Kerry fires campaign manager
Asks former manager Jim Jordan to stay as strategist
From John King
CNN Washington Bureau
 |
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry talks with New Hampshire residents.
Story Tools
VIDEO
|
CNN's Candy Crowley reports that Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry replaced his campaign manager as he tries to catch front-runner Howard Dean.
|
SPECIAL REPORT
|
|
|
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, a Democratic presidential contender, has fired his campaign manager and named a longtime Democratic operative as a replacement.
In a written statement Monday from Kerry's office, he said, "I have decided to make a change at the top of my campaign leadership. Mary Beth Cahill, an accomplished leader for Democrats and progressive causes, including President Clinton, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Rep. Barney Frank and EMILY's List, will be my new campaign manager."
EMILY's List -- the name stands for "Early Money Is Like Yeast" -- is a lobbying group on behalf of women's political issues.
Jordan informed
The fired manager, Jim Jordan, was informed of the decision Sunday, two sources told CNN. Kerry's statement praised his work and said he will continue with the campaign in another capacity.
Kerry wrote, "From the bottom of my heart, I thank Jim Jordan for his leadership, extremely hard work, unsurpassed loyalty and devotion to me, to this campaign and to the people who have worked with him. I've asked Jim to continue in his role as senior strategist as we enter this critical phase of the campaign."
Jordan is a former director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He has been the day-to-day manager of the Kerry campaign, which has struggled to keep pace with former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.
Dean now leads polls in New Hampshire, a state viewed by many as a must-win for the Massachusetts senator, and there have been months of debate and disagreement within the Kerry camp over how to respond.
