Sen. McCain's Campaign Manager, Strategist Resign
By Heidi Przybyla
July 10 (Bloomberg) -- Senator John McCain's campaign manager, Terry Nelson, and chief strategist, John Weaver, both resigned their posts this morning, according to a statement issued by the campaign.
The statement provided no explanation for the departures. The Arizona Republican has been firing staff and cutting the salaries of campaign advisers after failing to raise as much money as he expected in the first six months of this year.
McCain brought in just $11.2 million in the last three months, short of the $13.1 million he raised in the first quarter.
McCain, in a statement, said he accepted his aides' resignations ``with regret and deep gratitude'' for their work. The resignations were announced as the senator was giving a speech on the Senate floor which made clear his support for President George W. Bush's strategy in Iraq hasn't wavered.
McCain, who just returned from Iraq, urged lawmakers to give the administration's troop-increase plan a chance to work.
``The progress our military has made should encourage us,'' he said.
Senators yesterday began two weeks of debate over the increasingly unpopular war with most Democrats and some Republicans urging the administration to begin withdrawing troops.
``No lasting political settlement can grow out of U.S. withdrawal,'' McCain said. ``I know that senators are tired of this war,'' he said. ``We cannot let fatigue dictate our policies.'' |
