SENATOR McCAIN CHOOSES BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

Bush, McCain meet wounded soldiers in Western stop (JESSE J. HOLLAND, June 18, 2004, Associated Press)

Surrounding himself with soldiers fresh from the battlefield, President Bush on Friday used a western campaign swing to compliment America's military for the fight against terrorism and pick up praise from Sen. John McCain, who has rebuffed overtures from Democrat John Kerry to be his running mate.

"People from all over the country join me in saying, 'Thank you for what you are doing,'" the president told hundreds of camouflage-garbed soldiers gathered in a hanger. "There is no cave or hole deep enough to hide from American justice."

McCain, a popular Republican senator who rejected calls to join Kerry's campaign on a unity ticket, praised Bush's efforts in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"You will not yield," McCain told the troops, "and neither will he."

Bush, in turn, praised McCain's work in the Senate and as a Navy pilot. "It is a privilege to be introduced to the men in uniform by a man who brought credit to the uniform," Bush said.

McCain offered his support to Bush's decision to take America to war, saying it is a "just and necessary fight."

"It is a fight between right and wrong, good and evil," McCain said. "It is no more ambiguous than that."

Hard to believe he turned down a chance to be Wrong's vice president.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 18, 2004 4:33 PM