Democratic mayoral candidate Tom Henry's campaign manager has been let go, and I'm not sure what his transgression was:
Knuth said Ascher lacked strengths the campaign needed, such as working with the media, and had a style that clashed with other campaign members. Still, Knuth said he would recommend Ascher to another campaign.
A style that "clashed with other campaign members"? What does that mean -- he doesn't play well with others? And how much skill does it take to "work with the media" in a mayoral campaign in which pretty much everything each candidate says and does is considered newsworthy? Ascher was brought in from New York via Kansas, and it sounds like the next person might not be from around here, either:
Knuth said he has people in mind for Ascher's job and several good applicants, but added that it is rare to find someone local with the necessary skill sets.
I'm looking at it from my side of the campaign-press divide, of course, but if those skill sets mostly involve working with the media, I'd say the most important attribute of a campaign manager is to be someone we already know and trust. If local campaigns have become so difficult and in need of specialized assistance that we have to bring in out-of-town talent, I'd say we've let things get away from us.
And before anybody else points it out, yes, Republican Matt Kelty bringing in an out-of-town lawyer to explain his campaign finances raises the same kinds of concerns.
