In the hurly-burly of a presidential campaign, voters can get caught up in distractions from attack ads to zingers delivered during debates.

We must not forget that we are hiring for the most important job in the nation, and that the basis for our decision must be which candidate will best execute the Office of the President of the United States and preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

In the view of the Register, that candidate is Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

McCain has the experience and the ability to lead this country in a time of enormous challenges and uncertainty, and his policy proposals in several areas are superior to those of his dynamic rival, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

McCain has put country first, literally and figuratively, all his life. A decorated combat veteran who spent nearly six years in a North Vietnamese prison, he has since spent more than 25 years in the U.S. Congress. He has proposed legislation in all the major arenas of federal authority, has a history of working effectively with Democrats on a variety of issues, has chaired the powerful Commerce Committee and been involved in dozens of major decisions involving our national security and international standing.

McCain supported the military surge in Iraq long before the current administration did — and long before it dramatically reduced violence and strife in Iraq, bringing stability and the prospect for meaningful change to a land of critical strategic importance to the United States. During the Clinton administration, his support of sending U.S. and allied troops to Bosnia was the right choice — militarily, strategically and morally.

When it comes to matters of justice, McCain has used judgment that is both respectful of our 221-year-old U.S. Constitution and necessary to defend our freedoms. He has being a staunch advocate of the nation’s aggressive efforts to defend against terrorists and other enemies, but has been critical of our own missteps at Abu Ghraib. He was among a group of leaders to broker a compromise in a dispute between the president and Senate Democrats over several presidential appointees to the bench, working to depoliticize matters in an area where partisan politics rarely play a constructive role.

His proposals for the economy, including incentives for research into renewable energy and for corporations to keep jobs in the United States, are consistent with tried-and-true methods of protecting the national interest while trusting the people rather than the government to create prosperity. Though it will take more than the work of one man to address domestic and global financial problems, McCain’s experience and ability to get things done will benefit the nation.

He is committed to the search for a renewable, domestic, stable energy supply.

His proposals for health care are simply more realistic, less burdensome — and under current economic conditions more fiscally responsible — than his rival’s call for universal coverage and its unknowable price tag.

The two candidates’ views on education are similar, yet McCain’s proposals are more fiscally sound than his rival’s and leave the responsibility for decisions where it belongs, in the hands of families.

Sen. Barack Obama is a passionate, intelligent and honorable candidate whose commitment to the betterment of this nation should not be questioned. The prospect of bringing to the White House such an exciting and youthful leader is tempting.

Yet Obama’s record of political achievement is sparse when compared to McCain’s, and his ability to navigate through storms such as the ones before us is untested.

We cannot afford to project our hopes on one so unproven.

One candidate for president has the experience to lead our people through what promises to be a period of difficult choices and sacrifice in order to keep the United States what we truly believe it to be — the greatest nation on Earth. That candidate is John McCain.