"In campaigns, like in football, there’s a free-agent market. And in this presidential cycle there’s still a lot of uncommitted political talent looking to join the national league.
There’s no doubt that the 2012 White House campaign is off to a late start compared with the 2008 cycle. As a result, many operatives who typically fill vital roles in the early states are still sitting on the sidelines — for now.
Why the delay? Campaigns are much more careful this cycle about how to deploy their resources early on.
After all, the two GOP candidates who spent heavily on staff early in 2008, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), did not benefit from it. McCain was forced to purge most of his staff by the summer of 2007 after his campaign bottomed out financially, and Romney failed to win the nomination despite having an extensive and experienced staff."
With 2012 Field Solidifying, Talent Market Heats Up
Roll Call Politics:
