The Fallout From Jim Mills' Departure May Really Hurt Thompson

The Campaign Spot/NRO ^ | 5 Sep 2007 | Jim Geraghty

[elizabetty]

Jim Mills' departure from the Thompson campaign is actually even bigger than it looks. Not that Thompson couldn't function without Mills — he only been in the office for a week, I understand — but the aftershocks are huge.

You're seeing complaints like this, from the innermost of Thompson's inner circle, as told to Fox News:

When Thompson appears on Jay Leno tonight it will mark the campaigns complete repudiation of a new media campaign strategy and announcement plan that the original Fredheads had designed over several months and finalized in August. More resignations of key founding Fredheads are coming. Soon NONE of the people who got the buzz started in March may remain.

Thompson did Leno in June and numerous senior aides said at the time he would "never return to Hollywood to announce — that's what McCain did! We won't use video, that's what Hillary did. We will let Fred be Fred. We are launching from the (Grand Ole) Opry then hitting New Hampshire and Iowa."

Now they are copying both McCain and Hilary by appearing on Leno and a video. The original Fredheads are no longer angry or frustrated; most have been fired already or given up. ~Snip~

[elizabetty]

If this is true that is an awful thing to do to somebody you convinced to quit his job to come work for you.

Be sure to follow the link and read the whole thing.

[Mr. Lucky]

Your train passed the desperate station miles ago.

[fieldmarshaldj]

[VideoDoctor]

I recall someone on FR posting a few months back that if Fred took the traditional route of campaigners he would be an "also ran" fading memeory by Jan/Feb of 2008.

Let's see what happens. Time will tell.

[elizabetty]

From Geraghty on July 27, 2007

Jim Mills is joining Team Fred?
Jim Mills is joining Team Fred? Jim Mills?

The reaction among those who don't know him will be "Ah, a Fox News producer is joining the Thompson campaign, so much for 'fair and balanced,' blah blah blah." For those of us who have encountered Mills on Capitol Hill, there will be a lot of raised eyebrows. Mills is something of a local legend in the Capitol Hill press corps - very smart, tenacious but fair questioner, relentless energy. He somehow manages to have a good relationship with lawmakers while asking them how they got their hand caught in the cookie jar, pointing out that their answer contradicts what they said yesterday with a friendly smile on his face.

One instinctively wonders how Mills will handle the transition from asking questions to answering them, but this is a very impressive hire for Team Fred.

[G8 Diplomat]

Anticipating another FredHeads vs. everyone else debate...

And I'm staying out of this one this time!

[elizabetty]

Your train passed the desperate station miles ago.

I am not desperate, I am witnessing it.

[#1CTYankee]

Yawn, let’s just see how things go.

[PAR35]

You can either go with free time, in which case money isn’t changing hands, or you can pay for exposure, in which case lots of folks get a cut. Some folks don’t like all the free exposure Fred’s been getting. No money in their pockets.

[rfp1234]

Some at NRO (e.g. Fred Barnes) may be pulling for Rudy.

[elizabetty]

Yawn, let’s just see how things go

It may be a yawn to you but I seriously doubt it is to Jim Mills and his family.

[Williams]

This story is so stupid it astounds me. You would quit the campaign of a man you think should be president - because he decides on a different announcement strategy???

And, how could the departure of someone who just joined be caused by "repudiating" plans made back in March. Maybe this reflects some lack of organization by Thompson, but this stuff is so childish as to be frightening.

You mean they couldn't say "OK, I lost in that discussion so we'll announce a different way - big deal." ??

[SE Mom]

Fred Barnes doesn’t work at NRO. He’s editor at The Weekly Standard.

[elizabetty]

Some at NRO (e.g. Fred Barnes) may be pulling for Rudy

Fred Barnes is at NRO?? Anyway, Jim Geraghty is an incredibly fair and straight campaign reporter.

Have you not been reading him since the old "Kerry Spot" days in 2003/2004?

[Williams]

Obviously the Leno announcement worked well for Arnold. Did I miss something? The Grand Ole Opry announcement plan is worth quitting over?

[Williams]

This Grand Ole Opry thing has me spooked a bit. I’m glad Green Acres has gone off the air, the fight would have been by those insisting that Fred announce during a conversation with Arnold the pig in Mr. Ziffle’s store.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

A little over a month earlier, Mills was personally recruited and hired as spokesman by Fred and Jeri Thompson at their dinner table.

Although a Hunter supporter, I like Fred a lot and have said so repeatedly on this board.

However, I find this story very troubling if it is in fact true. Surely Fred didn't throw Mills overboard only a month after personally asking him to leave a secure job to work in his campaign.

Not cool! Not cool at all!

[#1CTYankee]

Conjecture and rumors, he didn't fit in for whatever reason.

When was the last time you saw someone hired or even recruited for a job that the person just didn't work out?

Happens all the time.

[dinoparty]

That popcorn isn’t Orville Redenbacher have butter flavoring, is it?

[rfp1234]

Thanks for the correction (after a while many of those Eastern elite media pundits start sounding alike ;-p )