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Obama, McCain win in Wisconsin
20/02/2008 07:21 - (SA)
Madison, Wisconsin - Republican Senator John McCain launched a fierce, pre-emptive strike against Democratic rival Barack Obama in the race for the White House, after both won Wisconsin state nominating contests on Tuesday.
McCain declared his confidence in becoming his party's nominee and swiftly took on the 46-year-old Illinois senator without mentioning him by name, even as Democrats remained locked in a tight race for their party's nod.
Moments after McCain boosted his wide lead over Baptist preacher and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, the 71-year-old touted his experience and echoed the same campaign premise often used by Senator Hillary Clinton, who has lost nine straight contests to Obama.
"Will we make the right changes to restore the people's trust in their government?" McCain asked. "Or will we heed appeals for change that ignore the lessons of history and lack confidence in the intelligence and ideals of free people?
Opponent 'inexperienced, confused'
"I will fight every moment of every day in the campaign to make sure Americans are not deceived by an eloquent but empty call for change."
McCain portrayed his knowledge of foreign policy in Cuba, Venezuela and Pakistan as necessary for the safety of the country, and suggested his change-peddling opponent was "inexperienced" and "confused".
"Today, political change in Pakistan is occurring that might affect our relationship with a nuclear-armed nation that is indispensable to our success in combating al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and elsewhere," McCain said.
Regarding Fidel Castro's announcement that he would not seek to return to power, McCain said: "An old enemy of American interests and ideals is leaving the world stage, and we can glimpse the hope that freedom may some day come to the people of Cuba."
And on a day when oil prices hit a new record high, McCain referred to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as "a self-important bully" who "threatens to cut off our oil at a time of sky rocketing gas prices".
"Will the next president have the experience, the judgment and ... the strength of purpose to respond to each of these developments in ways that strengthen our security and advance the global progress of our ideals?
"Or will we risk the confused leadership of an inexperienced candidate who once suggested bombing our ally Pakistan and suggested sitting down without preconditions or clear purpose with enemies who support terrorists and are intent on destabilising the world by acquiring nuclear weapons?"
McCain confident
McCain entered Tuesday's contest for Wisconsin's 40 delegates with substantial lead of 846 delegates, compared to Huckabee's 240.
Huckabee, however, has not conceded and vowed to stay in the race until either he or McCain reach the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination: 1 191
Obama, who is expected to win his native state of Hawaii, is ahead of former front-runner Clinton by a more narrow margin of 1 302 to 1 235 delegates, according to independent political website RealClearPolitics.com.
To clinch the Democratic nomination 2 025 delegates are needed.
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