McCain campaign, Act II

The stagecraft of John McCain’s latest town hall meeting was as closely scrutinized Monday as a play on opening night.

Last week, the Republican presidential candidate elevated Steve Schmidt, a veteran of the tightly controlled Bush 2004 campaign, to head day-to-day operations, hoping to clear up muddiness in McCain’s message.

At the Denver Center for Performing Arts, the advance team set up not one but three teleprompters to make McCain’s often stilted delivery more natural. He still missed a few words, but appeared more practiced.

Blue-and-white banners heralding McCain’s “Jobs for America” plan framed the stage and a large blue rug with the McCain logo gave the room a finished look.

Technicians toned down the house lights to avoid drawing attention McCain’s white hair.

There was even new music. The jarring mix of Abba and techno beats at McCain’s events was replaced by songs from homespun country crooners -- Rascal Flatts’ “Mayberry” and Alan Jackson’s “Tequila Sunrise.”

Though McCain fielded far-flung questions, he managed to hit his central themes -- which has not always been the case.

He even squeezed in his new message that he will “always put our country first” -- a dig at Democratic rival Barack Obama, whom the campaign has cast as a self-serving politician.

“Whenever I faced an important choice between my country’s interests or my own interests, party politics or any special interest, I chose my country,” McCain said.

-- Maeve Reston