Reinventing John McCain
The senator is trying to jump-start a staggering campaign
Can John McCain become the new "Comeback Kid"? At 70 years old, he seems an unlikely candidate for the moniker, which Bill Clinton famously gave himself in the 1992 campaign. But McCain and his strategists argue that the old soldier is again on the march and will gradually surge back into serious contention for the Republican presidential nomination.
Their battle plan is in place. First came McCain's long-awaited speech on Iraq last week, in which he argued that the war must be won and that U.S. troops are making more progress than Americans realize. The intended message was clear-that the former POW is a strong leader who doesn't sway with the polls. This week, he gives a speech on the economy-calling for tax cuts and spending restraint-to court fiscal conservatives. On April 23, in another major address, McCain will call for an improved energy policy emphasizing market-based solutions. All that's a prelude to a formal announcement of his candidacy April 25 in New Hampshire, followed by a campaign stop April 26 in South Carolina, where he will participate in the first GOP presidential debate. Then it's on to Iowa April 27 and Arizona April 28.
"He will put down issue markers for his vision, his solutions to the key problems of the country, and talk about the main themes of his campaign," says Brian Jones, McCain's communications director.
And none too soon. McCain has faded dramatically from his position as Republican front-runner a year ago. He finished last in fundraising among the top six presidential contenders of the major parties; among Republicans, he placed third, collecting $12.5 million, compared with Mitt Romney's $21 million and Rudy Giuliani's $15 million. The numbers caused McCain to reshuffle his fundraising operation to bring in more cash and limit spending. His recent trip to Baghdad became an embarrassment when he claimed that parts of the city were safe to stroll in. He was forced to admit he "misspoke" after TV cameras showed that during his walkabout he was protected by heavily armed U.S. soldiers and helicopter gunships hovering overhead.
Perhaps most ominous, he has been dropping in the polls. The latest Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times survey found him in third place, with only 12 percent of Republican support. Giuliani had 29 percent; former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, who is considering a White House run, had 15 percent; and Romney had 8 percent. Many conservatives don't trust McCain on issues like tax cuts, abortion, and gay rights. He is no longer a fresh face. And to many, he no longer stands for much of anything beyond winning in Iraq.
Biography. But McCain strategists argue that he is still a strong candidate-articulate, principled, and admired. He certainly has the most compelling biography of anyone in the race as a former Vietnam prisoner of war who demonstrated enormous courage in captivity. McCain also is building an impressive national organization-announcing endorsements from Republican officials nearly every day-that appears to be far more extensive than his GOP rivals'.
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