Sunday, October 14, 2007

McCain Bouncing Back - By Lee Bandy, The State (SC)


October 14, 2007


Republican presidential hopeful John McCain is back, two months after he was given up for dead.

For most of 2007, McCain was the prohibitive favorite among GOP voters. No one else came close.

Then, suddenly, his campaign — swollen with overhead and consultants — began to come apart at the seams.

...

Today, amazingly, the campaign of the U.S. senator from Arizona is very much alive.

How?

McCain was helped by progress in Iraq and a strong showing in a recent New Hampshire debate.

Also, the John McCain of old is back, saying what he means and letting the chips fall where they may. He is much more comfortable campaigning as an insurgent than as an insider.

McCain returned to South Carolina — drawing large crowds — with his unique brand of straight talk coupled with unwavering conviction for causes he believes are in the nation’s best interest.


"What we are seeing is a genuine John McCain on the stump,"
said U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a longtime McCain supporter.

...

But Richard Quinn, a Columbia-based consultant retained by McCain, calls his client "the comeback kid."


"McCain has regrouped,"
Quinn said.
"He has gotten rid of consultants and established a grass-roots campaign. We
have a lean, mean campaign.

"What we got back is the old John McCain.
... We can see his numbers are back on the rise."

McCain has adopted a two-state strategy. He said he must win New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary and then head to South Carolina, the first contest conducted in a red state.

McCain is clinging to the top tier of GOP candidates — including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee — in the race for their party’s nomination.

But there is still time for him to win, Graham said.


"These candidates have long ways to go,"
Graham said.
"John McCain is back."

Click here to read the full article

No comments: