Has the McCain Moment arrived?

Kudos to the folks over at Brainster's Blog for their thoughts on this.

Last month, Ramesh Ponnuru, from the National Review wrote a cover story on some reasons the McCain campaign was very likely and well positioned to shine very brightly in the near future.

You can read most of the article here.

"McCain has the moral authority to get a country that has grown tired of the war to listen to him, an authority President Bush has seen slip away. That isn’t just because he is a former prisoner of war with one son serving in the Marines and another in the Naval Academy — although that helps. It is because he is not seen as playing politics with the war, as most Democrats and Republicans are, and he never will be."

Brainster Blog points out some key signs that might signal the start of the McCain Moment that Ponnuru predicted.

• Robert Caldwell's Human Events article about Senator McCain; A Profile in Courage, Principle.

"A lesser man than John McCain might be backing away from his previous support for the war-gone-bad in Iraq. What we're seeing instead is the very opposite of political expediency -- a Churchillian call to endure and prevail in an admittedly unpopular war but still a fight that McCain believes America cannot afford to lose.

McCain's Virginia Military Institute speech April 11 stands as his most compelling case yet for persevering in Iraq. Moreover, McCain's steadfast demonstration of principle over polls shows more courage and character than any other presidential aspirant in either party."

• New Poll numbers that shows support for McCain, who has always been at the top of the pecking order, increasing. (Full Results)

"Giuliani, the former New York mayor, had a healthy 16-point lead over the Arizona senator last month, but that has dwindled to six points -- that is, if either Thompson or Gingrich enters the race.

Should they both toss their hats in the ring, Giuliani's lead over McCain drops to three points, 27 percent to 24 percent."

While others are slipping:

"Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who led Republican hopefuls in first-quarter fundraising with $23 million, slid into the No. 4 spot -- between Thompson and Gingrich -- with 10 percent of the vote"

With McCain in the midst's of three major policy speeches that will serve to define his candidacy and show the American people why he is right person to lead America in the upcoming election the campaign seems to be firing on all cylinders.

His first speech, on the Iraq War at the VMI received praise across the board and showed McCain's credibility and leadership potential.

Here are some highlights:

His second speech, on the subject of economic policy, is to be delivered today. (You will be able to see highlights of it and sign the petition to eliminate wasteful government spending at McCain's website here.)

The third speech, which will be on the subject of energy-security policy, is scheduled to be delivered on April 23rd.

These speeches will continue to highlight McCain's knowledge and experience in vital areas of concern to the American public and they will serve to bring the Senator's message to a broader group of Americans.

All of this coupled along with the Senator's revamped fundraising efforts sure makes it seem like that Coming McCain Moment that Punnuru had spoke about has arrived.