Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008
Behind the Scenes
By Richard Stengel, Managing Editor
The best politicians tend to be complex people. But most of them camouflage their complexity because voters--especially presidential voters--are not usually enamored of nuance. John McCain is a complex man--ironic and earnest, driven and fun-loving, self-assured and self-deprecating--but his concern with honor is like a golden thread woven through his remarkable life of service. In the cover story of our special Republican Convention issue, McCain's abiding concern with honor is the prism through which James Carney and Michael Grunwald look at the Republican presidential nominee. Carney, our Washington bureau chief, has covered both of McCain's presidential campaigns. He first encountered McCain during the Arizona Senator's antitobacco crusade of 1997. "He basically allowed me into every meeting and strategy session he had on tobacco," he recalls. "His rule: I could stay in any meeting until someone else--another Senator, the Surgeon General, an Administration official--kicked me out. It was warts and all. There was no one remotely like him in Congress." Senior correspondent Grunwald has also spent years charting politics and policy, including a stint covering Congress for the Washington Post.
Our package of stories includes an intimate portrait of Cindy McCain by Nancy Gibbs, who visited her at the family's ranch in Sedona, Ariz. Nancy's piece is a revealing look at a woman who has all too often been portrayed in a one-dimensional way. Mike Murphy is back again this week with his take on how the Republicans must reach out beyond the conservative base if they are to capture the White House. Peter Beinart's commentary suggests that the best thing for the Republican Party may actually be losing in November. Michael Scherer, who has been on the McCain bus and plane for 17 months now, gets inside McCain's tight-knit campaign team, led by two unique personalities: the strategist Steve Schmidt and McCain's alter ego and chief speechwriter, Mark Salter. And Mark Halperin tracked McCain's path to nomination for The Page.
Christopher Morris has been photographing McCain since 2000. Chris, who has documented more than 18 foreign conflicts, recently spent time in a more restful place: the McCain ranch. His behind-the-scenes pictures--including the one this week of McCain barbecuing tenderloin--add a dimension of intimacy to the McCain family story. This week's striking cover portrait--like the one last week of Barack Obama--is by the great English photographer Platon, who usually chats with his subjects about pop music. Platon says McCain was "funny and cheeky" and said he was an Abba fan. As always, our coverage was orchestrated by assistant managing editor Michael Duffy, whose vast experience--as White House correspondent, Washington bureau chief and presidential historian--enables us to give you unmatched reporting and insight on this extraordinary campaign.
Richard Stengel, MANAGING EDITOR