Republicans are worried that McCain’s lack of money, organization and partisan complete backing might prove nefarious in the November outcome. Lately, a few blunders handed the Democrats the ammunition to attack McCain: such as purging his campaign of lobbying conflicts, resulting in five staffs departure. But the biggest obstacle of all is Obama’s financial strength and super organizational skills. As per Mark Jefferson, Wisconsin’s Republican Party executive director, Obama spent over $5 million on TV, where as McCain spent $180,000. And [Obama's] got far more ground troops.?

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said that the “Republicans are going to have to do a fantastic job of turnout programs and probably have to focus more on conservative Democrats and independents than on Republicans.” Another problem facing McCain?s campaign is its ?mechanics [that] are a generation behind.? It doesn?t seem that McCain has the financial means to catch up technologically with Obama. Alex Gage, former micro-targeting wiz of the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign, said “The mechanics, the ground game costs money, and the mechanics are going to be huge problems.”

However, Steve Schmidt, a senior adviser to McCain, disagrees with the comparison. “[W]e believe that we?ll run as sophisticated a campaign as has ever been in the history of presidential politics. There’s been refinements in techniques and technology that will allow us to target voters to get out the vote and we’ll take full advantage of all of them.” McCain’s strength lies in his appeal to swing voters, to moderates and Reagan Democrats.

Schmidt ultimately believes that McCain will be able to thwart the Democrats by pointing out Obama’s “reckless and dangerous foreign policy and though he is gifted with flowery rhetoric [he is] devoid of the record of action that’s necessary to change America in the right direction.

GENERATION GAP IN MCCAIN CAMPAIGN?
By Johnathan Martin and Mike Allen (Politico 5/22/08)
Abstract by Johana Nadler
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Obama is diplomatically denying all comments regarding the search for a running mate. As for insinuation that former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson has been hired by Obama to start the search, Obama stated, “I haven’t hired him. He’s not on retainer. I’m not paying him any money. He is a friend of mine. I know him,” then he added. “I am not commenting on vice presidential matters because I have not won this nomination.”

Despite rumors that some in the party are nudging Obama to choose Clinton as a V.P., Howard Wolfson, Clinton’s spokesman, said that “There have been no discussions with the Obama campaign about Senator Clinton as a V.P.”

Possible V.P. candidates are governors from Arizona, Janet Napolitano, Kathleen Sebelius from Kansas and Tim Kaine from Virginia. Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden are other options especially with their foreign policy expertise. Finally, other senators looked at are Missouri’s Claire McCaskill and Virginia?s Jim Webb.

However, it is evident that the Obama campaign is gearing it efforts to the November vote by increasing their staff and traveling in Missouri, Michigan, Iowa and Florida. It definitely is a pro-active kick off to the general election campaign that McCain had started several months ago and Obama must catch up with.

OBAMA: OPERATION RUNNING-MATE
By Nedra Pickler and Ann Sanner (A.P.5/22/08)
Abstract by Johana Nadler
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John McCain is taking a three day hiatus from campaigning and invited two Republican governors at his home in Arizona.

Charlie Crist, Gov. of Florida, and a long time friend, whose endorsement in January helped secure McCain nomination. Gov. Crist would bring many assets to the Republican ticket, among which his undeniable popularity in Florida, his being 20 years McCain junior, his campaign skills and his reputation as a hardliner on law and order issues, which should please the more conservative Republicans.

Gov. of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, has two obvious qualities, his youth he is 36 years old and also the only one who isn’t white. He would be the ideal candidate to offset the post-racial and youthfulness of Barack Obama. Born a Hindu but converted to Roman Catholicism as a teen, he is a social conservative, against any form of abortion and human embryonic cell research. His specialty is health care issues.

Mitt Romney is also expected to show at McCain’s home, though his campaign representative declined any comment.

MCCAIN INVITES POTENTIAL RUNNING MATES
By Adam Nagourney (NYTimes 5/21/08)
Abstract by Johana Nadler

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