posted on July 22, 2007 06:41:09 PM new
McCain Says He's Happy With Campaign
Updated 9:12 PM ET July 22, 2007
By MIKE GLOVER
URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) - John McCain on Sunday assured Iowa supporters that he's doing fine and intends to seriously compete in the state's leadoff caucuses despite staff cuts and money problems.
The Republican presidential candidate met privately with supporters, then held a news conference at his Iowa campaign headquarters.
"I'm happy about the state of our campaign," the Arizona senator told reporters. "We will do fine. We are competitive and we will win in Iowa."
McCain said he met with backers to let them know his campaign was strong.
"I wanted to make sure that everybody knows what we are doing and get an update on the campaign and how we intend to stay heavily involved here in Iowa," he said.
At his news conference, McCain brusquely cut off questions about the disarray in his campaign and its fundraising difficulties.
"I will not respond to any more questions about process," said McCain. "I did for two weeks. I cut down at least three forests worth of paper being written about it. I'll answer all questions but that."
McCain's visit to Iowa was his first since June 9. He was scheduled to appear on a conservative talk radio program Monday before heading to Michigan.
In remarks he planned to give Monday evening to the Economic Club of Southwest Michigan in Benton Harbor, McCain is pledging to repeal the alternative minimum tax.
"I am committed to repealing this tax before millions of American families are forced to devote even more of their hard work to paying for the spending largesse in Washington," McCain says in excerpts of his speech released by his campaign.
He also vows to hold down government spending with line-item vetoes. McCain says he wouldn't wait to get the line-item veto, which the Supreme Court struck down in 1998, saying it took too much spending power away from Congress.
"I believe the president should have the line item veto as 43 governors have, and I'll fight to get it," McCain says.
Chuck Larson Jr., the former chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa and a key adviser to McCain's Iowa campaign, said its staff has been reduced to about a half-dozen. That's far fewer than his major rivals.
McCain said he's shifted his focus to the key early election states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
"I'm still convinced that the three early states will determine the nominee of both the Democratic and Republican parties," he said. "There is not a doubt in my mind about that."
McCain has been hurt by his support of the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq, but said his position won't change.
"I will hold that stand no matter what," said McCain. "I think there's frustration and it's all very understandable. The war was terribly mismanaged for four years."
There was little grousing among the loyalists who showed up at his campaign headquarters.
"There have been changes in the campaign, but that's what we call inside baseball," said Larson. "I think he is in a very good position. We are six months out."
___
Associated Press writer Libby Quaid contributed to this report.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
posted on July 22, 2007 07:40:33 PM new
The BIG difference is McCain still supports a positive outcome in Iraq....supports our remaining there....so unlike all the dem candidates...who only want our DEFEAT and to SURRENDER as quickly as we can.
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"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on July 22, 2007 08:41:06 PM new
No Democrat has stated they want to be defeated or surrender. I have seen the bushit administration do their best to keep the war going to make lots of money and put a smoke screen around other issues.
posted on July 22, 2007 09:00:49 PM new
An easy statement for cowards to make. Those who would NEVER put their lives on the line for America, let alone the freedom for anyone else.
tsk tsk tsk
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"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
Linda_K
posted on July 21, 2007 04:58:48 PM
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That's another great example of why I gave up responding to her.
posted on July 24, 2007 08:24:30 AM newyou don't WIN wars by RUNNING AWAY from the war.
You don't win a war unless your first define an objective and a goal. You don't win a war unless it is properly planned. You don't win a war by doing the same things over and over and over when they haven't worked in the past. You don't win a war without having the proper equipement for the soldiers and having enough troops in the first place. You can't win a war by changing hundreds of years of history and bring peace to a civil war in which the people fighting do not want peace. Lastly slogans and cheerleading do not win a war, action and results do.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
posted on July 24, 2007 08:27:09 AM newAn easy statement for cowards to make. Those who would NEVER put their lives on the line for America,
Are you living through your son again Linda? When was the last time you put on a military uniform and defeneded this country?
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
