INTERNATIONAL: Morgan takes break to campaign for Gore

WASHINGTON: The anaging director of public affairs consultancy

Morgan Allen Moore (MAM), Steve Morgan, is taking a sabbatical to join

Al Gore’s campaign team for the US presidential election.

Morgan takes up his post under campaign manager Mike Whouley, who

reports directly to Gore, in the new year. Morgan established close

relations with Gore’s team while working in MAM’s Washington office.

The first primaries are held in Iowa and New Hampshire at the end of

January. Morgan will give policy and media relations advice as the

12-strong campaign team travels around the country.

The public affairs specialist also worked on the Labour Party campaign

for the Welsh assembly.

Although technically on sabbatical, he will return regularly to the UK

during lulls in the primary season, to maintain regular contact with the

16-strong staff of the Cardiff-based company, which also has offices in

London and Tunbridge Wells.

’The company relies heavily on electronic mail for internal

communications so I shall still keep in touch,’ he said.

The campaign tactics of the UK’s Labour Party and the Democratic Party

in the US have been converging for some time. Advisers from Bill

Clinton’s successful 1996 presidential campaign were drafted in to work

on Tony Blair’s 1997 general election victory, while staff who ran

Blair’s campaign have since returned to Washington to assist Gore.

Gore’s main opponent is former professional basketball player Bill

Bradley.

Recent opinion polls suggest the race is neck and neck with less than

two months to go before the first primary.