Mark DeMoss on being “dispatched”
Earlier this month, I wrote that the Mitt Romney presidential campaign had “hired” Mark DeMoss, an evangelical publicist who focuses on faith-based organizations (and author of The Little Red Book of Wisdom). My use of the word “hired” was inaccurate, since DeMoss was not receiving any money from the Romney campaign.
The inaccurate assertion was based on a line in a New York Times article that said the Romney campaign had “dispatched” DeMoss to meet with conservative Christian leaders in various states, including South Carolina and Iowa. I saw “dispatched” and wrote “hired.”
The post was quickly corrected, but that didn’t keep me from being curious about DeMoss’ relationship with the Romney campaign and what exactly “dispatched” meant.
Thus, I asked and DeMoss wrote in an email earlier this week. Since his response adds some new content to an important story, here it is:
"I am working as an unpaid advisor to the campaign, at my request, following a meeting I solicited with Gov. Romney last September in his office. I was then asked by the surrogate office if I would speak to pastors and religious leaders in several cities in SC and Ala. I agreed and gave them 4 days for this purpose. I’ve spent two of those (Greenville, SC; Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, AL). I am using whatever influence I have to promote his candidacy. I would not take issue with the word “dispatched,” though I certainly don’t have to go anywhere."
So there you have it.
FYI CoD