Sometimes it's hard to fathom why the 2008 presidential race is so close, because when it comes to character, John McCain stands head and shoulders above Sen. Obama.

By the time John McCain was college age, he was already serving his country at the Naval Academy, and then he trained to be a naval aviator. In contrast, Obama enjoyed his college years and tried to ease his growing up angst with alcohol, drugs, and radical views.

As a young man in his early thirties, McCain was shot down on a flying mission over N. Vietnam. He endured over five years of hell as a POW at the hands of the North Vietnamese. On the other hand, as a young man, Obama was a student at Columbia and Harvard. In his twenties and thirties he was a community organizer and lecturer at the U. of Chicago Law School. He was also associating with a number of shady and socialist individuals too lengthy to mention.

McCain served his country as a Naval officer for over twenty years. After Vietnam, he led a squadron and helped to add an aircraft carrier to the Navy's fleet. By contrast, Obama has served his own interests as an Illinois state senator and U.S. senator.

John McCain has served in Congress for nearly thirty years, and has often worked across the aisle on significant legislation in a bipartisan manner. On the other hand, Obama has primarily voted for his own interests, or straight down the liberal party line.

While there is nothing wrong with striving to succeed in education and one's career, we ought to question the narcissism of any presidential contender. Do the voters want a president that throws out ignorant statements about foreign countries, as Obama often does? Do they want a president that changes his mind every ten minutes on issues vital to American interests, and thus insults our intelligence?

While McCain learns from judgment errors (Keating scandal), and builds character from adversity, Obama continues to program his positions according to polls, instead of conviction. McCain usually changes his mind based on shifting realities on the ground, even if his stances run counter to his own party at times.

While both candidates are ambitious, McCain's ambition is to preserve our liberties, and to protect this great republic from domestic and foreign enemies. On the other hand, Obama wants to shrink our liberties with his ambitious nanny state agenda. Obama's worldview of big government and foreign policy appeasement would only embolden the enemies of democracy and liberty.

While McCain has forged great leadership traits through accomplishments, experience, and suffering, Obama has accomplished very little, and hasn't really suffered. Suffering builds character, and McCain has emerged with honor after being tested in the fires of adversity. As a man of action, McCain's decisions are based on experience. By contrast, as a talker, Obama's decisions are based on calculation, nuance, and inexperience.

The bottom line is that McCain works to put the national interest front and center, while Obama places Obama's interest front and center. While many conservatives disagree with some of McCain's positions, that's okay. It's likely that conservatives agree with very few (if any) of Obama's leftist views.

In the coming election, some conservatives might stay home or vote for Bob Barr, or Ron Paul. That is their right, but it could be a mistake, because these two politicians know that they can't win the election, so it could be a wasted vote. It would make more sense to vote for a candidate who resonates with American values, and has a chance to win.

When it boils down to McCain vs. Obama, McCain wins hands down in the crucial areas of character, courage, experience, gravitas, humility, judgment, leadership, and wisdom. It makes more sense to support a candidate (McCain) who will fight to defend American ideals, instead of a socialist (Obama) who will serve his own interests, or some nebulous "global" interest.