Changes

While his campaign's success was once considered unlikely, McCain won several early primaries and went on to win enough delegates to secure the nomination. McCain had gained national prominence during his surprisingly strong presidential campaign in 2000. He eventually lost out to now-President [[George W. Bush]].  

While his campaign's success was once considered unlikely, McCain won several early primaries and went on to win enough delegates to secure the nomination. McCain had gained national prominence during his surprisingly strong presidential campaign in 2000. He eventually lost out to now-President [[George W. Bush]].  

McCain is running as the outsider, the maverick who goes his own ways and opposes corruption and the same-old-politics. He electrified the nation and solidified his base among conservatives by naming Alaska governor [[Sarah Palin]] as his running mate. One of his TV commercials summed it up:

McCain ran as the outsider, the maverick who went his own ways and opposed corruption and the same-old-politics. He electrified the nation and solidified his base among conservatives by naming Alaska governor [[Sarah Palin]] as his running mate. One of his TV commercials summed it up:

:"The original mavericks. He fights pork barrel spending. She stopped the Bridge to Nowhere. He took on the drug industry. She took on big oil. He battled Republicans and reformed Washington. She battled Republicans and reformed Alaska. They'll make history.  They'll change Washington. McCain. Palin. Real change."<ref> See [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVIaqCjvLpU for YouTube version, Sept. 8, 2008 ]</ref>  

:"The original mavericks. He fights pork barrel spending. She stopped the Bridge to Nowhere. He took on the drug industry. She took on big oil. He battled Republicans and reformed Washington. She battled Republicans and reformed Alaska. They'll make history.  They'll change Washington. McCain. Palin. Real change."<ref> See [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVIaqCjvLpU for YouTube version, Sept. 8, 2008 ]</ref>  

==Fund raising issues==

==Fund raising issues==

McCain's fund raising results and campaign financials have been poor. After first-quarter 2007 fundraising totals were released in early April 2007, totals showed McCain's $13.6 million lagging behind rivals in the race. During the second quarter he did worse, raising $11.2 million. In early July 2007, the McCain campaign let go fifty to a hundred staffers and forced others to accept pay cuts or switch to no pay.

McCain's fund raising results and campaign financials were poor. After first-quarter 2007 fundraising totals were released in early April 2007, totals showed McCain's $13.6 million lagging behind rivals in the race. During the second quarter he did worse, raising $11.2 million. In early July 2007, the McCain campaign let go fifty to a hundred staffers and forced others to accept pay cuts or switch to no pay.

McCain has accepted nearly $70,000 for his presidential campaign from the top donors to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and their family.  The SBVT were condemned at the time by McCain when they ran ads questioning [[John Kerry|John Kerry's]] military service and his reception of the Purple Heart.  The money raised is four times the amount McCain raised from those donors in the 14 years prior to launching his campaign.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-06-30-swiftboat_N.htm Price of Power: McCain accepts ex-Swift Boaters' Donations</ref>

McCain accepted nearly $70,000 for his presidential campaign from the top donors to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and their family.  The SBVT were condemned at the time by McCain when they ran ads questioning [[John Kerry|John Kerry's]] military service and his reception of the Purple Heart.  The money raised was four times the amount McCain raised from those donors in the 14 years prior to launching his campaign.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-06-30-swiftboat_N.htm Price of Power: McCain accepts ex-Swift Boaters' Donations</ref>

In June 2008, McCain had his best fundraising month to date, bringing in $21 million in donations for his campaign.  In the same month, though, Senator Barack Obama's campaign reported bringing in $52 million.   

In June 2008, McCain had his best fundraising month to date, bringing in $21 million in donations for his campaign.  In the same month, though, Senator Barack Obama's campaign reported bringing in $52 million.   

Senator McCain has announced that he will accept public financing for the general election.  After his party's nominating convention, the Federal Elections Commission will provide him with a check for $85 million.  His opponent, Senator Obama, has chosen to opt-out of the general election financing, the first major candidate to do so since the inception of federal funding.  Obama's campaign has stated that they expect to bring in more than the $85 million provided by the FEC and therefore do not want to abide by the spending limits incurred by accepting federal funding.  To balance out the expected fundraising advantage Senator Obama has, Senator McCain will be relying also on the Republican National Committee to help with the campaign through advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts.  The RNC has a distinct fundraising advantage over its Democratic counterpart, the Democratic National Committee.  The lack of funds, though, will hurt down-ticket Republicans who will not be able to fall back on RNC fundraising, but instead will have to rely on their own efforts as well as that of the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee which have lagged compared to their Democratic counterparts, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Senator McCain announced that he would accept public financing for the general election.  After his party's nominating convention, the Federal Elections Commission provided him with a check for $85 million.  His opponent, Senator Obama, chose to opt-out of the general election financing, the first major candidate to do so since the inception of federal funding.  Obama's campaign stated that they had expected to bring in more than the $85 million provided by the FEC and therefore do not want to abide by the spending limits incurred by accepting federal funding.  To balance out the expected fundraising advantage Senator Obama had, Senator McCain relyied on the Republican National Committee to help with the campaign through advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts.  The RNC had a distinct fundraising advantage over its Democratic counterpart, the Democratic National Committee.  The lack of funds, though, hurt down-ticket Republicans who were not able to fall back on RNC fundraising, but instead had to rely on their own efforts as well as that of the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee which have lagged compared to their Democratic counterparts, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

   

   

==Campaign Issues==

==Campaign Issues==