McCain Often Veers From Aggressive Message

Washington Post: Unpredictable Candidate Chafes At Delivering Campaign's Talking Points

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Juliet Eilperin and Robert Barnes.

---

Sen. John McCain last week delivered one of his sharpest critiques yet of Sen. Barack Obama's Iraq policies, carefully reading a prepared speech that accused his Democratic rival of failing the commander-in-chief test and promoting ideas that would force American troops to "retreat under fire."

But just hours after his crisp performance, the Republican presidential candidate blurred his own message with an offhand comment to a television interviewer that Obama's proposal for a 16-month time frame for removing combat troops from Iraq might be a "pretty good timetable." That seemed to run counter to his attempts to cast Obama as naive on foreign policy, and it sent his aides scrambling.

As Election Day nears, McCain's campaign is adopting the aggressive, take-no-prisoners style of Karl Rove, the GOP operative who engineered victories for President Bush. The campaign continued the attack Wednesday with a sarcastic television ad deriding Obama as a "celebrity," part of an intensifying effort to cast him as an elitist.

But the sharp-edged approach is being orchestrated for an unpredictable candidate who often chafes at delivering the campaign's message of the day. It is that freewheeling style that has made him popular with voters and cemented his reputation for candor and straight talk.

McCain, who was most comfortable as an underdog in the unscripted environment of the New Hampshire primary, makes his advisers cringe as he delivers the attack line -- and then keeps talking. In that respect, he is no Bush, his handlers say.

The result is a presidential campaign that sometimes rolls between serious policy discussions about the nation's future and gotcha politics aimed at undermining his opponent's character. McCain himself is often caught in the middle, proclaiming his commitment to the former while participating in the latter.

For weeks, McCain's staff has been criticized for running a campaign that has no clear message. The decision by the senator from Arizona to have former Bush strategist Steve Schmidt run daily operations was described as a way to get control of the message. But some Republicans outside the campaign believe that not much has changed since then.

"It's the candidate," said one GOP strategist with close ties to the campaign, who added that efforts to identify a theme for each week quickly unravel as McCain veers off message in his public comments.

At a town hall meeting in Pennsylvania last week, McCain stood before a banner that proclaimed "Energy Solutions" and "The Lexington Project" -- the moniker his campaign coined for an energy proposal featuring a combination of conservation efforts, expanded offshore drilling and nuclear power.

McCain rambled quickly through the details and showed little appreciation for the art of "branding."

"I call it the Lexington Project, my friends, but you can call it anything you want," he said.

Several weeks ago senior aide Mark Salter said McCain would stop kicking off town hall meetings with news "ripped from the day's headlines" and would instead deliver a formal introduction on a single theme. That effort lasted just a few weeks: In his opening remarks at Tuesday's town hall, McCain hopscotched from the war to pork-barrel spending.

The campaign's focus on expanding its war chest sometimes compromises its ability to deliver a coherent message, since McCain's schedule is often dictated by the sites of fundraising events rather than an overarching theme. This week, for example, the presumptive GOP nominee has traveled from central California to San Francisco to Reno to Denver to Kansas City, holding as many fundraisers as public events.

The assault on Obama's capacity to lead continued Wednesday with the release of McCain's latest commercial, "Celeb," which compares Obama's ability to attract adoring fans to that of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.

In a news conference with reporters, campaign manager Rick Davis said the ad draws a distinction between Obama's popularity and McCain's appeal, which Davis said stems not from "celebrity" but from "actually having a political movement based on ideas and solutions for the American public."

Schmidt joined the conference call midway through to hammer the point. "There's no dispute that he's become the biggest celebrity in the world," Schmidt said of Obama. "The question that we are posing to the American people is this: Is he ready to lead yet?"

The new ad relies mainly on atmospherics, but it also delivers a harsh assessment of Obama's record, declaring that the Democrat "says he'll raise taxes on electricity." In fact, Obama opposes a "carbon tax," though he does favor a "cap and trade" plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions, which McCain also supports. The assertion is based on a comment that Obama made to a San Antonio paper in February: "What we ought to tax is dirty energy, like coal and, to a lesser extent, natural gas."

Obama's campaign responded to McCain's attacks Wednesday with an ad describing them as "the politics of the past."

On the stump in Missouri, Obama also said: "You know, I don't pay attention to John McCain's ads. Although I do notice that he doesn't seem to have anything to say very positive about himself. He seems to only be talking about me. You need to ask John McCain what he's for, not just what he's against."

But sometimes McCain is not his best spokesman.

At a town hall meeting Tuesday, a GOP voter posed a question McCain has heard everywhere from Sparks, Nev., to Dayton, Ohio: Why should Republicans support him?

"I think I speak for a lot of conservatives when I say I'm not very excited about this election," the questioner said, noting that he differs with McCain on issues including "amnesty" for illegal immigrants and the senator's support for "the global warming crowd's agenda."

But rather than rattle off his most conservative positions -- his opposition to abortion and support for the war -- he launched into a long explanation of his role in a compromise on judges, something that conservatives often criticize him for.

He sparked applause from the Republican audience by mentioning his support for conservative Supreme Court Justices John G. Roberts Jr. and Samuel A. Alito Jr., but he then noted that he had backed liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer as well.

McCain finished off what was supposed to be an explanation of why conservatives should back him with a pledge to push for a cleaner planet.

"I've stood up against my party many times," he said, "because I've done what I thought was right."

Barnes reported from Washington. Staff writer Michael D. Shear in Washington contributed to this report.

[mcflipflop4u]

mccain has NO VALUES that goes for his supporters too!!!

[allurfears]

McCain: Leading us into the next World War.

[element51]

I think I heard last week that Karl Rove was officially joining the McCain team. At that point I knew that Obama was in trouble. Rove is a master at what he does, and what he does is win elections. As a student of Nazi German history I am fully aware that Rove has also studied the same history and he has an understanding of it that far surpasses mine. If Hitler was running against Jesus Christ, Rove would easily demolish Jesus and send Him packing. He will do the same thing to Obama. I despise Rove and his tactics but I am realistic enough to read the handwriting on the wall. By the time the election arrives Obama will be so reviled he will be lucky to win one state. And the interesting thing will be the democrats scratching their heads saying, "what the he11 happened"? I truly hope I''m wrong about this but I''m afraid I''m not.

[pakaal]

"the sharp-edged approach is being orchestrated for an unpredictable candidate who often chafes at delivering the campaign''s message of the day."

Wow, the media confirms what we''ve known all along: McCain''s not in charge of his own campaign. My best guess is the Neocon faction of the Republican party, they''re still the best-managed faction (for better or worse).

Love that headline "McCain Often Veers from Aggressive Message". Hah! Don''t you mean "McCain often doesn''t know or remember his own campaign''s message?"

[pakaal]

Element51 wrote: "I think I heard last week that Karl Rove was officially joining the McCain team"

Yeah, I think I heard this week that Karl Rove was officially held in contempt and might be going to jail. Is he going to advise the McCain campaign from prison? That''s sure to win over Americans disenchanted with All Things Republican!

[element51]

pakall....I hope what you heard is true. But I do not believe for one minute that Rove will ever see a jail cell. And even if he is brought to trial it will be long after the election is wrapped up. If Rove is convicted or if it looks like he might be, bush will issue a pardon before he leaves office so Rove has no worries. Do not misunderstand my post. I am not a supporter of the republican party and certainly not of McCain. I strongly support Obama but I try to maintain a realistic outlook and I know what Rove is capable of. Do not sell this man short! He is sneeky and underhanded and will stop at nothing to get McCain elected.

[mcflipflop4u]

does mccain have a bipolar disorder?

[dgal878]

Hey, I hear it''s not too late for Hilary to be a write-in candidate. Go for it Hilary!

[labrat9999]

Who in their right mind would elect someone President of the United States that makes jokes and sings songs about bombing another country?? Has he forgotten that when you threaten to do something like that you are threatening to also kill innocent women and children? The same women and children that McSame already admitted to killing during the Vietnam war and said he regretted that!! Right...he is a war monger just like his mentor and buddy Bush.

[peterp111]

OH, please, those who love to hide behind someone who offers you nothing but pie in the sky dreams of delusionary fantasy will choose a Democrat just for the word : "Change" Not that Obama has ever changed anything but his own views, one day to the next. The hypocrits are amazing, they point the finger at another when in fact they forget to look in the mirror while doing so. If you also forget
to look at someones resume for "experiance" before hiring them it is no ones fault but your own.

[liberalme]

"experiance" before hiring them it is no ones fault but your own.

Posted by Peterp111 at 01:32 PM : Jul 31, 2008

peterpill---the correct spelling is "experiEnce"--hope you didn''t attend the same school McCain attended.

And by the way--McCain has no more experience at running a country than Obama has.
Want to talk experience? HeII, look at what we have now!!! Look at all Bushs accomplishments!

Bush''s reign in the White House will be remembered as lies and death, and McCain won''t be any different--he has yet to vote FOR anything positive for our military--thus voted against any "protective equip" and anything else that may have assisted out troops in the way of safety--was absolutely against the new GI bill and was too big a coward to show up for the vote--that way, no one could say he voted against it!! McCain is just another Bush coward.

[mcflipflop4u]

question to all republican extremist: is the US still in a mental recession?

[antoniof123]

The fact still remains that McCain knows nothing about the economy and his adviser don''t either.

[olderthnadam]

As long as McCain continues to kiss the political behind of the Republican far right he is sunk. The best that those who actually want McCain to win could do is to turn him loose and let him be the maverick that he once was, although I fear it is too late for that now because he would be branded a flip-flopper if he changed course now. I suspect that we could see 15-20% of the electorate split between 3 or 4 third parties. Many of the independents and libertatian republicans will vote for the Libertarian or Constitution party candidates and many inedpendents will vote for Obama. The coalition of Wall Street Republicans and neocons will not be enough to elect McCain in the face of Millions of new voters who, in the primaries, went overwhelmingly to the Democrats. And I say this not as a Democrat, but as an Independent with Libertarian leanings who once believed in McCain, but after his winning the nomination and swinging to the right, has become dissolutioned with the Republican party all together.

[olderthnadam]

The Republican Party seems to heve become the party of the investor class and to Hades with anyone else. The Republicans bailing out bad investors and talking of lowering taxes on investments while the rest of the country struggles under the yoke of low wages and skyrocketing prices will come back and bite them in the glutes. Big Time. The corporate welfare system, giving billions of dollars a year to bad investors and bad businessmen to keep them making a profit in spite of bad behavior is not free enterprise but a rigged game that those who actually WORK for a living can never win. Trickle down economics has proven to be voodoo economics, just as George Bush Sr said before he turned coat to become vice-president. The hard-working class are expected to feed on the crumbs that fall from the table while those sitting at the table get fat and sassy. And should anyone lose his seat at the table the government gives them the people''s money to stay. Shame on us, the people, for ever believing this load of dung we''ve been force fed for the last 28 years. And shame on us for voting for the lackies of these corproate greedmongers who have hijacked our country.

[andor3]

The last candidate to hide his true personality and let his handlers call the shots and invent a persona was Al Gore.

[pr_boxer]

In recent years I thought no one could possibly be worse than Geo Bush, however McCain''s helter-skelter tactics of name calling one day, fear mongering the next, meanwhile telling us what a gentlemanly winner he is has pretty well convinced me he''s even worse than BushII

[smurfcrusher]

"McCain Often Veers From Aggressive Message"


And what''s wrong with an occasional nap? They aren''t just for old men...

[newsjunky5]

Sounds like his heart isn''t in it the way his handlers are. Not a true sociopath, rejected by many in his own party. But not a reason to make him President.

[antoniof123]

Hey I really get a charge out of wing nuts saying that McCain is a moderate. His voting record speaks for itself. He votes 95 percent plus along with George Bush. So some one try to explain how he is a moderate.

Next I though you wing nuts didn''t like flip flopers. But your boy here is now saying that Obama''s plan to get out of Iraq in 16 months is doable.

So tell us why should we keep the idiots who led us into this war of follie instead of having someone who knew it was wrong from the begining.

Morons...

[ariel133]

Obama is looking for a fight and because McCain would rather have a discussion than a fight what does that tell about these two men? One is too inexperianced to lead, the other is ready. Simple, really.

[liberalme]

Impeach, expel Barack Obama
http://obamaimpeachment.org

Posted by terrorislamv at 04:57 PM : Jul 31, 2008

Hahahaha what a riot!!! Bigotry is still popular among the ignorant.

[liberalme]

McCain Often Veers From Aggressive Message

Thats because he keeps losing his place in his notes and tries to "wing" it.

He can''t speak anywhere without those notes---what kind of a world speaker will he be?
HE''ll have to haul out those notes when speaking with the UN or world leaders?

The world leaders already know Bush is an idiot--won''t take them long to put McCain on the same idiot level.

[johnbush2-2009]

John McCain is still very much an officer and a gentleman. However he should be aware that he is up against a fraud who will try all the dirty tricks in the book to win this elections including changing his position on issue as many times as possible to win some votes.

You don''t debate Obama on issues. You have to highlight his dishonest character to the voters.

[johnbush2-2009]

Americans are slowing turning against Obama because they are beginning to see him as the fraud that he truly is. Despite outspending McCain and his much publicized overseas trip, Obama''s lead in the polls is slipping.

[kansas1946]

But just hours after his crisp performance, the Republican presidential candidate blurred his own message with an offhand comment to a television interviewer that Obama''s proposal for a 16-month time frame for removing combat troops from Iraq might be a "pretty good timetable." That seemed to run counter to his attempts to cast Obama as naive on foreign policy, and it sent his aides scrambling.
******************************************

That''s because he is nuts. He is so deparate to win that he allows his Republican slime machine free reigh, something his said he would never do, and then he slides back to the "old" John McCain, the honorable one. He has lost whatever it was he had in 2000. I no longer have any respect for him, and his schitzophenic changes are really getting scary. It you can''t stay true to yourself when you back is up agains the wall, then you have no business being president of the US. At least GWB was consistant. An idiot from day one.

[shaheed92]

IMPEACH HUSSEIN NOW,,,

SIGN THE PETITION,,,

Impeach, expel Barack Obama
http://obamaimpeachment.org

Posted by terrorislamv at 04:57 PM : Jul 31, 2008
_____________________________

You can''t impeach someone who is not in office, you idiot!

[shaheed92]

Impeach, expel Barack Obama
http://obamaimpeachment.org

Posted by terrorislamv at 04:57 PM : Jul 31, 2008
___________________

You can''t impeach someone who is not in office,you idiot. If you want to impeach someone, impeach your idiot of a president.

[labrat9999]

To really understand McCain you have to see this video
http://www.lunaticsandliars.com/watch?v=a0c76da927b99a152ee7fd45df17e460

[labrat9999]

A McCain campaign ad says that gas prices are high right now because %u201Csome in Washington are still saying no to drilling in America.%u201D That%u2019s just plain dishonest: the U.S. government%u2019s own Energy Information Administration says that removing restrictions on offshore drilling wouldn%u2019t lead to any additional domestic oil production until 2017, and that even at its peak the extra production would have an %u201Cinsignificant%u201D impact on oil prices. Back when he was cultivating a maverick image, Mr. McCain portrayed himself as more environmentally aware than the rest of his party. He even co-sponsored a bill calling for a cap-and-trade system to limit greenhouse gas emissions (although his remarks on several recent occasions suggest that he doesn%u2019t understand his own proposal). But the lure of a bit of political gain, it turns out, was all it took to transform him back into a standard drill-and-burn Republican

[babooph]

John & Barack are both ok for the job-for a failed commander in chief,Bush will never have an equal.

[babooph]

John & Barack are both ok for the job-for a failed commander in chief,Bush will never have an equal.