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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Glad to see everyone is moving forward now that the election is over. Reading some of these comments just reiterates the ignorance of some in this country. Win or lose its time to move forward as we are all Americans first!
Nice try, Rick. I'm not buying it. On the other hand, if this is true it shows what a poor job your team did in vetting Palin. You based her selection on that second interview. You now prove her selection was a lark.
Ms. Palin was the wrong choice. Get over it. It was not the clothing...it was who was wearing them.
If they couldn't keep tabs on a $150,000 clothing line for Palin and family, I am glad McCain was not elected to run the country, because there is a lot more to keep track of.
She is the new queen of mean, a clothes horse and a diva. Hey don't forget about Todd silk boxers, wow.
What a mess of campaign!
They picked a gal from Alaska to run for VP and then a gal from NY to dress her up. It makes perfect sense.
By the way, a woman knows good stuff, this excuse that she did not know how much the clothes and makeup were costing is an insult to our intelligence.
And... were the clothes donated already? I wonder which lucky homeless will be parading a $75 suit..... Yeah, right. Shame GOP!
Sounds like somebody is trying to line themselves up to be her campaign mgr for 2012.
You don't have to spend $150,000 to look good. That is why I like Michelle Obama so much–she always looks great and doesn't feel it necessary to buy "Designer" clothes. She's down-to-earth. Palin I think just wants to grab the attention and get as much loot as she can for herself and her family. I also think the press is spending way too much time covering her. In my opinion there is no way she is ever going to be able to adequately prepare herself for the national stage.
Didn't Biden say that Obama was not ready to lead this country in the primaries???
Didn't Hilary say the same thing??
...and now Biden swear's Obama is the best leader to lead this country and Hilary is kissing Obama's butt for a position in his administration...hahaha....
typical left-wingers, such hyprocrites!!!
Sarah,
Are you going to sell this wardrobe on E bay?????
The clothes issue has no bearing on the election in reality. The choice of Mrs Palin WAS the issue! Or should I say one of many issues.
Didn't Biden say that Obama was not ready to lead this country in the primaries???
Didn't Hilary say the same thing??
...and now Biden swear's Obama is the best leader to lead this country and Hilary is kissing Obama's butt for a position in his administration...hahaha....
typical left-wingers, such hyprocrites!!!
I feel the change! Everyone is so much more friendly and smiling – no nasty comments... Oops! My mistake. With supporters like these, Obamy won't have any honeymoon.
Yeah, you gott just love that (black widow) dress that Michelle was wearing...
Left wing liberal and socialists democrats. Why even bother to comment. We can write your comments without even having to read them. 🙂
Republicans lost due to lies, racial rhetoric, and poor campaign management. In addition to thinking we as woman would embrace someone who was clearly not qualified just because she was a woman. Give woman, men and minorities more credit then that. The woman from Alaska was simply a poor choice period.
What will she do for her next national coming out gig?
I think this was discussed prior to Ohio. Women think about clothes in a different way. I am not convienced this is the full truth to this matter.
When does a party pay for clothes for a family?
Had she been elected she would had been paying for her own items.
Face it -it was tacky.
Her not having the clothes to face the nation should had been an eye-opener.
Not surprise, it showed throughout the McCain campaign.
Oh my ... What will I ever wear. What did she wear as governor? Or was the emperor wearing new clothes?
Why is she still wearing the clothes?? McCain entire campaing was mismanaged.
As one who supported Hillary and voted for McCain, I knew Palin was telling the truth. But CNN and MSNBC managed to make a much bigger deal of it than they should have. Again, the media was in the bag for Obama. So, what else is new. After seeing what they all did to Hillary I have no respect for the New York Times, CNN, CBS, MSNBC, NBC and to a lesser degree ABC. They should be fired just like Dodd, Frank and the rest of them who sat by and watched this mess unfold.
Glad you dumb Republicans lost. Can you imagine what kind of a government there would have been if they had won? I am a reformed Republican. Never again to be fooled by their evil ways.
Fascinated by the comments here. But I can't help but wonder if they aren't "programmed" by the leaders of the Obama campaign. Everyone agrees that Palin was a poor choice, everyone agrees that the McCain campaign was all screwed up, Everyone agrees that Obama outspent McCain 4 to 1. Everyone agrees that the economy presented almost a perfect storm benefitting Obama, Everyone agrees that the public is tired of the Iraq war. And yet Obama won by only a few percentage points. INTERESTING, EH?
Left wing liberal and socialists democrats. Why even bother to comment. We can read your comments without you even having to writethem. 🙂
I'll betcha you support Ayers in saying he was not a domestic terroist.
🙂
Well I always knew that Rick Davis was a low life. He tells whatever story that fits for the time being. Guys like Rick are nothing but pure slime and can never be trusted.
Please let's focus on what's important here – Palin's still equal parts arrogance and ignorance. Doesn't matter what you dress her in.