McCain hangs steady in race
The Republican senator is far from giving up on his presidential dream.
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published October 8, 2007
TAMPA - The video footage is unquestionably chilling.
A young John McCain appears in grainy black and white, in a hospital bed, his arm in traction, and answers questions from an unseen captor shortly after his plane was shot down during the Vietnam War.
The old film is the opening sequence in TV ads that began airing late last month in New Hampshire, underscoring the strategic shift aimed at keeping the Arizona senator in the 2008 race for president.
Observers predicted the one-time Republican presidential front-runner would have dropped out of the contest by now. Earlier this year, financial difficulties forced the departure of dozens of staff members.
But McCain refused to give up.
Instead he cut expenses, eschewing private planes for commercial airliners when possible. He launched a brief bus tour on Sept. 11 dubbed "No Surrender," reflecting both his stance on the war in Iraq and his commitment to pursue the presidency.
For the moment, it appears McCain's tenacity has paid off. At least he hasn't sunk any further.
He remains in third place in polls nationally, essentially tied with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and behind former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson. But in New Hampshire he was the only GOP candidate to see his poll numbers climb a little last week. In South Carolina, where he is devoting considerable time, he's holding steady.
But the most recent fundraising results were not great news. McCain brought in $6-million in the July-September quarter. That's much less than Romney, Giuliani and Thompson, and even less than his $11-million haul from the previous quarter. He has $3.6-million cash on hand.
TV and radio ads
McCain said cutting expenses and streamlining his operations mean his campaign is now on solid financial footing, and he expects to start airing more television and radio ads.
"We were outspent in literally every major campaign I've been in. We were outspent in 2000 and almost won. So I'm optimistic," he said. "But I do not in any way tell you it's not going to be long and hard and tough."
Jennifer Duffy, an analyst at the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, said McCain clearly is experiencing a "boomlet" at the moment.
"He's had three or four pretty solid weeks. Can that move his numbers? Maybe," she said. "Does it mean he can overtake one of these candidates remains to be seen."
She said the Republican race is still much more competitive than the Democratic contest, where New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's poll numbers far surpass even second-place challenger and fundraising peer Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.
If McCain's standing nationally is a bit in flux, his position in Florida is solid: He's not trying to compete. With his campaign focused on New Hampshire and South Carolina, McCain has one paid staffer in Florida. The other three leading Republican candidates each have 10 or more.
"What the McCain campaign has in Florida is some very committed supporters and volunteers with a lot of political and campaign experience," said Ana Navarro, a South Florida lobbyist and Republican strategist volunteering for McCain.
Among his Florida faithful: Tallahassee lobbyist Brian Ballard; Kathleen Shanahan, who worked as former Gov. Jeb Bush's chief of staff; Burger King chairman John Dasburg; former U.S. Ambassadors Chuck and Sue Cobb; and GOP strategist Mac Stipanovich.
McCain was in Florida last week for a fundraiser in Tallahassee, raising between $50,000 and $75,000 and drawing about 40 people. Here's where his celebrity cuts both ways: He can fill a room but not always clear big money.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink stopped by and spoke briefly with McCain. She said she has always been an admirer. She's a Democrat.
State Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, stopped by, too. "I wanted to hear what he had to say. I was very impressed."
But he's backing Giuliani.
Still, state Rep. Bill Snyder, R-Stuart, said he hasn't made a decision on who he'll back for president, and he finds McCain's history as a prisoner of war gives him all the credentials he needs.
Meeting with Crist
"Nobody running for president has paid a price for freedom like John McCain," he said.
McCain also met with Gov. Charlie Crist, as every Republican candidate does when he's in Tallahassee. McCain endorsed Crist and campaigned with him during the 2006 gubernatorial race, but Crist so far has not committed to any presidential candidate.
McCain will be back Oct. 19 for two fundraisers in South Florida, but Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe, who chairs the county's McCain campaign, said he has been instructed not to worry about raising money right now.
Sharpe said the message of the moment is the steadiness of the candidate himself.
"He hasn't quit, he's not panicking and he's not swinging wildly," Sharpe said. "Money isn't the essential ingredient right now. It's the candidate."
Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or 813 226-3401. Times researcher Angie Drobnic Holan contributed to this report.