McCain aides brief GOP staffers on ’08 plan

In a closed-door briefing with top GOP congressional staffers, a group of senior aides for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Friday laid out the strategy that they hope will propel Republicans up and down the ticket to victory in November, according to GOP sources.

Several McCain advisers, including Rick Davis, John Green, Andrea Saul and Douglas Holtz-Eakin, explained McCain’s month-by-month strategy to approximately 100 staffers assembled in the Capitol Hill Club.

{mosads}The campaign is planning on a dual track. While McCain is the presumptive Republican candidate, Sens. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) are continuing to battle for the Democratic nomination.

The aides presented maps dividing states into several categories, including 20 that they considered to be “toss-ups” and eight that were listed as “blue.” The latter group includes California, Illinois, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and Connecticut.

States were listed as toss-ups if McCain polled within eight points of his potential opponents.

The aides also discussed McCain’s ability to deliver for Republicans running for Congress, stressing that communication lines between the campaign and House candidates were open and that they were eager to create a strong GOP network on the state level.

The McCain staffers also addressed his disadvantage in fundraising. He lags tens of millions behind Obama and Clinton, who have both shattered fundraising records. The Arizona senator’s advisers said that strong grassroots organizations within each state would make up for the disparity in money raised.

The McCain aides also acknowledged that House Republicans have not always seen eye to eye with the presumptive nominee but noted that, on the large issues, the GOP would be unified.

When asked about a possible vice presidential choice, the advisers said it would be McCain’s decision but joked that every member who had staff representation at the Friday afternoon was on the list.