Politico: McCain readies unorthodox campaign

[NJSecularist]

Just a reminder to those who forget that we will face a Republican opponent in the Fall.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9685.html

For reasons of financial necessity, personal preference and plain politics, John McCain is gearing up to run one of the least traditional presidential campaigns in recent history.

The problem is that even prominent strategists within McCain’s own party wonder if his unorthodox strategy will work.

Facing the prospect of competing against a Democrat who is on track to shatter every fundraising record — and confronted by his own inability to rake in large bundles of cash — McCain and his key advisers have largely been forced into devising a three-pronged strategy that they hope can turn their general election weaknesses into strengths.

McCain will lean heavily on the well-funded Republican National Committee. He will merge key functions of his campaign hierarchy with the RNC while also relying on an unconventional structure of 10 regional campaign mangers.

And finally — and perhaps most importantly — McCain will rely on free media to an unprecedented degree to get out his message in a fashion that aims to not only minimize his financial disadvantage but also drive a triangulated contrast among himself, the Democratic nominee and President Bush.

McCain advisers acknowledge they have little choice but to seek free entry into the media marketplace, as they have no chance of matching Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton in a dollar-for-dollar ad war, given that the Arizona senator’s fundraising totals pale in comparison to both his prospective opponents and the Bush-Cheney political machine.

But aides also hope they can turn necessity into virtue and argue that by facing tough questions from reporters on his bus each day and potentially even tougher ones from audience members at frequent town hall meetings, McCain will demonstrate how he’s different from two politicians who are far less accessible.

It looks like McCain will rely on the same mainstream media that gave Bush the presidency in 2000 and 2004 to vault him into office. Even moreso than Bush did, I might add.

[DerekJ]

1. *sigh*

Haven't you learned your lesson yet? McCain isn't the enemy. Obama is. Your thread will sink faster than a feather in a vacuum tube.

[NJSecularist]

2. It's a shame, isn't it?

Article with some actual content sink to the bottom while bitchfests stay up top.

[evlbstrd]

3. Someone might ask a hard question?

I'd like to see that.

[MrModerate]

4. He's gonna run on "competence" and he can't raise the money?

And the 'Lican base is going to be energized how? If they won't give, they won't show up. Which augurs well for local and congressional elections as well.

[Liberal Gramma]

5. They already own two channels, Fox and ABC.

Should be lots of free publicity there. Don't think it'll reach a wide audience, though.

[City Lights]

6. He'll also have Ari Fleischer and his Freedom something or other 527

to help him out. I thought I read that the Wily brothers were backing Mccain this time around and will be airin 527 ads.

Reading this, it's obvious his BBQs for the press are gonna continue. Feeding the beast so they treat you with kid gloves is cheaper than advertising.

[Beregond2]

7. "Tough questions on his bus."

LOL! Yeah, that'll happen.