The Politico reports trouble within the McCain camp:
Amid growing internal concern about poor fundraising and the direction of his presidential campaign, Sen. John McCain’s top advisers bluntly told backers on Tuesday of plans to overhaul the campaign and delay its formal announcement until after a major speech on Iraq.
“This is clearly a moment in the campaign that says, ‘Hello? Wake up!’ ” finance chairman Tom Loeffler said in a telephone interview. “It’s not a time to jog anymore. It’s a time to sprint in the fundraising efforts. We have learned the political fundraising realities of 2007, and we are making the proper adjustments.”
Since it is not surprising that the Straight Talk Express, with their avowed hatred of monies used for political purposes, is having difficulties understanding the intracies of campaign fundraising, the two rules seem to be:
1.) Raise lots
2.) Raise more than your opponents
However, the real problems seem to arise when you have no message, are thought to be little more than a front man for some of the worst of this administration’s policies, have alienated EVERY portion of the Republican base, and are the fodder for late night jokes and derided publicly by Iraqi merchants for your laughable assertions about the safety of Iraq. If all that straight talk would lead to any informed thinking, the next public message from John McCain would be “I quit.”
DougJ
Meanwhile, there’s some sanity from Romney on milestones and timetables. Why isn’t this guy doing better in their polls? He’s the only one of the crew that isn’t a raving lunatic.
I know, I know, that one answers itself.
CDB
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1604931.ece
It seems that 21 Iraqis from his Photo Op were murdered in response. Way to go McCain, you are directly responsible for their deaths.
DougJ
Holy shit, that is awful.
Zombie Santa Claus
Jesus fucking Christ.
Any word from the McCain campaign on how they’re responsible for the deaths of almost 2 dozen people?
The Kid
I can’t believe I once looked foward to voting for this guy as President.
DougJ
I wonder if that happens to the merchants at Mike Pence’s “normal outdoor market in Indiana” every time an American Congressman visits.
Hyperion
from the article:
i don’t see how that equals:
i’m referring to the phrase “in response”. why not stick with facts as stated?
Tsulagi
Be bold, stay the course, McCain. Maybe at your next press conference show some more of the brilliance that has been the hallmark of Bush Republicans leadership. Above your speaking podium have a huge banner saying Stroll Accomplished.
Tsulagi
Yeah, right. Romney is Republican silly putty with hair. He molds into any shape you want. You have a strong position? Put it in newsprint, press Romney on it, and it’s his too.
DougJ
Hey, I don’t like Romney, I’m not voting for any of them. But do they have to always support the most visibly insane of their candidates?
Pb
Hyperion,
What’s your beef here–is the question:
(a) whether the marketplace was attacked as a result of McCain’s visit the previous day, as the merchants on the ground were predicting at the time:
Or:
(b) whether that’s just to be expected?
I’d say that of the two, (a) is probably better for McCain’s Iraq argument, although judging from that market’s past history, there’s probably some of (b) there as well.
Walker
Hyperion is complaining about an implied causality where none has been established (e.g. that the killings were in response to the photo op as opposed to some other reason). While there may be some evidence for this (as in the quote above), it is still not definitely established. No group has claimed responsibility this yet, so motive is as of yet unclear.
It is hard for us to take the rational though highground against logic-impaired wignuts if we do not exercise proper reasoning.
Captain Comeback
McCain is irrelevant. He has no momentum, and worse, he is joined by the hip to the Iraq War. It’s unlikely to go well in the next 2 years, so it is unlikely that McCain will look good supporting it still. I think the next month will tell if McCain can get back into the race with any vital momentum.
PatD
John McCain is suffering mightily these days. What began as a simple case of burning ambition has mutated into a severe case of “Oval office envy”. Now, apparently, it has metastasized to every fiber of his being. In an attempt to give in to the “disease” he has had the spin doctors surgically remove every last shred of common sense and dignity. Outpatient therapy will consist of excessive pandering sessions to any and all far right groups who claim a constituency in the “base”. By all accounts his prognosis is bleak.
ThymeZone
McCain is finished.
Fred Thompson is the new Golden Boy. Better start paying attention to him.
Rudy’s past is going to sink what remains of his “campaign.”
Brownback? Huckabee? Hello?
Romney? Unless we commit suicide and nominate Hillary, Romney cannot be elected president. Mormonism is just too big a collection of straight lines. Nothing but the Hildabeast can overcome that.
Thompson’s Hollywood connections and his child bride are gonna play poorly with the Dobsonites, who, as you know, are opposed to both entertainment and sexual gratification of any kind.
All the Dems have to do is nominate a man, and they win.
HyperIon
i’m thinking you must do well on reading comprehension tests.
and the critical thinking ones, too.
HyperIon
uh…john kerry?
craigie
Thank dog for small victories, eh?