On The Bus With McCain: Issues and Strategy
Lesser Profile Issues and the McCain Primary Strategy
By Adam C Posted in 2008 — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Strategy:
I did not talk with the Senator directly about his primary strategy. But when another reporter asked if a Novak column claiming McCain would skip Iowa was correct, McCain quickly shot down the idea. It seems that McCain will compete in Iowa and hopes to get some bump from the Brownback endorsement and Brownback's Iowa organization. Since expectations are very low for McCain (and Rudy) in Iowa, a third place finish would get a lot of notice. And unless McCain finishes behind Paul, he won't attract negative attention.
Thus, the main pillar of the McCain strategy is NH. McCain has stated rather optimistically that he will win NH. And honestly, it is a must win state for the Senator. If he wins there, then MI will be an interesting three way race among the same three from NH (Romney, Rudy, McCain). It's possible that by NV and SC, those 3 could outlast Huckabee and Thompson.
It's a low probability strategy, but it is the only possible way for McCain to survive long enough for his national numbers to matter.
Issues:
Nuclear Power and Stem-Cell Research:
I don't recall seeing many candidate discuss nuclear energy, but it came up at several townhalls. The video below is a bit bumpy but it does capture McCain's full response to a question about energy independence and nuclear power.
2nd Amendment Question and Answer video below the fold:
McCain doesn't say a lot, but endorsing the individual right to bear arms is probably the biggest bedrock of pro-2nd amendment groups. I also think this video is a good example of the type of questions that are asked at these townhalls and how they are asked (often in narrative form, rather than short and direct).
One question I'd love to hear Sen. McCain address, that could conceivably change my opinion of his candidacy:
"You have become known in some Republican circles for your close dealings with Democrats as a Senator, working with strong left-wingers like Feingold, Clinton, and Kennedy. As President would you continue to approach the legislative opposition in that deal-making way, or seeing that you would now be the executive branch, would you be able to take on a more confrontational attitude with them, challenging them rather than accomodating them?"