AP DC Bureau Chief Once Considered A Job Offer From McCain

[Pirate Smile]

One of Fournier's job options: McCain


John McCain's presidential campaign tried to recruit Ron Fournier, right, back in 2006.
Photo: AP

Before Ron Fournier returned to The Associated Press in March 2007, the veteran political reporter had another professional suitor: John McCain’s presidential campaign.

In October 2006, the McCain team approached Fournier about joining the fledgling operation, according to a source with knowledge of the talks. In the months that followed, said a source, Fournier spoke about the job possibility with members of McCain’s inner circle, including political aides Mark Salter, John Weaver and Rick Davis.

Salter, who remains a top McCain adviser, said in an e-mail to Politico that Fournier was considered for “a senior advisory role” in communications.
“He did us the courtesy of considering the offer before politely declining it,” Salter said.

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Fournier has taken lumps in the left-leaning blogosphere in recent weeks, following the disclosure of a friendly e-mail exchange with Karl Rove from 2004. This was followed by an analysis of his work by Media Matters, a watchdog group that critiques news coverage from a liberal perspective. The group claimed the influential Washington bureau chief has revealed a pro-McCain bias.



http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/12149.html