Former political consultant won't reboard Straight Talk Express.

Mike Murphy, a political consultant who helped mastermind Sen. John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign, will not be reboarding the Straight Talk Express. “I do not expect to join the campaign,” Murphy told Politico. “They’re my friends, and I wish them well.”

For weeks, speculation has swirled in political circles that Murphy would be brought in to reprise his role as chief strategist and to help McCain develop a message for a campaign that has largely been without one. But as McCain relaunches his campaign this week with a new day-to-day manager and a more structured organization, his aides and advisers say the current team atop the campaign will remain in place.

“The core group will stay the same,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of McCain’s closest friends and a frequent counselor. There is no top strategic guru in the tradition of George W. Bush’s Karl Rove or Barack Obama’s David Axelrod. Instead, McCain will take a strategy-by-committee approach. The campaign’s theme will be largely shaped by Steve Schmidt, the operative installed last week as day-to-day manager.

But because of his daily tactical duties, Schmidt will hatch strategy in concert with Rick Davis, who is technically still campaign manager, and advisers Charlie Black, Mark Salter, Nicolle Wallace, Matt McDonald and communications director Jill Hazelbaker. Still, there is little question as to who is in charge now of the most essential elements of the campaign and there is clear evidence of changes being made.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11591.html