More McCain.

McCain talked about securing the nation's borders. He believes the Republicans will soon come up with a bill to secure the borders. He talked about the tamperproof documents which were a big issue in the Republican debate of the other night. He supports those for guest workers. He talked about employers not complying need to be prosecuted under the law.

What do you do with 12 million people? You can't ship them all back but you can't let them get away with breaking the law. None of the current proposals have anything to do with amnesty or forgiveness. If somebody breaks the law pay a fine, do a background check, and do something other things McCain suggested, and then they could get in line for a green card like everybody else. They are finalizing the details in Congress.

Then he talked about the war in Iraq. It's been hard, it's been mismanaged and we are where we are. We have a new general and a good strategy. He said it is hard and tough and long, no "mission accomplished." He thinks the new strategy will succeed. He claimed there is some good news out of Iraq. There are good things happening, but there are a lot of bad things happening. Insurgents are outside of Baghdad, and they aren't subdued. Helped by Syria and Iran. Talked about IEDs. Talked about suicide bombers as a threat to Israel. Claimed a date for withdrawal is basically surrendering. Took Harry Reid to task about the war in Iraq being lost. His question in response is: Who won? He doesn't think it helps to say the war is lost.

McCain mentioned another anecdote about a Purple Heart recipient he visited in Bethesda to illustrate the point that "we can win this fight." He said he'd rather lose a campaign than lose a war.

Questions and Answers:

The first question was the comment from the silly-assed woman who claimed Reid was giving aid and comfort to enemies, that he was a traitor. Why should anybody embarrass herself that way, especially when it was televised?

Education (question from a kid): Education is the key challenge to America, we need to have competition, pay teachers on performance, bad teachers need to find another line of work, supports charter schools, claims they provide good competition regardless of the fact schools aren't businesses. Mentioned Utah's privatization/voucher schemes. Claims we need to do these things to remain "competitive."

That's when Dean Heller decided to come onstage to blather. I am not going to repeat his comments, for all they do is distract, not to mention he's almost as big an idiot as the man he replaced.

Some guy then asked a long-winded question which basically said this: Congress keeps passing laws to reform illegal immigration, but the problem gets worse. What should we do now, since more illegals will affect everybody? If they didn't honor the old law, what makes you think they'd honor the new law? There is no proposal that would put illegal workers anywhere but the end of the line. Reiterated his stand on the issue mentioned above, paying penalties for breaking the law. We promised we would secure the borders, but we didn't. There needs to be enough border guards, enough money, technology, no proposal would succeed without the public believing our borders are secure... I promise you we will take the steps necessary to secure the borders.

Somebody who was an old military classmate of his talked a bit. I think he later had McCain autograph his book with McCain's picture in it right before I got his autograph.

Are you for a fence across the Mexican border (from an 11-year-old): Yes. It's far more enforceable if you have those sensors. If you have a wall only, they break through, so the technology is necessary. Most areas a fence would work, but some areas he believes a high-tech method would work.

The boy's dad stated we don't seem to be in Iraq to win: McCain wished he could share that view. He said the war was mismanaged, which has led to chaos. He believes we have an opportunity to succeed. The military is very overstressed today. He mispronounced--and then corrected--the Nevada National Guard--when he praised them. McCain said we had a defeated military after Vietnam and it took a decade to get over that. We need a bigger army, a bigger Marine Corp. "If we lose this one, it will take a long, long time to recover." On the other hand, he said he understands the American people being impatient with this war.

The war on drugs. How about a death penalty for dealing drugs? McCain believed in the most stringent penalties, but the states should make that decision. Talked about states' rights and didn't like federal laws overriding the states. It's the conditions that create drug problems, including socioeconomic problems, family problems, and other things that creating a breeding ground for this problem. Praised the new Mexican regime over this matter and Colombia. Talked poppies being very big in Afghanistan.

Electoral College: McCain acknowledged it wasn't perfect, but it was the best we've got in the world. He said if we didn't have it, states like Nevada would be ignored by candidates; they would focus on the bigger states because the population is greater. He like a shorter period between now and the primaries but a longer period between the primaries. I liked his answer about the ludicrous frontloading of the primaries; the primaries should be spread out like in the old days. The Republican convention will be held in September, MONTHS after the primaries are over with. More people should have a look at the candidates.

Another Vietnam vet asks a question, but before he does, McCain asked, "Why don't you come up and get me?" Asked about illegal immigration and babies being born of illegals who automatically become citizens at birth. What should be done about it? McCain rightly said there wasn't anything that could be done short of changing the Constitution, and he believed we should be careful about amending it because it is "sacred."

The guy asked about the war in Iraq to be put to a vote to Iraqis to find out if Americans should remain there (Tommy Thompson suggestion), then somehow the question got to partitioning, to which McCain it doesn't work.

Another vet asks about funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs: McCain talked about the Walter Reed situation was "embarrassing." He should have known about the problem. He read what George Washington said over 200 years ago. He said the words were true then, and they are true now.

Health care: McCain still believes our health care system is the best in the world, but he, a typical Republican, rejected any talk of single-payer. He talked the standard talking point that countries which have single-payer, which is almost every country in the world but ours, have long lines and aren't efficient. Small businesses should negotiate with health care providers, unemployed should have less expensive health insurance while between jobs, supports wellness programs. Inflation he believes is the key to this problem, and we need to control it by making it more available and more affordable. We should have living wills for some damned reason. He believes there should be competition for Medicare prescription drugs (I was thinking, half seriously, about melanine-tainted pills from China).

Another immigration question, this one about their rights and to hell with Americans' rights? McCain noted 30 percent of the illegals were actually here legally but their green cards expired. He didn't really addressed this question, which was a good thing.

Woman asked about the lack of protection for soldiers and claimed the injured vets support the war and believe in it, but they believe it is a civil war and so forth: It is a game for tit for tat. Originally there was no such things as IEDs. We kept upgrading our Humvees and then that didn't work. Talked about a new vehicle that has a curved underside that can deflect the IEDs. A significant decrease has occurred with IEDs, but there is an increase in suicide bombers. It seems when we come up with something better, the other side comes up with another weapon, but McCain has faith technology will continue to keep up with it. It is the toughest kind of war. Said going to Bethesda or Walter Reed is the most uplifting, yet most humble experience. They are injuried but their love for their country is the most inspiring. He said in Vietnam the people who served were not thanked, and it is important to those fighting in Iraq for people to thank them for serving.

And that was basically it. McCain hung around for a little while, shaking hands, talking with people, and signing autographs including one for me.

On the way out I ate a second donut. I don't know why, but I ate a lot of shit today beginning at that town hall.