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Are you ready for a politically incorrect shock? I am planning to vote for John McCain because I'm prejudiced. Hold on! It isn't the bad kind of prejudice. Not against women nor African-Americans, but the good kind of prejudice, where I prefer a guy who has shared mypersonal experiences. The fact that he's the only Presidential candidate who knows what the hell he's doing, may have a bit more influence on my choice.

All right, I confess. I'm guilty of prejudicial favoritism. John McCain and I served on the same Navy aircraft carrier, although not at the same time. My recalled Naval Reserve fighter and bomber air group was aboard the USS Oriskany during the Korean War, while regular Navy pilot McCain served 15 years later in the Vietnam War.

Are those buddy-buddy feelings really dumb reasons to vote for a Presidential wanna be? Maybe, but not any dumber than voting for a woman lawyer who'd still be chasing ambulances in Arkansas if her husband hadn't chased women in the Oval Office. Or any dumber than voting for a guy who sat clueless in church every Sunday morning, and got himself brainwashed by a preacher who squawked endlessly about how he hates America, Whites and Jews. Against the qualifications of those two, I could consider voting for Ralph Nader, Castro's little bro, Vlad the Impaler Putin or that Irananian nutcase with the alphabet soup name.

It won't be easy going into the booth for a Republican, because in every Presidential race since Adlai Stevenson, I've voted the straight Democrat ticket. Additionally, I still have some reservations about McCain's intentions. Despite our almost mutual Navy backgrounds, I also find it unsettling that John McCain still supports the war policy of President Bush and his White House and Pentagon gang. McCain and I have both seen the futility of war close up, especially all the losing ones since World War II,. In his heart, I know he doesn't want to waste one more young GI's life in this hopeless mess.

Maybe McCain is playing the Bush game now to keep the fat-cat Republicans in line. Then, I hope that when he gets the candidacy at the Republican Convention, he'll feel free to speak out honestly and forcefully, and pledge to end it quickly when he gets to the White House. I believe only a guy like McCain, who has the experience and guts his opponents lack, can do it without appeasing Middle East dictators, while letting them know they can stop burning American flags or see their palaces, camels, tents and burnooses go up in flames.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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