Philly Paper Split On It's Endorsement

A President McCain would work across the political aisle. He's done it before, often angering fellow Republicans. And his character is unassailable. The selfless and courageous way he conducted himself during 51/2 years as a POW says much about the man.

He's made mistakes, such as the Keating scandal during the savings and loan crisis, but he's more than atoned for that error with his work on campaign-finance reform. That issue alone shows two other things about McCain: He'll go against his party if he thinks it's in the best interests of the country. And his word is good. He promised to stick with public financing of this year's campaign and did so.

Ask people to describe McCain and the first response often is, "He's honest." What you see is what you get. There are no mysterious associations to dance around. No 20-year attendance of a church whose pastor preached anti-American sermons. No serving on an education reform panel with a domestic terrorist. No financial support from a convicted felon. No ties to a group currently under investigation for possible voter-registration fraud.

And McCain didn't hire as a strategist David Axelrod, who helped lead Mayor John Street's race-baiting reelection campaign.

America needs an honest president with experience, common sense, sound temperament and good judgment in the Oval Office. Those qualities will make it easy for many to vote for McCain.