McCain Forces Move Into RNC Positions

Republican National Committee officials confirmed today that former Hewlett-Packard boss Carly Fiorina is moving in to take over as chair of Victory 2008, the group that raises money and handles the get-out-the-vote operation, including the 72-hour campaign leading up to Election Day.

She will be joined by longtime GOP activist Lewis Eisenberg, John McCain's national finance cochair, who will serve as finance chairman, and Frank Donatelli, a former Reagan political director, as RNC deputy chairman. There also remains talk that McCain strategist Charles Black will join the RNC as well. The addition of McCain supporters to the RNC is typical at this time in a presidential campaign, when the likely nominee plugs his supporters into top jobs in a bid to coordinate the campaign with the party's political and fundraising arm.

"This is part of the merger," an official said, that will "complete integration of the campaign and committee so we are as effective and efficient as possible."

By Paul Bedard