Who’s Brett O’Donnell, you ask? The New York Times explains the story behind the Romney’s campaign’s new debate coach:
Mr. O’Donnell is a veteran of presidential debates, having served as a top debate coach to Senator John McCain of Arizona during the 2008 campaign. In that role, he helped prepare Mr. McCain for debates against Mr. Romney and brings those insights to the current sessions.
Mr. O’Donnell helped coach Mrs. Bachmann during her debates as well, but also became a senior strategist for her campaign, likely helping to shape some of the congresswoman’s sharpest attacks, including ones against Mr. Romney.
Last night’s debate was brutal for Newt Gingrich, because he wasn’t prepared for Romney to change his debate strategy. O’Donnell discovered the flaws in Romney’s debate performance and eliminated them. Further, he gave Romney a specific strategy for that one debate, which is something Romney apparently never had before—at every other debate, his strategy seemed to be “run like you’re already the nominee, and then let the clock run out.” Romney’s outrage still felt phony, and he’s still clunky on a human level, but he brought just enough of a change to his style and delivery to crush Gingrich.
We’re at that weird time in primary season when the leading candidate Frankensteins a team together out of the successful bits of all the other campaigns. Sometimes this strategy works. Other times, it fails gloriously—that’s when we get the really juicy gossip from inside campaigns, usually. O’Donnell, with his experience prodding at Romney’s prior debate performances, proved to be a great addition to the team. Gingrich is looking a hell of a lot more unelectable now.
O’Donnell’s appearance on Colbert in 2006:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert…
O’Donnell is one of the fundies. From his “faith-based consulting” website:
Churches and Christian ministries have the greatest story of hope to tell to their church, community and to the world. Our mission is to make sure that story is clearly communicated by developing a comprehensive message strategy so that it reaches its full potential in serving the cause of Christ. O’Donnell and Associates goes beyond the normal boundaries of a PR firm to develop an organic communications strategy that continues to evolve with your ministry.
He is currently consulting and advising Rick Warren.
At some point Mitt’s going to flip out and hurt Newt.
All it proved is that Romney is a waffler who has so much money he can hire people that can completely transform his personality.
I think it scared people and will contrib to the Newtpremacy in Flo Rider.
Quasi-related question: I did debate in high school, and I was pretty good. And I thought it was fun. Is there such a thing as adult debate leagues? Is there one in Seattle?