John McCain Groans under Campaign Blunders

Published in AD
(Netherlands) on 3 July 2008
by Jacquelien Nienhuis (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Dorian de Wind. Edited by .
Poorly prepared speeches, staff who appear to have contacts with the Junta in Burma. Expressions of support from controversial figures such as Reverend John Hagee, and meetings that are scheduled so late that they do not make the evening news.

The campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCain hobbled the past month from slip-up to blunder. But the Senator from Arizona expects that his journey to the White House will be spotless from now on.

This week, he named Bush-veteran Steve Schmidt to be his new campaign manager and announced a series of personnel changes. Schmidt is now McCain‘s third campaign manager in a year‘s time.

The top Republican strategist managed, among others, the re-election campaign of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in California and was a key member of Vice-President Cheney’s staff.

The reorganization in McCain’s camp comes after months of criticism from the Republican Party, which believes that the presidential candidate's political message is being buried by bad organization and planning. On March 4th, McCain won the primaries, three months before his rival Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, could celebrate. But John McCain has, to this date, not known how to turn that lead into an advantage. Obama is ahead in the most important polls.

McCain has struggled from the beginning with problems in his campaign team. A year ago, he had to dismiss a large part of his staff for lack of money.


John McCain zucht onder de blunders
Door JACQUELIEN NIENHUIS

NEW YORK - Slecht voorbereide toespraken, medewerkers die contacten blijken te hebben met de junta in Birma. Steunbetuigingen van controversiële figuren als dominee John Hagee en bijeenkomsten die zo laat zijn gepland dat ze het avondnieuws niet meer halen.
De Republikeinse presidentskandidaat John McCain. FOTO AP
De campagne van de Republikeinse presidentskandidaat John McCain stuntelde de afgelopen maanden van misstap naar blunder. Maar de senator voor Arizona verwacht dat zijn reis naar het Witte Huis vanaf nu vlekkeloos verloopt.

Hij benoemde deze week Bush-veteraan Steve Schmidt tot zijn nieuwe campagnemanager en kondigde een reeks personeelswijzigingen aan. Schmidt is al McCains derde campagnemanager in een jaar tijd.

De Republikeinse top-strateeg leidde onder meer de herverkiezingscampagne van gouverneur Arnold Schwarzenegger in Californië en was een belangrijke medewerker van vice-president Dick Cheney.

De reorganisatie in kamp McCain komt na maandenlange kritiek van de Republikeinse partij, die meent dat de politieke boodschap van de presidentskandidaat ondersneeuwt door slechte organisatie en planning. McCain won op 4 maart de voorverkiezingen, drie maanden voor zijn rivaal Barack Obama, de kandidaat van de Democraten, feest kon vieren. Maar John McCain wist die voorsprong tot nu toe niet om te zetten in winst. In de belangrijkste peilingen staat Obama bovenaan.

McCain kampt al vanaf het begin met problemen in zijn campagneteam. Een jaar geleden moest hij een groot deel van zijn personeelsleden ontslaan wegens geldgebrek.
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