McCain Camp Regroups

BY TAYLOR MARSH

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You have to love this story. It’s especially priceless to me after Wesley Clark rhetorically kicked McCain around this week.

“McCain was down at the end of the table and we were talking to the head of the guerilla group here at this end of the table and I don’t know what attracted my attention,” Cochran said. “But I saw some kind of quick movement at the bottom of the table and I looked down there and John had reached over and grabbed this guy by the shirt collar and had snatched him up like he was throwing him up out of the chair to tell him what he thought about him or whatever. I don’t know what he was telling him but I thought, good grief, everybody around here has got guns and we were there on a diplomatic mission. I don’t know what had happened to provoke John but he obviously got mad at the guy and he just reached over there and snatched him.”

I don’t think Clark’s in any danger, though. The man doesn’t suffer fools very well.

In other news, there’s been a McCain
camp shakeup, via The Politico.

Now, accounts diverge on the exact nature of the new chain of command. One top McCain source said that Schmidt “assumed full operational control of the campaign today” and described Davis as “a general manager.” But Charlie Black, another top adviser, said Davis was still in charge. “Steve is going to function under Rick as a [chief operating officer],” Black said. “Rick still has authority over all things. Steve works for Rick.” But Black made sure to not diminish Schmidt’s elevated role in the campaign. “He’ll be the maestro who conducts the symphony,” Black said of Schmidt’s position in driving McCain’s message. Yet McCain sources say Schmidt’s imprint will be felt beyond a campaign message that, until recently, had not been clearly defined. A handful of his fellow Bushworld veterans are also taking on more high-profile roles. …

Schmidt was also a right hand man to none other than Dick Cheney, which should tell you something. In addition, he strategized for Supreme Court nominees Samuel A. Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts.

Obviously, the McCain camp has been floundering in the Define Barack Obama department. McCain’s had a lot of time to shore up his candidacy, but with Obama announcing a 50-state strategy, plus a focus on younger evangelicals, the GOP has to pump up the volume a bit. They’re not close to being where they need to be for fall. Lackluster describes the McCain effort so far, which is likely why Schmidt was promoted.

…and now, just because, here’s an afternoon open thread. All topics on the table.