Doubts Remain After Mark Penn's Exit

Washington Post: Clinton Aide's New Role Looks To Some Like The Old One

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Anne E. Kornblut.

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The question for some staff members of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign yesterday was why it had taken her so long to remove Mark J. Penn as its chief strategist.

But other aides wondered how the campaign will function without Penn. And despite the announcement Sunday that he is giving up his strategist role, it remain to be seen how removed he will be. Penn was on a top-level conference call yesterday, one insider said; he is helping Clinton (N.Y.) prepare for the next Democratic debate, on April 16; and his firm, Penn Schoen & Berland Associates, will continue to conduct some polling for the campaign.

Penn had been the target of criticism for many months and had warred with others in the campaign's inner circle. His departure was rumored in January after Clinton lost the Iowa caucuses, as part of a general housecleaning that appeared imminent until she unexpectedly won the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 8. Even after Clinton changed campaign managers in February, ousting longtime confidante Patti Solis Doyle and installing her former White House chief of staff, Maggie Williams, some advisers thought Penn should be moved out of his chief strategist role. But Clinton did not take any such action.

Williams is "doing what she has wanted to do all along, just in her own time," the insider said. "She couldn't get rid of Mark until he gave her the rope" with which to hang him. That was his meeting with the Colombian ambassador to the United States to discuss promotion of a free trade treaty that Clinton opposes.

The timing of Penn's meeting came at a particularly inappropriate time, just as Clinton was trying to win the support of the United Steelworkers of America, who had earlier endorsed former senator John Edwards (N.C.) and has not picked between Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) since Edwards left the race. As one official at the union put it, "There's no way Mark Penn's departure can be a negative with our members."

Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, who is not associated with the Clinton or Obama campaign, said he doubts Penn's new role will mean significant changes.

"We are very near the end of the race, and the course has largely been set," he said by e-mail yesterday. "The new message mavens may tack 10 degrees one way or the other, but it's just too late for any wholesale changes in message or strategy. "

In her announcement on Sunday, Williams said that longtime communications director Howard Wolfson and pollster Geoff Garin, a relatively new recruit to the operation, will share the role of chief strategist. "I think it's more accurate to say there is no chief strategist, other than the candidate," said one Clinton loyalist, speaking candidly on the condition of anonymity.

More than a year ago, reports began surfacing of potential conflicts of interest that could emerge between Penn's corporte work as chief executive of Burson-Marsteller and Clinton's campaign activity. In May 2007, Penn was reported to be writing an internal office blog, in which he described business meetings with corporate officials who at times had interests that ran counter to Clinton's campaign rhetoric.

One of Penn's blog entries, according to Bloomberg News, described a trip he took to Houston to meet with John Hofmeister, head of Royal Dutch Shell's U.S. arm and a leader in an industry that Clinton has criticized for reaping "windfall profits."

Penn also described his firm's efforts to win business from the U.S. Tuna Foundation, Bloomberg reported. He noted that while the industry group was trying to neutralize federal warnings of elevated mercury in the fish, Clinton was publicly criticizing the Environmental Protection Agency for playing down the warnings.

Penn's firm has also represented TXU Corp., a company that builds coal-fired power plants; tobacco giant Altria Group Inc.; and drug manufacturers Merck & Co. and Pfizer Inc., among others. All have been at odds with Clinton's policy positions at times.

"He has been in an inherent conflict of interest for more than a year," said Fred Wertheimer, head of an ethics watchdog group, who has been critical of Penn's efforts to balance his business and the campaign. Wertheimer called it "a classic example of how big money has inextricably intertwined the campaign advising and lobbying worlds of modern-day Washington with potential conflicts of interest all over the place."

Staff writers Dan Balz and Matthew Mosk contributed to this report.

[obama8years]

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OBAMA NUMBEROUS LIES - 70+ HE LIES MORE THAN HILLARY

audacityofhypocrisy.com
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WHO IS OBAMA REALLY?

stop-obama.org
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THE OBAMA FINANCIAL SCANDALS HOSPITAL

obamatruth.org

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AND OBAMAS LINKS TO HAMAS

canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/2462

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[taddles-2009]

"Women are unfit for the job. Suppose she has PMS or some other feminine thing just at a time when we need a strong man in the White House.
Posted by rufisgufis at 01:11 AM : Apr 09, 2008"



LOL...women unfit for the job?!?! are you really that stupid? Margaret Thatcher would so kick your pi$$-boy a$$.

[whitepicks2]

John McCain and his campaign continue to put politics ahead of a responsible way forward in Iraq. Instead of outlining his plan for the future, explaining whether his vision of a decades long troop presence in Iraq includes permanent bases there, or saying how he plans to pay for a war that now costs $12 billion a month while making Bush''s tax cuts for the wealthy permanent, McCain continues to advocate a stay the course strategy.

McCain has consistently gotten the basic facts on the ground wrong throughout this campaign....

- McCain said on the Hugh Hewitt radio show ''As you know, there are al-Qaeda operatives that are taken back into Iran, given training as leaders, and they''re moving back into Iraq.''...Wrong!

''We continue to be concerned about Iranian [operatives] taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back,'' he said in comments after meeting with Jordan''s King Abdullah II

- McCain Referred To Al Qaeda As A "Sect Of Shi''ites" MCCAIN: Do you still view al Qaeda in Iraq as a major threat? PETRAEUS: It is still a major threat, though it is certainly not as major a threat as it was say 15 months ago. MCCAIN: Certainly not an obscure sect of the Shi''ites overall?.....Al-Qaeda is a Sunni militant org. Wrong again!

[jack3213]

I CAN COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR CHANGE. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THOSE WHO THINK EITHER DEMOCRAT HAS THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE CHANGE CORRECTLY. DID YOU READ THAT RIGHT: CORRECTLY. IT IS NOT JUST A WORD: CHANGE, IT IS A RESULT OF AN ACTION THAT REQUIRES QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIACNE AND GOOD JUDGEMENT. NEITHER DEMOCRAT HAS ANY OF THOSE CHARACTERISTICS. SURELY YOU ALL MUST BE READING THE PAPERS AND LISTENING TO THE NEWS TO KNOW THAT BOTH DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES HAVE HUGE AMOUNTS OF BAGGAGE AND CANNOT JUSTIFY LEADING A COUNTRY BECAUSE OF GENDER OR RACE, WHERE SO MANY ARE LEANING FOR THAT FACT ALONE. DENIAL IS DANGEROUS IN TIME OF WAR. THIS IS NOT A GAME, THIS IS REAL. MCCAIN MIGHT BE A REPUBLICAN AND TO SOME PEOPLE THAT IS A BAD WORD, BUT IF THE MAN HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO CHANGE THINGS WHY DENY HIM THAT RIGHT. VOTING FOR A DEMOCRAT WOULD BE LIKE FOLLOWNG THE HERD OFF A CLIFF BECAUSE THEY SAY IT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO CHANGE THINGS. TIME TO WAKE UP FOLKS. MCCAIN 2008.

[kenbomc]

Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 01:44 AM : Apr 09, 2008;
It is not about her bieng a woman. Hillary is not the leader that Obama is.

[sjbj2322]

Oldtimer....there is not one accusation that you have made against Hillary that couldn''t equally be made of George W. including his tearfullness today while awarding a Congressional Medal of Honor. You sir are a bigot. Many a great man has shown the capacity to publicly express their emotions or assertiveness but are viewed in a totally approved, even commended light. But heaven forbid a powerful woman show any emotion. Comically most people criticize Hillary for her lack of showing her emotions. Your comment is sickening and disgusting. By all means vote for your totally inexperienced, no-substance, unpatriotic candidate but do not endeavor to make what are nothing less than gender based attacks and expect anyone to not see them for what they are. P.S. It''s spelled "CYNICAL".

As for you rufisgufis....ditto on the notation regarding 60 year old women being beyond symptoms of menopause; however, it is a proven fact that husbands of women of childbearing age are influenced significantly by their wives harmonal fluctuations. God help Obama if he comes off the nicotine wagon while Michelle is suffering PMS.

[libra127]

Women are unfit for the job. Suppose she has PMS or some other feminine thing

Posted by rufisgufis at 01:11 AM : Apr 09, 2008

Evidently you are as ignorant of biology as you are about women in general. Sixty-year-old women do not get "PMS", Rufis. Those days are long behind them. They are perfectly suited to carrying out presidential duties.

[rowdytexan2]

This one''''s for you, Oldtimer331:

All the pressure to get Senator Clinton to drop out of the election prematurely is motivated by fear. Old white men apparently fear white women more than they fear black men. Racism may be fading in America, but gender bigotry is as virulent as ever.
Let this election run to the finish and let the convention do what they are designed to do. Neither candidate can win BEFORE the convention.

Posted by FLADGE at 11:05 PM : Apr 08, 2008




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Posted by libra127 at 11:11 PM : Apr 08, 2008

[rufisgufis]

I am totally against a 60-year-old woman as president. Women are unfit for the job. Suppose she has PMS or some other feminine thing just at a time when we need a strong man in the White House. I urge you younger people to think this through and refrain from acting rashly. In any event, she is married and should stay home with her husband. Presidents are required to travel around the world to do important business.

[rufisgufis]

Hillary cannot win in the general election for the simple reason she will not be on he ballot.

[kansas1946]

The idea behind NAFTA and related legislature was to offer competitive pricing at a global level. Imagine being able to buy prescription medication at the price they pay in Canada & Mexico.
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Really?? We have had NAFTA since Bill was in office and I haven''t noticed us being able to buy drugs at the same price they do in Canada or Mexico. In fact, the government has done everything in their power, short of raiding elderly people''s homes to keep Americans from getting drugs from Canada, and you can get arrested in Texas for getting prescriptions filled in Mexico.

[kansas1946]

Astonishing ! I give up !!! You OBAMITES win !! When John McCain takes the oath of office, you''''ll have no one to blame but yourselves. INDEPENDENTS will not vote for OBAMA ..... PERIOD! TiredoftheBS
*********************************************

I am an independent and I am voting for Obama. I have a number of friends and family that are independents and they are voting for Obama. So where are you getting your information?

[libra127]

This one''s for you, Oldtimer331:

All the pressure to get Senator Clinton to drop out of the election prematurely is motivated by fear. Old white men apparently fear white women more than they fear black men. Racism may be fading in America, but gender bigotry is as virulent as ever.
Let this election run to the finish and let the convention do what they are designed to do. Neither candidate can win BEFORE the convention.

Posted by FLADGE at 11:05 PM : Apr 08, 2008

[ottumwa1962]

Senator Obama has run a brilliant campaign and that is a large number of people to command.

Senator Clinton''s campaign has been one disaster after another. If she can''t lead 1000 people, then how can she expect to lead 300 million

[oldtimer331]

Really. This is about my 13th Presidential Campaign, yes, 13 since age 21. This is the first that I''ve ever experienced where there was a distinct feeling of nervousnous brought about by a very unstable female candidate. She absolutely cannot keep her emotions under control. This is not good. You can''t come to a Foreign Relations table and cry because you didn''t get your way. You can''t break down when you recall loss of a famous person. Both are an inexcusable expression of weakness. You can''t keep reaching-out and trying to scratch and hurt somebody like a cat. You must maintain your composure. You will say I am anti-feminist. Not so, I would cast my vote in a minute for Nancy Pelosi. Such a remarkable woman standing-up day after day fighting against the wrong-doing of the House minority and the current Administration. Had Nancy run, most certainly it would''ve been a very tight contest. I become very concerned when people pledge their vote for Hillary. She is not only a danger to the Country, but she is a danger to herself. I firmly it is time for she and Billy to go to Arkansas and spend all that money they have. They are very synical for speaking before the poor and unemployed. Very heartless and shameful

Vote for Obama - the better choice for our future.

[tiredofthebs]

Astonishing ! I give up !!! You OBAMITES win !! When John McCain takes the oath of office, you''ll have no one to blame but yourselves. INDEPENDENTS will not vote for OBAMA ..... PERIOD!

That having been said ....... It''s amazing to see the hostility towards free trade in these posts. As if the government were to blame for huge corporations outsourcing jobs to foreign countries. The idea behind NAFTA and related legislature was to offer competitive pricing at a global level. Imagine being able to buy prescription medication at the price they pay in Canada & Mexico.

[jockh]

Hillary will never win , the superdelegates will ultimately cement Obama''s nomination.. Currently Hillary leads among superdelegates, but almost all jumped on board a long time ago when it seemed her nomination was inevitable. Since Super Tuesday Obama has gained 69 superdelegates while Clinton has lost two.

The reason even more superdelegates haven''t declared for Obama is because Clinton is expected to win Pennsylvania. A superdelegate endorsement now risks having their endorsement seem worthless when Obama likely loses PA. So most are probably waiting until after PA votes, so they can endorse Obama in the lead up to North Carolina, a state he will win big, and thus have their endorsements look that much better.

The majority of remaining undecided superdelegates will either endorse after PA and prior to NC or in June after the last vote is cast, and expect virtually all to vote for Obama.

In the end, Clinton won''t even be left with the 251 superdelegates she has now. Many of those 251 are Clinton loyalists and won''t switch to Obama publicly, but they are politicians, who put their own career first and will get in line with everyone else.

Sure Clinton will hold on to 50-100 of her loyalists until the bitter end, but any fantasy that this thing will be a close finish is just that, a fantasy.

[jt_lancer]

We must STOP free trade NOW!

We CANNOT allow peaceful Americans to voluntarily exchange goods and services for mutual benefit!

Americans should only be allowed to buy the goods and services that the politicians allow them to buy.

At government approved prices.

Of course, if its not good for you, Americans should not be allowed to buy it at all.

Trans fats? No way.

Cigarettes and alcohol? Not a chance.

Obesity-inducing fast food? Forget it.

Trust me, people. The Nanny State knows what is best for you.

Let us take away the heavy burden of decision-making in your life.

Let us decide what is best for you.

I''''m Hillary Clinton and I approve this message.

[rowdytexan2]

Ok I know Obama doesn''''t like to go negative, but if he doesn''''t hit Clinton on this Mark Penn situation he is a fool. Clinton saying that Penn has resigned under pressure and then still using him as an adviser and pollster is typical Clinton hypocrosy. This is an example of the kind of Washington politics that Obama claims to be against, "conflicts of interest all over the place", as the article states. Come on Obama this is your opportunity to put Clinton away for good and get on with the general election against McSame.


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Posted by Kate1149 at 06:29 PM : Apr 08, 2008

Who the hell do you think posed this krap? Obama did!

He does this whizzing in the wind stuff to distract from his own incompetence.

David Axelrod, his own public relations advisor still takes money of the corrupt Richard Daly regime in Chicago, and still represents his oil interests.lol

Talk about the pot stirring the black kettle!

[kate1149]

Ok I know Obama doesn''t like to go negative, but if he doesn''t hit Clinton on this Mark Penn situation he is a fool. Clinton saying that Penn has resigned under pressure and then still using him as an adviser and pollster is typical Clinton hypocrosy. This is an example of the kind of Washington politics that Obama claims to be against, "conflicts of interest all over the place", as the article states. Come on Obama this is your opportunity to put Clinton away for good and get on with the general election against McSame.