Sen. John McCain makes final push in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS -- Less than 24 hours before Hoosiers go to the polls Tuesday, Sen. John McCain assured more than 5,000 supporters, the suddenly-competitive Indiana would remain a red state.
“Indiana is now a battleground state, but it’s a battleground state we are going to win, McCain said after coming off his campaign airplane, the Straight Talk Express at the Indianapolis International Airport on Monday.
The Republican nominee’s Indianapolis stop was part of a seven-state push by the Arizona senator on the eve of Election Day.
Indianapolis mayor, Republican Greg Ballard kicked off the rally along with Republican candidates for state office, Tony Bennett and Greg Zoeller.
“Next to Arizona, no state loves John McCain more than Indiana,” Ballard told the crowd to loud applause.
Gov. Mitch Daniels, who McCain called “one of the great governors in America” also spoke before the senator.
McCain also gave the crowd greetings from running mate Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin, which drew a loud ovation.
“I really believe her and Tina Fey were separated at birth,” said McCain, who appeared on last week’s show.
McCain promised he was ready to become president from his first day in office to the last one.
“I am not afraid of the fight, I am ready for it and so are you,” he said.
Anytime McCain mentioned his Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama, or the Democratic party, the crowd, who spent most of the day chanting, pro-McCain slogans, booed and moaned.
McCain attacked Obama’s fiscal policy plans. He said an Obama administration means a pro-government spending policy, not pro-growth.
“I am going to make government live on a budget just like you do,” said McCain, who said his opponent was running to be re-distributionist-in-chief while he wanted to be commander-in-chief. “…Sen. Obama wants to punish the successful; I’m running to make everyone successful.”
McCain also said he wanted to end the dependence on foreign oil by drilling offshore and building 45 new nuclear power plants.
“My friends nuclear power is safe… ask any of our veterans, who sailed navy ships around the ocean,” he said.
Though Obama leads most of the polls, and it appears a McCain victory would be an upset, McCain urged the crowd to believe in him.
“The pundits, they have written us off just like they have done several times before, and my opponent is measuring the drapes in the White House. They don’t know it, but the Mac is back. We’re going to win this election, and we’re going to start right here in the Hoosier State in Indiana, McCain said while the crowd chanted “Mac is back.”
Butler University sophomore Erin Massola, 19, a member of the College Republicans saw McCain for the first time in person. She said his 20-minute speech reassured her of her support of McCain. Since Indiana has supported every Republican candidate for president since 1964, Massola said McCain needed the state, and the 11 electoral votes, in his column come Election Day.
He definitely needs Indiana’s vote because Indiana is a Republican state, so we want to convince everybody to vote for him and keep [up the trend,]” she said.
Her classmate Aleah Woodward, also 19, volunteered with Massola at Monday’s event. Woodward, also a member of the College Republicans, said seeing McCain made the day worthwhile.
“It was so exciting. I am a big supporter of McCain and to see him actually in person, it’s so different than seeing him on TV,” she said.
