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How Revolving Narratives Swamped Would-Be Narrator

McCain's move from tactic to tactic resulted in confused overall strategy

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 23, 2008 4:11 PM CDT

(Newser) – John McCain’s campaign has gone through a dizzying number of narratives, as Robert Draper outlines in the New York Times. Draper looks inside a dysfunctional operation driven by two quarreling old McCain friends (Rick Davis and speechwriter Mark Salter), and the Rovian outsider who reconciled them (Steve Schmidt). The troika has engineered at least six separate messages because, one insider said, “we still couldn’t answer the question ‘Why elect John McCain?’”

However, Draper writes, “by October, the succession of backfiring narratives would compel some to reappraise not only McCain’s chances but also the decisions made by Schmidt.” And advisers recognize the pitfalls in a campaign where McCain has derided Barack Obama for confusing tactics with strategy: “For better or for worse, our campaign has been fought from tactic to tactic,” one says.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain salutes during a rally yesterday in Cincinnati.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain salutes during a rally yesterday in Cincinnati.   (AP Photo)
John McCain smiles at the crowd at a rally at Green Memorial Stadium in Green, Ohio, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008.
John McCain smiles at the crowd at a rally at Green Memorial Stadium in Green, Ohio, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
McCain's moves from narrative to narrative, Robert Draper writes in the Times, forced advisers to reappraise not only McCain%u2019s chances but also the decisions made by [strategist Steve] Schmidt.
McCain's moves from narrative to narrative, Robert Draper writes in the Times, forced advisers to "reappraise not only McCain%u2019s chances but also the decisions made by [strategist Steve] Schmidt."   (AP Photo)
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For better or for worse, our campaign has been fought from tactic to tactic. - An unnamed adviser,
on John McCain's strategy

The thinking was, do you man up and try to affect the outcome, or do you hold it at arm’s length? And no, it was not an easy call. - A McCain insider on the decision to suspend the campaign to work on the bailout

Obama pays no price from his party — never has. My guy has made a career out of it. So you tell a story. ‘When it came down to a choice between my very life and my country, I chose my country.’ - Mark Salter, McCain speechwriter and biographer

The worst scenario for Obama is if he winds up running against the McCain of 2000. - Rick Davis, senior McCain adviser

Would anyone here disagree with the premise that we are not winning this campaign? - Steve Schmidt, right before the 'celebrity' ad was conceived

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