Late Breaking News!!!

Shortly after her resignation announcement, Linda Carle has found herself in a new position. While she may not be fighting for the Presidential title any longer, she's still in the thick of the race -- as Campaign Manager.

That's right, only moments after telling the world that she was no longer an ADCO candidate, Linda was approached by none other than...

Lanier Jones.

It's no secret that Lanier's campaign has been slow to get going. It's no secret that his numbers are way behind what was projected. It's no secret that he has struggled to gain support from key demographic groups. Now he's hoping Linda Carle can help him change that. He's hoping Linda can turn his campaign around -- starting now.

What do YOU think of Lanier's decision to bring Linda on as his Campaign Manager? Is he just grasping at straws? Is it smart of him to bring on a seasoned PR specialist to spin his campaign in a new way? Is he just trying to be nice to the fallen education candidate? Tell us! Join Blogger and leave a comment telling us what you think of the Lanier & Linda team. Or send your thoughts to us via email to jessica@theadcompany.com.

Throwing in the Towel

Linda Carle is out of the race. She couldn't bounce back. Not after the incriminating photos. Not after Lily spoke out against her. Not after the accusations. 

Her explanation couldn't redeem her. Her apologies couldn't deliver her. Her promises of change couldn't save her.

Her official resignation statement, which conveniently leaves out any mention of the scandal that plagued her campaign, reads: "To keep the company together, I will step aside. It's been a tough decision because I hate to lose. But I believe in my heart that it's the right thing to do. For myself. For my family. For my company."

There you have it, folks -- Linda Carle is no longer a candidate for ADCO President.

The Plot Thickens...

In response to Friday's shocking news, the education candidate speaks out:

"Oh my! How quick my opponents are to jump to conclusions based on one small photo. You know what they say about assuming.

Anyway, this story just doesn't add up. Here's what really happened...

Ginny, who is the official keeper of Lily's dog treats, was on vacation last week. During her absence, Ginny transferred the responsibility of giving Lily treats to me. However, she forgot to tell me that Lily was out of treats and that Lanier had conveniently forgotten to buy more. Are you beginning to smell a conspiracy here? 

So Lily came around looking for her treat -- per usual -- and I had nothing to give her. She begged. She did tricks. She about drove me insane. To pacify her, I innocently gave her a small piece of the animal crackers I had been enjoying as an afternoon snack. It was genuine kindness and love for this little creature -- and not an attempt at bribery -- that drove me to feed Lily the cracker that has thrown me into this mess!

As for Lily's side of the story -- forget it. You can get that dog to say whatever you want if you rub her belly. I'm willing to bet the rest of today's animal crackers that Lanier and Ginny are behind the bull that's Lily's been spatting out.

In fact, maybe this attempt at scandal runs even deeper than Lanier and Ginny. I mean, isn't it "interesting" that Claire just happened to have a camera lurking outside my office to catch this photo? I think someone needs to find out what kind of deal Lanier is finessing with Ginny and Claire. Clearly, they've seen me out campaigning in the streets, trying to improve my rankings in this race, and they got so scared they felt they had to resort to this kind of treachery in order to take me out. I say, what is this company coming to?"

There you have it, folks -- the story right out of the lions mouth. But will it help her stay in the race? 

Ooh, that dog so scandalous!

Can you believe what you're seeing here?

I know I can't.

I can't believe our ADCO candidates have sunk this low.

But they have.

Here's proof. 

Bribery. It's a dirty but all too common word in politics. And it's found its way into ADCO Campaign 2008. Linda has been caught -- on camera -- bribing Lily. We don't know how long this atrocity has been taking place, but we think we have an idea as to why it's been happening.

Linda's campaign hasn't been doing well. Having failed to gain support from voters using respected means of persuasion, we think she must have decided to take a walk on the wild side, the dark side. 

Using animal crackers, Linda has been attempting to convince Lily to abandon her campaign for the top spot and to endorse the education candidate, Linda herself. Although tempted, Lily has remained steadfast. She has not withdrawn from the race; she has not endorsed another candidate. In fact, she is coming out against Linda's corrupt actions.

"I am just so sorry that I got mixed up in this unfortunate business. Truly, I didn't know what Linda was after. She just kept calling me into her office and holding out tasty treats for me to nibble on. I didn't know she was going to turn on me and demand my endorsement. Well, she won't get it. I'm still in this race, and I'm in it to win!"

Linda's next steps remain to be seen. Will she bow out of the race gracefully? Will she try to turn this negative press into positive votes? She'll take the weekend to think it over and to consult with her advisors on how to proceed. More on this scandal next week!

**Over the weekend, ponder this startling fact: Lily eats her own. Animal crackers of the world, beware!**