At convention, Daub lauds McCain

 2 comment(s)  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

By DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star

MINNEAPOLIS — Hal Daub points to four issues when he wants to define John McCain.

The Republican presidential nominee has some “well-defined principles that guide him,” Daub suggested Wednesday during an indoor poolside interview at Nebraska’s national convention headquarters hotel.

Here, he said, is what those principles lead to:

[+]Enlarge

Hal Daub

Hal Daub

*  Advocacy for a surge of U.S. combat troops into Iraq, even before President Bush agreed to it and counter to popular opinion at the time.

* Bipartisan cooperation with Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts in crafting an immigration reform bill that provided a pathway to earned legal status for illegal immigrants already settled here, a position that was politically unpopular.

* Bipartisan cooperation with Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin in pushing through campaign finance reform, legislation that was “not very much appreciated by Republicans.”

* Bipartisan cooperation in helping lead a so-called Gang of 14 senators in brokering an agreement that broke a Senate logjam and cleared the way for votes on federal judicial nominees.

“I would ask Nebraskans to look at the character of this man,” said Daub, who is chairman of McCain’s Nebraska presidential campaign.

“It was McCain who convinced the president he needed to change course in Iraq,” Daub said.

“And I remind Republicans that it was Ronald Reagan who signed legislation that gave amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants.”

McCain has since backed away from his original immigration proposal.

Speaking of Reagan, Daub said, the former Republican president so revered at this week’s national convention should have settled the question of age that is used against McCain today. McCain turned 72 last week.

“John McCain is clearly fit for duty,” Daub said.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was Daub’s first choice for the presidential nomination, but he said he’s comfortable with McCain and believes most Nebraska voters will share that view in November.

After that, Daub will gear up for his own race.

Defeated for re-election as Omaha mayor in 2001, he’ll mount a comeback attempt next spring.

Daub championed downtown and riverfront development when he was mayor, including construction of a new sports and entertainment arena and convention center.

“There’s much more to be done,” Daub said, including development stretching into north Omaha and south Omaha.

“I like what Mayor (Chris) Beutler is doing in Lincoln now in the Haymarket,” Daub said.

“It’s my capital city, too. And I went to Elliott grade school when I was a kid. I’m excited to see what’s happening in Lincoln.”

City officials plan to seek a vote next spring on a proposed new sports and entertainment arena and related developments in the Haymarket.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.