McCain Taps Former Bush Political Director

AP on Yahoo ^ | 3/18/06 | Ron Fournier - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (AP) - With an eye toward the 2008 presidential campaign, GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona has hired one of President Bush's top re-election advisers to help run his political action committee.

Terry Nelson, political director of the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004, will be senior adviser to Straight Talk America, according to several official familiar with the hiring. They spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt an announcement by McCain's committee.

McCain is using the PAC to raise money and organize his travel on behalf of Republicans running in November's midterm elections.

The PAC is also a launching pad for what most Republicans consider to be a likely presidential race by McCain. Nelson's hiring puts him in position to play a major role should McCain seek the White House again.

The Arizona senator ran in 2000, upsetting Bush in New Hampshire but losing the nomination in a bitter two-way race. The Bush and McCain camps eventually came to terms and McCain campaigned vigorously on Bush's behalf in the 2004 re-election campaign.

McCain is courting Bush's supporters, major fundraisers and advisers. Mark McKinnon, the president's chief media strategist, has signaled his willingness to help McCain unless Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice or Florida Gov. Jeb Bush gets in the race.

Both Rice and the president's brother have said they will not run.

While some of Bush's former aides may line behind McCain's potential GOP presidential rivals, Nelson's hiring may help McCain cast himself as the early front-runner and potential heir of Bush's political machine.

Nelson, a soft-spoken Iowa native, is well-respected Republican consultant who served as deputy chief of staff and director of political operations at the Republican National Committee from January 2002 until he joined Bush's re-election campaign.

In 2004, Nelson helped put together Bush's well-oiled grass roots operations. Nelson was political director for the House Republican campaign committee during the 2000 election cycle.

[FRONTLINER]

You're right . Romney is going to do far better than people think.
Mr. McCain is going to experience primary defeat redux .

[mombonn]

McCain will never have the backing from the grass roots that GW had.

Exactly. I worked hard for W in both elections. I won't even vote for mclame, let alone make a phone call on his behalf.

I just wish President Bush would have added me to the WH Christmas card list. :-)

[deport]

McCain and the Mississippi contengent....

McCain/Barbour with Lott back to ML......

[johnny7]

Lott?! Well... we can kiss our 11% of the black-vote goodbye.

[reaganandme]

McCain will never have the backing from the grass roots that GW had.

I agree. I don't care how many Bush operatives McCain gets, he'll never get my support (let alone my vote).

[OKIEDOC]

OK so the last hit on your bong caused a brief moment of dementia when you claimed McCaniac will be the next nominee.

I don't necessarily like polls but 61% of America is against any kind of amnesty.

Yet this goof ball continues to push the selling of American citizenship as though it was a cheap trinket to be had by anyone.

Immigration, borders and security trump most of the other issues now on both party's plates.

I don't think the knuckle headed leadership of either party really understand just how big or entrenched an issue immigration, borders and security is with their constituents.

I was taught from the earliest time in school that being an American citizen has it's advantages over any other citizenship in the world.

I for one do not appreciate any potential candidate who tries to invalidate that thinking.

[SDGOP]

Grow up. This man will be the nominee unless he falls ill. To say eg, that you will not vote for McCain/Rice is to put another Clinton in the White House for another 8 years. That arguement wont work here so dont bother. You forget, mccain coudlnt win in 2000 when he had democrats voting for him and he hadn't angered the conservative base quite as much as he has over the last 6 years. Now he has to win with conservatives more hostile to him and no democrat cross over voters. (They have their own primary to deal with, they cant come crossing over to vote for mccain).

[CowboyJay]

McCain '08!

How Hillary and the Dems took the Whitehouse...

[conservativecorner]

Here's some straight talk for McCain. I would rather stay home, and see him lose then play a part in any success in his aspirations for POTUS. He's no friend to Conservatives or Constitutionalists.

[Stellar Dendrite]

"Straight Talk America"


BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

straight talk from this hoser? puhleeze.

a phony through and through, a man who helped give us the worst attack on the first amendment (CFR), voted against bush tax cut, led the gang of 14 and so on.

and guess who this idiot took funds from:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1360852/posts
"John McCain Gets Soros Cash"

the article above was featured on a david horowitz site, written by richard poe. who is richard poe? none other than the author of "hillary's secret war" (forward written by FR's own Jim Robinson)

[SE Mom]

There was a time when I really respected and admired John McCain- in fact I would have voted for him 8 years ago.

I don't have to like someone to vote for them- but I DO need a degree of trust. I don't trust him. I expect people in much more powerful places in the GOP would agree- I'll be surprised if he is indeed the nominee.

In the meantime- we can squabble amongst ourselves:)

[John D]

This man will be the nominee unless he falls ill.



He has already fallen ill. Mentally ill. He would be the worse thing that could happen to this country since peanut brain Carter, and possibly even worse.

[voreddy]

You would rather have Hillary Clinton run the country with her thugs? By all means vote against McCain in the primary, but if he is the nominee,m to say I am going to take my toys and go home is selfish and childish. I don't want that **tch anywhere near the oval office. Any republican over her.

McCain has his problems but Bush isnt exactly the second coming of Reagan either. 9 trillion dollar debt, runaway entitlements, immigration, medicare drug benefit....