October 6, 2008 10:55:40 PM CDT
(Newser) – After shying away from the issue for some time, John McCain is returning to his credentials as a crusader for campaign-finance reform, Politico notes. In an attempt to woo independent voters, the Republican is underlining his reputation as a Washington reformer, while coping with flak from small-government conservatives within his party—comparing himself to Teddy Roosevelt in the process.
McCain is striving to top even Barack Obama’s image as change agent, beating him to be first to respond to a request for extensive information on small donors. "There is a risk," one strategist notes, "but the McCain campaign has calculated that the upside outweighs the downside as far as presenting him as a reformer who does the hard things for what he believes is the good of the country.”
Source Politico
4 hours, 9 minutes ago Barack Obama is pulling away from John McCain in two new national CNN polls. One has Obama ahead by 8 points, the other 7, a substantial rise from the 4-point lead he held less than a month ago. The Wall Street crisis, President Bush's abysmal ratings, and voters' belief that Sarah Palin is unfit for the Oval Office have all contributed to Obama's boost, pollsters say. More »
8 hours, 59 minutes ago Members of the US military and their families are looking to the November election to address the hardships of military life, but opinions vary as to which candidate will serve them best, the Boston Globe reports. John McCain’s vows to honor service—and promise of higher pay—have clear appeal, but so do Barack Obama’s goals of ending the Iraq war and reuniting families. More »
9 hours, 3 minutes ago With voter registration closing in many states today, it appears Barack Obama has largely succeeded in his attempt to make over the electorate, the Washington Post reports. Some 4 million new voters have registered across a dozen battleground states, with new Democrats greatly outnumbering new Republicans. In Florida, Obama has over twice as many new voters; in North Carolina, the ratio is roughly 6-1. More »
9 hours, 59 minutes ago While pundits might disagree about results, there’s no doubt John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin and his move to suspend his campaign over the bailout are huge gambles that can be traced to strategist Steve Schmidt, the Los Angeles Times reports. Nicknamed “Bullet” by strategist Karl Rove, Schmidt is recycling tactics he used in leading George W. Bush’s “war room” in 2004. More »
10 hours, 50 minutes ago John McCain’s health care plan, based on tax credits, would be funded by cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, which analysts say could amount to some $1.3 trillion over a decade. The move would allow McCain to uphold his pledge of a “budget neutral” health strategy, the Wall Street Journal reports, but the cuts appear to run counter to campaign statements that suggest tax increases would pay for the plan. More »
Barack Obama • John McCain • Campaign Finance Reform • political reform • Teddy Roosevelt
