McCain's next phase of election run

Stephen Hayes:

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After a quick "thank you" tour of New Hampshire, McCain plans to kick off the new phase of the campaign by not campaigning at all. At least not overtly. Later this month, he will spend more than a week overseas, with stops in Europe and the Middle East. His advisers say that while McCain is going chiefly to assess progress in these areas, he will also reinforce an important campaign message as the Obama-Clinton fight continues. "While those two are throwing deck chairs at each other, he'll look like the president," says a senior adviser to McCain.

When he returns, McCain will deliver what one adviser calls a "significant national security address," talking specifically about the future of the war in Iraq, the importance of a stable Iraq to U.S. policy in the region, and more broadly, how a McCain administration would win the struggle against radical Islamic extremism.

After that, McCain will begin a cross-country tour emphasizing his life story. His advisers believe that while most Americans have a vague sense that McCain served his country in the military and in political life, they don't actually know his story. This trip--the "Service to America" tour--is intended to fill out that narrative. It will feature stops in cities and towns that have somehow shaped his life. Among them: McCain Field in Mississippi; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where McCain graduated fifth from the bottom of his class; Pensacola, Florida, where he trained at the Pensacola Naval Air Station; and Jacksonville, Florida, where he lived upon returning from his time as a POW in Vietnam. At each stop, the campaign will emphasize one aspect of McCain's character and talk about why it will be important in the White House.

In the months ahead, as he gives definition to his general election campaign, McCain will spend a good chunk of his time visiting places "where Republicans are not often seen," says an adviser. "Inner cities, poor rural communities, places left behind."...

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McCain's general election campaign will be unconventional in two other aspects, as well. He will continue to provide reporters with virtually limitless opportunities to ask him questions in sessions on his campaign bus and in almost daily media availabilities. And most of his public events will be town halls, not speeches, something that will provide a stark contrast to the tightly controlled campaign of either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.

The practical reason for this is obvious: He needs the "free media" coverage to offset what will be a huge disadvantage in paid media such as TV and radio ads. But McCain also enjoys these interactions with reporters and journalists. He says he needs the intellectual stimulation in order to keep the long days of the campaign from getting boring or repetitive.

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If people need an introduction to McCain, they have not been paying attention. This part of his plan reminds me of the failed Kerry campaign which used the same theme after wrapping up the nomination. He had the misfortune of having the Swift Vets introduce another aspect of his life story that was not as flattering. For McCain it should be relatively harmless if not that helpful.

McCain has turned necessity into a virtue with his use of free media in this campaign and will continue that in the general. It will also provide a stark contrast to the scripted events of Obama and Clinton. However, he needs to lighten up on his "conduct a respectful campaign," theme. By harping on that he is taking the fun out of his rallies and you can bet that his respectful campaign will not be reciprocated. In fact while the Republican jibes have been light hearted and funny, the Democrat attacks on him and his polices have been mean spirited and vile.

Michael Shear at the Washington Post says McCain is now in the cat birds seat watching the Democrats argue over who is best to answer the call at 3 a.m. He reports that the GOP will use the time to help McCain define the Democrat candidates while he is making news on his European trip. He will also use the time for fund raising having been a little too successful at "taking the money out of politics."