intolerance." With significant coverage during the campaign, McCain said that he would never back down from his earlier statement. His later appearance at Liberty University prompted questions about the McCain–Falwell relationship and a possible presidential run in 2008. McCain backtracked and stated that Falwell is no longer as divisive and the two have discussed their shared values. McCain delivered a similar address at The New School commencement in Madison Square Garden. McCain was booed, and several students and professors turned their backs or waved fliers reading "McCain does not speak for me." McCain's speech mentioned his unwavering support for the Iraq War and focused on hearing opposing viewpoints, listening to each other, and the relevance of opposition in a democracy. Announcement McCain informally announced his candidacy on the Wednesday, February 28, 2007, telecast of the Late Show with David Letterman. He then announced his formal candidacy for the presidency of the United States and in turn, his intention to seek the nomination of the Republican Party for the 2008 presidential election, shortly after noon in Prescott Park on the waterfront of Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Wednesday, April 25, 2007. In his announcement, McCain emphasized that "America should never undertake a war unless we are prepared to do everything necessary to succeed," and he also stated that, "I'm not running for President to be somebody, but to do something; to do the hard but necessary things not the easy and needless things." The audience was somewhat listless. He then visited Saint Anselm College and several other spots around Manchester, New Hampshire on a cold rainy day, before starting a planned three-day campaign rally in South Carolina, Iowa, Nevada, and Arizona. Campaign staff and policy team On July 2, 2008, Steve Schmidt was given "full operational control" of McCain's campaign. Schmidt had managed Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2006 re-election and was a top Dick Cheney aide. Rick Davis had the title of McCain's campaign manager throughout 2008, but his role was reduced when Schmidt was given control. Davis was previously the campaign's chief executive, and had become campaign manager when John Weaver, McCain's chief aide, and Terry Nelson, his previous campaign manager, resigned on July 11, 2007. Davis was also campaign manager during McCain's 2000 presidential campaign, when Weaver had been McCain's chief campaign strategist. In 2005 and 2006, U.S. intelligence warned McCain's Senate staff about the Senator's involvement with Davis, who was then