McCain’s press staff resigns

Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic has the scoop:

Sen. John McCain’s top three press aides resigned this morning, Republicans close to the campaign said and one of those aides confirmed.

The campaign’s research director and two other press staffers also stepped down.

The departure of Brian Jones, the communications director, Danny Diaz, his deputy, and Matt David, another deputy, had been widely anticipated since last week’s resignation of campaign manager Terry Nelson. All three were Nelson’s proteges and worked closely with departed strategist John Weaver.

But all three showed up in New Hampshire last Friday to staff McCain’s two-day trip through the state. Jones carefully attended to McCain at a press conference and Diaz staffed him on a blogger conference call. The Wall Street Journal reported that day that the three would resign Saturday. They did not. They did, in fact, share a farewell drink with the Senator.

“This is not an acrimonious departure. We’re doing everything we can to keep the transition smooth,” Jones said. He said he and the others informed campaign manager Rick Davis before a senior staff meeting this morning.

Clueless wonder Arianna Huffington thinks that the reason McCain’s campaign is imploding is because of his support for … the Iraq war. John Hawkins sets the record straight on that (as does Tigerhawk), and I would add to the reasons why: his participation in McCain Feingold. Even if McCain were stronger on illegal immigration, conservatives still wouldn’t forgive him for the latter. There are other issues, of course, including the fact that McCain has laughingly talked about the MSM being his core constituency before, which doesn’t exactly endear him to conservatives.

That Arianna Huffington actually thinks that McCain is losing ground because of the Iraq war is symbolic of the general narrow-minded nature of the so-called “open-minded”” Democratic party in general (and yes, I know that technically, Arianna isn’t a Democrat but she thinks and acts like one) – believe it or not, Arianna, there are other issues out there of great importance. Iraq is one of several. Just because the left is obsessed with cutting and running doesn’t mean the right is going to follow suit.

Related: The USA Today writes: McCain’s latest political strategy: Survival

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