John Cox Has A Strong Conservative Voice And Wants To Be President - So Why Is No One Paying Attention?

My job as a political commentator of little note and low regard is to opine on every presidential level event occurring in New Hampshire between now and next January's primary.

I love my job, much as I love my own opinions.

Which is how I found myself - happily found myself - at John Cox's official New Hampshire office opening last night.

"Who is John Cox?" you might ask.

John Cox is a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for President in 2008. His website may be found here.

"But why haven't I heard of him?" you might ask as a follow-up question.

Good question.

In the 2008 Republican Primary there is John McCain and there is everybody else. So far, "everybody else" has meant Rudy Giuliani and Willard Romney.

Sorry, I meant Mitt Romney.

But why should the "Anyone But McCain" crowd self-limit itself to Romney and Giuliani?

After hearing John Cox last night I would argue that Republican Primary voters not partial to John McCain (you know who you are) take a good, hard look at Cox.

Why?

First, you know where Cox stands on the issues.

Unlike Romney.

Second, Cox is a true Conservative.

Unlike Romney and Giuliani.

I've been watching Romney and Giuliani closely for 6 months and they have said pretty much zilch on any issue of importance today.

Don't believe me?

Test the next Giuliani/Romney article that you read to see if there is any policy "meat" in it.

In other words, does Big Love or Hiz Honor take a position on an issue beyond saying, "Republicans need to get back to our roots".

Chances are they don't.

Chances are the article will be about a campaign hire/fundraising/inside-baseball strategic move/etc.

News coverage of our modern presidency is too often about the mechanics of a presidential campaign and not about the issues.

Which brings us back to John Cox.

At his New Hampshire office opening last night Cox spoke for 20 minutes about what he personally believed in and what he would do as President.

He spoke about reforming the tax system and getting rid of the IRS to make America more business friendly and create jobs.

He spoke about how he would make changes in the pharmaceutical and insurance industries to provide Americans with better, lower-cost drugs and health care.

He spoke about how he has always been (please note Mitt Romney) pro-life after being raised by a hardworking mother whose husband left her shortly after Cox was born.

He spoke about defending the institution of marriage.

He spoke at length about the need for free trade.

He spoke about returning fiscal discipline to Washington and vowed to veto any spending bill that was not balanced.

He spoke of the need to secure America's borders against illegal immigration and vowed to prosecute any American businesses who employed illegal immigrants.

Finally, and this was my favorite, he spoke of the need to secure Iraq's oil pipelines, which would help create jobs in Iraq and stabilize the country allowing American troops to come home with "victory".

Who would help secure the oil pipeline? Haliburton, "because they are some of the best oil minds in the world."

A candidate who speaks freely and well of Haliburton on the stump - that my friends is a good conservative.

While I did not agree with all of what John Cox said last night (Monday Morning Clacker tends to be an Independent who is just as likely to vote in a Democratic Primary as a Republican Primary) John Cox must be given credit for being clear, concise and articulate on conservative issues.

And, being clear, concise and articulate on conservative issues starts him well ahead of Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani.

I think the Anyone But McCain crowd will start to take notice.