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McCain Seeks Financing from RNC, Compromising Independence
By relying on Republican financing, Arizona Senator John McCain aligns himself with the current administration and possibly compromises his role as the “GOP maverick.”
30-Second Summary
As Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s private fundraising efforts bear significant fruit, Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona has been turning to GOP finances to help bolster his campaign.
Despite having accepted public financing, which limits individual donors, Senator McCain has been working with GOP fundraising committees to “raise money far in excess of the $2,300 limit imposed on individuals giving. ... Donors can write a single check of almost $70,000 to the committees that is divvied up to various entities,” the New York Times reports.
Republican officials have also enlisted President George W. Bush, “who has raised more than $36 million this year for Republican candidates and committees, for three events on Mr. McCain’s behalf.”
But Senator McCain’s popularity among many voters—especially moderates and independents—rests in keeping himself apart from the Bush administration. According to Republican strategist Ken Duberstein, McCain is only able to compete with Obama because he “is a maverick and an independent change agent.”
McCain’s acceptance of GOP financing will further ingratiate him with the mainstream Republican Party, and also reinforce the Democratic strategy to align McCain with Bush, “no matter how hard he struggles to break free.”
Despite having accepted public financing, which limits individual donors, Senator McCain has been working with GOP fundraising committees to “raise money far in excess of the $2,300 limit imposed on individuals giving. ... Donors can write a single check of almost $70,000 to the committees that is divvied up to various entities,” the New York Times reports.
Republican officials have also enlisted President George W. Bush, “who has raised more than $36 million this year for Republican candidates and committees, for three events on Mr. McCain’s behalf.”
But Senator McCain’s popularity among many voters—especially moderates and independents—rests in keeping himself apart from the Bush administration. According to Republican strategist Ken Duberstein, McCain is only able to compete with Obama because he “is a maverick and an independent change agent.”
McCain’s acceptance of GOP financing will further ingratiate him with the mainstream Republican Party, and also reinforce the Democratic strategy to align McCain with Bush, “no matter how hard he struggles to break free.”
Headline Link: ‘McCain to Rely on Party Money Against Obama’
An article published in The New York Times examined Senator McCain’s campaign finances, which lag significantly behind those of the Democratic candidates. According to the Times, he will likely rely heavily on the GOP to help support his run in November: McCain “is aggressively building a joint fund-raising operation with the Republican National Committee and state party committees in four battleground states.”
Source: The New York Times
Background: McCain's relationship with Bush
McCain walks fine line with GOP
Throughout the campaign, Senator McCain has vacillated between using the GOP base for support, and distancing himself from the potentially damaging legacy of President Bush. Nevertheless, reports ABC News, Bush “is still an effective fundraiser and may be deployed to campaign for McCain.”
Source: ABC News
Democrats eager to align McCain with Bush
According to Ramesh Ponnuru at Time magazine, “The Democratic strategy for beating John McCain is pretty simple. Its principal element: Tie McCain to President Bush, no matter how hard he struggles to break free.”
Source: Time magazine
Senator Obama made a speech in South Dakota, in which he united the policies of President Bush and Senator McCain, “George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for,” and referred to “Bush-McCain” foreign policy. According to Obama, McCain intends to “double-down” on Bush’s “failed policies … because he still hasn’t spelled out one substantial way that he will be different from George Bush.” Obama concluded, “I’m running for president to change course, not to continue President Bush’s course.”
Source: Wikio [CNN]
McCain’s campaign finances
OpenSecrets.org publishes Senator McCain’s finances to date: the last report from the McCain campaign was on March 31, and showed that McCain had $11,579,713 of cash on hand and had debts of $707,041.
Source: Open Secrets
Obama’s campaign finances
OpenSecrets.org publishes Senator Obama’s finances to date: the last report from the Obama campaign was on March 31, and showed that Obama had $51,073,999 of cash on hand and had debts of $662,784.
Source: Open Secrets
Opinion & Analysis: Why McCain must play the maverick
Ken Duberstein, Ronald Reagan’s former chief of staff, explains that downplaying any similarities between McCain and Bush is essential to ensuring McCain’s future success. According to Duberstein, McCain is only keeping up with Democratic candidate Barack Obama, “because McCain is a maverick and an independent change agent.”
Source: Politico
Related Topics: Lobbyist purge, public (and private) financing
The battle over public financing
Senators McCain and Obama have argued over public financing issues throughout the campaign. In February, McCain criticized Obama when Obama suggested he might not accept any public financing of his campaign: “I think the American people would expect [Obama] to hold to that commitment, especially if we want to bring about change.”
Source: MSNBC
McCain purges lobbyists from campaign
Senator McCain’s national finance co-chair Thomas G. Loeffler resigned recently, as part of McCain’s campaign strategy of severing ties with lobbyists. Loeffler is the highest-profile member of the McCain campaign to step down, though several others have resigned as well.
Source: The International Herald Tribune
Cindy McCain keeps her finances private
The finances of McCain’s campaign may be lacking, but McCain is personally quite comfortable, as his wife, Cindy McCain, is the heiress to a Phoenix-based beer distributing company and has a fortune of about $100 million. Mrs. McCain has said she will not release her tax returns, even if her husband becomes President.
Source: The Arizona Republic
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