York - McCain and Romney: The Warrior and the To-Do List

Byron York on New Hampshire Primary on National Review Online

Standing on the steps of Town Hall, McCain concentrated on just two issues: the war on terror and federal spending numbers 1(a) and 4 from Romney’s to-do list. He went on at some length about the threat from al Qaeda, both in Iraq and around the world, and vowed again, as he had in an over-caffeinated moment at the first Republican debate in California many months ago, “My friends, I will get Osama bin Laden if I have to follow him to the gates of hell, and I will bring him to justice.” McCain also brought up the case of Adam Gadahn, the American who joined al Qaeda and tore up his passport in a newly-released propaganda tape. “Someday, I’ll make that young man regret that he tore up his American passport,” McCain said, to great applause. You got the idea that McCain wouldn’t mind doing it personally.

McCain is smart to focus on two major issues that he is passionate about. I really don't know what Romney is passionate about. He is beginning to remind me of Michael "Competence" Dukakis. Romney seems to have his checklist of conservative principles but he really doesn't have much history as a conservative. I'd like to see Romney come up with 2 or 3 issues that he's passionate about and make those the focus of his campaign.