Posted on 06/07/2005 7:00:50 AM PDT by areafiftyone
Mark McKinnon, the Austin political consultant who oversaw the advertising for President Bush in the 2000 and 2004 campaigns, has committed to help Sen. John McCain in a second presidential bid.
McKinnon - one of the president's closest friends and confidants and a frequent mountain biking companion - met with the Arizona Republican over lunch this spring in the Senate dining room to discuss his support, a GOP activist familiar with the meeting told G. Robert Hillman of the Dallas Morning News.
At this point, McCain, who lost to Bush in a bitter 2000 Republican primary, is in the early but unmistakable stages of laying the groundwork for another campaign. And McKinnon has indicated he would review his options, should Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice or the president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, run in 2008.
The White House has sent word that Jeb Bush should be taken at his word, that he will not run. Rice, just four months into her new job, is not expected to seek the presidency, though some top Republicans have suggested she might be considered for vice president.
McKinnon, vice chairman of the Austin-based consulting firm Public Strategies Inc., said on Monday he's had "friendly conversations with Senator McCain" but would not discuss his commitment.
"I like the senator a lot, but it is too early to speculate on his intentions, as he has said himself, not to mention mine," McKinnon said in an e-mailed statement. "My political focus right now is on a successful second-term agenda for President Bush."
McCain's political strategist, John Weaver, said the senator is heartened by those "encouraging him to run," but that he has not yet decided whether he will.
"He's not out organizing," Weaver said, "and he's instructed us not to do that, either."
Nonetheless, the jockeying among Republicans for their party's presidential nomination is well under way.
In addition to McCain, likely contenders include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, Virginia Sen. George Allen, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
McKinnon's commitment to McCain, though, is among the earliest to any candidate, particularly among the cadre of senior advisers who guided the president's last two campaigns.
McKinnon became better acquainted with McCain during his campaigning for the president in 2004 and contributed $2,000 to the senator's re-election coffers last October.
A political maverick - he called his campaign advertising company Maverick Media - McKinnon first dabbled in politics as a Democrat and worked for the Texas gubernatorial campaign of Ann Richards, among other Democrats.
For the 2002 Senate race in Texas, McKinnon and his wife, Ann, contributed $4,000 to Democrat Ron Kirk against Republican John Cornyn. Later, the consultant apologized, saying the contributions had caused "some heartburn" for the Bush administration. At this point, McCain, who lost to Bush in a bitter 2000 Republican primary, is in the early but unmistakable stages of laying the groundwork for another campaign. And McKinnon has indicated he would review his options, should Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice or the president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, run in 2008.
The White House has sent word that Jeb Bush should be taken at his word, that he will not run. Rice, just four months into her new job, is not expected to seek the presidency, though some top Republicans have suggested she might be considered for vice president.
McKinnon, vice chairman of the Austin-based consulting firm Public Strategies Inc., said on Monday he's had "friendly conversations with Senator McCain" but would not discuss his commitment.
"I like the senator a lot, but it is too early to speculate on his intentions, as he has said himself, not to mention mine," McKinnon said in an e-mailed statement. "My political focus right now is on a successful second-term agenda for President Bush."
McCain's political strategist, John Weaver, said the senator is heartened by those "encouraging him to run," but that he has not yet decided whether he will.
"He's not out organizing," Weaver said, "and he's instructed us not to do that, either."
Nonetheless, the jockeying among Republicans for their party's presidential nomination is well under way.
In addition to McCain, likely contenders include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, Virginia Sen. George Allen, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
McKinnon's commitment to McCain, though, is among the earliest to any candidate, particularly among the cadre of senior advisers who guided the president's last two campaigns.
McKinnon became better acquainted with McCain during his campaigning for the president in 2004 and contributed $2,000 to the senator's re-election coffers last October.
A political maverick - he called his campaign advertising company Maverick Media - McKinnon first dabbled in politics as a Democrat and worked for the Texas gubernatorial campaign of Ann Richards, among other Democrats.
For the 2002 Senate race in Texas, McKinnon and his wife, Ann, contributed $4,000 to Democrat Ron Kirk against Republican John Cornyn. Later, the consultant apologized, saying the contributions had caused "some heartburn" for the Bush administration.
So, if it's McCain v Clinton, what are you going to do?
Since I never liked McKinnon as an ad person, I am not surprised at this -- never trusted him either and thought his ads in 2000 were way below what I would have expected and the ones reviewed that never made it to air were even worse.
The one I will always remember was the one aimed at the inner city about No Child Left Behind and they had this little blonde boy going up the steps.
Stay home.
Sorry, but I will vote for McCain (not in the primary) if it keeps Hillary out of the White House. Her husband desecrated it, we can't afford to have them back for another round.
It is not going to be McCain if we all get organized in our states as Conservatives and go out and defeat him in each of our primaries.
Stop this negative push of Hillary versus McCain on here -- it seems like that is what some of you want or have I hit the nail on the head.
McKinnon's ads are not the best IMHO. If I was a candidate, I would go after the firm that did Senator Nickles here in OK -- some of the best ads I have seen.
Obviously McCain. Less damage to the country.
I'm sure the Old Media pundits are polishing up their knee pads to service this GOP "Maverick".
McCain is easily duped.
I would vote for McCain too against Hillary but I don't see McCain getting through the front loaded Republican primaries including Oklahoma where he is not liked. His latest deal on judges IMO is going to keep him from getting traction among the base who votes.
Allen, Tancredo or Rice in 2008
McCain will be shot down (again) before he even gets into the air of the primaries. He's a RINO, a traitor to the Party on the recent judicial spat, and has a p#ss-poor attitude on border security/immigration.
Good point. I wish this were Slashdot, I'd mod you up...
I don't see him getting the nomination either. The only states he has a chance of winning are those with open primaries. I could never understand why we allow Independents and Democrats to cross over in order to choose our candidate (and their opponent). Unfortunately, many states are moving toward open primaries which will only help McCain.
I don't know. I will not vote for Clinton. I don't want to see Bubba abuse the Lincoln Bedroom again and Hillary abuse the staff and Secret Service.
I agree. I'd never pick McCain as the Republican candidate but it'd be just plain traitorous to stand by and watch that Clinton witch get her hands on the White House.
Besides not caring a damn about America she's and incompetent that might do so much damage that it could take generations to repair. Just think about what her picks for the Supreme Court might be like.
"McKinnon said in an e-mailed statement. "My political focus right now is on a successful second-term agenda for President Bush."
So what's he been doing with his time???
It will be a cold time in hell before I vote for this political Judas.
In another article in this forum it was stated there was no philosophical difference between Hillery and McCain. I concur.
Better an infidel than a heretic and better an avowed enemy than a backstabbing Judas.
A Republican House, Senate and Supreme Court would keep Hilary in check and enable us to elect more real Republicans in the Senate and House.
If McCain were elected, the RINOs would have a field day and wishy-washy McCain-Chafee-Snowe politics would be the rule. The media would champion McCain as a Republican, claim that this had restored their credibility as balanced and openly campaign for RINOs.
McCain is a Trojan horse inside the city - Hilary is an open foe who can be fought.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.