McCain Rallies For 'No Surrender'

McCain Rallies For 'No Surrender'


By Josh Voorhees, Aiken Standard
September 18, 2007


Article Excerpt

Looking to rally support for an unpopular war, Sen. John McCain and his presidential campaign turned to a group of potential voters Monday that needed little convincing.

Making his first campaign stop of the final day of his week-long "No Surrender" tour, the GOP presidential hopeful held a morning rally for supporters and veterans at VFW Savannah River Post 5877.

"We have a strategy that is succeeding," he told the gathering of roughly 200, most with strong ties to the United States military, who showed for the morning's veterans appreciation breakfast and rally.

The former Navy pilot's three-state tour through the early primary proving grounds of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina launched early last week in an effort to build support for the war in Iraq before what will likely be a heated debate on the issue begins in Congress this week.

McCain called on supporters to help convince his colleagues in Washington that despite the war's current unpopularity, the U.S. soldiers must be given a chance to win.

"A date for withdrawal ... is a date for surrender," he said.

While his week-long tour has placed McCain back in the national spotlight - something his campaign had struggled to accomplish since financial difficulties and a mass exodus of campaign staff caused problems earlier this year - his campaign appeared to be making an effort to keep most of the focus at the event on the war and not McCain's bid to succeed George W. Bush as president.

The dark blue stickers worn by campaign staff and handed out to supporters boasted simply the words "No Surrender," with the senator's name noticeably absent.