O
Old Redneck
Guest
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Republican Fred Thompson sidestepped questions
Monday about the departure of yet another high-level aide to his
presidential campaign-in-waiting.
Linda Rozett, a longtime U.S. Chamber of Commerce official, is gone
from the former Tennessee senator's committee to "test the waters" of
a presidential bid after spending the last several weeks as
communications director.
"I don't know what the story is," said Thompson, who was asked about
the departure while campaigning at the Minnesota state fair. "I don't
know what to say about it except that she's a wonderful lady."
Rozett's departure was disclosed in an e-mail to staffers from
campaign manager Bill Lacy.
"It is my duty to let you know that Linda Rozett is no longer with our
committee," Lacy wrote. "I will have to make a lot of tough decisions
to make our venture successful and this was one of them. Linda is a
talented, professional and gracious lady who will be missed. But in
the limited amount of time we have I feel it critical to have a
communications point person with significant campaign experience."
The all-but-declared candidate collected about $1.5 million less than
the $5 million backers had hoped to bring in during June, his first
fundraising month. In July, Thompson sidelined his campaign-manager-in-
waiting, Tom Collamore, and watched a few other aides follow him out
the door amid consternation inside the operation about the active role
of Thompson's wife, Jeri.
On Monday, Thompson posed for pictures, spoke briefly with reporters
and sampled the food at the Minnesota state fair.
Questioned about the resignation of Alberto Gonzales, Thompson said
the attorney general's enemies were piling on and he didn't think
Gonzales did anything wrong. But Thompson said Gonzales didn't handle
the situation very well.
"It was mishandled," Thompson said. "He doesn't have a monopoly on
that in Washington."
Thompson smiled broadly when he was introduced as an "all-but-declared
GOP presidential candidate" while interviewed live at the WCCO-AM
radio booth by Eleanor Mondale, daughter of former vice president
Walter Mondale.
"I think it's pretty clear the direction I'm headed in," said
Thompson, who plans to announce his official candidacy next month.
He was capping his visit to Minnesota with a $1,000-per person
fundraiser.
Monday about the departure of yet another high-level aide to his
presidential campaign-in-waiting.
Linda Rozett, a longtime U.S. Chamber of Commerce official, is gone
from the former Tennessee senator's committee to "test the waters" of
a presidential bid after spending the last several weeks as
communications director.
"I don't know what the story is," said Thompson, who was asked about
the departure while campaigning at the Minnesota state fair. "I don't
know what to say about it except that she's a wonderful lady."
Rozett's departure was disclosed in an e-mail to staffers from
campaign manager Bill Lacy.
"It is my duty to let you know that Linda Rozett is no longer with our
committee," Lacy wrote. "I will have to make a lot of tough decisions
to make our venture successful and this was one of them. Linda is a
talented, professional and gracious lady who will be missed. But in
the limited amount of time we have I feel it critical to have a
communications point person with significant campaign experience."
The all-but-declared candidate collected about $1.5 million less than
the $5 million backers had hoped to bring in during June, his first
fundraising month. In July, Thompson sidelined his campaign-manager-in-
waiting, Tom Collamore, and watched a few other aides follow him out
the door amid consternation inside the operation about the active role
of Thompson's wife, Jeri.
On Monday, Thompson posed for pictures, spoke briefly with reporters
and sampled the food at the Minnesota state fair.
Questioned about the resignation of Alberto Gonzales, Thompson said
the attorney general's enemies were piling on and he didn't think
Gonzales did anything wrong. But Thompson said Gonzales didn't handle
the situation very well.
"It was mishandled," Thompson said. "He doesn't have a monopoly on
that in Washington."
Thompson smiled broadly when he was introduced as an "all-but-declared
GOP presidential candidate" while interviewed live at the WCCO-AM
radio booth by Eleanor Mondale, daughter of former vice president
Walter Mondale.
"I think it's pretty clear the direction I'm headed in," said
Thompson, who plans to announce his official candidacy next month.
He was capping his visit to Minnesota with a $1,000-per person
fundraiser.
