Archive for the 'John McCain' Tag
November 4th, 2008, 12:08 pm by Le Templar
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN AND WIFE CINDY DROP OFF THEIR ELECTION BALLOTS IN CENTRAL PHOENIX THURSDAY. (AP PHOTO)
The time and location of where John and Cindy McCain were to vote this morning was supposed to be a secret. But word leaked out to a few people, probably when the Secret Service cleared out the polling place at the Albright United Methodist Church to prepare for the arrival of the Republican candidate. About 100 supporters were waiting in the church parking lot when the McCains’ motorcade arrived about 9:15 a.m. Several had hand-printed signs on white posterboard to cheer McCain on.
Ignoring state law that requires all media to stay 75 feet away, reporters and photographers assigned to the campaign were escorted in right behind the McCains as they entered the church. Both McCains had already filled out the ballots and swiftly dropped them off before heading outside again. McCain signed a few autographs as they walked along, and the media crossed against a low block wall in hopes of catching a comment. But McCain just finished signing, smiled and moved on.
McCain’s hair became unruly in the breeze and his wife reached out to pat it down before they jumped back into the motorcade.
This probably is one of the worst day’s ever for a politician to have a bad hair today. But as you can see from the AP photo below, McCain’s white stuff is likely to be trouble. The photo was taken about 20 minutes earlier as McCain wandered the balcony of the upper-level condo that his family now owns near the Arizona Biltmore mall.
Once the voting was done, the motorcade headed to the Biltmore resort, where McCain spent about 30 minutes doing television media interviews and just relaxing. Then everyone loaded up for a trip to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, where McCain and a huge entourage of staff, media and security were to board his chartered jet. McCain was greeted on the tarmac by Sen. Joe Lieberman, who apparently is joining the campaign for the final two stops in Colorado and New Mexico, a sign of how close the two have become.
Just before climbing aboard, the McCains did pose for photo with a number of Arizona staff and volunteers. This photo comes from my camera phone, as the batteries in my Canon digital had just died (Isn’t that always the luck?).
Posted in: Presidential campaign • Election 2008 • John McCain | Post a Comment »
November 4th, 2008, 8:01 am by Le Templar
An empty press filing room this morning at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa. This ballroom will be packed with media from around the world later as John McCain prepares to hear if he will be next the next U.S. president (Photo by Le Templar).
Today, I will get another taste of world history as I spend part of the day shadowing John McCain, the Republican candidate for president, here in Phoenix. McCain arrived at the Arizona Biltmore resort sometime after 2:30 a.m., after barnstorming more than seven states on Monday and finishing up with a midnight rally in Prescott, Ariz.
It’s expected that McCain will vote here in Phoenix some time this morning and then he’s scheduled to take quick jaunts to Colorado and New Mexico in last-minute attempts to win over the remaining few undecided voters in those two election battleground states.
McCain will finish Election Day 2008 back here at the Biltmore, watching voting returns and speaking to the nation from a special stage on an outside lawn. Only a handful of people and TV cameras will be present in person for that speech. Most well-wishers and politicos will attend an indoors party in a decked out ballroom.
Posted in: Presidential campaign • Arizona Biltmore • Election Day • John McCain | 1 Comment »
November 3rd, 2008, 12:52 pm by Le Templar
MICHAEL O’NEIL
Longtime Valley political pollster Michael O’Neil has provided some analysis on the hundreds of national and state-by-state surveys on the presidential race and what they could mean for Tuesday’s election. His conclusion? John McCain’s only real chance of winning will be if young voters get overconfident, or get tired of standing on line, and don’t turn out in high numbers Tuesday. It’s young and first-time voters who are giving Barack Obama such an edge in several states that normally vote Republican including Indiana, Virginia and North Carolina.
As just about everyone expects young voters to break records Tuesday, O’Neil is giving McCain only a 10 percent chance of victory.
Posted in: Presidential campaign • Barack Obama • John McCain • O'Neil Associates • young voters | Post a Comment »
November 3rd, 2008, 10:16 am by Le Templar
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN PREVIOUSLY CAMPAIGNED IN PRESCOTT ON APRIL 5, 2008, AS HE TRANSITIONED FROM THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES TO BEING HIS PARTY’S NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT. (Tribune file photo)
You’ve probably already heard or read that John McCain will wrap up a grueling campaign blitz across seven states today with a late-night rally in Prescott. It has become an Arizona Republican tradition to spend a key moment in a statewide or national campaign on the steps outside of the Yavapai County Courthouse. The tradition dates back to the unlikely but almost successful presidential campaign of another legendary Arizona senator, Barry Goldwater. He launched the 1964 campaign at the courthouse because of his family’s strong ties to Prescott, and because it’s just a nice place to visit. A Democratic political family, the Udalls, also relied on Prescott’s scenery and the classic-looking courthouse.
Over the past four decades, other Republicans have sought a little Goldwater magic by connecting their campaigns in the one-time capital of the Arizona Territory. McCain always has finished his statewide tours there just before election day.
Posted in: Presidential campaign • Barry Goldwater • John McCain • Prescott • Yavapai County courthouse | Post a Comment »
November 2nd, 2008, 11:42 am by Le Templar
A lot has been written and said in recent weeks about the various problems and mistakes of John McCain’s presidential campaign. One of the few things that the campaign has gotten right is knowing that Americans still appreciate a little self-deprecating humor, which McCain himself specializes in.
Arizona’s senior senator showed this side again last night with his appearance on Saturday Night Live. My favorite moment was during the opening skit, when McCain and Sarah Palin/Tina Fey go on QVC (the only network his campaign can afford, unlike Barack Obama) to carry their message to voters and hock a few election-related items. I laughed out loud when McCain offered up some “Fine Gold” jewelry and the camera panned right to Cindy McCain dressed business-smart and pointing to fancy-looking gold chains on manikin necklines. Cindy’s appearance fit the scene perfectly and illustrated why the McCains have been popular with many Arizonans for so many years. Say what you want about McCain, he has a way of coming off as humble and just like you and me, despite his extensive military record, his wife’s wealth or his life spent in Washington’s inner circles.
Posted in: Presidential campaign • John McCain • Sarah Palin • Saturday Night Live | Post a Comment »
October 23rd, 2008, 3:47 pm by Le Templar
Sen. John McCain was thrilled to speak to an enthusiatic Arizona crowd after a successful run of the Super Tuesday primaries in February 2008 (Tribune file photo).
Arizona Sen. John McCain will be here in the Valley for the biggest night of his political career — after the polls have closed on the 2008 election. The McCain election night party will be at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, the same spot where McCain celebrated his big Super Tuesday win during the primaries in Feburary. The room was packed that night, and obviously there should be even more Arizonans who will want to see McCain as the general election returns come in.
But this Associated Press story says Arizona fans at the party will have to watch McCain give his election night speech on television like the rest of the world. In an odd departure from tradition, McCain is planning to speak from a spot on the Biltmore lawn outdoors, surrounded only by a few supporters and a limited number of media reporters.
One government college professor told AP that McCain might be forced into this as the Biltmore space isn’t all that big (which I can attest to) and an election night speech is for TV cameras anyway. However, the move also seems to fit the view offered by Libertarian candidate Bob Barr today that McCain now is expecting to lose to Sen. Barack Obama.
But I’m certainly not counting McCain out, not after seeing the new AP poll implying that the race might be tighter than other polls are showing.
Posted in: Presidential campaign • Arizona Biltmore • John McCain • Nov. 4 election | Post a Comment »
October 17th, 2008, 12:30 am by Le Templar
 (AP Photo)
I caught Sen. John McCain tonight on the David Letterman Show on CBS, taking his medicine for cancelling a similar appearance two weeks ago as part of McCain’s short-lived “suspension” of his presidential campaign to deal with the national financial meltdown. Letterman was upset by the last-minute disappearance. But he got downright angry when he learned during the taping of that show that McCain hadn’t actually left New York for Washington, but instead went a couple of blocks over for an interview with CBS news anchor Katie Couric.
Letterman got a lot of comedic mileage out of the faux pas with a relentless pounding of McCain for several nights. But I wondered if Letterman would back off with McCain rescheduling and actually showing up this time. Nope! Most of Letterman’s jokes in the monolouge were fired right at the Arizona senator. The funniest was a camera shot into the wings where MSNBC Countdown anchor (and huge McCain critic) Keith Olbermann was waiting to jump in if McCain didn’t show again (Olbermann filled in for McCain two weeks ago).
Then, Letterman gentled harangued the senator once he got on stage. At least McCain didn’t dodge his responsibility. When Letterman asked for McCain’s explanation, he said simply, “I screwed up.”
McCain likely expected a quick joke or two at his expense and then by-gones would be by-gones. Instead, he was in for a long night. Once Letterman finally let the canceled appearance drop, he grilled McCain over and over about selecting Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential candidate. Letterman’s questions honed in on Palin’s experience, or lack thereof, and Letterman’s conviction that she’s not prepared to lead the country through another terrorist attack like 9/11.
McCain did take the opportunity to give the longest and most detailed justification I’ve heard from him about Palin. McCain’s list of Palin’s strengths include her reputation as a reformer, her growth from a PTA mom to mayor and then governor, her willingness to challenge (and defeat) an incumbent from her own party when she saw her state going in the wrong direction, and her huge popularity in Alaska today.
In all, it seemed like rather painful experience for McCain. But he took his lumps and he probably won’t have Letterman hounding him for the next 18 days of the campaign.
Posted in: Presidential campaign • David Letterman • John McCain • Presidential campaign • Sarah Palin | 2 Comments »
October 7th, 2008, 8:04 pm by Le Templar
 (AP Photo)
If John McCain goes on to win this election, I believe pundits will point to tonight’s town-hall style debate as the starting point of his come-from-behind drive. McCain made from a huge jump up from the first debate in that he was more personable and human, serious when he needed to be, but he ably worked in some humor at several points. McCain also knew when to break the debate rules for a good cause, such as when he interrupted Tom Brokaw to quickly point out that Barack Obama had failed to address McCain’s earlier challenge of spelling out the financial penalties for failing to buy insurance under Obama’s health care plan.
On the other hand, Obama seemed to repeatedly break the rules simply to ramble on past the time limits, even after being indirectly admonished by Brokaw. Now, I will say Obama was more impressive tonight than I expected. He was generally comfortable in this format and eloquent. When Brokaw wouldn’t let Obama get in follow-up response during a discussion on tax policies, he effectively worked his thoughts in anyway as part of his answer to the next question about Social Security and Medicare.
But Obama spent much of the 90 minutes repeating the same phrases and attacks on McCain that Obama used in the last debate and in recent weeks on the campaign trail. McCain stood out a little more because he had several fresh things to say. He probably gave heart attacks to more than a few conservative Republicans when he opened with a commitment for the federal government to buy up every individual bad home mortgage in the country. But at least it was something different from the previous debate for viewers to chew on.
I thought McCain generally improved his performance on the economic crisis and other domestic matters. He sounded more thoughtful, instead of constantly repeating talking points. And he was darn impressive during the 20 or so minutes on foreign policy issues (Although, I would urge him to come up with new material when he talks about Russia’s Vladamir Putin).
Obama didn’t make any mistakes, so tonight’s debate might not make any difference in the election. But McCain gave undecided voters a slightly improved view than they’ve seen before, while Obama looked pretty much the same. That could make a difference if the election turns out to be close.
Posted in: Presidential campaign • Barack Obama • John McCain • Presidential debate | 4 Comments »
September 26th, 2008, 9:39 pm by Le Templar
 (AP photo)
Sen. John McCain went through almost the entire debate Friday without a single mention of his days as a Vietnam POW. In fact, if the debate had ended after 90 minutes as advertised, that issue would have stayed off the stage. So maybe that’s why a Barack Obama-friendly audience in downtown Phoenix gave one of its loudest responses all night — a rolling, unified groan of disgust — when McCain managed to slip in a POW reference about five minutes into overtime.
I had already attended several election events this year around the Valley sponsored by the McCain campaign. So I decided to watch Friday’s debate from the Democratic perspective. The Obama campaign threw a viewing party outside its Arizona headquarters, a converted house that’s for sale at Roosevelt and Sixth streets. More than 130 folding chairs from the United Commercial and Food Workers union were set up in a parking lot behind the house. The campaign projected a live Web video stream from C-SPAN onto a second building facing Roosevelt. Within 30 minutes after the debate started, all of the chairs were full and more Obama fans were standing in a semi-circle behind them.
The crowd was strangely quiet through much of the debate, listening intently as Obama and McCain fired back and forth in a free-wheeling contest of which moderator Jim Lehrer lost nearly all control. Obama’s backers did loosen up with a few rounds of applause and the occasional cheer after Obama delivered some one-liners. But some people also weirdly cheered a couple of times after McCain repeated an Obama comment in order to bring home his own argument.
So, I expected a boisterous pep rally and instead attended a mostly studious affair. Ken Clark, a Democratic activist and former state lawmaker from Phoenix gave a great explanation as to why:
“It was thick, fiberous and chewy,” Clark said. “And I don’t mean that in a bad way. I don’t believe I have ever seen them get so in-depth in past presidential debates. They usually focus more on firing those zingers at each other.”
Clark was right. Obama needed to demonstrate he has command of a lot of different facts and ideas, and that he can think quickly and speak well without a Teleprompter. He succeeded, to the likely horror of many Republicans who have predicting for weeks that Obama would fall on his face in the debates.
Meanwhile, McCain went to Mississippi bristling with examples of where he has been involved in national and foreign affairs, and was determined to cram every one of them into the debate. The Democrats outside Obama’s Arizona headquarters tried to dismiss McCain’s experience as meaningless or too close to President Bush. But I though he did a great job of presenting his case to those middle-of-the-road voters expected to ultimately decide the Nov. 4 outcome.
All of this means I don’t believe there was a clear winner from Friday’s debate. I can’t wait to see and hear what other people think.
Meanwhile, the Obama campaign is planning another outdoor viewing party for the vice presidential debate on Thursday. I’ll say one thing, they had better figure out how to improve the video feed. The frequent freezes of the campaign’s Internet connection annoyed many in the audience, and I doubt next week’s crowd will be as patient as they were tonight. Democrats are eager to see Joe Biden tear into Sarah Palin. I wonder if she will manage to disappoint as many critics as Obama did tonight.
Posted in: Presidential campaign • Uncategorized • Barack Obama • Jim Lehrer • John McCain • Presidential debate | 6 Comments »
September 17th, 2008, 4:09 pm by Le Templar
 - Rob Haney (original photo at washingtonpost.com)
Retired IBM technician Rob Haney of Phoenix is a rather annoying thorn in the political side of Sen. John McCain. Haney, chairman of the Republican Party in McCain’s home legislative district, clearly would prefer that McCain leave the party, or even better, just leave his Senate office for another Republican to hold. Haney is convinced that McCain isn’t a real conservative and is disloyal to the Republican Party’s platform on issues ranging from campaign finance to gun control to climate change to immigration enforcement. Haney has said so to just about any journalist and citizen blogger who will listen. But a couple of my favorite quotes went to The Nation’s Max Blumenthal:
—Huffington Post, Feb. 15, 2007
“The guy has no core, his only principle is winning the presidency. He likes to call his campaign the ’straight talk express.’ Well, down here we call it the ‘forked tongue express.’”
—The Nation, Feb. 21, 2007
Haney got quite a bit of national media coverage after the McCain camp tried to seize control of legislative District 11 during the 2006 state primary through the election of precinct committeemen, also known as PCs. This low-level office is the key to participating in the party’s official machinery. Party leaders must start out as PCs and must be voted in by other PCs.
A number of McCain backers were elected as PCs in 2006, but not enough to take down Haney, who has continued to speak out even after McCain earned the Republican nomination for president last spring. Given McCain’s frequently hot temper, you can guess what he did for this year’s state primary on Sept. 2.
“You’d think he’d try to put things aside and unify the party with a presidential election going on. Instead, he tried even harder,” Haney told me Thursday.
The McCain camp elected another slate of impressive candidates to this obscure post, including former Govs. Fife Symington and Jane Hull and current Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne. Creating the most buzz in Republican circles was the defeat of Haney supporter Tom Husband, who will have to give up his title as chairman of the Maricopa County Republican committee.
But Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who also lives in the district, weighed in on behalf of Haney and his slate of candidates. That might have tilted the scales against McCain, although no one will know for sure until District 11 PCs gather in late November to choose district leaders.
“By my reckoning, we still have a considerable margin,” Haney said. “I was surprised by that myself.”
And as District 11 has perhaps the largest number of PCs in the state, that outcome could heavily influence who is chosen as the party’s statewide chairman in 2009. Current chairman Randy Pullen also lives in District 11, and he’s another party activist who has publicly clashed with McCain before.
As for Haney, he’s going to vote Republican in the presidential election on Nov. 4. But he won’t see it as a vote for McCain.
“How could you be enthusiastic for someone who has done his best in the past four years trying to decimate the conservative base, including you? There is hope with Sarah Palin.”
Posted in: Election issues • Presidential campaign • John McCain • Presidential campaign • Republican Party | 1 Comment »
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