O'Donnell, a former Michele Bachmann adviser who also did debate prep sessions with John McCain and Sarah Palin in 2008, was given credit in several media reports as the man behind Romney's impressive back-to-back debate performances in Florida.
– Today's lesson in the stroking of political egos: Team Romney has dropped newly added debate coach Brett O'Donnell, the man widely credited with engineering Romney's more aggressive (and successful) approach in the last debate, reports Politico. The problem? O'Donnell had been getting too much credit for the debate turnaround, and that was ruffling feathers within the campaign, GOP sources tell the website. Another insider tells much the same to CNN, calling O'Donnell's role "vastly overblown." The next scheduled debate isn't until Feb. 22.