McCain's Announcement Surprised His Own Staff

Political Wire reports that not all is well in the McCain campaign as staff members have quit over his impromptu announcement on the Letterman show:

Radar Online says many of Sen. John McCain's staff "were blindsided by his campaign announcement" on the Late Show with David Letterman. "And several aides were so outraged that they've quit, say Republican insiders."

Said one: "They're imploding -- he had a game plan that had him announcing much later in the year... Romney's plan and Rudy's jump in the polls caused him to scrap his plans completely. When you do that, and you're not prepared for it, the staff goes crazy. Some of his coordinators in different states were pulling their hair out!"

Meanwhile, in another Political Wire post, the polls in California continue to show strength for Rudy Giuliani and trouble for McCain:

On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani appears to have Sen. John McCain "outflanked on multiple fronts" and leads 41% to 23%, with Newt Gingrich coming in at 13%.

"Giuliani leads McCain among Pro-Choice voters, and among Pro-Life voters, McCain runs 3rd behind Giuliani and Gingrich; Giuliani leads among both those who support and those who oppose same-sex marriage; Giuliani leads among those who are for stem-cell research and those against it; Giuliani leads among those who own guns and those who don't; Giuliani leads among those who think global warming is real and among those who think global warming is made-up; and Giuliani leads among those who think the USA needs a military draft and among those who think the USA does not. Giuliani leads McCain 2:1 among Conservatives, where McCain runs 3rd to Gingrich; Giuliani leads McCain by 20 points among Moderates."

The California legislature has just approved moving the primary up to early February, so the Golden State will be very important in determining the GOP nominee.