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Bryan Sanders is taking a leave from Dresner, Wickers and Associates to be the new campaign manager for Robert Bentley’s campaign for governor. The Parlor has learned too that Sanders will assume press duties until a replacement communications person is also named for the campaign. No other staff changes are planned aside from expansion. Look for an announcement in the coming days.
Sanders is a senior associate at Dresner, Wickers and Associates, the firm that has been handling general consultant, media consultant and pollster duties for Bentley’s campaign.
Politics runs deep in Sanders’ family. Sanders’ wife, Sarah Huckabee, is the campaign manager for Republican Congressman John Boozman who is seeking to unseat Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln. Sanders’ father-in-law is former Arkansas Governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
Update: This post has been edited for the sake of clarity.
Sharon, I agree a job in the WH is a little far-fetched, but do you mean to suggest that everyone has to be an idealogical purist to belong in the Republican Party. It would seem to me that that person would have to reconcile working for a Republican within them self, but I don’t see why having someone work for you that worked for Democrats is a bad thing. Its not as if they will be dictating to you what you have to stand for as a candidate. If Dr. Bentley is too liberal to be the GOP nominee, then so be it, but to assume that he is because a few Democrats like him seems to me to be an illogical fallacy. Alabama Democrats especially (most of them not being Barney Frank themselves).
I saw this on the Channel 31 in Huntsville and I “googled” the story. I know “dferg” pretty well and his life story. He is a few years younger than me, but we played high school football, basketball, and baseball against each other. He is one of the smartest people I know and he is definitely full of grit and determination aka “piss and vinegar”. I called him last night and he refused to say anything negative about Dresner, Wickers, and Assoc. (RWW), Doctro Bentley, Brain Sanders, Mike Huckabee or the campaign. I could tell he was shaken up, but in true form he was very classy and respectful through and through. Too bad the same courtesy was not applied by RWW. Here on Sand Mountain, David is a somebody and we respect his opinion and that’s why we all voted for Bentley. He is sticking by his support for Doctor Bentley, but his work should be acknowledged. Best of luck to him in the future. He deserves it. I have a few weeks to go to see if I vote for Bentley again.
Byrne can’t fire his campaign team, as they are the state GOP HQ employees . . .
If this person is so good that he is mentioned to be or actually is going to work in the White House–then why in heaven’s sake was he working for a long shot candidate in Alabama to begin with? Seems like to me that would have been beneath him to hang around us common folk.
And don’t even think the White House gives a rip about some Republican governors primary race in Alabama when they know that the GOP will probably win in November. They weren’t sitting around watching AP feeds and when they saw the firings at Bentley they went, “Oooohhh, we have to hire them right now because they are so good.” Umm no. Doesn’t work like that.
Anonymous re: Byrne’s staff being GOP HQ, your mom called, computer time is over. Such a tired line of attack. One with zero proof and shows that you are boring and have no friends.
hey anon 53 – since you bring up ancestry, Byrne will find out who his daddy is very soon . . .and it’s DR. Bentley. :-)
Anyone who doesn’t admit that the state party establishment is backing Byrne -at least unofficially – is being disingenuous. Are they quietly helping Byrne in contested primaries and runoffs? A lot of people think so.
Dr. Bentley’s people believe the state party is helping James, James people think the state party is helping Byrne. Just goes to show that folks will distort the truth so that it fits their best interest.
As I said above (somewhere), I support Byrne but I think he he got out in front of supporting the recount it would help him–either way–either it strings out Bentley from whole-hearted campaigning and full-fledged support or it puts in James, the weaker opponent. He also looks like he wants every vote to count. My two cents.
Wow Sand Moutain what a touching story. If Dferg and his 3 other buddies (S&S and Joe) are so interested in doing the right thing…then why are they all sitting around in a crowded apt watching the internet, spreading lies, and trying to make themselves look good in front of the 15 people that read this site.
Its funny that they all got on here to bad mouth the Bentley campaign when their is no documentation of the Bentley campaign doing anything but letting them go…yet they want to continue to be the good guys and “not say anything that could damage the campaign”.
Truth is…no one in Washington is tripping over themselves to pick up ex-employees of a long shot candidate who made the runoff despite having the staff that he did.
Its time these guys quit playing on the computer and give it a rest…the people that really matter know what they are doing…and really its just sad! If they keep this up they won’t work on another campaign again…ever…because you can’t do what they are doing and think there won’t be any consequences!
Anyone who doesn’t admit that the DEMOCRAT (AEA & Gambling) state party establishment is backing Bentley -at least unofficially – is being disingenuous. Are they quietly helping Bentley in contested primaries and runoffs? A lot of people think so.
The Stomp Stare,
I hear they kept on Bentley’s balding frat boy driver I’ve seen around and I’m guessing this is you.
Enjoy the ride on the campaign trail and your 15 minutes of fame.
I speak for all of the nobody’s of Alabama when I say, its not that he let them go. It’s that the “good old doc” himself who drove around the state promising “change” and “getting back to what matters” fell for “big wig” promises and the guys in shiny new suits.
No different then anyone else running. Which is why I’ll be changing my Bentley vote to Byrne in the run off. If they are all alike politically at least I’ll vote for the guy with some experience.
Yawn…
If AEA and Democrats are are butting into the GOP primary and helping Bentley, so be it. That’s politics. It happens. The party COULD have ended crossover voting months ago but chose not to.
However, when employees of a state political party headquarters favor candidates in contested primaries – that’s a huge ethical problem. So far, nothing has been done to stop even the perception that candidates are being hand-picked. And the perception is there.
However, if Bentley wins the nomination then hand-picking will certainly stop.
Politico is on the story.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38491.html#ixzz0qqIEvwnh
Looks to me like Bentley wanted to kick all the Dem staffers off his team before they became an issue in the runoff.
anonymous remains full of hot air. First, prove what you say is true that GOP employees are working for certain candidates in contested primaries. Second, no party can prevent crossover voting in Alabama, rule or no rule. So the GOP could not have ended anything months ago. Man, fact check before you hit submit please.
So, let me get this straight – Bentley is being supported by the Democratic party (AEA), had Democratic staffers (that he has sent to the curb), is against vouchers/charter schools, and is for a vote on gambling? Seriously, is this the REPUBLICAN primary?
[...] Turned over the whole staff? Choose the language that suits you, but the details are that two top paid staffers are gone. Another unpaid team member, who was the wife of one of the two staffers and who was planning to [...]
I am sure it’s just “a tiny spill” in “a very large ocean”–nothing to see here guys.
Serious character flaw revealed here in Bentley. In my book, you dance with the ones that brung ya.
unless you dance partner is an egotistical, power hungry, socially awkward, pathological liar…then you would sit her on the sideline and bolt for the door the first break in the music you get.
Socially awkward, you wouldn’t happen to be a campaign staffer, would you? There was a gross violation of common decency here. Sometimes politicians are rude or even cutthroat, that’s life. But Bentley held himself to a higher standard, and he miserably failed to meet that standard here.
Wow. Hope socially awkward wasn’t her husband.
Agreed. Gross violation of common decency, like the Bentley campaign lately.
Socially awkward, or rather Angi, you can’t call everybody who crosses you a pathalogical liar. Your credibility wears thin.
A political operative described as socially awkward, power hungry and egotistical? I’d be disappointed if she wasn’t. Try again.
You guys are funny…all of Dferg’s friends are here…on the internet none the less.
Stuff happens…things change…adapt and get used to it. Or you can whine and cry about it on the internet like real “men”.
Its funny how Bentley wasn’t so horrible when they were on staff…then all of a sudden all of these people come out of the woods after the departure of some staff. All of these “different” names and “information” just goes to prove my point even more. Its time they grow up…they should also realize all of their rants are being seen by more than just the Alabama politico.
Common sense should tell anyone that they are just a little bitter and can’t handle change very well. To those guys good luck with the rest of their endeavors.
If all you Bradley campaign staff at GOP HQ spent as much time actually working as you do on here he might have gotten more than 28% . . .
Let’s keep beating this dead horse until it gets 100 comments :/
I gotta believe that the folks in the Sparks campaign must be tickled pink about all the bitter sniping going on here. Nothing makes Dems happier than Republicans beating each other up.
More evidence of the incompetence of Bryan Sanders and Bob Wickers (the new people brought in from Huckabee’s planet to the Bentley campaign. Sanders is Huckabee’s son-in-law, Wickers is the new comm guy)
Here’s Wickers writing as RWW on this very thread, RWW because in real life those are his initials. Notice that Wickers gets totally outed by another followup comment :
http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2010/06/12/new-campaign-manager-at-bentley-campaign/comment-page-1/#comments
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RWW
June 13th, 2010 at 3:13 am
This is a non-story. They are nobody. When Dr. Bentley started his campaign, he was a long shot, and with a field of seven, he didn’t exactly have his pick of the best talent. This is not his first staff shakeup- he has been trading up at every opportunity. PSA was fired so he could hire these guys (after they almost sank the campaign right out of the gate.) Now we are in the big leagues and Dr. Bentley deserves the best team available. His close relationship and forthcoming endorsement from Governor Huckabee is a huge asset to our campaign, and we are lucky Bryan agreed to come aboard in our hour of need. Everyone needs to remember that internal personnel issues do not matter. What matters is getting Dr. Bentley the nomination and ultimately the governorship. The real challenge lies ahead. Thank you for your continued support.
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Ha
June 13th, 2010 at 7:47 am
To RWW aka Robert W. Wicker, when I got to your line about the “real challenge” lies ahead, I almost pissed myself laughing. No one’s going to buy that. The hard part was getting him out of the starting gate, and they did a phenomenal job. Before the mass firing, this campaign was being hailed as the best-run in the state in decades. My Great Aunt Martha could take it from here, and probably do a better job than this chucklehead.
Disregarding this major unforced error, that is. Not sure even Karl Rove could save him now.
Bill de Chi: note that he’s such an idiot that he mentions Huckabee’s “forthcoming endorsement.” Kris from The World Around You was reading all this, and that must’ve really contributed to his piece today that says he really believes there was a quid pro quo in terms of Bentley hiring the Huckabee people in return for Huckabee’s endorsement:
http://www.theworldaroundyou.com/2010/06/15/bentley-staff-shake-up-coming-into-focus/
So Wickers calls attention to the Huckabee endorsement in his easily recognized RWW post and inadvertently makes it look like a quid pro quo so that now everyone’s starting to say that’s what it was. What a moron !
Angi, you’re repeated use of the phrase “pathological liar” shows this is you. We know how much you like to use that phrad
You’ve been with the Bentley folks for a long time and think you’re protecting the Doc. Protecting the Doc would’ve been keeping the folks who brought you to the dance. You also have a long standing grudge against the ousted staffers. Those are easily verified.
What name are you going to use next time you call into a radio show to attack another candidate, or post another “anonymous” comment?
Angi, your repeated use of the phrase “pathological liar” shows this is you. Everyone in Alabama politics knows how much you like to use that phrase to attack your “enemies.”
You’ve been with the Bentley folks for a long time and think you’re protecting the Doc. Protecting the Doc would’ve been keeping the folks who brought you to the dance. You also have a long standing grudge against the ousted staffers. Those are easily verified.
What name are you going to use next time you call into a radio show to attack another candidate, or post another “anonymous” comment?
Some points…
The comment left under the name “RWW” has not been verified to belong to anyone with those initials.
Anyone could have left such a comment, especially including anybody who has an agenda to be advanced by referring to such a comment.
Anyone who wants us to conclude decisively that there is a quid pro quo agreement for an endorsement based on an unverified comment on a blog either is naive about how these matters work or believes that the rest of us are naive.
This comment has been cross-posted under relevant threads.
Please. This whole story is absurd. The campaign manager was fired because he has no experience running a statewide campaign. He is a 24 year old child who, frankly, was in over his head from the beginning. The general consultant has had control from the start. I’m sure Dr. Bentley is trying to actually win this primary, and you can’t do it without a capable staff. Yes, his resume is fine…for a 24 year old. Should he be running a campaign? Sure….for a state Senate race, or maybe a low profile congressional race. But a statewide campaign? Absolutely not.
Gosh, this tread is really gotten weird. What in hell are y’all talking about?
Isn’t the object still to get the best governor? With Tim and the Judge out of it, the choice for their voters is obvious.
It is going to be Dr. Bentley — all the way.
Look, it is just mathematical. No one really gives a happy damn about staff. Voters never have and they never will.
The establishment got 28%. Bradley would probably break into the mid-40% range if the Dems can mobilize enough cross-overs. But starting with only 28% even that would be a heavy lift — with a dangerous risk that a bunch of marginal Dems wont shift back for the general.
My guess is that the Sparks folks will figure they net out more with Bradly left as burnt toast because Sparks will likely get more left wing Byrne defectors and than could ever be gained from annoyed anti-RINO voters who backed James and the Judge and who are now determined to back Bentley.
Put another way, 28% is just too low a starting point for the enormous effort (and risk) entailed in organizing a serious cross-over movement. And then of course there is the AEA and the other Hubbard.
Apart from irrelevant staff squabbling, Bentley has pretty much got it in the bag.
[...] how they play it, they are going to have a tough time getting folks who know that Robert Bentley made Huckabee’s son-in-law his campaign manager to buy into the idea that it had nothing to do with the [...]