Further blow for McCain as two top aides quit

Further blow for McCain as two top aides quit
By Andrew Ward in Washington
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Published: July 10 2007 18:34 | Last updated: July 10 2007 23:34


John McCain’s troubled bid to become US president was plunged deeper into disarray on Tuesday after an exodus of senior campaign staff, including the Republican senator’s two most important aides.

The departure of Terry Nelson, his campaign manager, and John Weaver, the chief strategist, increased doubts about Mr McCain’s ability to keep his cash-strapped campaign afloat.

The Arizona senator was once considered favourite for the Republican nomination but he has fallen behind Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, and other candidates in opinion polls and fundraising.

Mr McCain has been badly damaged by his support for the Bush administration’s unpopular strategy in Iraq and for a failed immigration reform bill that was fiercely opposed by most grassroots conservatives.

Tuesday’s staff shake-up came a week after Mr McCain revealed he had raised only $11.2m (€8.1m, £5.5m) in the second quarter of this year – compared with $17m raised by Mr Giuliani – and had only $2m of cash left in his war chest.

In response to the financial crisis, at least a third of Mr McCain’s campaign staff have been laid off over the past week and resources have been refocused on a handful of states with early primary elections.

Tuesday’s top-level resignations added to the sense of turmoil around the campaign, with Mr Nelson and Mr Weaver followed out of the door by Rob Jesmer, the political director, and Reed Galen, the deputy campaign manager.

Mr McCain expressed regret at the resignations but denied that he might drop out of the race. “In the days and weeks ahead this campaign will move forward and I will continue to address the issues of greatest concern to the American people, laying out my vision for a secure and prosperous America," he said.

Some people familiar with the campaign said Mr Nelson and Mr Weaver had been fired but that account was disputed by a spokesperson for Mr McCain, who said they had volunteered their resignations.

Rick Davis, the campaign chief executive, was appointed to replace Mr Nelson as campaign manager.

“This campaign has always been about John McCain and his vision for reducing federal spending, defending traditional values and winning the war against Islamic extremists. Today we are moving forward with John’s optimistic vision for our country’s future,” said Mr Davis.

Mr McCain reaffirmed his support for President George W. Bush’s “surge” strategy of increasing US troop numbers in Iraq after returning from a visit to the country last week. “I believe that our military in co-operation with Iraqi security forces is making progress in a number of areas,” he said on Tuesday.

The comments quashed speculation that Mr McCain might shift his position on the war in an attempt to revive his campaign.