'Chaos' hits Dean's camp

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Facing electoral disaster, Howard Dean shook up his campaign staff yesterday, shedding the man who turned him into an outsider phenom and replacing him with a veteran Washington operative. Campaign manager Joe Trippi, whose Internet wizardry built a grass-roots network of supporters and donors that changed the face of politics, quit after Dean put former Al Gore chief of staff and corporate lobbyist Roy Neel in charge.

<snip>

One campaign insider groused, "It was turmoil before. Now it's chaos." Dean spent the day huddled with advisers, arguing strategy for the next big contest: the seven states that vote on Tuesday. Dean lags in polls in all seven. He had two conference calls, one with top moneymen and one with officials who endorsed him. Both gave him an earful about his losses in Iowa and New Hampshire and made it clear they would jump ship if he didn't win somewhere pronto.

Things look bleak for Dean, who only a few weeks ago was soaring toward the nomination with money, magazine covers and mojo. "We are in enormous trouble," admitted one top staffer. "This may be over soon," said another.

<snip>

There are signs Dean's army of small contributors are growing wary. When the campaign asked for $1 million by last Tuesday, $600,000 came in.

"We spent it as fast as it came in," said one source. "Trippi had too much faith in the donors. He thought they would always respond when we asked for more money. I think that maybe was a mistake."
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/159381p-139806c.html

[ibegurpard]

1. Yeah, that happened to Kerry too.

Wonder who bailed him out?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

2. Mary Beth Cahill

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=221830

[AnnitaR]

3. LOL! good one! n/t

[fujiyama]

4. True...

but that was several weeks BEFORE the primaries even began. The momentum and media coverage will get even worse for Dean now.

Of course, anything is possible...but Dean has wasted one day already in Vt, which could have been spent campaigning in anyone of the states next week.

[Leilani]

5. But he taped satellite interviews

to be shown in the primary states, so it was not really wasted.

[jcgadfly]

12. Should we start checking Kerry's campign funds for ketchup stains?

Hey, if we're going to accuse people of unethical behavior without real proof, let's go all the way.

(I should get a warning now. I shot off my mouth about a primary candidate. Funny how the Dean bashers stay protected, huh?)

[ShaneGR]

13. Kerry has raised over 1 million since Tuesday

Through the internet.

[ibegurpard]

14. Remarkable what some good press coverage will do for your

campaign isn't it? I think we all know I'm referring to Kerry's campaign shake-up several months ago.

[creativelcro]

17. That is the easy million...

[Jack_Dawson]

6. Please tell me Dean didn't replace Trippi with a Washington Insider...

Doesn't that go against everything he and his supporters stand for?

[mdmc]

7. He didn't endorse Bush

or praise him unnecessarily for profit, for heavens sake.
But yeah, were bummed Trips left.

[jenk]

11. yes, but....

when you're desperate and have been stabbed in the back, where can you turn?

[molly]

15. Yes and yes

[Loonman]

8. Dean is going with a Beltway Boy

Former Gore aide.

[jenk]

9. wow

:o

[Cheswick2.0]

10. funny, I am not feeling a bit Chaotic

When you know you bak the only candidate worth voting for there is an amazing amount of peace in your life.

[MercutioATC]

16. Y...friggin'...AWN

Nice try, but no cigar.