John McCain is Powerful

AZ Central reports that John McCain is the 11th most powerful member of the Senate:

A "power rating" of members of Congress released last week by the nonpartisan company Knowlegis of Fairfax, Va., lists Arizona Sen. John McCain as the 11th most-powerful of the 100 U.S. senators. Arizona's other Republican senator, Jon Kyl, is listed as the 13th most powerful.

They based their findings on a weighted formula, taking into account members' leadership or committee positions, record of passing or helping to amend legislation, and influence on the congressional agenda, including media visibility.

Go to www.congress.org for more on the "power ratings."

BTW our man Chuck Grassley is #3!

McCain Tops Obama

John McCain tops the over-sensationalized Obama in recent Fox News Poll.

What's interesting is how close Obama runs in a head to head vs. McCain and how far Hillary trails in such a matchup. What are the Clintonoids thinking at this point? A fluke given Obama's media barrage? Is Obama a force to be reckoned with? The interesting fall out from this will be what happens on the Democrat side between Obama and Clinton. The midterms will also serve as an important barometer for Dem presidential wannabes.

McCain VP chit chat

McCain threw up some trial balloons the other night on Hardball regarding VP selections. Interesting to note that our neighbor to the North and West, Senator John Thune was mentioned by McCain as was N.C. Senator Richard Burr:

"Lindsey (Graham), (John) Sununu, (John) Thune, Burr, there's a broad variety of them, both in and out," said McCain.

We find it unlikely that McCain needs a sitting Senator from the South and beleive that he will definitely want to bring on a "youthful" running mate to counter his age.

It's never too early to starting wondering, but the Caucus ground game has not been established yet and that will certainly determine many future decisions tbat have to be made.

McCain in Iowa Wednesday

John McCain will be in Northwest Iowa on Wednesday stumping for Steve King, Mary Ann Hanusa and several other statehouse candidates.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., will attend a fundraiser breakfast for Iowa 5th District Congressman Steve King Wednesday morning in Sioux City.McCain is making a swing through the Midwest to help Republican candidates as the party seeks to hold majorities in the two federal chambers.

He is making stops today and Wednesday in Appleton, Wis., Sioux Falls, Sioux City and Des Moines.King is touring Northwest Iowa today with U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback and Republican Iowa Secretary of State candidate Mary Ann Hanusa in support of statehouse candidates.

The events are being held at noon in Spirit Lake, at 5:30 p.m. in Spencer and at 7:30 at Sanborn.

We will try to get pics if possible.

Senator Thune: I am not on McCain's VP list...

We posted earlier last month that South Dakota Senator John Thune invited McCain to our media market to the north (Sioux Falls, SD).

At the time we speculated that their relationship, their trip to Iraq and access to a media market that broadcasts into Iowa were all probable reasons for McCain accepting an invite to speak in South Dakota.

The Associated Press reports today that: (hat tip to South Dakota Politics)

U.S. Sen. John McCain, a GOP front-runner for president in 2008, plans to visit South Dakota Tuesday. The Arizona Republican will be the main speaker at the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce's 100th annual meeting.

They also went to Iraq together and Thune said he saw firsthand how McCain, a prisoner of war during Vietnam, has credibility with the military and other countries. "The troops love him. And because of his experience they have tremendous respect for him," Thune said. "Every place we went these world leaders had a very high regard for him."

Thune, who unseated former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle in 2004, said he is not on McCain's list of possible vice presidential running-mates. But when Thune was asked to invite McCain to the chamber meeting, he did use its proximity to one of the first presidential contests as a selling point. "I told him we shared a border with Iowa and he may be able to get some Iowa media interest," Thune said.

McCain Up By Double Digits in NH

John McCain has the support of a plurality of voters in the Granite State.

The Granite State Poll, taken in mid September by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center for WMUR-TV, found that McCain was favored by 32-percent of likely Republican voters; Rudy Giuliani by 19 percent, Romney by 15-percent and Condi Rice by 10 percent. The poll was released Thursday night.

Paralelling this is the Draft McCain Movement making gains in NH.

The Draft McCain Movement folks were out in full force recently at the NH GOP Convention:

Concord, NH - On Saturday, September 30, New Hampshire citizens saw the greatestoutpouring of grassroots support for Senator John McCain since McCain's 2000primary victory in the state. Activists, part of a nationwide network known asthe Draft McCain Movement, came from as far away as Indiana and as close asBoston to rally public momentum for a McCain presidential run with an outreacheffort at the New Hampshire State Republican Convention.

"No other prominent contenders for the 2008 GOP nomination had grassrootsefforts there, while we had 8 volunteers from across the country," said Szrom."The scale of and response to our presence shows that Americans want McCain,more than anyone else, to be their next president."

Head out to the IA College Republican Rock Out on Saturday if you get a chance. It's at Drake we hear with speakers in the afternoon.

McCain Blasts Clintons

John McCain who worked with Bill Clinton on the 1994 N. Korean Agreed Framework comes out with the gloves off. McCain's credibilty is sky high and he has really landed a blow to all the Cintonoids out there seeking to re-establish Clinton's legacy.

Watch him on Fox's Hannity and Colmes from last night:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,219747,00.html

McCain's Endorsement Earns Schickel Some Good Earned Media

Good local earned media for State Rep. Bill Schickel:

MASON CITY — State Rep. Bill Schickel, R-Mason City, is one of 13 Iowa legislators who have agreed to be advisers to U.S. Sen. John McCain, a potential presidential candidate in 2008.McCain’s political action committee is expected to make a formal announcement today.Schickel said the legislators have agreed to advise McCain and his staff on ethanol and other issues important to Iowans.

Asked if his role as an adviser meant he was endorsing McCain’s presidential candidacy, Schickel said, “It is what it says it is — an advisory position.”McCain was in Mason City earlier this year on behalf of Schickel, who is running for re-election to the Iowa House.

This is part of the attraction and power that signing on to a pre-Presidential Campaign has. Schickel who is up against Democrat Alan Steckman this fall has earned some good media out off this deal and hanging onto the coattails of a popular leader helps out alot too.

13 Iowa Legislators Have Boarded Straight Talk America

The AP reports (no link available) that thirteen Iowa legislators have signed on to support John McCain. The legislators represent a kaleidoscope of Republicans. There are legislators from across the ideological spectrum to include:

Sen. Larry McKibben, R-Marshalltown; Sen. John Putney, R-Gladbrook; Sen. Pat Ward, R-West Des Moines; Sen. Mark Zieman, R-Postville; Rep. Rich Anderson, R-Clarinda; Rep. Dave Heaton, R-Mount Pleasant; Rep. Steve Lukan, R-New Vienna; Rep. Mike May, R-Spirit Lake; Rep. Bill Schickel, R-Mason City; Rep. Doug Struyk, R-Council Bluffs; Rep. Dave Tjepkes, R-Gowrie; and Rep. Walt Tomenga, R-Johnston.

Rod Roberts, a solid social conservative and a man who the folks at Straight Talk Iowa Style know, has signed on to support McCain:

''We greatly appreciate SenatorMcCain's support of our Republican candidates,'' said Rep. Rod Roberts, a Carroll Republican who is an assistant leader in the House. ''I look forward to continue working with SenatorMcCain to maintain control of the House of Representatives.''

McCain signaled his intention to fight the ground war hard in Iowa:

''I am honored to have support of these fine legislators,'' McCain said. ''Their connection with the grassroots community in Iowa will make a big impact on efforts to elect Republicans in 2006.''

McCain had already signed up Sen. Chuck Larson Jr. of Cedar Rapids and veteran activist David Roederer. Roederer headed President Bush's re-election campaign in Iowa in 2004 and has managed campaigns for former Gov. Terry Branstad.

Signing up early supporters shows McCain is committed to campaigning in the state and assembling a grassroots organization.

This is a key part of the winning the early states. It sends a signal to voters and local activists that their local legislators, the ones that voters know best, support McCain. And while a good number of legislators alone will not win a caucus, it will help when organizing and recruiting local county chairmen and team leaders. Going into the home or office of a potential county chairman with a local legislator is a very effective recruiting technique.

Update:

One Iowa legislator has decided to jump off the Straight Talk Express. Rep. Dave Heaton's name was inadvertantly placed on the press release:

"I want to make it clear that I have made no choice as to which potential Republican presidential candidate I will be supporting in 2008. I did have the opportunity to meet with Senator McCain recently. I have a great deal of respect for the Senator, but I am not endorsing his candidacy at this time." From Heaton press release.

Dave's name was mistakenly put on the list becuase of cut paste who knows... Some staffer at STA will have a sore butt on Monday.

Have a good weekend, Go Hawks!