John McCain is greeted with jeers and cheers in Exeter

John McCain supporters who packed Exeter Town Hall on Wednesday, March 12, first had to elbow their way through a dense crowd of feisty protesters who noisily chanted and ranted against the Republican presidential nominee. Refrains of “Bush, McCain, more of the same” rose and fell like waves as supporters and protesters awaited the arrival of McCain’s campaign bus, the Straight Talk Express.

It was the Arizona senator’s first visit to New Hampshire since his momentum-shifting state primary victory on Jan. 8. Having since secured the Republican nomination, McCain announced that he would return to the Granite State to personally thank the voters who set him on the path to primary conquest. But McCain is also looking ahead to the general election in November, when he will battle either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton in this “battleground” state.

A swarm of anti-McCain and anti-Iraq War signs crowded the corner of Water and Front streets, while a yellow car circled Town Hall, toting a float with a John McCain effigy riding a papier maché bomb, “Dr. Strangelove”-style. The protest came in response to McCain’s unflagging support of the war and his vow to leave troops in Iraq indefinitely.

“We’re here to clearly say, ‘Thanks but no thanks,’” said New Hampshire AFL-CIO president Mark MacKenzie. “We’re tired of the same old policies of George Bush, which is exactly what (McCain’s) campaigning on.”

“Senator McCain has made clear his support of the war and his sense that it’s going well,” added Maggie Fogarty, of Dover, a member of the American Friends Service Committee. “We are spending $720 million a day on a disaster.”

But McCain supporters arrived in even greater numbers, and some of them had choice words for the protesters. As the crowd chanted its anti-McCain sentiments, a man moving toward the Town Hall steps turned around and mockingly shouted “Barack Obama, more of Osama!” He appeared very pleased with himself.

When the Straight Talk Express finally pulled to the curb toward the rear of the building, a gaggle of voracious protesters shuffled down the sidewalk to give the senator a cold welcome. McCain took it all in stride, stepping off the bus and warmly waving to the chanting protesters with both hands. The next man off the bus—much to the protesters’ incredulity—was Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), who served as Al Gore’s running mate in 2000 but has endorsed McCain in ’08. Many protesters quickly erupted into rabid shouts of “Traitor,” hollering like injured animals.

As McCain and his entourage made their way into the building, an Exeter police officer drove back the crowd, politely but forcefully telling them not to clog the sidewalk. Several protesters sulked as they retreated, lamenting the loss of a key Democrat. “I can’t believe Joe Lieberman,” one man repeatedly muttered.

Inside, the scene was very different. Lieberman, wearing a Republican-red sweater, received a warm embrace from the crowd of supporters, and his presence lent credence to McCain’s promises to work across party lines if elected. He started by explaining why he decided to cross party lines to support McCain.

“There’s something more important. It is that I’m an American, and I know that John McCain is the best candidate for president,” he said. Showing that the two senators still have their differences, he added, “Having served with him for 20 years, I can tell you he’s sometimes a nuisance.”

Fueling speculation about who McCain will choose as a running mate, the Republican began by praising several of his former party rivals. He said that Mitt Romney “fought hard and well,” called Rudy Giuliani a “genuine American hero,” referred to Fred Thompson as a “beloved friend” and called Mike Huckabee a “good and honest and decent man.” But McCain gave no indication as to whom he might select as a vice presidential candidate.

McCain used the remainder of his speech to emphasize many of the key points he’s been running on since his rollercoaster campaign began. He vowed to keep taxes low for citizens and reduce corporate income taxes. He also reinforced his commitment to reducing reliance on foreign oil and combating climate change by exploring alternative sources of energy, including expanded use of nuclear power.

“We have got to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil if we want to see our economy recover,” he said, noting that taxpayers send $400 billion per year to foreign countries for oil. “Some of that money ends up in the hands of terrorist organizations.”

McCain said eradicating terrorism would be one of his most solemn priorities as president. Although the war on terror has weakened Al Qaeda, he said, the terrorist organization has not been defeated.

“I will get Osama Bin Laden if I have to follow him to the gates of hell,” McCain said to enthusiastic applause.

McCain repeated his pledge to keep troops in Iraq until the war is won, saying that setting a timeline for withdrawal, as Obama and Clinton have proposed, would be equivalent to conceding defeat.

“I would rather lose a campaign than lose a war,” he said.

Following his spiel, McCain responded to a volley of questions from members of the audience, almost all of whom seemed to represent one organization of another. There were representatives from AmeriCorps, Scholastic Kids Press Corps, the ONE Campaign, Divided We Fail, Students for Saving Social Security, Americans for Health Care and an array of other groups.
In his responses, McCain said he would work to give veterans easier access to health care He said he would not mandate health insurance for every American, but vowed to make insurance more affordable for everyone.

Before leaving the stage, McCain promised to return to New Hampshire often in the months leading up to the general election. “The state of New Hampshire will be a battleground state,” he said. “I will be back and back and back.”

As McCain made his way toward the Straight Talk Express after exiting through the rear of the building, he was again greeted by a thick crowd. This time, most of the people who assembled around his bus were supporters, but one man’s angry cries cut through the celebration. The man, who identified himself as a social worker and veteran, repeatedly and passionately yelled, “The war in Iraq is over and the Republican Party is over!”

McCain appeared not to notice.