John McCain Press Staff Quits

Well, they always say these things happen in threes. More trouble in the John McCain camp today. ABC News Political Radar Blog reports:

On Monday, five McCain press aides -- including his three top communications officials -- quit en masse, just days after the campaign lost its chief strategist and campaign manager among dozens of aides being shed as part of aggressive cost-cutting measures.

When the first round of trouble hit the McCain camp last week, we celebrated his vibrant recent history but spared him from the Campaign Deadpool. Like a true Vietnam vet, McCain doesn't believe in exit strategy and will never throw in the towel. So, we're gonna have to do it for him. Rest In Private Sector, John McCain.

Jim Gilmore Drops Out Of Race

R.I.P(S). - Rest In Private Sector

Witty, right?

Republican underdog and recent YouChoose Spotlight-er, Jim Gilmore has officially dropped out of the primary race. He cites this election's earlier primaries as the main reason. Jim Gilmore is the first to join the Viralroots Campaign Deadpool. RIP(S), Jim Gilmore.

via Politico.com (Mike Allen)

Former Virginia Gov. James S. Gilmore III is dropping his underdog bid for the Republican presidential nomination today, his top strategist, he told Politico in an interview.

Gilmore said he has been approached about running for Virginia governor a second time, and about running for U.S. Senate if Sen. John W. Warner (R) decided not to seek reelection. Gilmore said he will consider both operations. Showing his interest in Old Dominion politics, he said he will start a political action committee to support Republicans running for the state senate and House of Delegate.

In the interview, Gilmore said the punishing financial requirements of the early-starting race caused him to decide that it was "impractical" to continue. "Because of the front-loading of the primaries, I would have basically had to stop campaigning and spend full time organizing hundreds of people to raise money for me," he said.

Later, his campaign issued a statement in which he said: "I have come to believe that it takes more than a positive vision for our nation's future to successfully compete for the presidency. I believe that it takes years of preparation to put in place both the political and financial infrastructure to contest what amounts to a one-day national primary in February."

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