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Steve Schmidt Takes Over Day-to-Day at the McCain Campaign

by Patrick Ruffini | July 2, 2008 at 12:58 PM
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My confidence in the McCain operation just increased substantially:

Steve Schmidt is taking over the day-to-day operation of John McCain’s campaign, according to multiple campaign sources.

At a staff meeting in the campaign's Arlington, Va., headquarters this morning, campaign manager Rick Davis made the announcement about Schmidt's new role. 

Schmidt, a bald and barrel-chested operative known for his aggressive brand of political combat, responded by exhorting campaign aides with a speech that one staffer likened to a locker room pep talk out of the football movie "Rudy."

I'm not completely impartial here, but this is the guy who took Arnold from less than a sure thing to a 20-point winner in 2006, who ran the confirmation processes for Justices Roberts and Alito, and and who was the Bush operative most responsible for defining John Kerry. So this is a big deal.

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Comments

This IS good news

Submitted by GOP_Rebel on Wed, 07/02/2008 - 13:12.

I didn't want to read too much into it when I read David Paul Kuhn's article at Politico on how McCain Game Plan Worries Insiders, but I have to admit it did seem less than stellar when I read the following:

“It’s not just message or not having just one single meta-theme to compete with Obama,” said a veteran Republican strategist with close ties to McCain’s top advisers. “It’s not just fundraising, which is mediocre. And it’s not even just organization, which is [just] starting or nonexistent in many states.”

“McCain’s campaign seems not to have a game plan. I don’t see a consistent message,” said Ed Rollins, a veteran of Republican presidential campaigns. “As someone who has run campaigns, this campaign is not running smoothly. But none of this matters if they get their act together.”

I hope this is indeed a stellar beginning for them to get their act together.  GO, Steve!

 

This is GREAT News

Submitted by texicali on Wed, 07/02/2008 - 22:50.

Steve will take this campaign where it needs to go....all I can add is it's about time!

Go Green Like Arnold, Mr. Schmidt

Submitted by BrendanW on Thu, 07/03/2008 - 13:59.

Perhaps there is an opportunity for McCain to defeat Obama on the whole go-green thing.  That is certainly one of the streaghths that has helped Arnold win in California by 20%.

Unlike Hillary, Obama has not made any effort to be carbon neutral and purchasing offsets could fit in well with his (McCain's) cap-and-trade climate change plan.  Look at this new site for politicians to operate a carbon neutral campaign:  www.carbonneutralpolitics.com

Maybe Steve Schmidt will see this opportunity and take the offensive/preemptive.