Potomac Flacks: Debate Coach Joins McCain '08 as Comms Strategist

November 17, 2006

Debate Coach Joins McCain '08 as Comms Strategist

Brett O'Donnell (left), the debate coach at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University for the past 13 seasons, is joining John McCain's '08 exploratory committee as a "communications strategegist," the Lynchburg News & Advance reports.

O'Donnell "will advise McCain on media interviews, help shape policy statements and prepare the senator for candidate forums and debates." He was recommended for the gig by Bush media advisor Mark McKinnon, after O'Donnell helped prep Bush for the '04 debates against John Kerry.

Posted by Matt Mackowiak on November 17, 2006 in 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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Matt Mackowiak is a Washington, D.C. and Austin,TX-based Republican strategist and communications consultant and President of Potomac Strategy Group, LLC. In his career he has managed a winning Congressional campaign and worked in the U.S. Senate, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, at a leading international PR firm, on a presidential campaign in Iowa and in White House presidential advance. Follow him on Twitter - @MattMackowiak

Laura Gross - Contributor
Laura Gross is currently president of Scott Circle Communications. She has served as deputy director of communications at the DNC, was Gov. Howard Dean's Communications Director and she worked in the press office at USAID during the Clinton administration. Her experience also includes time in the PR department of National Public Radio and she was part of Vice President Gore's advance team when he was in The White House.
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Blain K. Rethmeier - Contributor
Blain K. Rethmeier is currently the Senior Vice President for Public Affairs for the American Insurance Association (AIA). Rethmeier joined AIA from the White House where he served as Special Assistant to the President for Communications and directed communications for the National Economic Council and Homeland Security Council. Prior to joining the White House, Rethmeier served as Press Secretary for the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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