Five top staffers leave embattled [Katherine] Harris campaign

Bradenton Herald ^ | 7/13/06 | Stephen Majors

[zerelda]

Five senior staffers quit the U.S. Senate campaign of Republican Katherine Harris on Wednesday. The departures struck a blow to a campaign that has already seen a revolving door of top managers, communications directors and consultants.

Two Harris staffers confirmed that campaign manager Glenn Hodas; field coordinator Pat Thomas; communications director Chris Ingram; political director Brian Brooks; and deputy field coordinator John Byers left the campaign. Jim Dornan, who was Harris' Senate campaign manager before he left last fall, said he confirmed the resignations through a close contact within the campaign.

The Harris campaign released a statement just after 7 p.m. Wednesday saying that Harris had accepted Ingram's resignation. But the statement denied "earlier reports" that more staffers had left. The contact listed on the release couldn't be reached for comment.

"My campaign appreciates the effort and energy Chris brought to the job," Harris said in the statement. "He served in an important role in my campaign and he did a great job, and I wish him well."

Gerry Fritz, the spokesman for Harris' congressional office in Washington, declined to comment, saying he could not speak about campaign matters.

The latest exodus of staffers is a case of deja vu for the Longboat Key Republican, who has already had to fill the reopened positions once after previous staff, including highly regarded GOP names like Dornan and adviser Ed Rollins, left because they felt Harris' campaign had no chance of success and were dismayed because Harris wouldn't listen to them. The campaign has had at least 23 staffers since it officially began in August 2005.

The two staffers who confirmed the resignations did not wish to be named, but one hinted that it was Harris' disrespectful behavior that led to the latest departures.

[zerelda]

Difficult news at a difficult time.

[LS]

I had such high hopes for her, and she deserved better, but the wheels have clearly come off.

[leadpenny]

She must be a real joy to be around. Reminds me of some of my co-workers.

[JohnnyZ]

I think she may really be unbalanced.

And I'm not saying that in a mean way .... sometimes stress can do a number on people, what with the campaigning, the adversity, and her father's death.

[Joe Brower]

"She must be a real joy to be around. Reminds me of some of my co-workers."

I don't think that's it. I attribute much of this negative zeigeist to the hateful leftmedia, who have been relentless attacking Ms. Harris for the last six years. Over all that time, the public has seen nothing but a steady stream of invective and ad hominem attacks against her, which cumulatively have a great number of people now instantly placing her in a negative context without even a conscious thought.

That includes many of the self-proclaimed "GOP faithful", both on this forum and out on the campaign trail.

So with every good bit of news mercilessly buried, and every shortcoming, both real and perceived, magnified a thousandfold and trumpeted to the heavens, this should come as no surprise. And this process creates more of the same, so it goes on and on. Let's face it, the leftmedia is little more than the propaganda wing of the DNC.

In any case...

Florida Freeper

[rhombus]

I had such high hopes for her, and she deserved better, but the wheels have clearly come off.

It's not like we weren't warned. It's no doubt that those of us in the rest of the country don't really know what's going on there in Florida. I did ask a few questions months back and was basically told to mind my own business by some Florida Freepers who were Harris supporters. It is indeed unfortunate, we in the rest of the country needed that Senate seat and I hate to see missed opportunities. Nonetheless, I'll be pulling for a miracle upset.

[leadpenny]

You're there and you obviously know more about her than I do. However, I don't see how you can blame the media for the failings she has with her appointed staff. Seems to me as though she doesn't possess the necessary people skills.

[Joe Brower]

"eems to me as though she doesn't possess the necessary people skills."

I don't think that's it. She has not changed her persona or political approach from the previous six years; if she was "hard to work for" in the past, we would have seen the same problems in 2002 and 2004. We did not.

The media attacks haven't changed either, although they now have had six years to yeild a cumulative effect. That is definitely a negative factor among the electorate.

So the turnover of her staff I must attribute it to the complete lack of GOP support, nay, the GOPs deliberate actions to undercut her campaign. Many of these "acolytes" whom I have worked with in the past latch on to these campaigns for the main purpose of moving onwards and upwards on the political ladder. If they perceive, or have even been told outright that, "If you work for Harris's Senate campaign, your career aspirations are DOA", well, most will jump ship.

Just my take on what I have seen and heard over the years...

[Joe Brower]

"I did ask a few questions months back and was basically told to mind my own business by some Florida Freepers who were Harris supporters."

That's unfortunate. If you want to get the straight scoop on Ms. Harris' situation here, though, these threads are probably your best bet next to actually being here and working for her campaign.

Whatever you do, please don't believe what you read in the "news"papers or see on TV! $:-)

[McGavin999]

The wheels have come completely off. She ran too soon, the time wasn't right, she needs to recognize this now before it's too late to salvage her future.

[pleikumud]

These people can be replaced in a heartbeat. Their jobs are mostly clerical in nature, despite the nice titles.

[leadpenny]

Thanks. It certainly is a tough business.

[danamco]

She must be a real joy to be around.

Yes she is, if you meet her in person!

However, the lib's "drive-by" L.S.M. (and some dem's moles here on F.R.) are totally distorting her character and personality. They see her as the biggest threat to their liberal darling, the "ass-naut" cadet bill nelson!!

Nothing new here, don't they, constantly do the same to President Bush, Tom DeLay, Karl Rove, etc. or other effective, forceful conservatives!??!

They did the exact same thing to Jeb Bush when he was running for Governor. The grass root movement in Florida will again, November 7th, prove the L.S.M. wrong!!!

[leadpenny]

I'm just an observer. She's the boss, and I suspect she has final say in who gets hired. Either "ringers" are getting hired, or there's a problem in the review process, or both? There must be plenty of loyal young Republicans waiting in line for these types of jobs? Politics is war without guns and she needs to fight it that way. She may blame the media privately and folks can blame them here, but she shouldn't be blaming anyone or anything. There's a saying in the military, "The maximum effect range of an excuse is zero meters."

[Joe Brower]

"There's a saying in the military, 'The maximum effect range of an excuse is zero meters.'"

There's an even older saying in the military: "Friendly fire isn't".

As I stated previously, Harris' woes are primarily a result of the GOP actively working to undercut her campaign.

The continual media barrage is damaging, for certain, although hostile fire from that direction is expected. Hostile fire from behind your position from your own forces is not.

[marvlus]

I think she may really be unbalanced.

I think you're right.

[The Old Hoosier]

she needs to recognize this now before it's too late to salvage her future.

Too late.

[The Old Hoosier]

Harris' woes are primarily a result of the GOP actively working to undercut her campaign.

Yeah, the White House must have sent all of those senior staffers who were instructed to quit all at the same time, just to undercut her otherwise brilliant campaign.

[Joe Brower]

Your absurd scenario is not even close to reality, and you know it.

Read my post# 8.

[FloridianBushFan]

I am a big supporter of Harris and would like to see nothing more then for her to win in November. People need to face reality and realize that even though the Media and state GOP have caused issues to hurt her campaign, not everything can be blamed on them. Everyone here and Harris needs to face reality that a lot of the problems have come from the Harris camp as well. She has gone through way to many staffers for it all to be blamed on the GOP. It is also Harris fault. Her campaign has not been that great. She has been known to make several comments and then days later change them or not able to back them up. It is not only her campaign going through staff changes. Her congressional office has gone through several chief of staffs and other staff members since she has been in office. Everyone needs to wake up and stop putting all the blame on the GOP when some of the blame needs to go to Harris herself.