Text and analysis of McCain’s fundraising e-mail from Wed Nov 14, under the signature of Rick Davis
The McCain campaign has – wisely – attempted to use the Hillary-at-Hilton-Head episode as a way to raise funds quickly. Fortunately, it found a cooperative foil in CNN, whom Republican donors are likely to view as an enemy.
CNN’s Rich Sanchez decided to criticize Senator McCain harshly for his handling of the inappropriate question about Senator Clinton, offered by the supporter at Hilton Head. In response, campaign manager Rick Davis lost no time in sending out this fund-raising e-mail in the immediate aftermath of Sanchez’s criticisms. For a short time this afternoon, in fact, visitors to the official campaign’s site found an entirely (and temporarily) redesigned home page, geared specifically to informing the visitor about the episode, providing the video clips - and urging them to donate immediately (while the impression was still strong in their minds).
Here’s the complete text, in which donors are urged to strike a blow against CNN by donating to McCain – it arrived at 1:38 PM this afternoon, Wednesday, November 14, 2007. It also has hyperlinks where you can see the extended YouTube footage of both the question-and-answer in Hilton Head, as well as Sanchez’s criticisms on CNN.
Friends,
The CNN Network, affectionately known as the Clinton News Network, has stooped to an all-time low and is gratuitously attacking John McCain for not defending Hillary Clinton enough when a South Carolina voter used the ‘B’ word to describe her when John McCain stopped into a luncheon yesterday at the Trinity restaurant in Hilton Head, SC.
A voter used a word that I would not have used to describe Senator Hillary Clinton and asked the Senator how he was going to beat her. Senator McCain first responded by saying that he respected Senator Clinton, as he has said repeatedly throughout the campaign. Then, focusing on the question, he pointed to the new Rasmussen national poll showing that he is the only Republican candidate who can beat her in a general election. No other Republican candidate beat Clinton in the poll.
As an independent news agency, CNN owes John McCain an apology because of the outrageous behavior of their network host Rich Sanchez. Liberal bloggers and their friends at CNN went on the attack yesterday and continued their attacks through the night. They said the McCain campaign was over because of the statement of one, lone voter in South Carolina. Well friends, we are on a comeback, we are the only campaign that can defeat Hillary Clinton and CNN knows it. We are not going to let Senator Clinton’s friends in the liberal blogosphere and on CNN try to destroy our campaign. Senator McCain is a fighter and he is not going to back down to CNN.
Why are they doing this?
Because John McCain is the only Republican who beats Hillary Clinton in recent national polling data and who will beat her in the general election. The Rasmussen poll shows that he leads Senator Hillary Clinton by two or three points while Rudy Giuliani loses to Hillary Clinton by six points. State-by-state polling shows that he can win important swing states in the general election whereas Rudy Giuliani loses those swing states. John McCain is now in a strong second place in most, if not all, recent national polling. These polls emphasize what CNN and their liberal friends are afraid of: John McCain is the best general election candidate.
John McCain is improving in primary polls. A poll released yesterday by CBS News shows that he is now in second place in New Hampshire. He won New Hampshire in 2000 and he will win New Hampshire in 2008. The McCain comeback is here and it is real.
John McCain displayed leadership on Iraq when others were silent. He was the only candidate who criticized the Rumsfeld strategy and argued for a new strategy in Iraq - a strategy that is now succeeding. The liberal media knows that if John McCain is nominated they can no longer try to use the War in Iraq for political gain.
The liberal media has figured out that John McCain is the only thing that stands between a Hillary Clinton presidency, and they are therefore trying to stop the McCain comeback. Simply put, CNN is scared that John McCain will beat Hillary Clinton. They are right to be scared. We are not going to back down.
We need your help. We need you to stand with John McCain, a man of honor, integrity and love of country, against the liberal media and liberal blogosphere that are trying to bring him down. We need you to stand with John McCain against Rick Sanchez and his friends at CNN and their biased reporting. We need you to stand with John McCain against Hillary Clinton’s allies who will do anything to prevent him from winning the Republican nomination.
Will you stand up and help strengthen the resurgence of our campaign as the best candidate to defeat Hillary Clinton?
We are asking you to help us fight Rick Sanchez and CNN and stand with John McCain.
With your help John McCain will fight back against this onslaught by CNN and their liberal friends in the blogosphere and the McCain comeback will continue, will strengthen and will earn the nomination and the right to defeat Hillary Clinton in November.
Sincerely,
Rick Davis, Campaign Manager
P.S. By contrast, I invite you to read this story from David Brooks that appeared in The New York Times. It is an excellent piece that is a must read for every voter.
P.S.S. Feel free to email Rick Sanchez at outintheopen@cnn.com and give him a piece of your mind.
You can contact ElectionNightHQ by e-mailing publisher@electionnighthq.com.