McCain may visit city Jan. 15
By Alex Piazza Senior Reporter
A campaign spokesperson for Presidential Candidate John McCain said the Arizona senator is tentatively scheduled to visit Mount Pleasant on Jan. 15 - the day of the Michigan presidential primary. The campaign spokesperson said nothing has been set in stone, but McCain is preliminarily expected to attend a rally in Mount Pleasant on the day of the primary, according to the campaign draft schedule. Because the details have not been worked out, it is unclear whether or not McCain will visit the campus of Central Michigan University. "The Michigan schedule is not yet complete because we have been pretty busy with New Hampshire," said a campaign spokesperson Sunday. McCain's web site state he will makes visits to Traverse City and Ann Arbor. The site does not list Mount Pleasant as a stop. McCain, who finished tied for third place among Republicans in the Iowa primary, preparing for the New Hampshire primary Tuesday. Eric Welsby, a Mount Pleasant graduate student, said he believes the reason why McCain would visit Mount Pleasant is based on the number of moderate voters residing in the area. McCain has been coined by many voters, including Welsby, as a moderate candidate, meaning though he has Republicans ties, some of his positions fall under the Democratic ideology. "Southeast Michigan tends to be strong Democrat, but once you start moving north of Flint, Detroit and Saginaw, you see more conservative areas," said Welsby, a member of the College Democrats and Isabella County Democrats. "We're kind of straggling between both parties, so you tend to find more moderates in this part of the state." Welsby, however, does not believe McCain has the amount of support needed to win the Republican presidential bid. "Moderates always really liked and support him, but over time, there's a couple issues he has waffled on," he said. "It makes him look hypocritical." Instead, Welsby said either former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney or Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will win the Republican presidential bid. Topinabee junior Dennis Lennox believes McCain's message may not reach the right crowd in Mount Pleasant. "I think it's always good to have politicians visiting Mount Pleasant, but I don't think his values match up with those of the people in this area," he said.
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