May 07, 2007
McCain's Political Director Steps Down
John McCain's national political director, Michael P. Dennehy, will step away from day-to-day duties at the campaign, telling associates today that his family obligations conflicted with his arduous, 24/7 political job in Washington, D.C.
Dennehy, a gregarious, high-energy member of McCain's inner circles for years, will return with his family to New Hampshire.
In an e-mail to campaign staffers today, Dennehy said that while is totally committed to electing McCain,
" I have always made my family the number one priority in my life. We will move back to New Hampshire where my son, Liam, can be reunited with the education community that he knows, thrives in, and has the best opportunity to succeed."
Rob Jesmer, an ex-COS to Rep. Mike Rogers who has extensive field and political experience at the NRCC and RNC, has been appointed political director. And Dennehy will still play a major role in the campaign: he'll be the lead consultant on early primary states and is tasked with making sure McCain repeats his victory in New Hampshire.
Campaign Manager Terry Nelson, in an e-mail to McCain's staff, writes that he knows
"it a difficult decision for Mike and [wife ] Sarra, but they are confident that it is the best decision for their family. While Mike won’t be in the DC office every day, he is a critical part of our team, and will be instrumental to our victory in NH and SC, as well as whatever else we can prevail upon him to take up on the campaigns behalf."
McCain aides said Dennehy's departure is not related to other, peformance-related staff reshuffles, including the decision to replace McCain's longtime chief finance aid. [MARC AMBINDER]
Posted at 03:29 PM
Comments
McCain house of cards has started crumbling down.
Matt | 05.07.07 06:39 PM
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Jesmer is first tier!
Bert | 05.08.07 08:33 AM
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Ha, ha! McCain's blind support of Bush and the war in Iraq has destroyed any chance of him winning the Presidency. Serves him right!
Trish | 05.08.07 09:04 AM
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McCain will be the GOP nominee. We will see the same basic blue state, red state divide.
The race will be close, but in the end I hope sanity will prevail and McCain will beat the dragon lady.
McCain needs to pick a sound vice presidential candidate as he is up there in years. That much is critical.
McCain was lucky. Rudy is a Planned parenthood Contributor who hates abortion but would pay for his daughter's 'procedure' and kill his grandchild in the process.
None of the other GOP worthies has caught fire. It's McCain or Clinton II. I'll take MC Cain. He has more character and integrity in his little finger than both Clintons have in their aggregate avoirdupois.
Don Martin | 05.08.07 09:55 AM
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McCain will continue to be out-politicked by Romney who is running a much more substantive and energizing campaign at this point. Every time the two are put in the same room Mitt looks presidential and John looks even more old, desperate, and surly. Mitt has out-classed John on building a better team, grassroots support, congressional endorsements, fundraising, values/family issues, image, and primary state support. I lime McCain, but watch the polls folks, Mitt is on the rise and John is slowly fading.
Geroge | 05.08.07 10:23 AM
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McCain is the man...he might have pissed off the right but you get into politics to kick ass not kiss ass...Rudy and Mit have the political trajectory of a ballistic missile and what..please name two...things can Thompson point to as Senator that rank as significant achievements?
mike | 05.08.07 10:28 AM
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McCain does'nt have a prayer. Will never get the
nomination from his Party. Pure & Simple. G.L.W.
Erie, PA.
G.L.W. | 05.08.07 10:52 AM
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McCain's problems are not with his help, but with his "friends" the drive-by media. They are about as loyal as he is, and a bunch of cobras might have a tough time with loyalties. He is out and good riddance to the snake. The only sane thing he has done lately is to get on the President's coat tails - at least that is the right side!
Tom Stewart | 05.08.07 11:09 AM
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As a Republican I look at the current field of candidates with (R) after their name and say to myself "Obama looks better every day."
Greg | 05.08.07 12:32 PM
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No one who is a front runner in either party will obtain the nomination:
McCain - not acceptable to the far right and Christian core of the party;
Giuliani - see above;
Thompson - see above;
Romney - not acceptable to the Christian core of the party or to anyone who questions the Mormon religion [think Scientology, etc.].
Someone in the second tier will break away from the pack in the next few months. Best guess - Mike Huckabee, the Anti-Clinton...
As for the Democrats, after Hilary experiences her inevitable melt-down, sentimental favorite Al Gore will join the fray and ultimately be teamed with Obama (as VP candidate). Although I am a fan of neither, I think they would be very difficult to beat.
epevensie | 05.08.07 12:58 PM
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Drive-By media? That sounds moronic when Brush says that. I didn't know that anyone else thought that was "clever".The Repubs. are in dire straights with Trudy Giuliani leading in that dog & pony show!
Moe4 | 05.08.07 12:58 PM
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John McCain will not get past us true conservatives in the South Carolina primary. Among other things recently, the way he beat up on General Casey, the new Army Chief of Staff, was an unforgivable sin in my retired military opinion. He was merely playing to his friends in the MSM, and I don't trust the man one bit.
Ted Frank | 05.08.07 01:07 PM
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McCain is fine. He will on a ticket of McCain/Lieberman - bringing his old friend to assist him in getting this country back on track. Great ticket...
Papadick | 05.08.07 01:26 PM
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Could someone please come up with a new excuse aside from 'I need to spend more time with my family' ?
Does anyone think that anyone believes that?
Steven Andrew Miller | 05.08.07 01:36 PM
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I like reading this insanity. McCain doesn't have a chance but niether do Hillary or Barak. How many 60+ white men (the single largest voting demographic) will vote for HillaRY, a woman??? or Barak a black muslim??? I cant wait to see the dems get trouced by whatever loser the Republicans through up. If france is to conservative for a woman what about the US. THe other issue is that even in western europe the female politicians like thatcher and merkel are conservatives not liberals. People already view liberals as weak, and female candidates have the bias of percieved weakness working against them. Its not that I dont think a woman could be a good president, I just dont believe my WWII veteran grandparents that spent there 20s shooting nazis are going to vote for a liberal woman, or a liberal black man
nate | 05.08.07 01:43 PM
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Republicans at their best. What plantet are you people from? McCain???? Is that all you have? Lieberman??? Please.
SAJ | 05.08.07 01:47 PM
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Obama is a Muslim? Gimme a break.
bo | 05.08.07 02:10 PM
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by the way, it's spelled barack, not barak, but what do you expect when the last writer still thinks he's a 'black muslim'. please,,,,,,,,hasn't that been disproven time and time again? get your head out of your butt, and read the newspapers, watch whats really going on, not what biased fox news throws out there. in every poll, obama beats everyone of your candidates: rudy the adulterer, who screwed around on BOTH his wives, spineless mitt, who flip-flops more than a fish out of water, and 'old man river', john 'where am i' mccain. you folks are in for a rude awakening. read the article in the wash. post about high profile republicians switching to the obama camp. mccain is toast.
richard | 05.08.07 02:15 PM
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Steven: Before you dismiss people's personal lives, maybe you should get your facts straight: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Dennehy+leaves+McCain+campaign+post&articleId=6cb8ad04-b37f-4dbb-a654-e9cbbea14319
Chris | 05.08.07 02:35 PM
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McCain's ship sailed years ago without him. No doubt it was while he was "stepping across the isle" to side with Liberals for the umpteenth time. He's more of Democrat than anything else.
Fred | 05.08.07 02:42 PM
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I don't know where richard gets his 'facts' from, but there are no 'high profile' Republicans switching to Obama, just RINOs who planned to vote Dem anyway. Of course, when he threw in the tired, predictable slam of Fox News, all of his credibility was shot, so nobody really should care what he thinks.
Bob Devlin | 05.08.07 02:43 PM
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Dude, when you use a phrase like, "reunited with the education community that he knows" instead of 'go back to his friends', you've been at this politics thing too long. Seriously, nice move and I am sure you will enjoy the time off the trail.
Green Drake | 05.08.07 03:57 PM
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Dr. Ron Paul will be the Republican nominee in 2008.
chuck steak | 05.08.07 04:23 PM
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they're all as corrupt as sewer rats, just like the parties they are from. The only possible exception is on Ron Paul, who at least has not been not been compromised by special interests. He wont win, because he will be marginalized.
They ( the military-industrial-congressional complex) wont let anyone win they cant buy.
timothy west | 05.08.07 04:33 PM
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Gore/Obama? I don't know...this is the first time I've heard that. Sounds like a hard ticket to beat, for sure.
John | 05.08.07 04:33 PM
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@richard (2:15PM)
You know, that article you're referring to from the WP is a bunch of bunk. It's completely anecdotal and in no way indicates the general health of the Republican party's support. Never mind the fact that the WP is a Democratic mouthpiece.
As for the election, I think it will be one of three: Thompson, Giuliani or McCain, in that order of probability
Gerald | 05.08.07 04:40 PM
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McCain was an admirable candidate in 2000, outspoken truthfulness was his trademark. But Rove played dirty in South Carolina and McCain did not know how to fight back. "If you can't fight em' join em'" and he did. What was once principled and truthfull now seems just old and pathetic.Romney is just what the Republicans want someone photogenic who lies with conviction.
Depending on your affiliation, we live in either the best of times or the worst of times.
Pat Gogerty | 05.08.07 04:44 PM
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Now folks, be honest - there's not a candidate out there - Democrat OR Republican - who's qualified to be President of the United States. We have "dumbed down" our expectations, and all they have to do is be in the "right" party, and make some promises that we KNOW they can't keep, and we'll vote for them. We deserve more than we're getting out of our politicians, and that's OUR fault.
Steve | 05.08.07 04:50 PM
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I can't imagine how any free thinking American who has studied his voting record and where he stands on the issues would not support Ron Paul
mike | 05.08.07 04:52 PM
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Rep's are joining Obama to defeat Hillary. I believe no Hillary is the main goal, winning is secondary. Not thrilled with Repub's, but Dem's make my skin crawl.
jb | 05.08.07 04:53 PM
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Uh, oh. The Libs here are starting to yell and name-call. That's true to form for foaming, frothing lefties after they use the one actual fact they have about any given issue and their emotions--the source of all their thoughts--kick into high gear.
I don't like ANY of the candidates...on either side.
The fields keep getting more and more lame as the truly capable run for the business/industry hills and away from a public service arena floating in a sea of biased media barracuda...or is that barackuda?
Dan Levitan | 05.08.07 05:03 PM
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to richard:
Instead of imbibing what foxnews throws out we should read the "fair & balanced" washpost?
Latest poll results I saw had Rudy beating each democratic candidate head to head. But polls at this point are meaningless - because the election is still 18 months away and neither party has selected a candidate. But I'm sure you feel better getting this stuff off your chest - you may have a slight case of BDS.
Vote barak 2008!
Shayne | 05.08.07 05:25 PM
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Tis the season for people to be concerned about their wives and families and leave jobs.
I understand that is happening in large numbers in the Whitehouse.
Bail now before the Titantic gets to far from port or hits the ice berg
geek | 05.08.07 06:19 PM
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Ummm ... Lieberman is a Democrat, "SAJ." There are still some Democrats loyal to this country, in spite of the influence of the neo-Stalinists in their party.
Pittsburgh Vince | 05.09.07 07:56 AM
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What difference will it really make? Same old, same old, while the earth warms up, the water gets more polluted and our financial system implodes. Yep, I could really care what idjit gets to live in the white house, and which talking shill for corporate profits occupies the congress, it won't matter, time is running out. There are no good choices, because there aren't any leaders, just politicians trying to get a place at the trough. Useless syncophants one and all, and if there is just one leader among them they will shred him before he ever has a chance. As far as the american people go they don't have a prayer. How many can still read? Most are overburdened with debt and two jobs, that still don't pay the bills, combine that with 4 dollar gas and it just makes the gerbils run faster. Nope the great experiment has failed, and humans are pushing against the edge of the petri dish. Get ready for your new lifestyle, coming soon to a neighborhood near you. Enjoy!!
WTF | 05.09.07 08:25 AM
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jb, Dems make your skin crawl? What is it that you don't like? Is it the peace and prosperity? is it the amazing job growth in our country? Is it the balanced budget? Is it the good foreign policy? Is it having an effective FDA and EPA? Is it having an anti-terrorism policy? Is it having our soldiers live and remain in one piece? Or is it actually using the correct intelligence when making a decision about life and death?
Which of the above policies and results makes your skin crawl? Or was it just the BJ in the oval office?
Now what is it that you approve of with the GOP? Is it the torture? Is it the ignoring of terrorist threats? Is it the neglect of our own people in New Orleans? Is it the War for Profit? Is it the selling of our government? Is it the outsourcing of american jobs to countries that replace those jobs with slave labor from children all so that some contributer can make a few more bucks? Is it the violations of the constitution or the giving away of our rights? Is it the corruption of the judicial system to make it another arm of the already corrupt GOP? Which of these policies give you the warm fuzzies?
Do us all a favor, sleep through the next election day.
Progressive Patriot | 05.09.07 09:50 AM
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Someone wake Nate up and tell him to start paying attention,Obama is not a muslim,the rethugs will never win another election again and John McCain's brain is in a severe state of atrophy.George Bush[bless him for his incompetence]has single handedly and in "one felled swoop"destroyed the Republican Party.I don't know,maybe Nate resides on another planet.
matthew | 05.09.07 10:03 AM
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The rats are jumping off these two ships so fast and far they would have to be on steroids.
skyreader7 | 05.09.07 07:15 PM
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McCain Lieberman Ha-Ha-Ha
Who in the hell would vote for those old farts? What would they call their party.. Demobliccats, Dempubics, Rubmetics, Democanics? Nah, just something catcy like Ratsinocan.
large Marge | 05.10.07 07:34 AM
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Rob Jesmer at the helm? That campaign is D O N E.
Tony | 07.03.07 12:50 PM
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