We’ve heard from a second source that Joe Braun is out as Schmidt campaign manager, thus clearing the way for what The BlowHard describes as the “the nastiest attack ads you’ve ever seen…”

We sent an email to Joe last night at 2AM asking if it was true, but have not heard back from him. In the past Joe has always been prompt about responding to our questions.

At the debate Joe was telling your humble editor about how he spoke Portuguese and was looking forward to a vacation in Brazil, which we considered curious. We will not deny that we are very jealous, especially since we will be spending so much of our time over the next few days listening to Bill Cunningham :-P

The Blower also today echos the rumor of a million dollar media buy by the RNC.

Now we’re hearing that Joe was talking to the Enquirer 30 minutes ago and that the RNC buy is closer to a 300,000 . Who knows what’s going on. Either it was totally false or Joe is back from the shortest vacation ever.

UPDATE: From Joe Braun:

Of course I am still the campaign manager.

The NRCC has simply independently purchased ads in the race that will be airing on all of the networks locally and in Portsmouth. This is no different that in the DNC were to do the same for Paul Hackett. This does not change the campaign’s ground game at all. Our phone banks and doorknocking campaign in all seven counties are all active. We are all working hard as we have been doing since her announcement on April 11, 2005.