People thank her for taking their money

Ann Herberger is one of the most important players in Florida politics that you've never heard of. She is among the country's most successful GOP money-raisers, and working for Jeb Bush she helped push Republican fundraising in Florida into the stratosphere.

But this is not your father's Republican fundraiser.

Her path to the top tier of Republican politics started in alcohol rehab. In her raspy Carol Channingesque voice, Herberger, 44, has a tendency to belt into song at a moment's notice - "Que sera sera"! When something displeases her, she is succinct: "That sucks rocks."

"She is one of those people who makes a lifelong impression when you first meet her, and I knew she'd be a huge success the first time I saw her on a tarmac in Iowa," said veteran Republican strategist Mary Matalin, who met Herberger almost 20 years ago on former President George Bush's 1988 presidential campaign. More here.

Comments

sonow foley will become a major fundraiser as this is where the perverted republicans do their "best" $$ raising.

pathetic.

[neelyohara]

That's way off base.

Ann Herberger is amazing.

Ann is terrific. period.

given mr foley's "excuse" of alcoholism, no, ts not too far off.

other examples of thid pitiful excuse can be fuond when looking at early "excuses" for priests molestation and of coures, let's not forget W's alcoholism; isn't that why we don't look at what he did his first 40 years.

Ann has probably snapped at a lot of us politicos, but she knows her stuff.

Harris camapaign is so pitiful that even www.realclearpolitics.com doesn't even bother to cover it.

herberger is an overpaid hag. she got 300,000 a year from the party to call jebs and W roladex. big deal! I cant believe this puff piece.

I wonder if she agreed to this interview b/c she needs to advertise for a new job, wonder how she (a gallagher supporter) will fare with Governor Crist!

who "prodded" her on the last Adam Smith story?

[Frank]

Ann is a legend and a Lady.

I agree..Ann is a rude COW who never appreciated those working in the small counties. She would keep the state committeemna and committewoamn out of the events even though jeb wanted us there.

She has overfed on the republican trough..I hope Governor crist sends her packing!

This is really embarassing for Ann. I feel badly. Please stop the mean spiritedness in here.

Ann Herberger is phenomanal.

the jealousy in these attacks is really sad - committeemen/women who think she should have kissed their asses more, and obviously ticked-off staff who she had to be a bit short with. You people need to get a life - Ann has done an amazing job and is a great person. NO ONE has been more loyal to our Governor than her and if she hasn't handled a few of you with the kid gloves your ego needed, get over it. She always kept her eye on the ball and made everything about the real stars, not her. Maybe that meant that some of you weren't kissed up to like you wanted to be, but in the end it has led to HUGE success for Republicans - GO ANN!!!

[Jumanji]

you're all sniping like a bunch of D's, get over it. I've known Ann H for 8 years and she is one nice, professional lady.
i thought after the Cristies won the primary the intra-party bitchiness would be over, but I guess not.

Ann is WONDERFUL...all of you people need to hush! Ann is one of the reasons our Party is so powerful...MONEY!!!!!

10:06...I bet you've never had to make a fundraising call in your life! Your ignorant comment shows that you know nothing about fundraising.

10:53 - Pay the $ and you'll get into the event!

She vouched for that lying piece of trash on the baby thing? Why? why woudl she do that? what an idiot!

11:13 "she had to be a bit short"

It's called manners my dear.. classy people have them, obviously Ann H does not!

My mother always taught me that there is no excuse for bad manners.NONE!

11:25, she had a job to do, and stroking your ego was not part of it. Like it or not, when the President is in town her job is not to go around kissing a state committeewoman's butt.

Ann H is a wonderful and loyal woman. If memory serves, the townsend woman was a Bush appointe and Ann was vouching for her as a fellow board member without context to the unfortunate -junk story story the Times ran. I beleive, Ann H has been there for Charlie over the past 8 years - In fact, I think you will see her and her business on his primary report.

OK..me again I must respond.

There is a great deal of difference bewteen kissing butt and displaying good manners. No one asks to be kissed.

Rudeness however has no place in our party. Besides it really does not take much talent to call up a guy worth a billion and tell him the president or the Governor needs a $100,000.

No one gave because It's "Ann Herbereger" on the line. They gave because she was calling in the name of the President of The United States!

Crist has the same opinion of Ann as he does CJJ..Bye Bye.

Ann is a washed up fat cow who like, brett doster is only lucky enough to suck on the bush tit, otherwise, they will be on the street.

OMG that is SOOOOO rude! true but oh so rude.

11:50, agreed that no one gave because it was Ann calling, and she would be the first to admit that - that's why she IS good. All the sniping at her is just pettiness - grow up and move along wannabes.

[PROUD CRISTIE]

Face it Jebites. The party belongs to the Cristies now. You all are OUT!

Goodbye and good riddens: Jeb, Al Austin, Carole Jean, Al Cardenas, Tom Gallagher, Mike Hightower, Van Poole, Tom (im dying soon from booze)Slade, and ANN HERBERGER,

Enough of you!

Where is this coming from? this is so nasty. Who are you people?

[Ranger Tampa Bay]

Personal Story:

Ann Herberger once tore into me for giving my checks late. I raised over $200,000. She did so in front of others, otherwise I couldn't have cared less.

Her rudeness is legendary. I was so upset I complained to Jeb persoanlly. Jeb apologized, and explained that Ann has been a loyal family friend and she needed this job. He asked me to over look the situtaion, but that he would correct it.

The next event was in Miami a few months later. She could not have been nicer to my face. But my girfriend overheard Ann bad mouthing me for "crying to jeb." I never gave another dime, nor raised anything again.

Ann may not be the reason people give money, but she is the reason the party lost my money.

I hope Charlie keeps his distance.

Al Austin and Al Hoffmna might argue with the first words of this story.

Raising $ is a demanding job and No One does it better than Meredith O'Rourke for Charlie Crist. I hope she stays around the party needs her..

2:18 You are right on point Meredithis the best out there right now. Charlie is lucky to have her on his team.

10:13 - The State Committeemen and Committeewomen (with only a few exceptions) are a bunch of kooks who think that they are the most important component of the Republican machine. Get a grip! No matter how much "grassroots" work you do, our party would grind to a halt without money. If you want to be included in an event, why don't you try writing a check every once in a while? That's the point of a FUNDRAISER. Stop selfishly thinking you are entitled to everything.

Meredith - please stop blogging about yourself and get back to raising money.

CORRECTION, 11:42.

Ann hasn't "been there for Charlie over the past 8 years."

Everyone and Adam's house cat know that Ann has repeatedly made nasty comments about Crist since the primary campaign began years ago.

[Omerta]

This article was pay back for getting Ann in trouble with the Crist people over the love-child non-issue. Looks like it back fired and made things worse.

PS - Tampa Ranger's story rings very true. Jeb is notorious for keeping people on the payroll out of loyalty, even though they should have been shown the door long ago. It prevents people from speaking ill of the Bush clan if they are never fired.

Ann H is a great lady and to come on here and bash her is just wrong. Meredith is a stellar fundraiser and does deserve credit where credit is due but this thread has nothing to do with her but Ann H.

The proof is in the pudding and Ann H has done a great job...just look at the numbers.

You people should really stop writing such hateful things.

Signed,
fellow fundraiser in florida

Oh is Ann trying to Who re out to Charlie Crist now?

Gimme a break! he knows better. meredith rules.

A new, and welcome, day is dawning for the RPOF and it's time to clear out the deadwood....Herberger, Doster, Martinez, Hanna, et al should move on and make room for the new crew...and God help those individuals with lobbying businesses/corps who will deservedly lose business because of their unwise support of Gallagher (you know who you are)...bye, bye

At the Bush EOG alumni Christmas party, I expect there to be some corners off-limits... I'd say check for knives, but the blades are already deeply embedded.

In the meantime, bonne chance to the Crist Team, but remember the whispers in the (Roman) generals' ear, "Glory is fleeting."

[Omerta]

Any fool can raise money when you can use the following opening line: Hi (fill in big name donor), Jeb asked me to call you and let you know he'd sure appreciate a $500 check from you and all your family members. Thanks!

And for that she gets 5%?! Give me a break! You don't even need to be a fool to do that, just being a monkey is good enough!

Glory may be fleeting, but it is about time the pigs share the wealth.