McCain Meltdown Months In Coming

Bad Fundraising Strategy, Shaky Structure Doomed Campaign, Supporters Say

(The Politico)  By The Politico's Jonathan Martin and Mike Allen

---

Six months ago, the consensus among many leading Republicans was that the party's presidential nomination was Sen. John McCain's to lose. By outward appearances, he has done just that.

Republicans inside and outside his campaign say his epic descent from front-runner to political life support was triggered by a poisonous political environment, an undisciplined candidate and a campaign with all the chaos and casualness of McCain's happy-go-lucky 2000 bid — but without the excitement and charm.

McCain, a war hero running in wartime, is effectively broke: His campaign reported a paltry $2 million on hand on June 30, and Republican sources say he has debt that wipes that out. McCain's fiscal straits highlight a basic flaw of his campaign: It was based on a high-power, high-cost strategy that would roll over the competition, but he never demonstrated the capacity to fund this approach.

But even if he can somehow raise meaningful amounts of cash in the months ahead, people close to the campaign point to intractable problems that could hobble any comeback.

This story is based on numerous interviews Wednesday with people with firsthand knowledge of the campaign, most of whom said they could share candid views only if they were not identified by name. Most McCain associates said the news that exploded earlier this week — the departure of McCain's chief strategist and other top aides — came as little surprise to them: They have known for months that the Arizonan's candidacy was in a perilous state.

"It feels at times that somebody has put a voodoo curse on us," said one McCain loyalist. "The timing has been consistently bad."

After starting the race leading in most every poll in the early primary states, McCain quickly staggered under broad opposition to his embrace of President Bush's Iraq policy, combined with intense conservative opposition to the senator's immigrant-friendly plans for overhauling the nation's border laws.

"He was being whipsawed," said a McCain associate near the center of the campaign. This aide described a candidate battered on one side by the moderates who fueled his 2000 run but who loathed the war while he was drawing the wrath of many core Republicans over his immigration stance. And as the nomination contest became engaged and the "amnesty" issue came to the fore, Republicans were reminded why they had long been skeptical of the maverick.

This sour tide might have proven fatal on its own. But McCain was in trouble even within the walls of his campaign headquarters, where personal rivalries, poor planning and excessive spending gave him little chance to defeat his external demons.

"The political department was such a mess that we couldn't get Sportsmen for McCain in Iowa to Iowa events when we wanted to talk about guns," said one former McCain staffer. "The chain of command was almost tenuous — you didn't know where to go. These problems were coming up — little ones — and they weren't being fixed."

Perhaps most damaging of all, no one was clearly in charge. There was a campaign manager, a chief strategist, a senior adviser and a chief executive — an unwieldy team riven by mistrust and rivalries.

"Without question, the problem was too many cooks in the kitchen," the former staff member said. "The history books will write this as a power struggle." Regardless of which side of the personal and political disputes they sat on, the McCain associates who were interviewed offered remarkably similar diagnoses of the campaign's overarching problems.

Many of his aides agreed that a daunting obstacle was the refusal of the most motivated activists to recognize him as one of them. Simply put, it's difficult to capture the Republican nomination when Republicans mistrust you.

"After 2000, there were such hard feelings about him from the Bush campaign," said a McCain adviser. “We were able to patch that up here in Washington. But out in the hinterlands, they didn't get over it."

"No," this aide concluded, "they didn't trust him."

McCain's most appealing and most self-damaging attribute has always been his propensity to shoot from the hip. It's what endeared him to so many in the news media in his 2000 campaign and what made him into the household name that he would become. But his willingness to offer "straight talk" that was critical of his fellow Republicans and his eagerness to partner with Democrats made him suspect in the eyes of many within his own party. Another McCain source pointed to an anecdote posted Wednesday on the blog TownHall.com in which McCain, speaking at a private event, accepted praise for his little-appreciated anti-abortion stance — only to remind the conservative crowd that he also supported stem cell research.

[ekucrew]

McCain jaunt to the marketplace in Baghdad and declaring it safe was as bad as the Dukakis-in-a-tank fiasco.

[cfin5]

Nah, It's your VOTING RECORD and the "F-" on the second amendment Senator......Ron Paul in 2008!

[lars008-2009]

Hillary and a Cowboy

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, on an airliner bound for Texas, finds
Herself seated next to an older, weathered man in a western snap shirt,
Faded jeans, and a cowboy hat. Thinking herself above the old cowboy, she
Decides to make sport of him.

"You know," she says, "I've heard these flights go much more quickly if you
Strike up a conversation with a fellow passenger. So, let's talk."

The cowboy looks at her wryly and says, "Well I s'pose that'd be all right,
M'am. What'd ya like to discuss?"

"Oh, I don't know," says Hillary with a slight hint of sarcasm.
"How about Iraq?"

"Hmm," says the cowboy, sensing an attempt to perhaps belittle him, "That
Could be an interesting topic. But let me ask you a question first:
Horses, cows, and deer all eat the same stuff--grass. Yet a deer passes
Little pellets, a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse makes muffins of
Dried poop. Why do you suppose that is?"

Dumbfounded, Senator Clinton replies, "I haven't the slightest idea."

"So tell me, then," says the cowboy with a smile. "How is it that you feel
Qualified to discuss Iraq when you don't know
s-h-i-t

[jsmithcsa]

I am a Conservative, but not a Republican. I have not been able to force myself to support McCain because, although he is Republican, he is seldom with me on Conservative issues (immigration is a recent example, McCain-Feingold is another). He's just not reliable on isses that matter.

[russ1985]

Here lies the McCain Presidency bid. Tied to Bush's performance, it sank to the bottom like the Titanic. Actually the Titanic had a more graceful descent into the grave. John McCain's campaign is DOA before I even get to plan my labor day BBQ. Note to other Republican hopefuls. If you see a policy Bush likes, run away quickly.

Who would have thought being tied to a sitting President would be a poison pill?

[keeblers69]

John pack your bags it is time to go back home

[realpatriot1]

doctorwho4,

You don't actually know any Democrats do you. John Kerry doesn't count.

[tucano2]

Two changes might help McCain, 180 degree turn-arounds on (1) Illegal Aliens vs. the rule of law, and of course, (2) Iraq.

No one with his current views on these two items is ever even going to get elected dogcatcher, let alone get a chance at anything else.

[randalds]

John McCain has more guts and honor than most. He will be President.

Posted by billtom1 at 01:03 PM : Jul 12, 2007

He's lost his feeble mind. the only thing he stands a chance of being president of anymore is the Alzheimer's ward in his nursing home in Sun City AZ.

[rushlimpdrug]

John McCain has more guts and honor than most. He will be President.
Posted by billtom1

And you his vice-president

[lars008-2009]

97-0 Vote for WAR with IRAN...

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seen looking for a spider hole...

hahahahahahahaha

Senate Shows Support In 97-0 Vote
Lieberman Leads Way In Warning To Iran
The Senate Wednesday put aside a growing schism over the conduct of the Iraq war and rallied around a strongly-worded warning to Iran authored by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman.
http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-iran0712.artjul12,0,3251634.story
Al-Qaeda %u2018planning big British attack%u2019
AL-QAEDA leaders in Iraq are planning the first %u201Clarge-scale%u201D terrorist attacks on Britain and other western targets with the help of supporters in Iran, according to a leaked intelligence report.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1687360.ece
US warns against travel to Iran
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070531/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iran_5
'Military plan against Iran is ready'
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1181228588702&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
'Time running out for Iran strike'
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1183980036210&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
U.S. Navy sends third carrier to 5th fleet region
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20
070710/tpl-uk-usnavy-carrier-9562ed3.htm
l
Tunneling Near Iranian Nuclear Site Stirs Worry
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/08/AR2007070801307_pf.html

[wadyaknow]

McCain has no honor. The last time he told the truth was when he confronted Bush in 2000 about Bush lying about him. When he was down in SC he supported the confederate flag for purely political purposes. He sucked up to (now thankfully stone cold dead) Jerry Falwell. He has joined the so-called family values bandwagon - i.e. the gay-bashers. He will never-ever be president.

[mwitten2]

John McCain went from "Straight Talk" John McCain of 2000 to becoming infected with Bushitis. McCain is wrong on Iraq and immigration. RIP GOP (Greed Over the People) Dwarf #1 to fail!

[SIDNEYWILLIAMSMD]

I cannot believe that little Senator McCain the darling of the left wing democrats who would "vote for him" because of his liberal tendencies. How could he be defeated this easily?

[walt1944-2009]

There is no doubt that Bagdad John shot himself in the foot time and time again. Who, in their right mind would hitch their wagon to a hated despot that had a 27% approval rating, and expect good things from it. Maybe he was hoping that Emperor Bush would somehow bail him out and support him for the GOP nomination. Emperor Bush, on the other hand, I am sure, has no intention of allowing any election in 2008 to begin with. He plans to stay in office for LIFE!

God Help us all!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!

[billtom1]

I am amazed at the negative insulting and rude comments here. On either side of the spectrum--left or right--it seems rude is the only tool in the box for most people. John McCain has more guts and honor than most. He will be President.

[petesis]

This is what happens in American Politics nowadays, when you speak your mind and hold to your beliefs. It is a sad reflection on the process. Senator McCain is easily the best candidate for either party but he probably doesn't have a chance. It is not the first beating he has taken for love of his country.

[gunownerdan]

John who?
Ron Paul is the man!!
Bring HOPE to America:
ronpaul2008.com

[wadyaknow]

And to top it all off one of his Florida co-chairs was arrested for soliciting a cop. It seems he want to pay the cop and give the cop a bj. Thank God the Republicans are the party of family values - Praise Jesus!

http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070712/NEWS01/707120340

[infidel_us]

when he turned into the Pander Bear.
Posted by shingles1 at 12:13 PM : Jul 12, 2007

HA! I LOVE it!!! Pander Bear!!! EXCELLENT!!!! :) May I use that????