Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Remember who's in office because of her

Today's Wall Street Journal has an excellent story about Katherine Harris's imploding campaign for US Senate in Florida. One particular highlight (subs. req'd):

When news broke about Mr. Wade [lobbyist scandal], the Harris campaign was in turmoil. Ms. Harris, increasingly critical of her staff, turned more frequently to Dale Burroughs, a spiritual adviser to the campaign and founder of the Biblical Heritage Institute for the Behavioral Sciences, a Christian counseling service.

Ms. Burroughs told Ms. Harris that the campaign was not a "holy place" because women were dressed provocatively and the men swore and drank, according to Mr. [Ed] Rollins [strategist]. Mr. Ingram, the Harris spokesman, says Ms. Burroughs's role in the campaign has been exaggerated. Ms. Burroughs didn't return calls seeking comment ....

In private, Mr. Rollins recalls Ms. Harris saying God told her to stay in the race --God wanted her to be a senator.

The strategist says he responded: "Maybe God wants Nelson [incumbent Dem] to stay a senator and that's why he's encouraging you to stay in." Ms. Harris denies ever making such a comment, saying it would be "so presumptuous" and not in her character. She allows that Mr. Rollins's response is "pretty funny," even though she says he never said it.

... on a day dubbed "Bloody Friday" by ex-staffers, Ms. Harris called a meeting at her Tampa headquarters. She told the remaining professionals she was bringing in new blood.

Mr. Rollins didn't attend and quit within days. He's since moved to running other Republican campaigns. Ms. Harris's new team, more closely affiliated with the Christian right, came in and changed the locks.

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