Analysis: McCain struggles to regain footing
By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer
John McCain calls himself an underdog. That may be an understatement. The GOP presidential candidate trails Democrat Barack Obama in polls, organization and money while trying to succeed a deeply unpopular fellow Republican in a year that favors Democrats.
McCain also doesn't seem to have a coherent message let alone much of a strategy despite securing the nomination three months earlier than Obama.
"This is a tough race. We are behind. We are the underdog. That's what I like to be," the GOP nominee-in-waiting frequently tells donors these days, keenly aware not only of his woes but also his proven comeback ability: He won his party's nomination despite the implosion of his campaign last summer.
One year later, and now in the general election, McCain's troubles are so acute that he recently gave senior adviser Steve Schmidt "full operational control" of the day-to-day campaign and, effectively, scaled back the duties of campaign manager Rick Davis. The shift in responsibilities came after weeks of Republican quibbling that McCain had not adequately made the transition for the fall.
"The frustration is there's no big theme around which to build a winning campaign," said Steve Lombardo, a Republican pollster. "They need a big strategic message that will show the differences between the two campaigns, and allow for a win."
Hope is far from lost: The election is still four months away. The national conventions and the presidential debates are upcoming. Conservative evangelical leaders skeptical of McCain are now coalescing around him. The race remains competitive. And, Obama's campaign is far from flawless.
McCain also is beefing up his staff with more presidential campaign veterans under the guidance of Schmidt, a top aide in President Bush's re-election effort and the operative who led Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to a come-from-behind victory in California two years ago.
The campaign will try to showcase its efforts to restore discipline next week when McCain announces a "jobs first" economic plan and tours competitive states.
For now, GOP insiders are cautious as they watch for improvement — and they should be.
The political environment is dreadful for the GOP, with Bush's approval rating at low levels as the country teeters economically and fights two wars.
Asked Saturday what he thinks about McCain's apparent pride in underdog status, Obama told reporters traveling with him: "Two years ago, John McCain was the putative Republican nominee who has been part of the Washington establishment for years and who touts all his Washington experience, versus me. So the notion that somehow I'm the heavy favorite in this race belies recent political history and a lot of American history. So, we've got a lot of work to do."
Still, compared with McCain's campaign struggles, Obama is seemingly skating along, visiting states Bush won four years ago and courting traditional GOP supporters with his core message: "Change We Can Believe In."
Nonetheless, the Illinois senator says, "I'm going to have to be a better candidate" and is mindful of his own vulnerabilities.
There are many, not the least of which is trying to become the first black president of a country where racism still runs deep. The GOP-fueled liberal elitist label also could stick on this Harvard-educated Chicagoan.
And, Obama also may be undercutting his claim to be a straight-shooting, new-politics candidate as he repeatedly breaks with his liberal base on various issues to aggressively move to appeal to the center of the electorate.
National polls vary widely, but they have one commonality: None show McCain ahead of Obama. And, on voters' most important issues, McCain trails on every subject but Iraq and terrorism. He also lags in key states, including Bush-won Colorado and Ohio.
When it comes to message and strategy, McCain has appeared to flounder.
He hasn't settled on one theme and can't seem to stick with a particular line of argument in favor of his candidacy for more than a couple days. His attempts to derail Obama are scattershot; the campaign simply takes advantages of openings Obama creates rather than creating a negative narrative against the Democrat. And, McCain's fundraising events have driven his campaign schedule, often putting him in solid Republican states instead of swing states likely to decide the election.
As the sleepy summer pre-convention window opens, Obama is running TV ads in 18 states while McCain focuses on 11 for now and the Republican National Committee bolsters his efforts in the Great Lakes region.
At the same time, McCain, 71, is working to match Obama's organization. For now, McCain's campaign is roughly 300-strong compared with Obama's 1,000-person plus operation.
Obama had a campaign in just about every state during the long Democratic primary, and he has started bolstering the remnants of those existing networks. His aides also boast of a hefty grass-roots organization, a "persuasion army" of allies who will reach out to neighbors, friends and relatives. That's reminiscent of Bush's 2004 campaign.
Conversely, McCain's ground-game operation has been slow-moving; staffers weren't dispatched in earnest to key states until last month — even though the GOP primary ended in March. The RNC has fewer than 100 offices with just about the same number of field staffers. The campaign, itself, has 11 regional campaign managers who, in turn, have brought on nearly 100 staff members as part of a much-maligned, decentralized structure.
...
LINK TO THE REST OF THE ARTICLE
Full Version: Analysis: McCain struggles to regain footing
QUOTE (bushwa @ Jul 6 2008, 01:03 AM) 
Analysis: McCain struggles to regain footing
By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer
John McCain calls himself an underdog. That may be an understatement. The GOP presidential candidate trails Democrat Barack Obama in polls, organization and money while trying to succeed a deeply unpopular fellow Republican in a year that favors Democrats.
McCain also doesn't seem to have a coherent message let alone much of a strategy despite securing the nomination three months earlier than Obama.
"This is a tough race. We are behind. We are the underdog. That's what I like to be," the GOP nominee-in-waiting frequently tells donors these days, keenly aware not only of his woes but also his proven comeback ability: He won his party's nomination despite the implosion of his campaign last summer.
One year later, and now in the general election, McCain's troubles are so acute that he recently gave senior adviser Steve Schmidt "full operational control" of the day-to-day campaign and, effectively, scaled back the duties of campaign manager Rick Davis. The shift in responsibilities came after weeks of Republican quibbling that McCain had not adequately made the transition for the fall.
"The frustration is there's no big theme around which to build a winning campaign," said Steve Lombardo, a Republican pollster. "They need a big strategic message that will show the differences between the two campaigns, and allow for a win."
Hope is far from lost: The election is still four months away. The national conventions and the presidential debates are upcoming. Conservative evangelical leaders skeptical of McCain are now coalescing around him. The race remains competitive. And, Obama's campaign is far from flawless.
McCain also is beefing up his staff with more presidential campaign veterans under the guidance of Schmidt, a top aide in President Bush's re-election effort and the operative who led Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to a come-from-behind victory in California two years ago.
The campaign will try to showcase its efforts to restore discipline next week when McCain announces a "jobs first" economic plan and tours competitive states.
For now, GOP insiders are cautious as they watch for improvement — and they should be.
The political environment is dreadful for the GOP, with Bush's approval rating at low levels as the country teeters economically and fights two wars.
Asked Saturday what he thinks about McCain's apparent pride in underdog status, Obama told reporters traveling with him: "Two years ago, John McCain was the putative Republican nominee who has been part of the Washington establishment for years and who touts all his Washington experience, versus me. So the notion that somehow I'm the heavy favorite in this race belies recent political history and a lot of American history. So, we've got a lot of work to do."
Still, compared with McCain's campaign struggles, Obama is seemingly skating along, visiting states Bush won four years ago and courting traditional GOP supporters with his core message: "Change We Can Believe In."
Nonetheless, the Illinois senator says, "I'm going to have to be a better candidate" and is mindful of his own vulnerabilities.
There are many, not the least of which is trying to become the first black president of a country where racism still runs deep. The GOP-fueled liberal elitist label also could stick on this Harvard-educated Chicagoan.
And, Obama also may be undercutting his claim to be a straight-shooting, new-politics candidate as he repeatedly breaks with his liberal base on various issues to aggressively move to appeal to the center of the electorate.
National polls vary widely, but they have one commonality: None show McCain ahead of Obama. And, on voters' most important issues, McCain trails on every subject but Iraq and terrorism. He also lags in key states, including Bush-won Colorado and Ohio.
When it comes to message and strategy, McCain has appeared to flounder.
He hasn't settled on one theme and can't seem to stick with a particular line of argument in favor of his candidacy for more than a couple days. His attempts to derail Obama are scattershot; the campaign simply takes advantages of openings Obama creates rather than creating a negative narrative against the Democrat. And, McCain's fundraising events have driven his campaign schedule, often putting him in solid Republican states instead of swing states likely to decide the election.
As the sleepy summer pre-convention window opens, Obama is running TV ads in 18 states while McCain focuses on 11 for now and the Republican National Committee bolsters his efforts in the Great Lakes region.
At the same time, McCain, 71, is working to match Obama's organization. For now, McCain's campaign is roughly 300-strong compared with Obama's 1,000-person plus operation.
Obama had a campaign in just about every state during the long Democratic primary, and he has started bolstering the remnants of those existing networks. His aides also boast of a hefty grass-roots organization, a "persuasion army" of allies who will reach out to neighbors, friends and relatives. That's reminiscent of Bush's 2004 campaign.
Conversely, McCain's ground-game operation has been slow-moving; staffers weren't dispatched in earnest to key states until last month — even though the GOP primary ended in March. The RNC has fewer than 100 offices with just about the same number of field staffers. The campaign, itself, has 11 regional campaign managers who, in turn, have brought on nearly 100 staff members as part of a much-maligned, decentralized structure.
...
LINK TO THE REST OF THE ARTICLE
By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer
John McCain calls himself an underdog. That may be an understatement. The GOP presidential candidate trails Democrat Barack Obama in polls, organization and money while trying to succeed a deeply unpopular fellow Republican in a year that favors Democrats.
McCain also doesn't seem to have a coherent message let alone much of a strategy despite securing the nomination three months earlier than Obama.
"This is a tough race. We are behind. We are the underdog. That's what I like to be," the GOP nominee-in-waiting frequently tells donors these days, keenly aware not only of his woes but also his proven comeback ability: He won his party's nomination despite the implosion of his campaign last summer.
One year later, and now in the general election, McCain's troubles are so acute that he recently gave senior adviser Steve Schmidt "full operational control" of the day-to-day campaign and, effectively, scaled back the duties of campaign manager Rick Davis. The shift in responsibilities came after weeks of Republican quibbling that McCain had not adequately made the transition for the fall.
"The frustration is there's no big theme around which to build a winning campaign," said Steve Lombardo, a Republican pollster. "They need a big strategic message that will show the differences between the two campaigns, and allow for a win."
Hope is far from lost: The election is still four months away. The national conventions and the presidential debates are upcoming. Conservative evangelical leaders skeptical of McCain are now coalescing around him. The race remains competitive. And, Obama's campaign is far from flawless.
McCain also is beefing up his staff with more presidential campaign veterans under the guidance of Schmidt, a top aide in President Bush's re-election effort and the operative who led Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to a come-from-behind victory in California two years ago.
The campaign will try to showcase its efforts to restore discipline next week when McCain announces a "jobs first" economic plan and tours competitive states.
For now, GOP insiders are cautious as they watch for improvement — and they should be.
The political environment is dreadful for the GOP, with Bush's approval rating at low levels as the country teeters economically and fights two wars.
Asked Saturday what he thinks about McCain's apparent pride in underdog status, Obama told reporters traveling with him: "Two years ago, John McCain was the putative Republican nominee who has been part of the Washington establishment for years and who touts all his Washington experience, versus me. So the notion that somehow I'm the heavy favorite in this race belies recent political history and a lot of American history. So, we've got a lot of work to do."
Still, compared with McCain's campaign struggles, Obama is seemingly skating along, visiting states Bush won four years ago and courting traditional GOP supporters with his core message: "Change We Can Believe In."
Nonetheless, the Illinois senator says, "I'm going to have to be a better candidate" and is mindful of his own vulnerabilities.
There are many, not the least of which is trying to become the first black president of a country where racism still runs deep. The GOP-fueled liberal elitist label also could stick on this Harvard-educated Chicagoan.
And, Obama also may be undercutting his claim to be a straight-shooting, new-politics candidate as he repeatedly breaks with his liberal base on various issues to aggressively move to appeal to the center of the electorate.
National polls vary widely, but they have one commonality: None show McCain ahead of Obama. And, on voters' most important issues, McCain trails on every subject but Iraq and terrorism. He also lags in key states, including Bush-won Colorado and Ohio.
When it comes to message and strategy, McCain has appeared to flounder.
He hasn't settled on one theme and can't seem to stick with a particular line of argument in favor of his candidacy for more than a couple days. His attempts to derail Obama are scattershot; the campaign simply takes advantages of openings Obama creates rather than creating a negative narrative against the Democrat. And, McCain's fundraising events have driven his campaign schedule, often putting him in solid Republican states instead of swing states likely to decide the election.
As the sleepy summer pre-convention window opens, Obama is running TV ads in 18 states while McCain focuses on 11 for now and the Republican National Committee bolsters his efforts in the Great Lakes region.
At the same time, McCain, 71, is working to match Obama's organization. For now, McCain's campaign is roughly 300-strong compared with Obama's 1,000-person plus operation.
Obama had a campaign in just about every state during the long Democratic primary, and he has started bolstering the remnants of those existing networks. His aides also boast of a hefty grass-roots organization, a "persuasion army" of allies who will reach out to neighbors, friends and relatives. That's reminiscent of Bush's 2004 campaign.
Conversely, McCain's ground-game operation has been slow-moving; staffers weren't dispatched in earnest to key states until last month — even though the GOP primary ended in March. The RNC has fewer than 100 offices with just about the same number of field staffers. The campaign, itself, has 11 regional campaign managers who, in turn, have brought on nearly 100 staff members as part of a much-maligned, decentralized structure.
...
LINK TO THE REST OF THE ARTICLE
Wow, they talked about both candidates without being insulting to them or making up stuff.
This is what a news article looks like.
QUOTE (Hamoth @ Jul 6 2008, 02:51 AM)
Wow, they talked about both candidates without being insulting to them or making up stuff.
This is what a news article looks like.
This is what a news article looks like.
That's kinda what I was thinking.
QUOTE (bushwa @ Jul 6 2008, 02:32 PM)
That's kinda what I was thinking.
Did you see my thread on the LAT?
Exact opposite example. I'm talking to the author of that article on Monday. Would love your feedback on my questions...
QUOTE (Hamoth @ Jul 6 2008, 06:32 PM)
Did you see my thread on the LAT?
Exact opposite example. I'm talking to the author of that article on Monday. Would love your feedback on my questions...
Exact opposite example. I'm talking to the author of that article on Monday. Would love your feedback on my questions...
It don't matter, I would not give McCain any feedback, let a sleeping dog lie, errrrr, lay errr, whateva. Mission Accomplished, McCain can retire now. Attempting to balance power through Limbaugh, Foxnews, or LAT come on, it's over.
QUOTE
McCain struggles to regain footing
"I've fallen, and I can't get up"!!
reminds me of 96, in san diego airport runway and i see dole's campaign plane
at the time he was behind and as i recall never considered a serious threat
it should be the same this time
at the time he was behind and as i recall never considered a serious threat
it should be the same this time
QUOTE (captainkona @ Jul 6 2008, 05:53 PM)
"I've fallen, and I can't get up"!!
OMG, the McCain National Health Policy is to get himself LifeAlert!
QUOTE (Alildotonearth @ Jul 6 2008, 04:55 PM)
It don't matter, I would not give McCain any feedback, let a sleeping dog lie, errrrr, lay errr, whateva. Mission Accomplished, McCain can retire now. Attempting to balance power through Limbaugh, Foxnews, or LAT come on, it's over.
Why give up?
Screw that.
I at least want to know why somebody would intentionally manufacture a story like this.
So far McCain's presidential campaign does somewhat remind me of Bob Dole's 1996 campaign. Excepting that Dole was well liked by his fellow Republicans and didn't have an obvious anger management problem. Still, complacency is not an option. We have to push hard through the finish line to build a Senate and Congress as progressive as possible.
QUOTE (Hamoth @ Jul 6 2008, 03:32 PM)
Did you see my thread on the LAT?
Exact opposite example. I'm talking to the author of that article on Monday. Would love your feedback on my questions...
Exact opposite example. I'm talking to the author of that article on Monday. Would love your feedback on my questions...
I saw it. I agreed with a couple of your points, and strongly disagreed with a couple of others. (In the portions where you pulled statements and commented on them.) I probably agreed with more than I didn't, but felt so strongly about those I disputed that I thought it best to leave it alone.
QUOTE (Wayne @ Jul 6 2008, 11:35 PM)
... Still, complacency is not an option. We have to push hard through the finish line to build a Senate and Congress as progressive as possible.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
And aside from the urgently important Senate and House races, it's entirely possible that Obama WILL make a mistake. He's human. I don't want to have to wake people to circle the wagons. And even if he doesn't slip up, who knows which "he's Muslim," "his wife hates America," "he won't wear a flag pin," "he wants Soviet-style health care" piece of bullshit will catch on with the sheep and begin to make in-roads?
Ever vigilant! Ever active!
Good points though on -
QUOTE (Wayne @ Jul 6 2008, 11:35 PM)
...Excepting that Dole was well liked by his fellow Republicans and didn't have an obvious anger management problem. ...
To say nothing of his "not knowing much about very much" problem.
QUOTE (LIZ SIDOTI @ Associated Press Writer)
"This is a tough race. We are behind. We are the underdog. That's what I like to be," the GOP nominee-in-waiting frequently tells donors.......
A little Newspeak Alert. McCain is the: "nominee-in-waiting." I've only heard Obama referred to as: "the presumptive nominee." Kinda makes him sound uppity, don't it?
QUOTE (pestone @ Jul 7 2008, 12:18 AM)
A little Newspeak Alert. McCain is the: "nominee-in-waiting." I've only heard Obama referred to as: "the presumptive nominee." Kinda makes him sound uppity, don't it?
Good catch,pestone!
You know the pukes will do anything so don't put anything past em!! 
QUOTE (pestone @ Jul 7 2008, 12:18 AM)
A little Newspeak Alert. McCain is the: "nominee-in-waiting." I've only heard Obama referred to as: "the presumptive nominee." Kinda makes him sound uppity, don't it?
You don't think that's just a writer trying to be cute? I do.
Wouldn't there have to be some marked increase in the relative prestige from "presumptive nominee" to "nominee in waiting" for it to be anything but?
QUOTE (bushwa @ Jul 7 2008, 12:05 AM)
I saw it. I agreed with a couple of your points, and strongly disagreed with a couple of others. (In the portions where you pulled statements and commented on them.) I probably agreed with more than I didn't, but felt so strongly about those I disputed that I thought it best to leave it alone.
If ever a contrary opinion is welcome, it's the day before I call this guy. Better from you than over the phone...
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