Oh eight (R): More on McCain's shakeup
Posted: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 9:16 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:
Republicans
GIULIANI:
The candidate was
in New Hampshire yesterday, calling himself an “outsider” and promoting the “free market.” The diehard Yankees fan even said he had reason to root for the Red Sox (because of last night’s All Star game).
Giuliani also blasted medical marijuana supporters and Democrats’ health-care plans. But he was on the defensive, according to the Manchester Union-Leader, when asked why he hasn’t been in New Hampshire as often as other presidential candidates. “‘You've got to talk about other people about strategy of the campaign. I go where they tell me,’ he joked with reporters.”
The Nashua Telegraph played up high Giuliani's response to the 9/11 commission report question about whether U.S. foreign policy played a role in the attacks.
The New York Daily News also notes that Giuliani had to address the admission by Sen. David Vitter, a key Giuliani endorser, that his phone number was on a DC Madam’s phone list.
And don't miss the Washington Post nugget buried in its Politics roundup about Giuliani's security detail. Apparently the campaign is not paying for his security (or at least didn't in the 1st quarter), according to the FEC report. It’s something to look for in the 2nd quarter report.
MCCAIN:
Tons of front-page coverage of the shakeup in McCain’s campaign, which included the resignation of campaign manager Terry Nelson and chief strategist (and longtime friend) John Weaver. The
New York Times writes, “The departure of the aides … was the culmination of months of internal feuding, and was quickly followed by word that other staff members would leave as well. It came after what aides said were critical political miscalculations and management shortfalls that have left Mr. McCain with less than $2 million in the bank and slipping in polls in critical states like Iowa and New Hampshire.”
The Washington Post: “But the split was much more than a run-of-the-mill campaign shake-up, ending a decade-long alliance between two figures who shared a passionate, sometimes emotional, approach to politics. Republican advisers said Weaver's departure was as unthinkable as Karl Rove leaving George W. Bush or James Carville being shooed out of the Bill Clinton campaign.”
The Politico adds that “Tuesday's exodus brought a funeral air to a campaign that was once viewed as an inevitable road to the GOP nomination for McCain… One GOP operative predicted the campaign ‘could dissolve pretty quickly.’ ‘At this rate, the senator's going to be driving the Straight Talk Express himself,’ said one Republican whiz kid who is a McCain fan.”
Where will McCain go from here? New Hampshire and South Carolina, the Manchester Union-Leader says.
T. THOMPSON:
Yesterday, Tommy Thompson said that if elected president, he would pledge to end breast cancer by 2015. He vowed to deploy “the vast resources of the United States … just like President Kennedy committed our nation to the moon. We'll start with breast cancer and then attack every major cancer one after the other.”Is the way to voters’ hearts through their stomachs? Iowans are likely to find a Tommy Thompson event -- and food -- nearby in the next three days as the former Wisconsin governor makes a whopping 17 appearances in the Hawkeye State, MSNBC’s Jason Anton reports. Events include breakfasts, lunches, ice cream socials, and traditional town hall meetings.
The Des Moines Register also says Thompson tried to persuade an Iowa group to sign up to vote for him at the Ames straw poll with stories of his youth -- like sandpapering eggs.
