McCain aide cites 'failure of management'
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/11/14/art.davis.gi.jpg caption="Davis managed McCain's campaign."](CNN) - Rick Davis, the campaign manager for former John McCain's White House bid, came to Sarah Palin's defense in an upcoming interview with the National Review, saying the now-infamous $150,000 clothing tab for the Alaska governor was caused by a "failure of management."
In the interview, set for publication next week, Davis notes Palin's appearance at the Republican convention came only days after she was named to the GOP ticket, and the Alaska governor had few clothes on hand that were appropriate for the event.
“We flew her out from Alaska to Arizona to Ohio to introduce her to the world and take control of her life. She didn’t think ‘dress for the convention’, because it might have just been a nice day trip to Arizona if she didn’t click with John. Very little prep had been done and if it had, we might have gotten picked off by the press. We were under incredible scrutiny."
"We were under incredible scrutiny," he added. "We got her a gal from New York and we thought, ‘Let’s get some clothes for her and the family.’ It was a failure of management not to get better control and track of that. "The right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing, what it was worth or where it was going. No one knew how much that stuff was worth. It was more our responsibility than hers.”
News of the pricey tab caused a media firestorm days before the presidential election, and McCain aides appeared to blame Palin for the mishap, while the Alaska governor said she was forced to buy the clothes.
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She didnt see the price tags? Please.
He says "the right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing". That's a very telling statement that just about makes a summary description of the whole Republican Party.
but she sure liked wearing them.
All this says to me is: i'm worried about my future. please hire me in your 2012 campaign. all is forgiven.
Whatever. Does anyone really care? Get over it.
Uh, huh... Hilarious. And they wanted to lead the free world?
lol why are we still talking about all this? we can tell... the entire campaign was mismanaged.
This had to be the dumbest topic of issue throughout the whole campaign. I had a lot of other reasons to not want her than how much money was spent on her clothes!
Palin and her clan looted the GOP. I sooooo love her. She should be the new face of the GOP.
IGNORANCE IS BLISS!!!!
Run Sarah Run!!! Palin 2012!
Wait, but didn't she make a couple of trips back to Alaska during the campaign? Couldn't she have picked up her clothes then? If they wanted her to represent the common folk, why dress her in designer duds-to compete with Cindy? Yes, Rick Davis, this was a huge miscalculation on your part. Maybe you should have used the many weeks between when McCain was named to when you named a VP, to actually CHOOSE someone i.e., find out about this person and get them prepared for the spotlight? No, you picked her only because Obama did not choose Hillary, and then you were stuck. Nice of you to take some blame off Palin after your staff have made her out to be even more of a liar than she shows herself to be anyway. And you guys wanted to run the country???
Now see that is my problem Repubs!!
You were asking America to vote for the Republican Ticket with you being unorgranized, you did not vet Palin, "The right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing..", are you serious??
The GOP continues to remind how they insult the intelligence of the American people. Ree-Dayum-Diculous!!!
OKay... You need clothes for the family for the convention. That explains the first 1-2,000 dollars maybe. 148,000 dollars more? That doesn't include the cost of transporting the whole family all over the country, feeding them, housing them in hotels. I wouldn't be surprised that the total cost of the Palin clan to the McCain campaign approaching a half million dollars. ...talk about fiscal responsibility!
The Palins were having an all-expense-paid family vacation for a few months.
Why stop there, Rick? The whole McCain campaign was a failure. You and your whole team are/were incompetent. And the American people thank you for it. We now have a great President in the making.
In the "failure of management," Rick Davis' name would have to be at the top of the list. What a loser.
I'm so glad these people aren't running our country.
Can't even run a campaign, much less the United States....and all the hate spewing from McCain and Palin more than proves my point.
They left a trail of slime and lies from coast to coast. They are a complete disgrace to our country.
Thank you, Mr. Davis, for accepting at least some responsibility for this disaster. Your explanation sounds very plausible.
Pretty much the story of the whole Republican Party not just this one
campaign–failure.
rick davis: your management,your lobbyist ties, mccain's age and lack of policies all contributed to your loss. palin was just the icing on the cake. you lost because of your constant negative campaigning and outright lies. go back to lobbying for freddie and fannie!
I thought Sarah's 15 minutes were up....PLEASE!!!!
Oh yeah right, I'm sure the folks at the McCain campaign said "Sarah, you WILL wear Neiman Marcus, Gucci, and Prada or else!"
I'm certain that her being a former beauty pageant contestant, she isn't going to just let someone put her in clothes that she doesn't okay, nor her family. Just because Davis didn't 'regulate' her spending doesn't mean she's not to blame for the outrageous amount spent.
I read the GOP spent $13,000.00 on perfume and cosmetic accessories for Palin.
They also spent thousands on clothes for the 'first dude'. You have to take a step back and laugh. You betcha.
I truly hope this clueless patholgical liar runs in 2012 so we can guarentee a second Barack term.
Lo....oooo....ssss...eeee...rrrr....ssss!!!
SPIN,SPIN,SPIN She could have refused the clothes. And why did the family need clothes? Accessories?Silk boxer shorts? come on give us a break.
Maybe you should have chosen a VP candidate sooner that was your right person for the job rather than waiting to pick one as a reaction to the Democratic choice. Just further proof of a knee-jerk organization more interested in "effect" than substance. Thank God (and the American people who saw through you) you lost.