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There is still no date set for Rhodri Morgan's departure.

With just over a fortnight to go until he celebrates his 70th birthday there's no date and therefore no race to succeed him as Labour leader and First Minister.

But there is a campaign manager.

By pure coincidence I'm sure, on the day Plaid's leader takes to the stage at the party's Autumn conference news emerges that should Rhodri Morgan announce that he is standing down, then Leighton Andrews is ready to take over as Carwyn Jones' campaign manager.

SHOULD he stand down? This isn't, I think we can safely say, the move of a candidate who expects the First Minister to stay put.

The campaign manger's CV?

You'll remember the extraordinary skilful job the Rhondda AM did of managing

You won't have forgotten either his role in the Yes for Wales campaign.

What about the first time round when the race to become First Secretary was run, as the job was then? Leighton Andrews is credited with the line - in support of Alun Michael - that "Nobody does it better." Mind you if we're looking back to those days, a Carwyn Jones supporter this time round would no doubt might remind us all that another probable contender for Rhodri Morgan's job, Huw Lewis, made his support for Alun Michael pretty clear at that time too.

Those who'd rather see Huw Lewis taking over from Rhodri Morgan and who'll be flocking to see their man share a platform with John Cruddas MP this afternoon aren't impressed. "Getting your campaign manager to endorse you is a bit like dancing with your sister - fun for a while but gets you nowhere in the end".

As Plaid have been saying in Llandudno, I suspect you need to "think about" that one.

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