Not like you couldn’t see this one coming. As The Associated Press reports:
John McCain’s campaign, trailing top Republican rivals in money and polls, is undergoing a significant reorganization with staff cuts in every department, officials with knowledge of the shake-up said Monday.
Some 50 staffers or more are being let go, and senior aides will be subject to pay cuts as the Arizona senator’s campaign bows to the reality of six months of subpar fundraising, these officials said…
…Once considered the front-runner for the GOP nomination, McCain came in third in the money chase behind Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani, raising $13.6 million in the first three months of the year. He is struggling to reach that total in the second financial quarter, and wasn’t expected to match it.
Officials said the fundamental leadership of the campaign will not change; Terry Nelson, a veteran of President Bush’s winning 2004 campaign, will remain campaign manager but may volunteer his time instead of drawing a salary.
Nelson declined to comment, and Brian Jones, the campaign’s communications director, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
At its peak, McCain’s payroll covered 150 staffers; this is the second round of layoffs.
The financial difficulties have fueled speculation that McCain would drop out of the race but he dismissed that notion Thursday, calling it “ridiculous.” He argued that voters won’t start paying close attention until the fall, and said: “I don’t know why I would even remotely consider such a thing in the month of June, or July.”
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he’s done. I think Thompson was the straw that broke the camel’s back on McCain. You have to wonder how long a campaign struggling this hard can survive. My bet is that he does not make it into February and instead starts courting Rudy or Thompson to become a Veep.
his campaign will suck dollars away from the other R campaigns.
You’re right. That is a good thing. Go John Go! Hang in there buddy. We know its in you.
PS-Still look great in the combat gear, John, you still look great. Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb…heh heh, that’s funny. Put that man in charge of the world’s largest nuclear arsenal I say.
1. Sucked up to religious right: lost the center and did get the right
2. Iraq: Only Bush and Lieberman are the only elected officials more behind this war
3. Immigration: Taking a principaled stand (right or wrong, he doesn’t support immigration reform to get votes) in opposition to your party’s base is a sure fire way to lose.
BTW I bet those staffers are happy, now they can go look for a job with a campaign that has a shot without looking like a disloyal quitter
Someone who was courted to be the other party’s nominee for V.P. in the last presidential election will have a hard time trying to turn around and become his party’s nominee for the highest office in the land….
And Romney picked up our very own Wayne “Dullard” to stomp for him!
The R’s are driving their cars in reverse… or would the dog tied to the roof analogy work better in this instance?
Poor ol’ Walnuts. I bet its a happy day at the McCain Campaign HQ…
No wonder the Republicans run such large budget deficits – that’s an enormous number this early in the campaign.
And there are plenty of paid staff left after the lay-offs too.