Republican John McCain played musical chairs with his top campaign staff Wednesday, hoping to add a new beat to a White House bid criticized for being out-of-step. Steve Schmidt, a member of McCain's inner circle since last year, will take over day-to-day strategy, scheduling and communications from the campaign's Virginia headquarters.
He will still report to campaign manager Rick Davis, who keeps his title but will focus on more long-term goals like picking a vice president, fund-raising and the convention.
"This is a natural growth of the campaign and we think it's a good thing," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers.
Aides insisted the move was more about gearing up, not shaking up, as the campaign heads into the heart of the general election against Democrat Barack Obama.
But McCain has been beset by criticism, much of it from within the GOP, that his team has been prone to unforced errors and has yet to find a consistent message in the four months since he clinched the nomination.
Among the complaints: The campaign hired, then fired, a string of high-paid lobbyists. McCain's ads cast him as a fan of alternative energy, then he came out in favor of off-shore drilling. He needs to win Rust Belt states, but he spent the last two days in Colombia talking up a new trade deal with the country.
The shake-up comes one year after McCain fired most of his staff in a cost-cutting push that forced him to revert to his slimmed down - and ultimately successful - image as a straight-talking maverick.
Schmidt - an imposingly barrel-chested, bald-headed tactician who helped elect California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003 and President Bush in 2004 - was a big part of that resurgence. Some believe yesterday's shake-up could foretell Schmidt taking even more control in the weeks to come.
Another strategist who may be moving up is Mike DuHaime, Rudy Giuliani's former campaign manager who has been helping McCain set up a national field operation. DuHaime has been asked to take on more of a day-to-day role but has yet to commit, sources said.
dsaltonstall@nydailynews.com