B.C. "Scooter" Clippard, a prominent Tennessee Republican who served as national finance chairman for the Fred Thompson for President campaign, confirmed to NashvillePost.com that he is now backing John McCain.
NashvillePost.com had heard rumblings this morning that Clippard, who has served on the board of directors of FirstBank and was president and CEO of the Ayers Foundation among other positions, had signed on with the Arizona senator's presidential effort.
When contacted, Clippard confirmed that he is joining the McCain campaign as a "National Co-Chairman of the Finance Committee" along with Memphis businessman Fred Smith, the founder and CEO of FedEx. Clippard also said that he will be traveling to Florida with McCain this weekend to promote his candidacy.
"I deeply love Fred Thompson," Clippard said, "and the decision Tuesday was a very emotional time for me," referring to Thompson's official withdrawal. He went on to say that he deeply believed that Thompson would have been a great commander-in-chief and that nothing has happened to change that opinion.
However, with Thompson's decision, Clippard said that he feels strongly that we need a strong leader in the White House. If it can't be Thompson, he said, he wholeheartedly supports McCain.
"I love the guy, he is a true American hero. I am proud to be a part of his team," Clippard said, adding that he had been approached by McCain before Thompson got in the race, but declined because Thompson's decision whether to run was imminent.
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