"The Home Ground"
McCain Leads Texas Seige

Associated Poets EL PASO, Feb 7 -- 10,000 SUV's in a wheel to wheel convoy rolled into El Paso early this morning and claimed the city in the name of Arizona. Who was in the newly donated GM super truck at the front of the pack?

John McCain. Borrowing a page from history McCain has clearly changed the face of internal domestic campaigns forever. McCain knew the only way to win Texas was with force, and his supporters knew they would be in for a fight.

Harry Guntoter, Arizona Militia press secretary, released the following statement in a briefing early this morning: "Arizona, the holy desert paradise, has mobilized to annex Texas. Arizona has been assured safe passage through New Mexico. We are hoping the annexation occurs without

"With all those trucks and gun racks, I think we will have a helluva fight on our hands."

bloodshed, but I wouldn't bet on it. With all those trucks and gun racks, I think we will have a helluva fight on our hands." He concluded his comments by firing an automatic weapon into the air and jumping into his International Scout and driving off in a cloud of sand and smoke

In a later press conference at a different location John McCain used a laser pointer to indicate the current progress in the Arizona Campaign. "The decision to invade Texas came late last week. I want what is best for the nation and for the state of Arizona. I was faced with a problem and I did what any good politician does, I listened to my constituents."

For the moment the Bush camp is talking upset, looking for a fallback position here and in Michigan.

"We concede we're in a tough fight, but we remain confident of victory," said Wes Gullett, Mr. McCain's Arizona campaign manager.

Mike Hull, Mr. Bush's campaign manager conceded nothing. "We see opportunity, and we are working this state like crazy," Mr. Hull said.

Hull alludes to the assembling resistance in central Texas. According to internal reports over 100,000 Texans are converging on San Angelo to stop the Arizona war machine dead in their tracks. The Texas resistance, viewed from a satellite photograph looks like thee parking lot for the world's largest gun show. Both Texas and Arizona seem to have summoned up armies out of the thin dusty air.

Mr. Bush and his aides emerged from discussions in Austin about how to regain the upper hand in the newly fierce contest for the Republican presidential nomination.

"You will see Governor Bush come out charging'" said Ari Fleischer, a spokesman for the campaign.

"Foreign Policy is Domestic Policy"

Mr. Fleischer declined to get into specifics, but others affiliated with the Bush campaign outlined several ways in which Mr. Bush or his allies will continue to intensify their engagement of Mr. McCain.

The San Angelo Blockade expects McCain's convoy to come into range sometime tomorrow afternoon. The Texas resistance is a militia coalition currently

Tomorrow's confrontation is likely to make political debates a thing of the past.

acting under the direction of Governor Bush himself. Tomorrow's confrontation is likely to make political debates a thing of the past. Both Bush and McCain are using the slogan "Foreign Policy is Domestic Policy" to rally their homespun armies.

Bush addressed the 100, 000 truck San Angelo blockade, "This is no simple reform. This really is a revolution. Ladies and Gentlemen, this war in which we are engaged is not, cannot be a war between America's two great political parties. This is between the right glorious state of Texas, the home of God, and the villainous Arizona Militia." Bush's speech became inaudible under cries of "remember the Alamo" and "put them all on death row."

As the Convey nears San Angelo both candidates plan to release statements just after daybreak.

(Text From 2 NYT Monday, February 07, 2000 articles as well as Gloria Steinem and Senator Joseph McCarthy)