From Politico, 5/22/08:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10550.html
McCain struggles on cusp of general election
By JONATHAN MARTIN & MIKE ALLEN
Once optimistic about Sen. John McCain’s prospects for the fall
general election, Republicans are increasingly concerned that he could
wind up badly outgunned, saddled with serious deficiencies in money,
organization and partisan intensity against the likely Democratic
nominee, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).
After making a promising debut as their nominee, McCain has worried
many Republicans by seeming to flounder during the past few weeks.
The campaign recently has been rattled by fallout from McCain’s
determination to purge his campaign of lobbying conflicts.
The departure of five staff members has provided ammunition to
Democrats and produced a snarl of damaging news coverage questioning
McCain’s reformist image.
It’s a troubling development, for when Obama likely finally captures
the nomination and begins to consolidate his party, there’s yet
another matter for Republicans to lose sleep over—the polling bump the
Democrat is expected to receive.
Operatives and GOP officials around the country acknowledge Obama’s
commanding financial and organizational advantage as the general
election begins to take shape, noting that he benefits from both the
toxic climate for the GOP and a lengthy primary that has enabled him
to build an organization in every state in America.
“He spent over $5 million on TV,” said Mark Jefferson, Wisconsin's
Republican party executive director, referring to Obama’s ad buy in
the hotly contested Badger State primary in February.
“McCain spent $180,000. And [Obama’s] got far more ground troops.”
Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), an early McCain backer in the primary,
called the Obama juggernaut “a formidable thing to deal with.”
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Harry
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