:rofl:
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/mccain-tries-to-shore-up-support-on-the-hill-2007-07-19.html McCain tries to shore up support on the Hill
By Alexander Bolton
July 19, 2007
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and his senior advisers met congressional supporters yesterday to persuade them not to desert him for rivals who are trying to cash in on strife and gloom within his ailing presidential campaign.
Surrogates for former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) have approached lawmakers who back McCain in recent days to gauge their willingness to switch camps as McCain runs out of money.
Yesterday’s meetings were among dozens that McCain and his inner circle have held in the past two weeks with supporters to persuade them that the senator can still win the nomination, said Charlie Black, a lobbyist and veteran of several presidential campaigns, who attended the sessions with lawmakers.
A report filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) shows that McCain has only $166,000 in the bank to spend on the primary election. He is thus in dire straits; he has raised $24.8 million for his campaign but spent it all. The cash crunch prompted McCain last week to replace two of his most senior political advisers, campaign manager Terry Nelson and chief strategist John Weaver.
A slew of other staff have since resigned, including communications director Brian Jones, and spokesmen Matt David and Danny Diaz. Research director Brian Rogers, Iowa communications director Tim Miller, and South Carolina spokesman Adam Temple have also quit.
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