September 14, 2004
THE BATTLE OF CABANA BOY'S CABANA BOYS:
Top Dem Rips Kerry Campaign (David Paul Kuhn, Sept. 14, 2004, CBSNews.com)
Longtime Democratic insider Tony Coelho lashed out at the John Kerry presidential campaign, characterizing it as a campaign in chaos. With yet another appointment of a former Clinton administration staffer to Kerry’s team on Tuesday, Coelho argues the problem is worsening.“There is nobody in charge and you have these two teams that are generally not talking to each other,” says Coehlo, who ran Al Gore's campaign early in the 2000 presidential race. As Coelho and other detractors see it, there is a civil war within the Kerry campaign.
Sen. Ted Kennedy’s former staff members, Mary Beth Cahill, the Kerry campaign manager, and veteran Democratic strategist Bob Shrum are at odds with recent additions who served under President Clinton.
“Here are two groups that have never gotten along and have fought, and it is a lot over money,” says Coehlo. "Because in the Democratic Party the consultants get paid for the creation and the placement of [advertising]. Republicans only pay you for the creation.”
Adding Mike McCurry today--who was an extraordinarily effective spokesman for Bill Clinton--but not firing anyone neatly summarizes the Kerry management style. Posted by Orrin Judd at September 14, 2004 10:37 PM
--but not firing anyone neatly summarizes the Kerry management style.--
And W's.
Posted by: Sandy P at September 15, 2004 1:02 AMWhy is this so hard for Kerry ?
Especially this close to the election, you pick a side, cast the die, and fire everyone from the opposing camp. At least you get to look decisive for one day.
Squabbling co-leadership didn't serve Lucius Aemilius Paullus and Gaius Terentius Varro well at Cannae, and I expect the same result for Kerry.
(Minus the death).
Sandy:
Paul O'Neill and Lawrence Lindsey might disagree with that assessment.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at September 15, 2004 2:09 AMDo you get the feeling Clinton told all his old staffers to take the jobs, because it's a good way to make 8-10 weeks of easy money and shake some of the campaign rust off at the same time, before the serious business of the Hillary! 2008 campaign gets going on Nov. 3.
Posted by: John at September 15, 2004 2:31 AMJohn;
Perhaps they're copying donor lists as well.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at September 15, 2004 8:48 AMJohn:
Probably you're right. I also think it's good for the Clintonista's to make a show of supporting the party's candidate even if he doesn't come from their wing of the party. They will want the favor returned in 2008.
This isn't unlike Nixon going out of his way to campaign and support a lot of Republicans of all stripes in the 1966 congressional elections. He stacked up a lot of favors that he cashed in in 1968.
Posted by: Jeff at September 15, 2004 8:48 AMDid anyone catch the Mary Ann Marsh interview on O'Reilly last night (Kerry campaign operative from Boston)?
She was almost speechless at the chaos, and all she could say was that Kerry needed to raise the roof on Bush. Everytime Bill asked (or told) her that such a policy would drive them down to 35%, she just about cried. She had zero energy and zero defense for Kerry.
Things must be very bad, probably even worse than Bush Senior's final days on the trail.
Bush should start making campaign appearances in MA, just to drive them over the edge.
Posted by: jim hamlen at September 15, 2004 10:31 AMjim:
She looked like Karl Rove was controlling her brain.
Posted by: oj at September 15, 2004 10:37 AM"But I'm the new Court Favorite! I know because I got to bring the bowstring for last week's Court Favorite!" (gush and giggle)
Posted by: Ken at September 15, 2004 10:46 AM