California: Steve Schmidt

Political gurus Adam Mendelsohn and Steve Schmidt have withdrawn their participation in Meg Whitman's political operation, about a month before she is scheduled to decide whether she'll run for governor in 2010.

Mendelsohn confirmed Thursday that he and Schmidt were no longer working with Whitman, in his case because of a busy schedule planned in working with current Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and in Schmidt's case a desire to spend more time with his family and on his business.