John McCain the happy warrior finally reappears
A calm and reflective Republican candidate visits the Peterborough, N.H., town hall that was his lucky charm in 2000.
Reporting from Peterborough, N.H. — It was almost nine years ago that John McCain's quest for the White House began in the basement of Peterborough's town hall.
McCain had held a few scattered town hall meetings in New Hampshire before then, but his candidacy in the 2000 Republican presidential primary generated such little interest that fewer than 20 people showed for the Peterborough event, even though his campaign distributed 1,000 fliers advertising free ice cream. And, as the Arizona senator recalled Sunday, his campaign "ate ice cream for the next two weeks."
Six months later, just before he posted a stunning 18-point primary win over then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, he returned to Peterborough for his 114th town hall event -- turning a preelection visit here into one of McCain's superstitions.
Given that McCain is down by an average of 10 points in New Hampshire polls, his return to the state that rescued his campaign then and his latest presidential run early this year seemed more nostalgic than strategic.
Hours before roughly 2,500 people gathered in the dark outside Peterborough's town hall to wait for McCain, his close friend Steve Duprey, a New Hampshire native, mused to reporters: "We get good crowds without [ice cream]. It's taken eight years."
Three times during the event, as McCain paced the stage in his usual fashion, gripping the microphone with two hands, the GOP nominee reminded himself aloud not to talk about the past.
"We want to talk about the future tonight because that's what's on America's mind and that's what they'll be deciding in less than 36 hours, unless I've lost count," McCain said as he began his remarks.
But soon McCain was remembering the ice cream, the endorsement 11 months ago of Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) -- who introduced him Sunday wearing the same red sweater he wore when he endorsed his friend and colleague -- and the appearance of baseball star Curt Schilling at that first town hall event.
"I love my home state of Arizona, I will always treasure it, I hope you will come and visit us in the winter and in the summer as well," McCain said. "But I really do -- I really do mean the special feeling I have for this state and the wonderful people who take their responsibilities so seriously."
As was the case in 2000, McCain again is in a difficult race against a younger, better-financed challenger whom he views as unprepared for the White House.
