The Candidates
Ambinder has the goods on the McCain campaign’s structure around the country for the general election:
Sen. John McCain’s election planners are preparing to unveil a radically decentralized campaign structure over the next few months.
Instead of funneling authority through a few central figures at campaign headquarters in Arlington, VA, plans call for it to be dispersed to up to ten “regional campaign managers” –spread at satellite campaign offices throughout the country, according to two Republicans briefed on the plans.
“We don’t discuss campaign structure or strategy,” said Jill Hazelbaker, McCain’s communications director.
The 10 different campaign offices will run, in essence, 10 different campaigns, region-specific and constituent-specific, tailorable to fit around McCain’s unique coalition.
The campaign’s staff – less than 100 in total – gathered in Arlington this weekend and was briefed on the plan.
Campaign chief Rick Davis invited staff members to submit resumes and passed around an organization chart. There is no political director – normally, the senior staff member directly in charge of designing and implementing the campaign’s field program, according to someone who has seen the chart.
When he was the campaign’s CEO during McCain 1.0 – when John Weaver was chief strategist and Terry Nelson was manager, Davis signed leases for campaign offices in New York and Los Angeles, anticipating that early budget projections would allow for a version of a regional campaign.
The regional managers would have the authority to hire and fire, to adapt field programs to fit the needs of the states in their region. Unlike regional political directors, they would be part of the senior staff table at the campaign’s Arlington headquarters. Message and media, for the most part, would still be run through Arlington.
Since he wrapped up the nomination in mid-February, McCain’s campaign has received thousands of resumes from job-seeking Republicans. But campaign has kept a lid on the hiring process and has resisted calls from Republicans that they begin to hire more quickly. Quietly, Republican state parties have begun to hire aides to staff their general election “Victory committees” – more of than not, they have pedigrees from the Mitt Romney operation.
Eventually, the regional campaign managers will oversee campaign-chosen state directors and the Republican National Committee’s regional political directors, slowing assuming the more traditional structure associated with general election campaigns.
March 11th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
You beat me to it, LJ. I posted the same thing and then saw yours.
I am a big fan of this plan. Big fan.
March 11th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
National campaign federalism… Was Fred Thompson involved in formulating this?
March 11th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I like this idea largely, but I’m worried that a “regional” campaign would possibly be too tempted to spend significantly in each region which, again, I object to. We can’t and shouldn’t run a 50-state campaign. Certain regions should be given considerably more emphasis and considerably better staffing. Decentralization is great, in theory, it could be easily botched.
March 11th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Hmmmm…
I don’t know, it sounds like there is a risk of too many cooks in the kitchen.
March 11th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
If I may insert a bit of humor!!
HOPE, ARKANSAS — Last Thursday night, America chose its top 12 finalists on Fox’s hit show, “American Idol.†On Friday, former presidential candidate and erstwhile Baptist preacher, Mike Huckabee announced he would campaign to win the nation’s biggest singing competition.
Despite the initial shock among the entertainment elite at the politician’s decision, Huckabee has a lot of support among his base of Evangelical Christians. They see two Mormons among the top twelve contestants, and clamor, “Who can stop them?â€
“Naturally, I thought of Mike Huckabee,†said one Idol fan from rural Kansas. “He’s the one who can step in and stop these Satan-worshipers from winning and legitimizing their cult….’cause that’s what it is, a cult!â€
Many in the Evangelical community revere Mike Huckabee for his surge in the Republican primaries, and credit his “Huckaboom†with derailing the campaign of a Mormon, Mitt Romney.
The supporter added, “If Romney took the White House, it would make his religion look legitimate and everybody would want to join his church, just like how I’m pretty sure lots of people became Methodists after George W. Bush got elected in 2000.â€
Huckabee admits he does not know much about singing, but argues he knew nothing about foreign policy, tax policy, immigration policy, or really anything except how to play the bass guitar when he began his campaign for president in 2006.
“I’m sure I’ll learn how as I go along†Huckabee said about the ins and outs of the singing competition, “the important thing is, I need to give the voters a choice. I want them to know I am the Christian Singer running for American Idol, and that they won’t find that in David Archuleta or Brooke White.â€
“One more thing: Whenever either of the Mormons in the top twelve tries to out-sing me, by definition, they are engaging in negative singing. I hope voters reject their vicious attacks and vote for me.†Huckabee said.
At the end of the interview, almost as an afterthought, Huckabee asked, innocently, “Hey, don’t Mormons,†he paused, “believe singing brings glory to Satan, whom they worship?â€
March 11th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
A regional campaign structure may be more nimble than a national one. This doesn’t alter image or message but it does allow campaigns to microtarget more effectively. I could see this getting unorganized if the campaign managers aren’t closely co-ordinated.
March 11th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Very funny, Illinoisguy! I wouldn’t put this kind of bs past Huckabee and his supporters, though.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
I think the big risk with having regional directors “tailoring” a message to their region is that there is only one candidate. If each region is emphasizing different issues or aspects of Sen McCain’s record, how can McCain, who himself will always be the focus of media attention, be able to accomodate these different priorities?
Or, to put as http://www.act-blog.co.nr did, too many cooks in the kitchen.
March 12th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Ban Illinois Guy Now! If Illinois Guy isn’t banned, the terrorists win. I hear a million cliches calling out for Illinois Guy to be banned. Etc.
Incidentally, Fred Barnes just called for Romney to be McCain’s VP. I was for it, but now I’m not. The Fred Barnes is always wrong test is never wrong.
March 12th, 2008 at 8:13 am
What are you talking about Henry? Are you being serious? I’m LDS, and proud of it. I didn’t like what Huckabee did to Mitt nor to our party by staying in after Florida. But that posting was purely in jest. Can’t you take a joke???? Or, are you being funny too?
March 12th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Judging by his comments including the “Fred Barnes is always wrong test,” I’m saying #9 is being funny
On the actual post, I think this is a great idea — makes it much better to target specific regions and can be incredibly effective…if it stays well organized and the regional directors coordinate with one another McCain may be onto something.
March 12th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Ban IllinoisGuy? Because he said something you disagree with? I didn’t know Huckabee supporters had a streak of socialism. I am personally for free speech, freedom of religion, and a free America even if it hurts when people don’t agree with me.
March 12th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Actually I was a Romney/Thompson supporter. And I’m LDS and proud of it. If you think anti-Mormonism or anti-Romneyism is the only reason to want Illinoisguy out of here, you haven’t been following his oeuvre. Oh, and the First Amendment is for the government, knucklehead.
March 12th, 2008 at 9:53 am
The “Fred Barnes is always wrong test” is evidence that I’m being serious. Its like saying ‘the sun rises in the east.’
March 12th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Calm down guys. Let’s not take ourselves so seriously.
I’m as true-blue Romney as you can get, but I really think it is over-the-top to claim that the only way McCain can win is if he picks Mitt as a running mate. To put it bluntly, the cemeteries are full of “indispensable” men. Yet life seems to go on without them.
McCain can win this thing, especially watching the Democrats’ civil war. Did you catch the other day where Hillary defended her “phone” ad by admitting that McCain has both her and Obama? That is just one piece of good news for Republicans.
There is no question that Mitt Romney would bring tremendous assets to the ticket, not the least being proof that McCain can let bygones be bygones. He is a born administrator. He knows how to lead in difficult situations. He is a moral rock. He relishes the tough challenges. He is an incredible fund-raiser. He has a solid fiscal background at a time that the economy is hitting a rough spot. He is articulate. He is incredibly smart. He can accomplish hard things even when faced with determined opposition. He would also help regionally.
However, there are other people that would bring other strengths. And never forget that people are voting FOR McCain, and not for the Vice President. So no, McCain’s campaign does not rise or fall on Mitt Romney being on the ticket.
I will say this much. The first Presidential decision a potential President make is his choice of running mate. I will be watching closely whom McCain picks. It will say a lot as to what his direction will be. If he picks someone from the liberal-moderate wing, well, how much damage can a Democratic President do in four years?
March 12th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
sure, go ahead, give away all the goods folks.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
After Rudy was going down, I was looking to support Romney. But Geeeeeez Guys, Huckabee did NOT cause Romney to slip - - it was Romney who caused Romney to slip - - he was NOT CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE. End of story.