Erin Isaac leaving Crist's press shop, but not for campaign

Shane Strum, Gov. Charlie Crist's chief of staff, just confirmed that longtime communications director Erin Isaac is leaving Crist's press shop -- and won't be going to work for the campaign.

Strum said Isaac yesterday afternoon told him of her "intent to resign." Strum said she will likely submit a formal resignation in the coming days, "and then we'll decide our next steps on communications."

"She's been there for three years, so she's been a big part of the team," Strum said. "She just came to me and said 'Hey, it's time.' I think she probably has a lot of opportunities out there."

Isaac did not return a phone call to the Times/Herald, and it is unclear where her next job will be. When the Times/Herald called former chief of staff Eric Eikenberg on Wednesday morning to ask whether the rumors of her departure are true, he insisted "there is nothing to that." Strum called a few minutes later and said the opposite. 

Isaac was thought to have been a possible campaign communications director for Crist's U.S. Senate campaign, but that job just went to former Sen. Orrin Hatch flak Andrea Sauls. The announcement came amid whispers that Crist's administration was unhappy with Isaac's handling of Crist's public image and press coverage lately.

In terms of press coverage lately, Crist has been having a bad stretch -- largely of his own doing. (The stimulus support he insists he never gave, Obama man-hug tape notwithstanding; his insistence he didn't know Obama's recent Florida itinerary; the uproar over an anti-Rubio Web site that had the participation of an RPOF paid consultant; and public floggings by former press buddies Wolf Blitzer and Chris Matthews, etc.)

Crist also lately has been acting as his own press secretary -- calling the Times' Adam Smith to set up an interview on Political Connections, and arranging the Times' recent interview in Gainesville with himself and first lady Carole Crist. The governor also recently instructed reporters to call his cell phone directly -- rather than using a "go-between" in the press office.

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Comments

[...]

Whoa!

[buh bye!]

Makes Heffley's Hitler in the Bunker video seem that much more relevant.

[dave]

Um, maybe if Charlie wouldn't keep sticking his foot in his mouth he wouldn't be getting bad press. Just saying.

[J]

Erin is a nice girl. This will be good for her in the long run. She will be on with her life when the Crist ship goes down.

[nice?]

I think the only person who has ever met Erin that would insist that she is nice is Erin.

[Rats from a sinking ship]

Rats from a sinking ship.

[Isaacs departure wasn't voluntary]

TALLAHASSEE -- After a spate of bad press, sources are saying Gov. Charlie Crist has fired longtime communications director Erin Isaac.

[No surprise here]

Erin treated people horribly.....this was long overdue

[FLC]

Is she leaving because she was passed over on the campaign?

[k. winter]

YOU'RE FIRED!!!!!

[karma is a b*tch]

Does anyone else hear the Hallelujah Chorus ringing throughout Tallahassee or is it just me?

[Paul]

She wasn't doing a good job with his public image?

What the hell did she have to work with.

She probably will not be the last one to jump ship before the big push in the Senate race.

There is nothing Charlie can say or do that will make himself
look good, and show that he was a successful Governor
and left Florida a better place for his being here.

[;(]

I will miss Erin. She was a class act.

[the lollypop guild]

Who knew Ida packed the punch to drop a house on the wicked witch?

[Second Lady]

Who would know better than the Wicked Witch herself, and that is NOT Erin.

[come on]

Too soon for Chuckie and Garbage Pail Kid jokes?

[Be nice]

Yes 1:26pm too soon give the girl a break

[ugot2go]

Shane:Buh Bye
Erin:But wait what happened
Shane: Buh Bye
Erin: Wait
Shane: Buuuh Bye
Erin: Does Gov.Crist know about this?
Shane: Yes and wait just one minute I have something for you it's alittle Buh Buh Buh Bye.
Erin: I would have never treated somebody like this!
Shane: Really - really - REEEALLY your not REALLY, really no really oh sorry I got off subject Buh Bye.
Erin: Do you know what I have done for the Gov.?
Shane: Yes and Buh Bye but wait just let me say thank you for all your hard work even if it was mesdirected and the Gov. Ask ed me to give you a final BBBBBBBBBBBBUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHH bye.

[Soothsayer]

There are actually TWO Erins...

The first was the helpful, approachable Doobie that pandered to the Press. The other one is a paranoid egomaniac who's a shrieking bully.. she's run off more staff than anyone in memory and is both feared and despised within the EOG.

She's another of CC's BFFs that give him their blind loyalty and get his in return...think Greer, LeMieux, etc. Good riddance to her...maybe Greer's next.

[dfsvb]

Who resigns from a job paying $120,000.00 without a job lined up with unemployment at 10.2%?
I can tell you, thats somebody who is about to get slapped with a ton of reality.

[she brought it on herself]

be nice? give the girl a break? why? not philosophies she lived by. more like, throw everyone else under the bus and step on whoever you can to get ahead. good riddance. she gets what she deserves.

[Morris]

That weasel Shane Strum was probably afraid of the competition. She (anyone, really) could outshine him. And really, what is a communications person to do when a sitting Governor insists he did not endorse a Stimulus Package where he is on record - and many soundbytes - stating "..we have to get this thing passed..."

Good luck Erin. You made it to a lifeboat.

[m2ks]

No one was more loyal than Erin. This is how they treat loyalty on Team Crist when the chips are down. Everyone take note...

[werfwefvwer]

1:40 "Morris"
It's time for you to get back in the file room.

[XX]

Typical Crist move - when things arent going well for him, he turns on the loyalists.

I always thought Erin was in over her head with this job, not enough experience under her belt to be Comm Director for the Governor of the 3rd largest state in the US. In my dealings with her, i never experienced anything but kindness and genuine efforts. But i have also witnessed Erin not being kind and thwarting the genuine efforts of others.

Now, the word in Tally is not only is Charlie blaming Erin for his recent bad press... someone else is blaming Erin for "HER" lack of press.

Erin.. leak the secrets! leak the secrets!

[Arlene]

OMG What happened, whatever you do don't resign it's hard out here.

[Heffley]

OMG...........AM I NEXT???????

[Crist turns on all.]

Charlie alway's turns on the people who are truly loyal to him, Word to Eikenberg and Greer, watch out he will turn on you both someday...

[buzzard.]

$120K? I'll do it!! How hard can it be?

[Eikenberg and Greer is next.]

My bet is before this campaign is over Crist fire's Eric , turn's on Greer and has no one left to blame

[relieved]

It's about time. Charlie's problems lately have been largely of his own doing, but many of his problems for the last three years have been Erin's doing. An egomaniacal dictator and a dicatorial egomaniac, she has been largely reviled within EOG, the executive agencies and the press corps. This town has seen some pretty good, competent and well-regarded Governor's communications directors and press secretaries, but Erin is not one of them. Not since Susan Traylor (anyone remember her?) has the position been filled by someone so deservedly disliked.

[Fire Charlie]

This is like the McCain Campaign all over again. You can keep switching the staff, but the problem is with the candidate. No one can save Charlie. He's the one that needs to get fired.

[More Crist Lies]

She didn't resign, she was fired.

[MJ]

Erin, enjoy your descent into irrelevance.

[A Friend]

Crist's inner circle is now:

Crist
Greer
Carol

That's it. No one else left. Eric, you are a good guy. You could have a job in DC in a moments notice. No need to go down with the Crist ship. Think about your wife and children. Don't throw it all away for this guy.

[All aboard]

This is the Charlie Crist Train Wreck.

[XX]

"A Friend" is truly in the know.. except Greer is more outside the inner circle than in, and he is the closest one "in".

Something has happened with Charlie - he definitely is not the candidate of past races.

[Soothsayer]

You folks who've been drinking the Marco kool-aid and the Meek Miller Lite are overestimating how much the general population knows or cares about all the "Gotchas" of the past few weeks. They don't read the papers much and don't believe what they read when they do.

CC has lots of time left to inoculate and will have all the money in the world. He's very formidable now and will be more so next year as his dollar advantage grows. This doesn't mean that he'll make a good US Senator...just that he's still the frontrunner by a mile, wishful thinking notwithstanding.

[relieved]

Soothsayer (3:47) - I agree with you completely. However, this item is about Erin, and I am convinced she has ill-served this Governor's interests. Whether the general public realizes it, he'll be better off with her gone.

[buzzard.]

Speaking of Charlie Crist's press secretary....

...isn't it shameful that by and large, veterans don't get a day off for Veteran's day, but people who've never served a day in the military do.

...and isn't it shameful that America's lust for war is foisted primarily upon those of limited means. As long as there is a bad economy, Obama will never run out of cannon fodder.

...and isn't it shameful that Obama gets a photo op with the war dead but doesn't fulfill his campaign promise to get us out of Iraq.

Now go ahead and get back to the silly nonsense you were talking about.

[SFL]

It is irrelevant who made the decision; fact is, Erin will land on her feet because she has passion in what she does and has been nothing but one of the most valuable and hard-working individuals the people of Florida have ever had behind their Chief. He too will work through these political bumps-in-the-road and continue in his endeavors for Senate; and most likely will be successful at it. I just hope that he realizes what he has lost when Erin walks out the doors of the Capitol. Good luck Erin; you will be missed...

[John]

Sounds to me the failings of late were the Governor's, not Erin's.....maybe the Governor should leave and keep Erin??

[LEFT BEHIND]

She was always a witch with an attitude. She thought herself better than anyone else because she was with Chuckles. Now she has an egg on her face by him and the clan.

I wish her the best.

Maybe she'll join the Marco team now that she has been scorned and FIRED!!!

[Nice try SFL]

On the contrary, it is incredibly relevant who made the decision. How many sitting communications directors have not only been passed over for primo campaign positions in an election year, but also been asked to leave when there is little over a year left to fulfill in the term?

[seeya]

yeah..dont let the door hit you on the way out

[SEE YA]

For all those laughing at Erin just remember it could be you or someone you know who's next on the block. Charlie isn't loyal to anyone except himself. I know Erin certainly didn't make any friends while she was in her position BUT she did serve the Gov well and always worked hard for him. This was not the way to handle this situation. Shame on him or rather shame on us for voting him into office. I can tell you this Republican will never make that mistake again. Erin, I hope you learn from this experience. You shouldn't have blinded yourself to all of Charlie's faults.

[Two-Faced Chuck is at it again!]

"...former chief of staff Eric Eikenberg on Wednesday morning to ask whether the rumors of her departure are true, he insisted "there is nothing to that." Strum called a few minutes later and said the opposite."

... nuff said

[..]

The next time someone is fired from the administration the "she resigned" story should be coordinated a bit better.

[SFL]

Nice Try -

Sorry, still not seeing the relevancy here...all that matters in the end is that she has many offers, one of which I am certain she has accepted, and many of which pay her even more than she was recently making, so she will survive this. And just because she is dedicated and focused, does not make her a "witch" people.

[Real truth]

And another one bites the dust, another one bites the dust and another one gone and another one gone.........

WHO'S NEXT?