ON THE TRAIL: Septuagenarian presidential candidate John McCain joins son Jack for a 30-mile, two-day hike in the Grand Canyon last summer.
'LIKE TO HIKE' MCC LOVES UPHILL CLIMB
Posted on 03/10/2008 1:26:26 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
PHOENIX - Sen. John McCain is finding out what the Republican presidential nomination is worth this week.
Then he plans to buff his foreign policy credentials, remind the nation of his long military history and try to frame the issues for the November election — in three separate tours while his two Democratic opponents continue to struggle for their party's nomination.
"Whenever you're the nominee of your party, I think people will want to re-examine the candidate," the senator said before leaving Arizona following a weekend at home. "I'd like to believe that all 300 million Americans know me, but unfortunately, that's not the case. I'll have to work hard to attract their votes."
But first, he had a full medical screening on Monday.
While McCain has previously been treated for skin cancer, he said there was nothing that precipitated his visit, which included a full medical workup. He said his dermatologist also performed a cancer screening during the past few weeks. Results from all the exams will be released April 15, he said.
"Everything's fine," McCain told reporters during a news conference. "Like most Americans, I go see my doctor fairly frequently."
McCain's next step Monday was fundraising.
McCain has been outraised by both of his potential Democratic opponents, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. Clinton has more than doubled McCain's donations; Obama has nearly tripled the Arizona senator's total.
Six days after clinching the GOP nomination, McCain headed Monday to a fundraiser in St. Louis.
He planned to continue Tuesday in New York, Wednesday in Boston, Thursday in Pennsylvania and Friday in Chicago to counter an explosion in giving to the Democratic contenders who each set personal bests in February.
Sen. Obama raised $55 million in February alone, while Sen. Clinton collected $35 million. McCain has not yet released his February totals.
More broadly, while Obama and Clinton fight on, McCain hopes to shore up his campaign financing, public image and political posture.
On Wednesday, for example, McCain will hold his first general-election town hall meeting in a nostalgic locale: New Hampshire. The Exeter event is a nod to the state's pivotal role as host to the first primary McCain won en route to the nomination.
In the coming weeks, McCain also hopes to deepen voters' understanding of his background and policy views.
His first effort comes in foreign policy next week. McCain keeps a previously scheduled commitment to join a congressional visit to European and Middle Eastern capitals. He plans to meet with a series of world leaders.
Upon his return, McCain plans a major foreign policy address.
Then McCain will take off on a biographical tour that will highlight his military service.
Among the expected stops: McCain Field in Mississippi, a Navy facility named for his grandfather, a former admiral; Jacksonville, Fla., where McCain returned from his time as a Vietnam prisoner of war and commanded the largest flight squadron in the Navy; and Alexandria, Va., and Annapolis, Md., where McCain went to high school and then the Naval Academy.
That tour is expected to be followed by a trip aimed at outlining McCain's positions on issues such as the economy and the environment, as well as his concern for less-affluent areas of the country, such as Appalachia.
McCain's most immediate concern, though, is money.
During the current election cycle, Obama and Clinton have not only outraised him, but far exceeded him in cash on hand.
As of Jan. 31, Obama, a senator from Illinois, had raised $141 million, with $25 million cash on hand; Clinton, a senator from New York and former first lady, had raised $138 million and had $29 million cash on hand.
By contrast, McCain has raised $55 million and had $5.2 million cash on hand at the end of January.
An invitation to his event Wednesday night at the Taj Boston hotel is fairly typical of those this week: $2,300 donations — the maximum allowable for each primary and general election campaign — are required for a private reception with McCain. A half-hour later, the tab drops to $1,000 per person for a more widely accessible general reception.
It was uncertain whether former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who had challenged McCain for the Republican nomination, would attend the event.
“he eats Raisin Bran for breakfast”
I would have guessed Grape Nuts.
That was my first thought too!!
The lyrics are an amazingly good fit:
Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for long, long years
Stole many man's soul and faith
And I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
I rode a tank
Held a general's rank
When the blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank
I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the gods they made
I shouted out,
"Who killed the Kennedys?"
When after all
It was you and me
Let me please introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours
Who get killed before they reached Bombay
Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me Lucifer
'Cause I'm in need of some restraint
So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste
Like I’ve said. You try to interject a positive story and there’s people like you who trash the man to make your point.
I don’t really understand your thought process. You equate Obama with Hillary and McCain as if there is no difference. I think we have a disconnect here...but that’s just my opinion.
We saw some trailers for the new Battlestar Gallactica and decided John McCain needs an eye-patch.
BWahahahahahahahahaha, if THIS doesn't show how out of touch he is, nothing will.
I avoid doctors like the plague and so does everyone else in my family.
Yeah, you’re right. Americans can’t afford to see their doctor and avoid them like the plague.
Your words, not mine.
It was twenty years ago today,
Pilot McCain taught the band to play
They've been going in and out of style
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile.
So may I introduce to you
The act you've known for all these years,
Pilot McCain's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
If I were a New Yorker I would demand his resignation.
You're right. We do have a disconnect. Can you think of one positive reason to vote for John McCain, other than that he MAY be (marginally) not quite as bad as Hillary or Obama?
The guy is wrong on practically every issue that matters, has no understanding of economics, has jumped on the global warming bandwagon, doesn't even remotely understand the issue of illegal immigration, is completely unable to grasp, let alone argue, a principled position on any issue, has basically made clear that he is not going to appoint strict constructionist judges, and would rather die than directly criticize a mainstream Democrat position.
Oh, did I mention that he really hasn't demonstrated that he's all that bright, or that he has any strength as a strategic thinker. Not to mention that he has ZERO executive experience and is therefore by definition unqualified to hold, let alone carry out the responsibilies of, the highest executive office in the US government.
Other than that he's swell.
So OK, maybe he wouldn't quite be the disaster that Hillary or Obama will be. But please don't try to persuade me that he has any serious qualities to recommend him for the office of the Presidency.
Every American family will pay another $2,000 annually thanks to McCain and his dopey carbon credit scam. Just what this country needs - billions stolen to redistribute to european socialists and third world dictators.
Now we will see a recession.
Those $5000 tax credits for healthcare are also gonna hit the pocketbook—and not of those receiving the benefit.
What if the ticket is McCain/Romney?
Now, that was funny!
If I lived in an important state like Florida, I'd hold my nose and vote for him.
But since I live in Massachusetts, which will go Democrat anyway, it really doesn't matter who I vote for, or even whether I vote at all, in the presidential race.
So I while I will definitely vote for whoever ends up running against John Kerry in the Senate race, I won't be voting for McCain no matter who he runs with.
And by the way, he won't be running with Romney, bet on that.
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