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MIAMI (AP) -- A top adviser is leaving Republican John McCain's presidential campaign because he doesn't want to work against Democrat Barack Obama.
Mark McKinnon, the chief media consultant to McCain, wrote in a campaign memo last year that if Obama won the Democratic nomination, he would not actively campaign against him.
With the results of Tuesday night's primaries in Kentucky and Oregon, Obama claimed he had a majority of convention delegates.
McKinnon said Tuesday evening he was making good on his pledge, and was "moving from middle linebacker to cheerleader" for McCain.
"I'll still be around from time to time in my lucky hat," McKinnon said in an e-mail, referring to his familiar black felt cowboy hat.
The former Democrat worked for President Bush's 2000 and 2004 campaigns.
After signing on with McCain, McKinnon stayed on even as the Arizona senator's campaign faltered, losing staff and running out of money before climbing back to win the New Hampshire primary in January.
He said last year that he didn't want to work against an Obama candidacy.
Electing Obama "would send a great message to the country and the world," McKinnon said at the time, although he added that he intended to vote for McCain.
McCain's media strategy and commercials will be handled by existing campaign consultants Fred Davis, Chris Mottola and Mike Hudome, known as Foxhole Media.
Five other McCain aides and associates have left the campaign recently because of their ties to lobbying or consulting for foreign governments. McKinnon's departure was unrelated.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
