Subject: [big campaign] Tracking Update: McCain Rally and Media Availability Stockton, CA
From: "Cammie Croft" <[email-masked]>
To: "big campaign" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 23:46:12 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Hello Big Campaign,*
*
Just off the phone with our tracker Evan who was on the ground in Stockton,
CA today.  Below are the notes from our call.
*
**BIG HIGHLIGHTS:* McCain attacks Obama throughout rally speech and media
avail; McCain repudiates Hagee and Parsley's endorsements; McCain asked
about medical records
*
Stockton, CA: McCain Rally and Media Availability 05/22/08*
*
Background Details:*
- Approximately 800-1,000 people in attendance
- Crowd make-up diverse; significant Asian presence - several signs read
'Vietnamese Americans for John McCain'
- Recurring themes of the rally, repeated by several speakers: the only good
democrat is one who is going to vote for John McCain, thankful for the many
Independents and Democrats in the audience; and Republicans are going to
turn California red in the fall
- at the VIP bleacher spots (ie those located behind McCain in camera view),
veterans and Asian Americans were occupying the seats

*Rally Highlights:*
- At the beginning of the event, VFW guys presented the colors
- Steve Moore, a county sheriff, led the pledge of allegiance
- Rep. Alan Nakanishi gave brief remarks
- The MC of the event said this is not a speech, this is an interactive
rally -- and then led the crowd in a rally cry, 'We want Mac! We want Mac!'
- The MC said 'the other side' thinks that America is responsible for all
the problems in the world
- Local candidate came on stage and gave brief remarks and compared McCain
to national heros
- The county supervisor came on stage - he said he was thankful for McCain
Democrats and praised McCain for bringing people together
- State Assemblyman Dan Tran(sp) came up; he spoke about his family history
and how it intertwined with McCain's family history
- A high school teacher came on stage and talked about how he would show his
students a PBS special of John McCain; teacher brought a former student on
stage who is also an Iraq Vet that was badly burned while serving (80-90
percent of his body)
- The MC reappeared and led the crowd in a chant, "USA! USA!"
- Candidate in District 6, Dale Pritchard came on stage -- led more cheering
- Another candidate from a different district came on stage and led more
chanting; she also said that we can "sleep good" at night knowing McCain is
answering the phone at 3am
- Rally ended as McCain arrived and members of the group Rolling Thunder
(vets on bikes) got on their motorcycles and revved their engines as McCain
walked into the rally
- McCain brought with him the California Insurance Commission, former
Governor Pete Wilson, Senator Jeff Denham
- McCain's California campaign chair took to the stage to introduce McCain -
he said McCain is California's Republican Senator
- McCain took the stage -- and at this point he asked the bikers from
Rolling Thunder to rev their engines again
- McCain said republicans are gonna win California in the fall
- McCain talked about terrorism as the transcendent challenge
- Protester interrupted McCain -- disrupting the speech; she was removed by
police
- McCain talked about Obama -- said that for a young man he has done well
despite having no experience
- McCain continued hammering Obama until he was interrupted again by two
more protesters; they too were escorted away by police
- McCain went on to say, never surrender, we are succeeding in Iraq; said
thank God for Petraeus
- Talked about Osama bin Laden -- said if 'I have to follow him to the gates
of hell, I will'
- Attacked Obama for a vote against troop equipment/war funding bill --
crowd booed this line
- Talked about farm bill, said it was a bad bill; attacked Obama for voting
for it -- then said that for Obama the only change that he wants is
'business as usual'
- McCain said he really wants to increase troop benefits -- BUT that we need
to get soldiers to serve longer

*Media Availability:*
1) Has it been difficult trying to run a leaner campaign?
MCCAIN: what I really need to do is energize the party and reach out to
Independents and Reagan Democrats; we're pretty far out, but I'm pleased
with where we're at and I'm looking pretty good in the polls right now

2) California needs the farm bill.  Isn't being against the farm bill going
to hurt you here?
MCCAIN: It's a bad bill.  I support farmers, but we need to cut pork out of
the bill and we need open markets.  We need to open the world and the rest
of the states to California agricultural products.  Ethanol subsidies
distort the markets -- Obama is for the farm bill and that isn't change.

3) So you repudiated Hagee.  Why now and not earlier?
MCCAIN: His latest remarks were crazy and unacceptable.  Hagee can have his
own views and he's entitled to them.  But I go to North Phoenix Baptist
Church and my pastor and spiritual adviser is Dan Yeary? (sp).  Hagee's
remarks were just too much.  Repudiates Parsley's endorsement.

4) Your campaign is going to release medical records in the next few days.
How do you feel about your own health?
MCCAIN: Great!  I have lots of vigor and feel confidant. [CHANGES SUBJECT] I
have the experience, knowledge and judgement to take on Iran.

5) Is Obama lack of military experience something we should be concerned
about?  What about having all these people over at your house this weekend
-- is it some kind of VP thing?
MCCAIN: I've earned the right to speak on veterans issues.  I judge Obama
not on military experience, but general experience.  I want to raise
veterans benefits -- the NCO is one of the most important people in the
military.  Careers in the military add vitality to the unit.

6) Filipino news agency asked him about the Senate bill that finally
recognized Filipino WWII vets -- asked why weren't you in the Senate for
that vote?
MCCAIN: I was out campaigning.  Veterans are great -- look at how many
veterans that are out here today.

7) Nobody on the campaign trail has mentioned immigration.  Are you afraid
of the issue of immigration?
MCCAIN: Gave stock answer: We must secure our borders first.  And we need
tamper-proof bio-metric ID's.

8) What is going to be the bigger challenge for you in the fall - beating
Barack Obama or pretending you like Bush?
MCCAIN: Are you from comedy central?  In both cases, I gotta portray my plan
of action.  Did you see me on SNL?  That was pretty funny.

Follow-up Q: 'so is that a like him, like him?
MCCAIN: I have to follow through with my plan.

9) French TV guys asked about global warming
MCCAIN: We gotta decrease our dependence on foreign oil.  The French are
using lots of nuclear energy -- we need to do that too.

10) Asked to respond to VP retreat this weekend (from an ealier question)
MCCAIN: It's not a VP thing -- I'm just having a few friends over to
celebrate Memorial Day.

11) Vietnamese reporter asked about his policies toward Vietnam.
MCCAIN: As you know, years ago we normalized relations with Vietnam and as
you know I'm all about pushing for democracy. human rights and freedom in
Vietnam.

-- 
Cammie L. Croft
Tracking/Media Monitoring Director
Progressive Media USA
[email-masked]
202-609-7679 (office)
206-999-3064 (cell)

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