McCAIN REMOVES ANOTHER OF HIS CORRUPT LOBBYSISTS FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT OF THE DOUBLE TALK EXPRESS-- OR DID HE?

Steve Schmidt now in charge of all McCain's negative messaging

As McCain's campaign manager, shady lobbyist Rick Davis has caused McCain endless problems and is a walking reminder that McCain's entire campaign is infested with the sleaziest congregation of Inside the Beltway special interest lobbyists ever assembled for any political campaign. He has been McCain's connection to the Russian Mafia and a key player in the developing Telecom scandals. Today Davis announced that although he would remain a key player in McCain's operation-- especially where it comes to the major donors at the heart of everything McCain does-- the day to day work (and the media spotlight) would go to Schwarzenegger's former campaign manager Steve Schmidt. He "will coordinate the campaign's daily pro-McCain and anti-Obama message but also will have an increased role in shaping most every facet of the organization including scheduling, policy, coalitions and surrogates."

Now, accounts diverge on the exact nature of the new chain of command. One top McCain source said that Schmidt "assumed full operational control of the campaign today" and described Davis as "a general manager."

But Charlie Black, another top adviser, said Davis was still in charge.

"Steve is going to function under Rick as a [chief operating officer]," Black said. "Rick still has authority over all things. Steve works for Rick."

But Black made sure to not diminish Schmidt's elevated role in the campaign.

"He'll be the maestro who conducts the symphony," Black said of Schmidt's position in driving McCain's message.

Yet McCain sources say Schmidt's imprint will be felt beyond a campaign message that, until recently, had not been clearly defined.

A handful of his fellow Bushworld veterans are also taking on more high-profile roles.

UPDATE... AHHH... IT WAS A SHAKE-UP

Tomorrow's NY Times says McCain was "responding to Republican concerns that his candidacy was faltering" and that's why he decided to centralize the power structure and put in the Rove character.

The elevation of Steve Schmidt — who worked closely with Karl Rove — at Mr. McCain’s headquarters represented a sharp diminishment of the responsibilities of Rick Davis, who has been Mr. McCain’s campaign manager since the last shake-up nearly a year ago.

The shift was approved by Mr. McCain after several of his aides, including Mr. Schmidt, went to him about 10 days ago and warned him that he was in danger of losing the presidential election unless he revamped his campaign operation, two officials close to the campaign said.

The move of Mr. Schmidt is the latest sign of increasing influence of veterans of Mr. Rove’s shop in the McCain operation. Nicolle Wallace, communications director for Mr. Bush in the 2004 campaign (and in his White House), has joined the campaign as a senior adviser, and will travel with Mr. McCain every other week.

Greg Jenkins, another veteran of Mr. Rove’s operation who is a former Fox News producer and director of presidential advance in the Bush White House, was hired by Mr. Schmidt last week after a series of what Mr. McCain’s advisers acknowledged were poorly executed campaign events.

Mr. Rove, who was Mr. Bush’s senior political adviser until he left the White House last year, was said by Mr. McCain’s advisers to have offered advice in recent days to Mr. Schmidt and others on how to get Mr. McCain’s campaign on track, but has stayed mostly on the periphery. Mr. Rove is aware, his associates said, that his own legacy could be helped should Mr. McCain win the presidency.

Is he still denying he's the embodiment of 4 more disastrous years?