McCain Campaign Doomed?
Remember how I said the wheels were close to falling off Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign? Well, on the heels of a disappointing quarter in terms of fundraising, Terry Nelson, the McCain campaign manager, has announced announced today he has resigned. Additionally, the campaign’s chief strategist, John Weaver, also announced his resignation. What’s interesting about this story is that a McCain campaign insider is denying Nelson resigned, asserting he was actually fired.
Over at Swampland, Ana Marie Cox had a few interesting insights about the current state of affairs in the McCain campaign:
I’m told that as of last week, the campaign was still basically holding together. Morale was good, and many of those fired asked to return as volunteers. There was a sense that they might be able become a guerrilla operation again; today, the operation is truly is tatters and no one knows exactly what will happen this afternoon, much less tomorrow.
What’s more, Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic is reporting that Mark Salter has also tendered his resignation, ostensibly as a direct result of Nelson and Weaver resigning/being forced out. The departure of Terry Nelson and John Weaver (and possibly Mark Salter) from the McCain campaign - if they in fact did resign instead of being fired - reeks of rats jumping off a sinking ship. The McCain campaign is doomed - it’s just too bad Senator McCain doesn’t see it. I give this campaign two months before it folds.