McCain’s Primary Focus

ABC News’ Bret Hovell Reports: Senator John McCain, R-Ariz, doesn’t know the date of the all important "first in the nation" New Hampshire primary. And that may work out just fine for him.

His campaign has issued a call for campaign cash premised on the fact that the date of the primary, which McCain won in 2000, has not been set.

"I need your help with a most urgent matter," the letter, addressed from McCain himself, begins. He goes on to talk about a rumor, reported in the Washington Post, that New Hampshire could vote on a nominee as early as the beginning of December.

"No one knows for certain if New Hampshire will do this, or even when they will decide," McCain writes. "But the one thing I do know is we must be prepared as soon as the date is announced to move forward with our plan for victory in New Hampshire."

That plan, according to the e-mail, involves getting his supporters "to make a significant contribution in the next 48 hours."

"We’ve gained terrific momentum in the past several weeks and the media is now writing about the ‘McCain Comeback,’" he writes. "I don’t want to lose this momentum or get caught unprepared in a shifting primary scenario."

In fact, McCain’s campaign coffers are low when compared to his top rivals for the Republican nomination, so he needs an urgent influx of cash whether the primary is moved up or not.

McCain finished the third quarter of 2007 with just $3.6 million cash on hand, compared to $16 million in the bank for Rudy Giuliani, and $9 million and $7 million available to Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson, respectively.

"Please help keep us rolling," McCain exhorts.