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White House 2008 -- The Republicans

MCCAIN

1. He Said, He Said

Charlie Black, a senior aide to John McCain, told reporters 4/24 "that they were successful in their efforts" to get the NC GOP to pull a controversial ad against two Dem NC GOV hopefuls (see 4/23, 4/24 Hotlines).

Black told reporters that the state party agreed to pull the ad, which highlights the ties between Barack Obama and Rev. Jeremiah Wright. But NC GOP spokesperson Brent Woodcox "said the opposite." Woodcox: "That is not accurate. The plan is to run it early next week." Woodcox "said the ad buy has not been finalized, but the spot should begin airing" on 4/29, statewide, and for an unspecified period of time. Woodcox, asked if discussions were under way to pull the ad: "No, there are not."

The NC GOP's website also "features a clip of the ad on the main page above a link" that states: "Please click here to contribute and keep this ad on the air" (Davis, "Washington Wire," WSJ.com, 4/24). However, WSOC-TV in Charlotte and WRAL in Raleigh have already said that they will not run the ad (Ingram, Charlotte Observer, 4/25).

DNC Chair Howard Dean framed the ad controversy "as a test of McCain's leadership" on 4/24, "basically saying, if he can't get people affiliated with his presidential campaign" to not run an ad, "how can he run the country?" Dean, in a 4/24 release: "This is a test of leadership for John McCain. If he can't pick up the phone and make members of his own party stop airing a television ad he claims to oppose, how can he lead our country through an economic crisis or the war in Iraq?" (James, "The Swamp," ChicagoTribune.com, 4/24).

Obama spokesperson Hari Sevugan also released a statement, saying: "The fact that Senator McCain can't get his own party to take down this misleading, personal attack ad raises serious questions about his promise to the American people that he will run a civil, respectful campaign" (release, 4/24).

Respect Mah Authoritah!

Meanwhile, campaigning in New Orleans on 4/24, McCain said: "I cannot dictate to the North Carolina Republican Party what their message is, but I condemn it and I can appeal to the overwhelming majority of Republicans in the state of North Carolina" (AP, 4/24). More: "I cannot enforce my will [but] I can make it clear to them that I will have no part of it" (Hovell/Goldman, "Political Radar," ABCNews.com, 4/24).

McCain, asked why the NC GOP is not listening to his request: "They're not listening to me because they're out of touch with reality and the Republican Party. We are the party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, and this kind of campaigning is unacceptable. I have said that. It will harm the Republicans' cause. I have done everything that I can to repudiate and to see that this kind of campaigning does not continue. I have engaged in and will continue a respectful campaign of either Senator Obama or Senator [Hillary] Clinton."

NBC's Vieira: "Senator Obama said if you wanted to, you could get that ad pulled because you are, after all, the nominee. ... So if you can't get the ad pulled, does it raise any questions about your leadership?"

McCain: "I don't know exactly how to respond to that, except that I would hope that Senator Obama would repudiate and apologize for his remarks concerning the heartland of America. ... I hope he'll apologize for that" ("Today," NBC, 4/25).

Among the responses to the ad controversy:

• McCain supporter/ex-PA Gov. Tom Ridge (R), on McCain's request to the NC GOP: "There's not much he can do. Obviously, he's looking to the leaders of North Carolina to support his candidacy, but he's made it very clear, unequivocal in his language. ... John did what had to do, and that's condemn it in very strong words" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 4/24).

• The "upside of this whole thing for McCain is that it gives him repeated opportunities to talk about how much he wants to run a good, no-smear campaign, and that he's above that kind of politics. In the context of other, more underhanded GOPers, he's just a nice guy, see?" ("Early and Often," NYMag.com, 4/24).

That's The Last Time He Gets Invited Over For A Hot Dog Lunch

McCain "took direct aim" at the Bush admin. on 4/24 in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, declaring the handling of Hurricane Katrina "terrible and disgraceful" and pledged that it would never happen again.

McCain "ticked off a long list of mistakes" by the current admin., saying there were "unqualified people in charge, there was a total misreading of the dimensions of the disaster, there was a failure of communications." The "pointed critique was one of his harshest assessments yet of the Bush presidency and came as he has been moving to corral restive elements" of the GOP -- and "the Bush donor network -- behind his candidacy."

Asked at a presser "if he traced the failure of leadership straight to the top," McCain said "emphatically": "Yes" (Bumiller, New York Times, 4/25). But McCain also said that "all levels of government are to blame for the catastrophe that took place," and that he wasn't singling out Pres. Bush (Holmes, Wall Street Journal, 4/25).

Later, McCain told reporters on his bus "that if the disaster had happened on his watch, he would have landed his plane 'at the nearest Air Force base and come over personally'" (New York Times, 4/25).

Meanwhile, WH press sec. Dana Perino said she had not seen McCain's comments. But she said Bush "absolutely took responsibility for any failing on the part of the federal government." Perino: "At the same time, there were problems at the ... state and local levels, as well, which they have admitted to" (Reston, Los Angeles Times, 4/25).

Among the responses to McCain's criticism of Bush and his tour of the Lower Ninth Ward:

• Washington Times' Wall, on McCain criticizing Bush's handling of Katrina: "I don't think McCain has said anything that the president has not said after Katrina. He admitted he has bumbled it, the administration bumbled it. McCain hasn't said anything that we haven't already heard from the administration in that regard. He's just reiterating some of those same things and the position he would have taken as commander in chief" ("Election Center," CNN, 4/24).

• CNN's Borger: "[McCain]'s clearly going to use [Bush] to raise money, and he will use him in the states where he can be helpful, such as a state like Texas. But, in talking to folks at the White House right now, there are discussions going on about how to use the president, for example, at the convention. What do you do when you don't want to say that John McCain is going to be a third Bush term? They are very well aware of the delicacy of this. Some folks at the White House I talked said, you know, it's perfectly possible that maybe George W. Bush won't even be at the convention. Maybe he will speak from somewhere else" ("Election Center," 4/24).

• Time's Scherer writes, "for all the imagery clearly designed to undermine negative stereotypes of insensitive, fat cat Republican candidates, McCain didn't stray from his conservative principles, offering policy prescriptions that were largely drawn from the small-government quiver" (4/25).

The Wright Stuff

MoveOn.org, which supports Obama, was planning a protest on 4/24 outside of McCain's New Orleans town hall, over McCain's endorsement from Rev. John Hagee.

Hagee "is the one who contends that New Orleans drew the wrath of God in Hurricane Katrina for a gay-pride parade that the city was planning" (see 4/24 Hotline). MoveOn.org argues: "To this day, Rev. Hagee continues to blame the sins of the people of New Orleans for the catastrophe of Katrina, and yet Sen. McCain actively sought his endorsement and has refused to condemn his comments. On Sunday he maintained he was 'glad to have' Hagee's endorsement."

McCain spokesperson Brian Rogers: "John McCain has clearly stated that he rejects these types of statements. It's unfortunate that at a time when John McCain is bringing people together in New Orleans, the liberal left-wing group MoveOn.org is engaged in the same old divisive political attacks that the American people are so sick and tired of" (Silva, "The Swamp," ChicagoTribune.com, 4/24).

Meanwhile, Madison Capital Times editorializes, "it is far more reasonable to demand that McCain talk about where he agrees and disagrees with" Hagee "on the causes of natural disasters and the response" of a GOP admin. "than it is to ask Obama" about Wright's statements. "Obama turned to Wright for spiritual sustenance. McCain, far more significantly, turned to Hagee for political sustenance -- and, if we are to presume that neither of these men is a hypocrite, because of their ideological compatibility" (4/25).

As Seen On TV!

McCain made a round of TV interviews after visiting the Lower Ninth Ward on 4/24. The taped interviews were shown this a.m.

McCain, asked what he told residents that are still angry with the gov'ts botched handling after Hurricane Katrina: "I'm telling them never again will such a mismanagement of a natural or man-made disaster take place in America when I'm president."

Asked if the U.S. is better off now than eight years ago: "Oh, no. No" ("Today," NBC, 4/25).

Asked if he's considering Mike Huckabee for VP: "Governor Huckabee is a great person and contributed enormously to the campaign and to the Republican Party, but we're not discussing the process."

CBS' Rodriguez, on the battle for the Dem nod: "Your wife Cindy has said that this protracted battle is good for your campaign. How so?"

McCain: "I don't know whether it's good or bad for the campaign. I have no idea. We're running our own campaign" ("Early Show," CBS, 4/25).

On his action tour: "I may not get the majority of votes in Selma, Alabama. I understand that. But I want to assure them that when I'm president, I want to be president of all the people" ("GMA," ABC, 4/25).

There's No Business Like Business Awards

McCain also addressed the 25th Annual Business Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet in Baton Rouge, LA, last night, and "gave a speech about the need for strong leadership and corporate participation."

McCain "reiterated many of the economic proposals included in his major economic speech from a few weeks ago and made one veiled criticism of Obama for offering hope with now substance." McCain: "Lofty lectures on change won't do much good, either, when they are just a new version of the same old ideas. The time for talking about change is over. It's time for action in Washington, with serious reforms to make a difference in the lives of the American people" (Aigner-Treworgy, NBC/National Journal, 4/24).

How Far Away? Little Rock, A-R-K?

McCain will end his week-long tour through mostly impoverished areas with a brief afternoon stop in Little Rock, AR.

Today, after a private luncheon fundraiser at the Capital Hotel, McCain will meet with a class at Arkansas Baptist College. He'll then head to OK for another fundraiser.

AR Dems, however, say McCain won't fool anybody about his GOP bona fides. AR Dem chair Bill Gwatney: "I'm glad he's coming to Arkansas. But he needs to realize one thing: Arkansas voters are going to be looking at his record over the last 25 years. And they're not going to like what they see" (Cate, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/25).

You're Doing Fine, Oklahoma

When McCain visits OK today, OK Dems will host a "No Third Bush Term" rally and a union hall event with $2.30 hot dogs -- "a poke at McCain's $2,300-a-plate fundraiser" tonight.

DNC spokesperson Karen Finney: "We're at the point where we're not waiting for the general election. ... Chairman Dean recognizes that while it is important that the primary continue between Senators Clinton and Obama, the DNC has really got to step up its efforts to define John McCain. We want to make sure that he doesn't have the opportunity to get so far out ahead that we can't catch up" (Sabar, Christian Science Monitor, 4/25).

Lincoln Chafee: Always Looking For A Reason To Be Relevant

The economic package that McCain has laid out "embraces many of the tax policies he once decried: extending Bush's tax cuts he voted against, offering investment tax breaks he once believed would have little economic benefit and granting the long-held wishes of tax lobbyists he has often mocked." Now that he is the nominee, McCain "is marching straight down the party line."

McCain's concerns -- "about budget deficits, unanticipated defense costs, an Iraq war that would be longer and more costly than advertised -- have proved eerily prescient, usually a plus for politicians who are quick to say they were right when others were wrong. Yet McCain appears determined to leave such predictions behind." McCain senior policy adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin: "He's looking forward, not back."

To supporters, McCain "has simply seen the light and now understands the power that business tax relief has to spur economic growth and innovation." But "to critics, it is political pandering." Ex-Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI): "It's just part of the new John McCain that's taking on the conventional wisdom that in tight races, you have to energize the base and win by 50.000001 percent. I was frankly surprised that he's kept it up after securing the nomination. I thought he'd move to the center, and I haven't seen it" (Weisman, Washington Post, 4/26).

Ain't Nothin' Gonna Break My Stride, Nobody's Gonna Slow Me Down

Wall Street Journal editorializes, as a Member of Congress and WH candidate, McCain "has listened endlessly" to Dems "mau-mau their opponents with rhetoric about 'fairness' and the 'deficit' and, best of all, the 'investment needs' of the government, aka, spending." The "past week's criticisms are intended to bait" McCain "into debating his tax cuts on these liberal terms. He can only win this debate, and the election, by breaking free of that mindset and making his own personal case for lower taxes and the prosperity they help to create" (4/25).

Beating Around The Bush

National Journal's Brownstein writes, when it comes to the economy, Bush supporters "can list extenuating circumstances: 9/11, the bursting of the high-tech and housing bubbles. But the public judges presidents by results, and its verdict on Bush's results is now unequivocal -- and profoundly unsympathetic."

"That undertow hasn't yet sunk McCain. Largely because of his reputation for independence, he is still attracting nearly" 30% of voters who are dissatisfied with Bush's economic performance, according to the latest ABC/Washington Post survey. "But McCain's tangled gyrations" when he said that "you could make an argument that there's been great progress economically" demonstrated "the challenge he'll face in holding those voters with an economic agenda that promises continuity with, rather than change from, the policies of a president who has flatly lost the country's confidence" (4/26 issue).

Ten Things I Hate About You

A number of GOP and Dem strategists and operatives offer ten ideas of what McCain should do with his time alone in the current general election race:

• Resign From the Senate: "Running for president from the Senate is a bad idea."

• Stop Criticizing Outside Groups: McCain "may not like all of the outside money coursing through the system," but in an election where he is likely to be badly outspent, he "needs some third party spending on his side as a counterweight."

• Court Blue Collars: "Even Obama's staunchest supporters privately acknowledge that he will have some work to do to win over blue collar white voters if he winds up" as the Dem nominee.

• Tell the Story: McCain's "greatest strength in this contest is his long resume of service to the country."

• Pick the Playing Field: There's a "huge amount of debate" among Dems "about how different the electoral map would look depending on who they nominate. Exacerbate those concerns by starting to advertise on television in selected swing states."

• Research Thyself: "Since Clinton and Obama seem perfectly content to air one another's dirty laundry, McCain should turn the full efforts of his research department on himself."

• Control the Convention: McCain "should make the GOP convention the model of unity and cohesion; not let any free agents steal the story with inflammatory speeches that will distract from the message."

• Bash Bush: McCain "needs badly to convince voters that while he may support the President on some issues, he is not a Bush Republican."

• Pick Early: "By picking his ticket mate early this summer, McCain would draw a stark contrast with Democrats."

• Collect Cash: "Even though McCain is apparently accepting public financing for the general election, that doesn't remove the onus of collecting cash" (Cillizza, "The Fix," WashingtonPost.com, 4/25).

Have A Little Faith In Me

Dems have "stolen the headlines on faith outreach and 'God talk'" during this '08 campaign season, but RNC dep. chair Frank Donatelli says that is about to change.

Donatelli, on McCain's faith outreach: "All I can say is that it will be aggressive. Senator McCain's aides at all levels will be talking to pro-family groups. Senator McCain himself will engage with pro-family groups. The problem with the DNC outreach is the party that embraces abortion on demand and retreating in the face of our enemies I would think would have a great deal of difficulty reaching pro-family voters" ("The Brody File," CBN.com, 4/25).

Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

Wall Street Journal's Strassel writes, "whatever has driven the shift -- conversion, pragmatism, desperation" -- McCain's "new financial determination is welcome news to his supporters. GOP voters had worried their candidate would unnecessarily fetter himself with self-imposed finance restrictions. Instead, he looks eager to win. And as far as strategies go, this one is arguably" McCain's "best shot at evening the odds against a money powerhouse" like Obama (4/25).

Movin' On Up

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), an "ambitious 44-year-old first elected" to the House in '00, "is emerging as his chamber's most outspoken and active supporter" of McCain. The only Jewish GOPer in the House, Cantor "has assumed a pivotal role" in helping the McCain camp "build support -- and raise money -- in the Jewish community." And Cantor "quite likely has his sights set even higher."

As chief deputy whip for House GOPers, Cantor "is a party stalwart and conservative leader. So it's all the more interesting that he has been encouraging" McCain's "occasional moderate forays" (Cohen, National Journal, 4/26).

There Is A Season, Turn, Turn, Turn

National Journal's Douglass writes, McCain's three years as Navy liaison in the Senate "became a turning point that put him on a path toward" the WH.

McCain CoS Mark Salter: "I count [his time as the liaison] among the seminal experiences of his life." McCain biographer Robert Timberg: "The Senate liaison job opened up a whole fresh new world for him." McCain, meanwhile, sums it up simply: "A great opportunity -- to travel, meet people, and to learn" (4/26 issue).

Tonight, Tonight, Won't Be Just Any Night

C. McCain will appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on 4/30 (Aigner-Treworgy, NBC/National Journal, 4/24).

Steeling Beauty

Pittsburgh Steelers co-owner Patrick Rooney Sr. endorsed McCain, saying: "I know that America's future would be best guarded by a true hero and patriot -- John McCain." Rooney also owns the Palm Beach Kennel Club, a dog-racing track (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 4/25).

 

Editor-in-Chief: Amy Walter

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