The Next Right

by Walter Alarkon - 07/03/08 9:07 AM ET

Steve Schmidt’s promotion to head of John McCain’s campaign instills confidence in Patrick Ruffini, who notes that Schmidt managed Arnold Schwarzeneggar’s California gubernatorial blow-out win, the confirmation of two conservative Supreme Court appointees and President Bush’s 2004 re-election. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark’s questions about the relevance of McCain’s military service is oddly familiar to Ruffini, who recalls that Clark pulled rank on Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who was a Navy lieutenant, when the two were rivals for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.

Tags John Kerry John McCain