White House Watch: Gillespie picked to head up nomination effort
Ed Gillespie will increasingly serve as the point man for the John Roberts nomination to the Supreme Court, coordinating the White House campaign to win his confirmation.
President Bush tapped Gillespie, a powerful Washington consultant, for the temporary assignment for several reasons: As former Republican national chairman leading into Bush's re-election victory last year, he got to know the president well and earned the president's trust. As a former congressional staffer and longtime GOP operative, Gillespie has innumerable friends and associates in Congress, in the GOP network across the country, and in the news media. Finally, Bush came to rely on Gillespie to take on antagonistic Democrats if it became necessary during the 2004 campaign, and the president admires Gillespie's communications skills and coolness under fire.
Former Republican Senator Fred Thompson is expected to work hand in hand with Gillespie, as the personal adviser to Roberts himself; he's already started introducing the nominee to key senators and counselling him on how to maneuver through senatorial mine fields.
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