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.