A member of Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s staff is believed to be the source of the document leak according to the N.Y. Post:
Suspicion ran high yesterday that Rudy Giuliani’s lost White House campaign playbook was swiped by aides to Florida’s new governor – while the ex-mayor was helping him win election, sources told The Post.
Giuliani’s aides were tightlipped about how it disappeared, but said it happened during a private plane ride on the campaign trail for 2006 candidates. They included Florida Gov. Charles Crist.
“During one leg of his campaign travel, all luggage was removed from a private plane and later put back on,” said Giuliani’s spokeswoman, Sunny Mindel.
“However, one staffer’s bag was not returned. After repeated requests over the course of a few days, the bag was finally returned with the document inside.
“Because our staffer had custody of this document at all times except for this one occasion, it is clear that the document was removed from the luggage and photocopied,” she added, stopping short of saying it was stolen.
“Voters are sick and tired of dirty tricks. They are interested in substantive issues and want leaders like Rudy who are as well,” Mindel said.
But operatives outside Giuliani’s camp said the book was taken during a campaign swing for Crist – a Republican, like Giuliani – whose inauguration to replace Jeb Bush as Florida’s governor took place yesterday. Crist’s aides didn’t return calls for comment.
Geesh… With friends like these…
January 3rd, 2007 at 1:25 pm
The ruthlessness doesn’t stop at Johnny…it seems to be a character trait he shares with his backers too. What do they always say about birds of a feather?
It takes a certain kind of man to throw your drowning opponent an anchor. Johnny would do it with a smile.
January 3rd, 2007 at 1:32 pm
EDIT: Gosh… Since being a little tongue-in-cheek is apparently lost on some people, I will stop with the attempts at humor.
January 3rd, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Where in the article does in say that Crist is behind the leak?
January 3rd, 2007 at 1:59 pm
CC,
You’re right. I have edited the headline to more accurately reflect the article.
January 3rd, 2007 at 2:02 pm
I said it before and I will say it again, John McCain is worse then a RINO, he is an opportunist
and that is even more dangerous
January 3rd, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Posting this blog is slimier than what you are accusing McCain of doingSo you are trying to besmirch McCain in your title thread- based on exactly what EVIDENCE?!!
January 3rd, 2007 at 2:10 pm
JAF,
This is a news aggregate blog post. I have linked to an article were the accusation was made since this has been the biggest 2008 related story on the GOP side for the past 24 hours and this blog is devoted to everything 2008 on the GOP side of the aisle.
The person that wrote the story that contains the accusations is Maggie Haberman. She can be reached at maggie.haberman@nypost.com
January 3rd, 2007 at 2:13 pm
The worst part about Giuliani is how he covered up for mobster Gideon Chern.
THis has yet to come out in the mass media, but there are lots of skeletons with Chern .
January 3rd, 2007 at 2:38 pm
It’s ok Kavon, I wasn’t criticizing, just confused! Thought I missed something.
January 3rd, 2007 at 2:40 pm
McCain felt like the nomination was stolen from him by Bush and his friends who attacked him in South Carolina relentlessly. Apparently he’s learned from that and is now working it himself. It’s going to be ugly early and often.
January 3rd, 2007 at 2:46 pm
CC,
Thank you for pointing it out
. You were absolutely correct and I really appreciate you bringing to my attention.
January 3rd, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Kavon,
“McCain backer” makes it sound like McCain ordered Crist or his staffer to take the document. Crist is close to Giuliani as well, so I’d find it difficult to believe that he would OK such a move.
January 3rd, 2007 at 3:34 pm
It’s interesting to suggest that McCain would be behind this because of what “was done to him” in 2000. Not that I agree, but an interesting historical note is the 1960 Kennedy/Nixon campaign. Nixon had always had a reputation of being tricky, hence his nickname of “Tricky Dick” which dates to the 1950′s during his time as VP under Ike. But in 1960, he resolved (for whatever reason) to wage a relatively clean campaign vs. JFK. The end, was that while Nixon took the comparatively high road, Kennedy – or his partisans – used all sorts of behind the scenes dirty tricks, culminating in voter fraud in at least Texas and Illinois. It could be argued that Nixon lost because he played clean in that one race. He resolved never to be afraid to do what is necessary ever again in his political career, which started him on the path that led to Watergate.
While I am a staunch McCain backer, I can nonetheless appreciate the historical parallel if this is true. And, after all, there are some who believe that the end justifies the means.
January 3rd, 2007 at 5:13 pm
LJ,
Crist is solidly in McCain’s camp for 2008 though…
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:00 pm
This is so much like the West Wing episode where the Democrat loses his briefcase and the Republican finds it.
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Im not saying Team McCain was involved in the theft, but if eventually is traced to them can you imagine the fireworks. McCain as a candidate for Pres. would be doomed. Regardless of what really happened, what team Rudy believes happened is terrible for McCain. Romney is already taking aim at McCain and now Rudy might begin also. Best to keep your enemies divided…
January 4th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
If someone from the McCain camp was responsible for this so-called dirty trick, it seems no one
at the McCain HQ learned from the so-called efforts to demolish McCain in 2000. If they are now
doing the same thing today, that person sounds more like a few hypocrites work for McCain
and will stoop at nothing to sabotage their competitor. Sounds like politics at its worst form.