“She just wears people down,” said political operative Ed Rollins.
He wasn’t talking about his soon-to-be presidential candidate client Michele Bachmann or her frenemy Sarah Palin. He was talking about former Florida Rep. Katherine Harris. This was back in 2006.
Harris had, in fairness, been through three campaign managers. This is a lot. But Rollins’ had been Harris’ top strategist (this was just prior to his work with Mike Huckabee), and it is unusual for operatives to trash their candidates on the way out the door.
That’s precisely what Rollins did, however. (This is a pattern. Rollins’ also publicly attacked Arianna Huffington after working on her husband’s campaign.)
One wonders if Rollins is aware that his new client, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, has been through five Chiefs of Staff in just over four years?
This could end very badly if and when Rollins is pushed out the door. (Of course, Rollins may need the money.)
After leaving Harris’ campaign, Rollins also blabbed to The Wall Street Journal, telling them that Harris said that, “God told her to stay in the race — God wanted her to be a senator.”
Rollins says he replied to Harris, saying: “Maybe God wants [Florida Sen. Bill] Nelson to stay a senator and that’s why he’s encouraging you to stay in.”
Interestingly, it’s hard not to see some similarities between Rollins’ old boss and his new one. Asked during an interview whether or not Bachmann had a divine calling to run for office, she said: “I’ve had that calling and that tugging on my heart…”
The retort writes itself: Maybe God wants Romney to be president — and that’s why he’s encouraging her to run…