McCain’s relaunch?

Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2007 12:19 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
The McCain campaign today released a high-quality, 12-minute video that highlights McCain’s military service and touts his “maverick spirit” with a “rebellious streak.” It opens with McCain giving his name, rank, and officer number as a young prisoner of war in Vietnam being questioned by a foreign interviewer. The video marks a shift in his campaign to re-brand the one-time front-runner with an old theme -- the one that worked so well for him in 2000.

“I wouldn’t call it a re-branding because this has always been his brand,” said Brian Rogers, a campaign spokesman. “But certainly we view September as a critical month for the senator and our campaign. And this is the opening salvo in the way forward for our campaign.”

The campaign has also bought up space on early primary state local newspapers, showcasing 60-second versions of the video, and purchased Google keyword ads. Look for any ad going forward to highlight McCain’s bio. In the next few weeks, McCain will make an early state push, starting this Labor Day weekend when he visits Iowa. On Wednesday, he will be in New Hampshire for another GOP debate and then embarks on a “No Surrender Tour” through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

This re-launch of sorts comes as McCain tries to rebuild and regain the momentum lost for the former front-runner. His campaign faltered financially, as well as on the issues after he had painted himself ideologically and strategically into a corner. When he was viewed as the front-runner, the initial launch of his campaign made broad appeals to Bush's base and donors. That had the potential to hurt him with the independents who propelled him to victory in New Hampshire in 2004, but the strategy could have worked as long as the base came out in full support of him. But his stance on immigration hurt him among conservatives. And now, he’s trying to go home again, hoping those independents will welcome him back with open arms. But can it work?

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Comments

a little too late John....

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 12:29 PM)

I would have had a tough time choosing who to vote for in 2000, had he been the republican nominee, before he drove the,"Straight Talk Express", off the "Tallahatchie Bridge".

I wouldn't count him out just yet. The republican field is nothing but soft in support, when an unannounced candidate with almost daily staff shake-ups can be tied or leading in some state polls.

I like John McCain. He has a very compelling biography, and a bi-partisan legislative history that few can match. If any republican could run a presidential campaign without immediately sinking neck deep in the mud, it is John McCain.

Van

vanreuter, NY NY (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 12:36 PM)

No, it can't work.
The old McCain ceased to exist after the Bush/McCain kiss. His embrace of Bush even after the Rove machine did it's dishonorable, underhanded, rat spirited, hatchet job on this honorable man was to much to take. He should have spit in Bush's face. Then to see him kowtow to the fundamentalist Christian demagogues who he rightly described as agents of intolerance put the stake in the heart. The old McCain WAS the center. And you can't win the general election without the center. Had he remained true to himself he could have waged a successful Independent campaign that would have held the center and pulled moderate Republicans and Democrats to his banner leaving the far right and far left where they need to be, at the fringe of political influence. I wish him well and no amount of thanks can every repay the debt we owe to this man and his peers, but he is out of step with where we need to go.

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 12:47 PM)

He probably doesn't have a shot at the top seat but, he could make a great Vice-President to Fred Thompson in '08.

imwithfred.com

RH Oregon (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 12:54 PM)

Gary Schear, Amen, I miss the other John McCain too.

H P Boston (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:00 PM)

Gary---you have said it all---I received nasty robo calls here in MI from Jeb,Barbra,and the christian majority during the primary in MI.I went and voted for McCain and he did win over Bush in MI,making Bush,Gov.Engler and all the republicans violently angry.George did not win against Kerry,either.It was very disturbing to see the Bush-McCain kiss (same as the Bush-Lieberman kiss) and going out to campaign for Bush was a sign of the lengths he would go to to save face.And yes loving up to Falwell was a sign he had given up all pretens of being his own man.His chance has come and gone-----along with his immigration plan.

HMT-MI (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:04 PM)

McCain is too corrupt to be president.

anonymous, tehran, IN (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:12 PM)

mccain is washed up. He s to much like bush.

Blue state baby (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:14 PM)

the "straight talk" express became the "any thing I will do to win " express.
I truly liked him in 2000 but would never support him now

larry (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:26 PM)

Anonymous and BSB are too stupid to contribute intelligent commentary.

John Mccain is a true American hero, something none of the 20-something other candidates can say. He's done what he believes is right all along the way.

I'm still undecided, but after watching that video today, I've gone from leaning Fred to leaning McCain.

Bruce, NV (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:32 PM)

Sorry BSB but President Bush could not hold a candle to John McCain. However he has waivered on the political light he is a stand up man that we would be proud to have as a President.

RH Oregon (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:34 PM)

Re-launch this, you old fart. You are what you are, a leapord can't change his spots. Your the one that chose to support the shrub, too bad, you might have stood a chance otherwise, but not now.

beaverdambob (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 2:28 PM)

BNV is a flip-floping moron. Must be from Area 51.

Flat-earther, George (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 2:46 PM)

A "flip-floping" (sic) moron? Perhaps you'd be kind enough to provide examples.

Meanwhile, try SpellCheck.

Bruce, NV (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 3:20 PM)

John McCain is the man to lead this tired old country into a new phase of honesty, integrity and help the people regain their trust in politicians. He knows what this country needs and he will provide the courage and knowledge to get it. He is no ones YES man. I am older than him and I trust him with the lives of my children and grandchildren. He is so far above all the other candidates that given the chance and the back bone of the voters, he will win. He has served his country and when elected will continue to serve us all.

Marty Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 3:40 PM)

yeah he is full of truth and integrity---watch him walk around the market in Bagdad and say how safe it is.Pull the camera back and see the all the armed military surrounding him and look---up in the sky is it supermana/No it is ou military helicoptors protecting his buying spree.How honest is that?Puleez

HMT-MI (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 8:13 PM)

Please be aware of another candidate who is a great American statesman, champion of the constitution, defender of freedom and fighter for liberty. Ron Paul stands for integrity and consistency and would bring pride back to this republic with a "Foreign Policy of Freedom".

Jack Faw, Charlottesville, Va. (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 4:34 AM)

Thank you Bruce, NV -- I respect that you are willing to share with us which Republican candidates you prefer and why instead of changing the subject as many do to Democrat bashing.

nuanced (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 9:23 AM)

What's so "maverick" and "rebellious" about subjecting every aspect of campaign finance and political speech to federal regulation? "Establishment" and "totalitarian" maybe, but hardly "maverick" and "rebellious".

Dale, Denver (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 11:29 AM)

Here in John McCain's home state of Arizona we are up to our ears in illegals and his answer to that was to cook up a bill with Ted Kennedy to bring them out of the shadows and give them amnesty. During the last election we overwhelmingly passed 3 very agressive laws to try to control this flood of illegals, so McCain is very familiar with the will of the people in his state. But, true to form, he sponsored a bill which would make most of them legal. I think the wealthy business people, who employ these illegals for slave wages, have gotten his attention with campaign contributions.
I have voted for him several times going all the way back to his time in the house, and I feel betrayed. He will find out how many Arizonans feel the same way come Arizona primary time. If the illegals were still voting, he would be in the drivers seat. Unfortunately for Mr. McCain we passed proposition 200 (which he opposed) and we no longer allow illegals to vote in Arizona.

Tom, Phoenix, Arizona (Sent Saturday, September 01, 2007 12:55 AM)

McCain shot 3 strikes in his foot to put himself out of the race.
He sided with Bush on the Torture and Treatment of Detainees, he sided with Bush on the surge knowing full well 22,500 was not nearly enough, and signing up with Ted Kenndy to give AMNESTY to 20 Million Illegal.

Jim Frego, Grants Pass, OR (Sent Saturday, September 01, 2007 11:42 PM)

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