The Comeback Campaign Plan

Politico.com's Jonathan Martin describes the McCain campaign's comeback plan to win the nomination. The story also provides links to the campaign's talking points on the matter as well as a one-pager comparing this to Reagan's 1980 campaign.

Coburn on McCain's Courage

Senator Tom Coburn writes this piece in National Review: McCain’s Courage - A rare American politician

As the American people, elected officials, and commentators reflect on the heated immigration debate that came to a temporary close in the Senate this week many will ask, and have asked, why U.S. Senator John McCain (R., Ariz.) staked out a position that may, in retrospect, be seen as devastating to his presidential ambitions. I hope the American people, at least, step back from the obsessive play-by-play pre-season election analysis and reflect on Senator McCain’s actions for what I believe they were: One of the purest examples of political courage seen in Washington in a very, very long time....

I opposed Senator McCain in this immigration debate. I believed the policies he advocated were wrong for America and I used every tool at my disposal to defeat his position. However, the way Senator McCain conducted himself represented the essential qualities of leadership the American people deserve.

Senator McCain didn’t speak in generalities. He spoke in specific terms. He didn’t take a position and change his position when he came under withering fire. He didn’t pander. He didn’t equivocate. He didn’t demean his opponents in the Senate or insinuate we harbored base motives or secret prejudices. He was motivated by principle. He believed he was serving his country. He was not inspired by political strategists who foolishly believed they could use this bill to grow the Republican party, and did not lecture his colleagues about why those strategists were smarter and wiser than 80 percent of Americans....

Whether you agree with him or not, Senator McCain’s actions demonstrated the qualities we rarely see in Washington — courage, character, honor, and dignity.

It saddens me that so many commentators will judge Senator McCain’s actions by how his role in this debate will impact the next poll or fundraising report. Survival is not the highest virtue in politics. Sacrifice is the highest virtue. In battle we don’t ask which soldier was a success — the one who charged the hill and lives a long life or his friend beside him who falls and leaves a widow and children behind. Whether this week helps or hurts Senator McCain politically is not the point. What matters is that without courage, we all lose.

Most politicians possess, in abundance, the skill of making promises that will appeal to a majority of voters. Very few politicians, however, ever demonstrate the kind of political courage Senator McCain demonstrated in this debate. Many qualities, of course, matter when selecting our elected leaders — political philosophy, judgment, specific plans, etc. — but the most important quality upon which all others depend is courage. On that count, Senator McCain has given all of us in the Senate an example to be followed.

Read the full article here.

Primary

Bobby Harrison writes about McCain's recent visit but laments that Mississippi is "likely to play only minor role in nominations"

Thursday Fundraiser

The Associated Press and WLBT covered McCain's fundraiser in Jackson last night.

McCain in Jackson

Senator John McCain will be in Jackson today for a pair of fundraisers. At 5PM he will be a the Country Club of Jackson for a $500 a person event, to be followed by an event at 6PM at the home of Jim and Donna Barksdale at $2300 a person. Jim Barksdale is McCain's Mississippi Finance Chairman and between the events and donor commitments the campaign expects to raise over $200,000. McCain 08's Mississippi Chairman and Southern Regional Co-Chairman Congressman Chip Pickering will accompany Senator McCain.

Tonight's Debate

During tonight's GOP Presidential debate in South Carolina, Senator JOhn McCain will be the only top-tier candidate with a strong and consistent record as an anti-pork barrel spending, pro-gun, pro-life Republican. McCain is the only Republican candidate with the experience to lead and the conservative record to trust.

Chip Pickering shared the qualifications of Senator McCain with folks in South Carolina this morning on WLMA 1350-AM, Greenwood S.C. He will be in S.C. during and after the debate meeting with voters and those in the press in support of McCain08.

McCain Up In Early Polls

New poll numbers from the American Research Group have John McCain leading in the three early primary states. Senator McCain is up by 7% over Giuliani in Iowa, 5% over Romney in New Hampshire, and 13% over Giuliani in South Carolina.

Boston Herald: GOP hopeful McCain surges in early-primary states

Pickering on MSNBC

Congressman Chip Pickering will appear on MSNBC's Tucker with Tucker Carlson tomorrow (Wed 4/25) at 3:11pm (central time) to discuss John McCain's Presidential announcement.

Fundraising and Jim Barksdale

Sunday's (4/22) Clarion Ledger reported that John McCain had raised more money from Mississippi than any other Republican candidate for President, although he trailed Democratic candidate John Edwards. McCain raised $43,625 from Mississippi during the first three months of this year.

Congressman Chip Pickering and Senator Trent Lott will be hosting a fundraiser for McCain in May, along with McCain's Mississippi Finance Chairman Jim Barksdale. They hope to raise $200,000.

Pickering: McCain and the Enduring Judiciary

Congressman Chip Pickering writes in "McCain and the Enduring Judiciary" at Townhall.com that as President, John McCain has both the conservative ideology to pick solid judicial nominees and the politics of results to see those nominees confirmed by the Senate. Pickering frames the column in context of the Supreme Court's ruling upholding the national federal ban on partial birth abortion. Read it here.

Partial Birth Abortion Ban

"Cherish The Sanctity Of Life:"
Statement By Senator McCain

ARLINGTON, VA - U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released the following statement: "Today's Supreme Court ruling is a victory for those who cherish the sanctity of life and integrity of the judiciary. The ruling ensures that an unacceptable and unjustifiable practice will not be carried out on our innocent children. It also clearly speaks to the importance of nominating and confirming strict constructionist judges who interpret the law as it is written, and do not usurp the authority of Congress and state legislatures. As we move forward, it is critically important that our party continues to stand on the side of life."

04.25.07 - Coming Soon

Watch the new McCain announcement teaser video here.

McCain shines on fiscal issues

Robert Robb writes in the Arizona Republic, "While John McCain's speech on Iraq got all the attention, his fiscal policy speech Monday was actually more central to his case to be the Republican nominee for president....McCain has been a ceaseless and useful public scold on pork, corporate welfare and spending not related to truly national priorities. 'Give me the pen,' McCain said in his speech to The Economic Club of Memphis, 'and I'll veto every single pork barrel bill Congress sends me.' There's reason to believe he means it." Read the full article here.

Economic Policy Speech in Memphis

Yesterday, John McCain spoke in Memphis on his vision of economic policy.

You can watch excerpts of the speech here and also view a video on McCain's Straight Talk on Wasteful Government Spending.

Here is a summary of John McCain's economic policy:

Veto Every Wasteful Spending Bill That Comes Across His Desk

Reform Our Nation's Broken Budget Process and Balance the Budget

Tax Policy Should Support Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Investment And Growth
Taxes Should Be Low, Simple, And Fair

A Dynamic Economy Is The Best Hope For Workers Today And Tomorrow

Worker-Assistance Programs Must Be Modernized to Support Greater Opportunities For American Workers

Read the full Fact Sheet here.