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Country First: The 2008 Presidential Campaign of John McCain
Greetings esteemed delegates,
Hello and welcome to UGAMUNC XX! My name is Ryan Diffley and I will be the chair
of the Country First: The 2008 Presidential Campaign of John McCain for the dual crisis
committee at this year’s University of Georgia’s Model United Nations Conference. As a senior
international affairs major through the School of Public and International Affairs this will be my
second year participating with the UGA Model United Nations team and my first year chairing a
crisis committee. I became involved with MUN in the later years of my high school career and
carried my love for MUN over into my life while in college. I was briefly on the Georgia
Southern University MUN team before transferring to UGA. I became a member of the team
here at UGA my junior of college where I was co-chair of the UNSC. In the spring, the UGA
Model United Nations Team traveled to UCLA to participate in UCLAMUN where I represented
The People’s Republic of China on the United Nations Humans Rights Council which proved to
be quite a challenge but non the less enjoyable. Currently I am an honored member of the
Secretariat for the Model United Nations Team with the position of treasurer. When not
participating in MUN I like to travel. I was fortunate to be able to study abroad this summer in
Stellenbosch, South Africa and make an extended stay in Zimbabwe and Botswana. This trip was
the pinnacle of my college career. I was able to meet plenty of wonderful people, go shark cage
diving, walk with lions, and zip line below the gorge of Victoria Falls while also going on
several safari rides. This experience was vital to experiencing how NGO’s work in foreign
countries and will be vital later on in my MUN career and post-graduation.
Enough about me, Sarah Huddleston will be my honorable co-chair. Although a freshman
and a greenhorn on the MUN team Sarah has plenty of experience with Model United Nations.
Sarah started her career with MUN in middle school and continued throughout high school
where she both participated as delegate and chaired multiple committees. In her free time Sarah
likes to run and is a member of the UGA running club. If Sarah is not found running at the park
you might find her reading her favorite book A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. She
is a double major in Public Health and Political Science, one day hoping to be a healthcare
lobbyist. One fact Sarah wants you to know about her is the over the summer she lived away
from home in the predominantly Amish area in Ohio.
Sarah and I are looking forward to be working with you this spring! It will be a great
experience and one you will hopefully remember for a long time. If you have any questions feel
free to contact us by the email below.
Good Luck!
Ryan Diffley
Chair, Presidential Election of 2008 Joint-Crisis
Treasurer, University of Georgia Model United Nations Team
rd01428@uga.edu
McCai n Cr isi s |2
Delegates,
This portion of the guide is common to both sides of the crisis, as it explains the framework of
the committee to you so you know what to expect come first committee session. The most
fundamental differences between a crisis committee and a traditional General Assembly-style
body is that we will not operate with a speaker's list, and you will not strive to pass resolutions.
This committee is almost like a giant game of Risk in that you will be huddled around tables with
maps and numbers trying to outsmart and outlast your opponents. You will have a crisis staff
operating behind the scenes specifically on our committees; they will interact in the obvious way
by announcing crises during sessions, but they will also function as guest speakers, including
Senators Obama and McCain. Each character will receive a folder containing their portfolio
powers prior to the first session starting. These powers will be unique and specific to each
character, and they are a way of you interacting with the crisis staff in order to gather
information necessary for committee. The chief pollster, for example, can write to crises to
obtain polling numbers that then become factual information that can be used in the committee.
You will not work towards solving problem a, then b, then c as you would in a traditional GA
committee. Rather, you will be starting on January 1, 2008 in the heat of the primary elections
and will be given an event to start with, but as crises begin you must simultaneously put your
energy and wits into multiple issues. Many candidates are not still in the running, but Hillary
Clinton and Mike Huckabee are making it a tight race for Obama and McCain, respectively.
You are advised to not only research your own character, but also those with whom they interact.
Understand that anything that occurred in real life after January 1, 2008 has not yet happened in
this committee, and will not happen in the same way. Only what has happened up until this date
is factual information that we will operate on. As the weekend goes on, you will be updated on
the timeline (usually at the beginning and/or end of committee sessions.) Following is a guide
written just by your chair and co-chair that includes character descriptions for each person, as
well as a more detailed message from your respective dais. Thank you for your participation in
this joint crisis committee, and good luck!
Mitchell Bradley Turner
Head Delegate
University of Georgia Model UN
Ryan Scott Diffley
Treasurer
Univeristy of Georgia Model UN
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Congratulations!
You have all been selected by Senator John McCain to be members of his campaign staff! In the
coming committee sessions you will be challenged with issues including fundraising, platform
issues, picking a running mate, and the ever important poll numbers! At the end of the session
one of the two committees will emerge victorious, and I'm fairly certain that will be ours.
Mitchell Turner and Anna Helgoy, the Chair and Co-Chair of the Obama campaign, respectively,
have worked with Sarah and myself to ensure that this will be the best experience you ever have
at a Model UN conference.
I would like to begin this portion of the guide by advising you to not only research your own
character, but those who your character associates with. Each delegate in this committee will
receive portfolio powers prior to the beginning of the first session. Essentially, these powers are
specific to each person's position, and using them to your advantage is how we will win the
election! I would also like to remind you to research the fundamental differences on the
character list; Obama's campaign is more media and communications oriented, whereas
McCain's is centered around a myriad advisors. The following information will bring you up to
date, ending promptly on December 31, 2007. Enjoy and good luck!
John McCain graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 19581. He would later fight in
the Vietnam War and be shot down behind enemy lines where he would become a prisoner of
war for nearly seven years. Upon his return to the states John McCain became a liaison for the
U.S. Navy to the Senate in 1977, this would be his first interaction with American politics. It was
not until 1982 that John McCain actually ran for a spot in the United States House of
Representatives2. Four years later after being elected to the House, John McCain ran and won a
race to become the Senator from Arizona. This position has been maintained by McCain since
this election in 1986. After many years of being the Senator from Arizona, John McCain decided
he would run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000. It was a tough battle between
George W. Bush whose father had been president before and John McCain. While fighting on
the platform of returning the government to the people and the noble cause of freedom, John
McCain was unable to gain the numbers necessary to beat bush for the nomination and backed
out of the race in early March of 20003. This as we all know would not be the end of McCain’s
attempts at the presidency. John McCain announced plans to run for the 2008 Republican
presidential nomination on April 25th, 2007 at a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire4. McCain
would focus his campaign mainly on education reform, the bailout, healthcare, and the war in
Iraq.
1
Mccain.senate.gov
Mccain.senate.gov
3
Pbs.org
4
4president.org
2
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The competition has so far been intense. The candidates include Former Governor Mitt Romney
(MA), Former Governor Mike Huckabee (AR), Representative Ron Paul (TX), Former Senator
Fred Thompson (TN), Former U.S. Ambassador Alan Keyes (MD), Representative Duncan
Hunter (CA), and Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani. Senator Sam Brownback
(KS), Former Governor Jim Gilmore (VA), Former Governor Tommy Thompson (WI), and
Congressman Tom Tancredo (CO) all withdrew before the primaries began5.
Senator McCain and Former Govenor Mike Huckabee are not the only ones trying to pull away
with a victory this early in the race; the Democrats race is just as much of a competition. The
candidates still in the running for the Democrat nomination include Senator Chris Dodd (CT),
Senator Joe Biden (DE), Former Senator John Edwards (NC), Governor Bill Richardson (NM),
Representative Dennis Kucinich (OH), Former Senator Mike Gravel (AK), Senator Clinton (NY)
and Senator Obama (IL). Senator Evan Bayh (IN) and Former Governor Tom Vilsack (IO)
withdrew before the primaries6. It is anticipated that the competition will thin severely in the
coming month.
While it is known that Obama has used modern forms of communication such as Facebook and
blogging to reach the voters, so too has McCain entered this new field of information
dissemination. While we are in the early stages of the campaign it looks like it will turn out to be
a close one, but not one McCain cannot not win. John McCain is a man of democracy and
freedom, as seen by his long military history and his devotion to America even while
experiencing the tortures of the Vietcong. John McCain will continue his fight for America, and
the American people. It is now that I ask of you to stand united as one for the country, for
freedom, and for the people as staffers for John McCain in the 2008 presidential campaign. Only
you can make this a success, the country is depending on you!
I would suggest that you focus on character biographies and potential portfolio powers of each
prior to coming to committee. Focus on your position and how it could relate to possible crises
rather than researching the events of the election. Think about the types of problems that could
arise on a political campaign, how they can be addressed, and more specifically what your
character's role in that solution would be. Again, feel free to contact myself or Sarah
(sarahhug@uga.edu) with any questions, as this guide is more of an instructional letter than what
you are used to seeing. Good luck and I look forward to meeting all of you come February!
Ryan Diffley
Chair, Presidential Election of 2008 Joint-Crisis
Treasurer, University of Georgia Model United Nations
Rd01428@uga.edu
5
6
4president.org
4president.org
Sarah Huddleston
Co-Chair
sarahhud@uga.edu
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Country First: The 2008 Presidential Campaign of John McCain
Rick Davis
Rick Davis began his political career as the national field director for the College Republican
National Committee during Reagan’s presidential bid. He served on Reagan’s staff at the White
House and coordinated policies and projects. Davis has an extensive amount of experience in
domestic politics as well as international politics. Rick Davis began as the Chief Executive for
McCain’s campaign, but later became the campaign manager.7 His duties included fundraising,
advertising, getting people to vote, and polling for the campaign.
Steve Schmidt
Steve Schmidt has worked as a political strategist and public relations worker for the U.S.
Republican Party. He has been the member of many political campaigns, including Arnold
Schwarzenegger’s re- election campaign in 2006. Schmidt specializes in message development
and strategy. 8
Robert Mosbacher
Mosbacher was the general chairman for the McCain campaign of 2008. Before he was
appointed this position, he was finance chairman of Gerald Ford’s failed election bid, ran for
several public offices, and served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce9. In 1988 he directed George
H.W. Bush’s Presidential Election Campaign and became the Secretary of Commerce shortly
thereafter. As a part of McCain’s 2008 campaign he managed staff members and executed
political strategies10.
Tom Loeffler
He was a former member of the United States House of Representatives. Loeffler was an
assistant to President Gerald Ford from 1975 to 1977. He was successful in his run for
Congressman in 1978 and a delegate to the Republican National Convention in the 80’s11.
Loeffler was an advisor and fundraiser for McCain’s campaign in 2008.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty
Governor Pawlenty was the 39th governor of Minnesota and served in the Minnesota House of
Representatives. He won a Republican primary in 2002 and became the Governor of Minnesota
7
http://gspm.gwu.edu/richard-h-davis
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/06/nation/na-schmidt6
9
http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=104972
10
http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=104972
11
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2007/07/its-official-mccains-press-staff-resigns/49997/
8
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and was later re- elected. Pawlenty joined McCain’s campaign in 2007 as the co- chair of the
presidential exploratory committee, and later became co- chairman of the campaign12.
Fred Malek
Mr. Malek was the President of Marriot Hotels and Northwest Airlines. He served as the
assistant to both Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush and as the chair for the Executive
roundtable meetings for the Republican Governors Association. As a part of the McCain
campaign, Malek served as a National Finance Committee co- chair13.
Mark McKinnon
Mark McKinnon is an American political advisor and co- founder of No Labels. It is a political
organization that to reform American politics. He was a democrat until is dedicated meeting
George Bush, and has since then worked on many political campaigns14. He joined Senator
McCain's campaign as the principal media advisor.
Bill McInturff
Bill McInturff is a Republican pollster and the co- founder of Public Opinion Strategies. He has
helped Public Opinion Strategies become the largest and most successful polling firm in the
United States. As a pollster he is in charge of taking public- opinion surveys, which he did over
the course of the McCain campaign. During the campaign he conducted research to provide
ratings at certain times during the road to the White House15.
Jill Hazelbaker
Jill served as McCain's national communications director. She was originally hired in 2006 as the
New Hampshire communications director, but after many people resigned from the campaign in
the summer of 2007 she was promoted to work in Washington, D.C. as the national
communications advisor16. Many magazines and newspapers named Hazelbaker as being one of
the top 5 people running McCain's campaign17.
Arthur B. Culvahouse, Jr.
Culvahouse has had a very long political career, beginning in 1987 when he served as Counsel to
President Ronald Reagan. He had the job of advising the President on multiple decisions during
12
"Tim Pawlenty," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/tim-pawlenty360292 (accessed Oct 01, 2013).
13
http://www.reform.virginia.gov/About/malek.cfm
14
http://www.politico.com/arena/bio/mark_mckinnon.html
15
http://pos.org/about/partners-and-vice-presidents/bill-mcinturff-va/
16
http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2008/mccain/mccainorgnh.html
17
http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2008/mccain/mccainorgnh.html
McCai n Cr isi s |7
his presidency18. During McCain's campaign he was given the job of vetting all possible Vice
Presidential nominees. The vetting position gave Culvahouse the responsibility of performing
background checks on Vice Presidential Nominees.19
John Chambers
Chambers is the chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems. He began his career in technology sales
and later became the Vice President of U.S. Operations. After 1987 he joined Cisco. In 2007 he
was appointed as Senator McCain's co- chair and economic and technology advisor. He will
provide the campaign with information on innovative and economic growth20.
Former Gov. Tom Ridge
Thomas Ridge has served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, as a governor for
the state of Pennsylvania, as an assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and as the
United States secretary of Homeland Scurity21. As a senior aide to McCain he dealt with issues
such as political affairs liaison, and intergovernmental affairs22
Gov. Jon Huntsman
Huntsman is a successful businessman, politician, and former Governor. He has served as
Governor for the state of Utah and as an ambassador to Singapore and China. Huntsman began
as a staff assistant for Ronald Reagan, was appointed to Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Commerce, and as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative23. He was one of McCain's earliest
supporters and helped the candidates’ presidential campaign in New Hampshire24.
James R. Schlesinger
Schlesinger has served as Secretary of Defense from 1973 to 1975 and as the first Secretary of
Energy under Jimmy Carter25. In McCain's campaign Schlesinger served as one of the many
foreign policy advisors.
Charles R. Black, Jr.
Black founded a public affairs firm in 198026. He has been inducted into the American
Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame. He worked within Ronald Reagan's
18
http://www.omm.com/arthurbculvahousejr/
http://web.archive.org/web/20080525210716/http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/mccain-selects-formerreagan-official-to-head-vp-search-2008-05-23.html
20
http://newsroom.cisco.com/john-chambers?articleId=33185
21
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=R000243
22
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/11/campaign.wrap/
23
http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_utah/col2-content/main-contentlist/title_huntsman_jon.html
24
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/695229365/Huntsman-goes-to-Iraq-with-McCain.html
25
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKschlesingerJ.htm
19
McCai n Cr isi s |8
Presidential campaigns and as an advisor to George H.W. Bush. In 2008 he served as a chief
campaign advisor for Senator McCain.27
Lisa Graham Keegan
During McCain's campaign, Keegan guided the candidate on education issues as well as his vice
president candidate Sarah Palin. She played a very large role in formulation education policies
for the entire campaign, and wrote several national policy statements for the entire Republican
Committee. Keegan is a very distinguished author and education reform advocate28.
Mark Salter
Salter is a very distinguished speech- writer. He is most known for working with Senator
McCain on several campaign speeches. Salter has worked with McCain for over 20 years and
collaborated with McCain on several publications29.
Carlos Bonilla
Carlos Bonilla was an advisor to President George W. Bush on economic policy. He was a senior
fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a chief economist for the National Chamber Foundation, and a
chief economist for the Employment Policies Institute30. In 2007 he joined McCain's campaign
as an economic advisor.
Colin Powell
Colin Powell was the 65th United States Secretary of State. He was a soldier for 35 years and
eventually became ranked as a General31. In the summer of 2007 he donated a very large amount
of money to Senator McCain's campaign and was later listed as a possible running mate.
26
http://www.prime-policy.com/about-us/history-firm
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2008/06/27/10-things-to-know-about-charlie-black/
28
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/us/politics/10schools.html
29
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/29/AR2008102904035.html?sub=AR
30
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/us/politics/20mccain.html?pagewanted=print
31
http://www.defense.gov/specials/AfricanAm2003/powell.html
27