frank Keating, serves as co-chair of the Catholics for McCain National Leadership Team. According to a press release issued by McCain’s campaign, Catholics for McCain will “play an active role in educating and communicating with fellow Catholics about why John McCain is the best candidate to successfully promote Catholic values in the upcoming election.” Minutes after his flight landed in Iowa, Brownback spoke to Catholic Digest
about McCain’s leadership, the importance of protecting life, and the value of eternal truths.CD: Thanks for taking the time to call me today. How was your flight?BROWNBACK: It was great. It’s 12 degrees out here, and about 12 mile an hour winds, and it’s cold!
CD: I believe it. Hopefully your reception will be warmer. BROWNBACK: I think so. I’m looking forward to it. John’s been moving up in the polls, and I think he’s the right guy, so I’m excited about it.
CD: What do you hope the political atmosphere in Iowa will be like today?BROWNBACK: Well, I hope it’s a positive upbeat action-oriented atmosphere, and I think we’ll find that. I’m hoping that a lot of people concerned about the international unrest will see John’s strengths. I hope people that are interested in the social issues will see his consistency. I’m hoping people concerned about fiscal issues will see his strengths. I think people, once they go though [the candidates] and they say, “Ok, I’ve really got to make a decision now,” that one pops up and John is it. That’s what it was for me, really, when making my own decision on whom to endorse. I knew John relatively well, and he really comes to the surface and he’s ready to lead, and those are important things.
CD: In the press release issued by the McCain campaign you were quoted as saying, “McCain has what it takes to lead this country.” In your opinion, what exactly does it take?BROWNBACK: I think it takes strength. I think it takes moral fiber and character. And he’s been tested. I know John well. I’ve served with him for a number of years. I’ve served on committee with him. We’re at war. He’s ready to lead as commander in chief. The strategy we’re employing now in Iraq is the McCain strategy. I just think when you put all those pieces together he’s got what it takes in experience: he’s got military experience, he’s a fiscal conservative, he’s been voting pro-life for 24 years, he will give us judges that don’t want to legislate. That is key. Plus he matches up the best against Hilary Clinton or Barack Obama, either one, in the fall. And we can’t lose this time, because if we do we’re going to get set back a justice or two on the supreme court, from having a different court that I think would look more correctly at the issue of whether a right to an abortion is in the Constitution, which it is not. And that, to me, is a paramount issue.
