U.S. senate candidate <stifle laughter> Katherine Harris' main squeeze has bailed.
I don't mean Jeb Bush, with whom scurrilous, libelous rumor-mongers linked her back before "Sept. 11 changed everything," or even Charlie Crist, current God-appointed rethugubernatorial candidate, who admits he "dated" Harris back in the 1980's.
Orlando Sentinel Political Pulse blogger Mark Skoneki just posted Sentinel reporter Jim Stratton's original brief for today's print edition:
Fred Asbell, Harris' chief of staff, resigned yesterday - Thursday - effective today - Friday.
In an e-mail, Fred Asbell said he's leaving to pursue a business opportunity, but he did not say what type. He also said he would do some consulting work with Harris' campaign for U.S. Senate.
Asbell told the
Sentinel that working for Harris was "an exciting adventure."
In whose dream?
Harris spokesman Gerry Fritz said Asbell will return to Florida and work as a consultant for Harris.
"This frees him up," said Fritz. "He knows Florida very well."
You have to destroy a village in order to save it, you have to quit in order to win an election campaign. Perfectly obvious to anyone with a speck of brain, and that describes all my favorite Republicans.
Asbell was Harris' fourth chief of staff. Not even a year on the job, Stratton reported.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee taunted Harris with a news release asking:
If Katherine Harris can't accomplish the basic task of keeping a staff in place in her office, how can she be trusted to function as an advocate for Florida?
Harris' spokesjerk du jour says not to worry, dude: turnover on Capitol Hill happens.