McCain Cuts Off Murphy, Critical 2000 Chief Strategist

Many observers have marveled at how drastically different John McCain's campaign this year is from the one he ran in 2000. Now the New York Times reports that McCain has cut off all communication with Mike Murphy, the chief strategist of the '00 campaign and a longtime friend and adviser to the candidate. The reason -- McCain sees Murphy's criticisms of his current campaign as a "betrayal."

Mr. McCain has told associates that he has viewed Mr. Murphy's criticisms of his campaign -- its advertisements, his selection of Ms. Palin and Mr. McCain's aggressive manner -- as an act of betrayal, the actions of a former friend seeking attention and a network platform. Mr. McCain was described as particularly incensed that one of Mr. Murphy's platforms was MSNBC, which Mr. McCain's campaign has repeatedly treated as an enemy.

Mr. McCain has cut off all communications with Mr. Murphy, associates said. And McCain aides, including Steve Schmidt, a chief strategist who worked with Mr. Murphy on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign for governor of California, have stopped talking to him as well, ignoring telephone calls or e-mail messages, according to Republicans close to the campaign.

Mr. Murphy, in a brief e-mail comment, said that he was saying only what he believed, and that he still admired Mr. McCain.

Murphy's latest critique of his former boss is a post on Time's Swampland blog offering sarcastic potential responses to the news of Palin's $150,000 makeover:

I saw the RNC statement on Gov. Palin's $150,000 clothing bender on the RNC's tab. This caper is gonna make for a long day at the office for the good folks at the RNC/McCain press operation. Thought I'd offer a little help in a humorous vein; some other possible spin lines for the RNC.

1.) What you sneering critics in the liberal MSM fail to see here is... a Jobs Program! Saks floorwalkers, cashiers, a team of sweating porters to haul the merchandise from the store to the motorcade... chiropractors to treat those porters. Sarah Palin knows how to create jobs!

2.) What's the difference between a Pit Bull and a Hockey Mom? You can feed a pit-bull for 483 years with 150 grand.

3.) Still cheaper than Mitt Romney's hair products. We're saving money here...

4.) William Ayres is a terrorist!

5.) New ad slogan: "Clothes for Gov. Palin? $150,000. Time machine to go back two months to late August and ask what the Hell were Schmidt and Davis thinking when they cooked up this idea and sold it to McCain? Priceless."

Comments

[EddieMcWords]

I actually like Mullet Murphy. The times he's been on the Meet The Press, he's always been a voice of moderation and reason.

[jjpound]

McCain, the definitive Manchurian Candidate has always been a petulant, bullying, misogynistic, and very small man. He chose a running mate with those same qualities for the sole reason of others potentially viewing him as virile. His maniacal grinning when staring at Palin is indicative of his delusional mindset.
Murphy is still a die hard loyalist and would run back to McCain in a second if asked. However, that won't happen given McCain's pettiness and vindictiveness. In the latter respect McCain is more like Bush than ever.

[harrymellon]

Good to see someone speak their mind instead of just being a mouthpiece for the Republican delusion.

[ukeman]

wow; get this guy a job on Letterman!

[DebbieinPhx]

hmph. Guess ol John's humor went the way his honor did...down the drain, along with his polling numbers

[Tyrione]

The best action John can do is to gut all the ex-GW Bush advocates, including Murphy out of the loop.

Bring back the old GOP, John. The one that appointed Earl Warren to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The one that resolved Roe v. Wade and Brown v. Board of Education.

Bring back the old GOP of Teddy Roosevelt, who broke up trusts, oligopolies and put high standards for competition, real transparency and a conservation first in this country.

Believe it or not people, The current Republican snobs who don't like Palin is precisely because they are those who found TR a threat--they love being the robber barrons and she represents a person who would gut their barron status at the knees.

[WyomingJack]

I shows you what kind of cabinet McCain would have; one made of yes-men. Hmm, who does that remind you of? Bush maybe?

[XME]

No surprise that he's cut Murphy off. After all, McCain doesn't believe in talking to one's enemies. The concerning part is how little it takes for him to consider people his enemies...wouldn't bode well as our next president (talk about "more of the same"!)

[sportsjefe]

Isn't Spain an enemy now?

[tangelan]

That picture shows McGollum was going to turn on Murphy like a rab!d dog. And Murphy's smiling like an !diot. I'm embarassed for both of them.

[lnwill]

Is anyone else concerned about a potential commander in chief who will not listen to anyone who disagrees with him? How can anyone think that voting for McCain will end any wars? There is a group who wants the world to end so they can ascend to heaven - "The Rapture" - I understand why this group supports McCain but I do not understand why anyone else does

[EmotionDetector]

We can make a drinking game out of how many times McCain uses AIR QUOTES! Do you have to use them for everything?

[markdolph]

When he does it, it reminds me of Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies.

[obgynobgyn]

If Bin Laden were blocking the door of a polling place with a bomb in his hand on Nov 4th,
I would push past him and still vote for Senator Obama.

We call our family: Jews for Obama

[grata2ude]

Is this the perverbial cutting off the nose to spite the face. McCain won't have a friend left with the rate he's going.

[Woodguy]

Cutting out Murphy was a HUGE mistake by McCain. If McCain would have listened to Murphy in the first place, he wouldn't be in the position he is now. This is the most schizophrenic campaign I have ever seen! Who's really in charge of this chaos?!? As Murphy mentions, I'll bet McCain wishes he could hop in a time machine and go back and make some changes in his campaign.

[tavote08]

I say thank God for the Maverick and may the mistakes and schizophrenic chaos continue for another two weeks... I wonder how many tears Murphy is shedding not being apart of a losing fiasco?????

[genia]

Wow....this man wants to leads us?
How can all these people still blame his handlers? Oh..where oh where is the John McCain who they knew and loved. ?
I got news for all those people....he was faking it. This..is..the real John McCain.
This...is a personality trait...he didn't suddenly change two months ago...he let loose. He dropped the act...he rolled up his sleeves and got down.
This man.......should not be in charge of anything. This is a man who never grew up