In late August, Senator John McCain chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Less then two weeks later, they traveled to Fairfax, Va., to rally the troops. Amid chants of "Sarah," "John McCain," and "USA," men, women and children decorated with colorful proclamations of devotion greeted them.
In the crowd we met a woman named Debbie. Tall and elegant in jeans and a Republican-red T-shirt, Debbie stood with her husband and youngest of three sons. She was reluctant to talk to us at first, she doesn't usually seek the spotlight, but she gradually told us about herself. She said she would vote for the McCain-Palin ticket because they echo her beliefs. "The Constitution intended us to have freedoms and not having the government being the big daddy telling us what to do. We home school and we need the freedom to home school," she said. Debbie's 15-year old son, who accompanied her to the rally, could count on a fascinating lesson that day on politics and history.
When the blaring notes of Barracuda fell silent, and the raucous crowd's applause gave way to eagerness to hear from the man before them, John McCain spoke. He promised to reform government, to fight big spenders in Washington. "I know I can inspire a generation of Americans to serve a cause greater than themsevles," he said. "We will disagree from time to time but I have spent my life in service to this country, and I have always put my country first."
He would find no disagreement from Debbie. Her husband is retired from the Air Force, and her two eldest sons, following in their father's footsteps, could soon be deployed to Iraq. "I think we have a great country," she said with a quiet conviction. "It's an honor to serve it, and I want them to serve it." That her sons will do, and, with her steady devotion to family and country, so does Debbie.
