SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN 08 WATCH: DECEMBER 2005

IN FOCUS: McCain Said Murtha “Has Never Been A Big Thinker.” McCain was recently asked about an article in the New Republic that said, “John Kerry, McCain says, doesn’t have ‘the strength to see it through.’ And John Murtha is ‘a lovable guy,’ but ‘he’s never been a big thinker; he’s an appropriator.’ ...McCain tells me that Murtha has become too emotional about the human cost of the war. ‘As we get older, we get more sentimental.’” On his comment that Murtha is becoming too emotional, McCain replied, “I think he has become emotional, and understandably so. He goes to funerals. He goes, as many of us do, out to Walter Reed and he sees the price of war. And I think that that has had some effect on him.” [Meet the Press, NBC, 12/4/05]

IN HIS OWN WORDS: McCAIN ON SANTORUM

“Let’s not underestimate what Rick represents in the United States Senate. He represents family values, he represents commitment to family and America and he represents what in my view is the next generation of leadership.” [Santorum event, 12/2/05]

BUZZ WATCH: Newsday: McCain Trying To Cast Himself “As The President’s Conservative Heir-Apparent.” “In a bid to pick up President George W. Bush supporters, McCain’s backers have been casting him as the president’s conservative heir-apparent in key primary states like Michigan, New Hampshire and South Carolina, where the senator suffered his most bitter primary defeat. The senator’s aides underscore the fact he’s a pro-gun, anti-abortion conservative who gets an 83 out of 100 rating from the Christian Coalition, even after criticizing the role evangelical Christians played in Bush’s 2000 campaign.” [Newsday, 12/10/2005]

McCain Slipping In The Primary Polls And At Statistical Tie With Clinton. The most recent poll by Scott Rasmussen shows McCain slipping from second to third place in the Republican primary race with 21 percent as Condoleezza Rice moved up to 24 percent. Bloomberg reported that McCain and Sen. Hillary Clinton “would be in a statistical tie if a presidential election were held today, according to a Quinnipiac University poll.” The poll put McCain at 44 percent of the vote and Clinton at 40 percent with a margin of error of 2.8. A nationwide Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll last month showed Giuliani beating McCain 34 to 31 percent in the primary. Also, 20 percent of Republicans polled said they wouldn’t vote for the senator under any circumstances. [Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 12/11/05; Bloomberg, 12/7/05; Newsday, 12/10/2005]

McCain’s People Discount Giuliani. “‘I think Rudy would make an attractive secretary of state or secretary of defense in a McCain administration,’ Marshall Wittmann…Wittmann is just one of many McCainiacs questioning the viability of a Giuliani candidacy if the ex-mayor decides to put his lucrative business on the back burner and run. They argue that the former mayor’s liberal positions on abortion (he favors abortion rights), guns (he’s for strict controls) and gay rights (he drew heat from conservatives for once living with a gay couple and implemented New York’s landmark domestic partnership law) put him far to the left of McCain and most GOP primary voters.” [Newsday, 12/10/05]

McCain’s Four Day Texas Swing Included Meeting With Bush Media Strategist. “John McCain, the once and possibly future Republican presidential aspirant, touched down in Texas on Friday for a four- day swing promoting a book and hobnobbing with political movers and shakers. Folks on his political calendar include Bush media strategist Mark McKinnon and Austin lobbyist Kent Hance, a Republican who served in the U.S. House with the senator from Arizona. ‘He’s a good friend, a true patriot,’ Hance said. ‘I hope he runs for president’ in 2008. ‘He’s looking at it very seriously.’” [Austin American-Statesman, 12/10/05]

RHETORIC WATCH: McCain Praised Santorum As “The Next Generation Of Leadership.” At a December 2nd fundraiser for Santorum McCain praised him as a “good and decent person” and said “let’s not underestimate what Rick represents in the United States Senate. He represents family values, he represents commitment to family and America and he represents what in my view is the next generation of leadership.” Santorum placed the video of McCain’s comments on his website. [www.ricksantorum.com]

McCain Endorsed George Wallace Jr., Called Him A “Committed Conservative Reformer.” The Associated Press reported that Sen. McCain visited three Alabama cities to endorse George Wallace Jr. for lieutenant governor, attended fundraisers in Mobile, Birmingham, and Huntsville. McCain said “I’m proud to offer my support to this committed conservative reformer. George will bring great leadership and integrity to the lieutenant governor’s office.” [Associated Press, 11/17/05]

McCain Called Lott “The Finest [Senate Majority] Leader We’ve Had.” When McCain gave a speech at Senator Lott’s Leadership Institute at the University of Mississippi, the Hill wrote, “Perhaps to repay Lott's Southern hospitality, McCain paid him quite a compliment during his remarks at the Lott Institute. McCain said he expects Lott to become majority leader again, though he didn't say whether he meant in 2007, after Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) steps down.” McCain added, “I will tell anyone that of all the majority leaders we've had in the United States Senate, I believe that Trent Lott was the finest leader we've had.” [The Hill, 11/22/05; New York Times, 11/27/05]

DAY JOB: McCain Said We’re Making Progress In Iraq But Troops Could Be There For Many Years. “‘We are making progress’ in the Iraqi conflict, McCain said in a pre-Texas interview. But, ‘I am very nervous about it. I believe we can win, but I don’t believe it’s a sure thing… It’s going to be very long, very tough. We could have troops there for many years. We’ve had troops in South Korea for 50 years. Nobody seems to mind that; that’s because we’re not in combat.’” [Austin American-Statesman, 12/10/05]

McCain: “We Should Never Have Said ‘Mission Accomplished.’” “‘We should never have said ‘Mission Accomplished.’ We should have never said ‘a few dead-enders.’ We should never have said ‘last throes,’ McCain said. ‘Part of it is our own making, by creating expectations which obviously didn’t come to fruition.’” [UPI, 12/9/05]

McCain Voted To Extend The PATRIOT Act. In 2005, McCain voted to end a filibuster on a bill to extend the PATRIOT Act’s authorities to combat terrorism, some provisions of which are set to expire on December 31, 2005. President Bush has said he would veto a three-month extension, arguing it would be inadequate. But without an extension, 16 provisions would expire at the end of the year. [Senate vote 358, HR 3199, Failed 52-47 (60 votes needed) 12/16/05; AP, 12/16/05]

MONEY UPDATE: McCain Could Raise $2 Million For PAC On Book Tour While “Endearing Himself To Potential GOP Voters.” “Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has turned his current book promotion extravaganza into a fundraising whistle-stop tour, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for GOP candidates and more than $1 million for his own political action committee…In total, McCain could stand to raise in excess of $2 million for his Straight Talk America PAC and candidates on the late fall tour…By also raising money for key political candidates at both the federal and state level along the way, McCain is further endearing himself to potential GOP voters should he seek the party’s presidential nomination in 2008.” [Roll Call, 12/7/05]

McCain Likely To Opt Out Of Campaign Finance System. According to a National Journal article, “By prospecting for influential donors very early in the election cycle, McCain is emulating Bush's approach and trying to avoid problems that helped doom the Arizonan's first campaign. Failing to secure [fundraise Tom] Loeffler's support was one of those problems: Loeffler helped Bush finance chairman Don Evans establish the fundraising incentive program that enabled Bush to opt out of the public financing system and outlast McCain's challenge… McCain plans to leverage his Straight Talk America political action committee into one of the most generous money engines for GOP candidates in 2006… two Republicans close to McCain say that he plans to set up a Pioneerstyle program to attract and retain high-dollar party fundraisers.” [National Journal, 12/17/05]

McCain’s Campaign Account Has $1 Million on Hand. For the period between 1/1/2005-9/30/2005 McCain received $97,121 in total receipts, spent $309,652, and has $1,070,922 cash on hand. McCain’s PAC has not yet reported any activity. [Political Money Line, tray.com]

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER SCHEDULE RECAP: December 20, 2005—Phoenix, AZ: McCain will hold a book 2005 TRAVEL SUMMARY signing from 12:00 PM-1:30 PM local time at Poisoned Pen IA 0 Central. [Straight Talk America] NH 1 SC 1 December 16, 2005—Kansas City, MO: McCain will signed OTHER 22 copies of his books at Rainy Day Books. [Straight Talk America]

December 12, 2005—Houston, TX: Senator McCain signed copies of his books at Brazos Bookstore. [Straight Talk America]

December 9-12, 2005—Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, TX: McCain attended a Dallas reception Friday held by businessman Tom Hicks before heading to San Antonio for a dinner with South Texans held by former Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Loeffler. He visited wounded soldiers at Fort Sam Houston before coming to Austin for a dinner held by Hance and McKinnon. Dinner invitees include Lance Armstrong; Sheryl Crow; and James Huffines, chairman of the UT System’s Board of Regents and a senior adviser to Gov. Rick Perry. McCain intended to attend a Houston reception Monday before leaving Texas. [Austin American-Statesman, 12/10/05]

December 8, 2005—Chicago, IL: McCain signed copies of his books at Borders Books. [Straight Talk America]

December 7, 2005—Ann Arbor, MI: McCain signed copies of his books at Border Books. [Straight Talk America]

December 6, 2005—Cambridge, MA: McCain signed copies of his books at the Harvard Bookstore. [Straight Talk America]

December 5, 2005—Greenwich, CT: Rep. Christopher Shays hosted McCain on Monday night at a private home in Greenwich, Conn., shortly after the Senator had completed a book-signing event nearby. In a little more than an hour, the Arizonan helped boost Shays’ campaign account by about $75,000, according to the Connecticut lawmaker’s top aide. [Roll Call, 12/7/05]

December 2, 2005—Philadelphia, PA: John McCain attended fund-raisers in Pennsylvania for Sen. Rick Santorum. The events were held at private homes in Media and Villanova. [AP, 11/27/05]

November 21, 2005—Alabama: McCain appeared at three fundraisers in Alabama for George Wallace Jr., who is running for lieutenant governor in Mobile, Birmingham, and Huntsville. [CNN, 11/16/05]

November 20, 2005—Columbia, SC: McCain attended an evening fundraiser for Attorney General Henry McMaster. Gov. Mark Sanford and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who supported McCain in 2000, also attended. [Post & Courier, 11/10/05]

November 20, 2005—Columbia, SC: McCain planned a book-signing at the Barnes & Noble in Columbia. [Charlotte Observer, 11/7/05]

November 19, 2005—Oxford, MS: McCain attended an Ole Miss vs. LSU Football Game with Trent Lott. [Straight Talk America]

November 18, 2005—Oxford, MS: McCain visited the University of Mississippi for a public forum sponsored by the Trent Lott Leadership Institute Lecture Series. [www.lottinst.olemiss.edu]

November 10, 2005—Washington, DC: The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research hosted a speech by Sen. John McCain on “Winning the War in Iraq.” [FNS Daybook]