Inside Clinton Camp -- Donors Panicking, Advisers Fault Penn

Time.com   |  KAREN TUMULTY   |   January 5, 2008 05:52 PM


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The scope of Barack Obama's victory in Iowa has shaken the Clinton machine down to its bolts. Donors are panicking. The campaign has been making a round of calls to reassure notoriously fickle "superdelegates" -- elected officials and party regulars who are awarded convention spots by virtue of their titles and positions -- who might be reconsidering their decisions to back the candidate who formerly looked like a sure winner. And internally, a round of recriminations is being aimed at her chief strategist, Mark Penn, as the representative of everything about her pseudo-incumbent campaign that has been too cautious, too arrogant, too conventional and too clueless as to how much the political landscape has shifted since the last Clinton reign. One adviser summed up the biggest challenge that faces the campaign in two words: "Fresh thinking."

Specifically, those inside the campaign and outside advisers fault Penn for failing to see the Iowa defeat coming. They say he was assuring Clinton and her allies right up until the caucuses that they would win it. Says one: "He did not predict in any way, shape or form the tidal wave we saw." In particular, he had assured them that Clinton's support among women would carry her through. Yet she managed to win only 30% of the women's vote, while 35% of them went for Obama.

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- Bulbul I'm a Fan of Bulbul 46 fans permalink
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After watching the debate yesterday, my mind is all made up. All of the three male Democratic Candidates went right at Hillary`s Jagular. It was nothing but a blood bath, too ugly to watch. The men were nothing but self rightous, pompous, not too different from our own Bush.
Dodd was missed !
Republican debate was much better, Politicians at their games , but watchabe !

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:09 PM on 01/06/2008

I think Iowas women just tuned Hillary and her backers into the truth; assuming "women" will simply reflexivly vote for another woman despite her character is bigoted and presumptous.

God willing, Hew Hampshires women are lined up and ready to rebuke Hillary for her hubris as well, or maybe better yet, they could really care less what she thinks and are simply going to vote for the better candidate.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:41 PM on 01/06/2008

Cynthia McKinney has great courage and integrity and my vote - anyone other than Ms. McKinney and Mr. Kucinich is a vote for more of the same.

http://www.runcynthiarun.org/

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:41 PM on 01/06/2008

That photo is really not cool huffington. I thought this website was liberal-friendly. WTF?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:10 PM on 01/06/2008
- IkeChicago I'm a Fan of IkeChicago 18 fans permalink

How would you like to be on Hillary’s staff, the way Hillary dumped on her Iowa supporters should be some indicator. The F- bombs must be flying left and right by Hillary and many of them directed at Bill.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:40 AM on 01/06/2008

In their obvious glee, the media is being a bit premature in counting Hillary out of this. Look at the spin we've had already: she didn't come in third in Iowa, she essentially came in a tie for second, 29.43 percent to Edwards' 29.71. Less than three tenths of a percentage point is an Edwards "win?" I don't think so, especially considering the long YEARS he spent campaigning in the state, and the fact that Iowa is universally acknowledged as one of the very weakest states for Hillary. Not to mention the fact that they've also never elected a woman basically to anything. Her campaign even considered skipping Iowa altogether. All things considered, a strong tie for second is actually a victory of sorts -- I'm surprised the campaign didn't blow back on that more than they did, and should have.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:39 AM on 01/06/2008
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You can fault whoever you want (in this case Mark Penn) for the failed or successful race of a politician but it is the politician that has to be held accountable and accept the responsibility. The politician has to recognize that they have NOT, not been listening to their constituency and the public at large. We are sick and tired of NOT being listened to by them. Politicians have become so insulated whether at the state or national level that they have no idea as to the real world and what John or Jani Q Citizen must face each day in order to survive. Get off your butts and get out into the real world and find out what is happening with voters.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:34 AM on 01/06/2008

I'm not so sure that it's the advisors who are to blame. Hillary is not a good candidate and carries a lot of baggage - travelgate, hillarycare, whitewater, rose etc.

If it weren't for Bill Clinton nobody would have heard of Hillary, but it is because of Bill Clinton that I don't wan't Hillary in the white house.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:26 AM on 01/06/2008
- IkeChicago I'm a Fan of IkeChicago 18 fans permalink

Drip, Drip, Drip, Bill Bradley endorses Barack Obama.

Drip, Drip, Drip, Wisconsin Governor endorses Barack Obama.

Drip, Drip, Drip

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:23 AM on 01/06/2008
- factotem I'm a Fan of factotem 159 fans permalink
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Bye Bye Hillary. You waited too long to stand for something, other than the presidency was your entitlement. Turns out standing very still, ruffling noone, and hoping noone notices you is a CRAP method to run for president, just as we learned with the 2 previous Dem candidates; total stiff Al Gore and the asshat from MA.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:09 AM on 01/06/2008

Quote from shillary donor - I WANT MY MONEY BACK !

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:58 AM on 01/06/2008

Its not Mark Penn, its not James Carville, the advisor that has destroyed Hillary is none other than the Big Dog himself; Bill Clinton.

Mr. "Strong and Wrong", Mr. Triangulate, Mr. "We have to suck up to and give in to the Repulicans", has given Hillary bad advise from the word go.

Think about it:

If Hillary had:
- Stood strong against Bush's tax cuts
- Opposed the Iraq War
- Fought for Democratic Pary principles and the middle class by opposing the credit card and bankruptcy bills
- Not grovelled to the Conservatives with her Flag burning ammendment,
She would easily be at 80pct in the polls and looking at a crushing landslide.

But no...she listened to Bill and now she is in trouble.

ps. His new advice to go negative isn't any better. Its just going to hasten the end and further degrade her.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:45 AM on 01/06/2008
- rubicon101 I'm a Fan of rubicon101 7 fans permalink

This Huffington Post Blog has in recent months become anti-hillary in the way it portrays Hillary Clinton, sadly the media in print, on the television and the blogoshere is shaping the electoral process for another Republican term because with either the inexperienced Obama and or Edwards...McCain will get elected. Independents will vote for McCain,,,and this country will have squandered a great chance for America to be great again!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:56 AM on 01/06/2008
- Tankan I'm a Fan of Tankan 3 fans permalink

The people have written their expectations on the proverbial wall!
Open your eyes and read Hillary!

What you're trying to sell is way past its sell by date, that's why you are being rejected!

Kicking the new kid on the block won't improve your situation!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:19 AM on 01/06/2008
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Concerned about Obama going against the Military Industrial complex, he would be doing that by pulling the troops out of Iraq.
Proud that he is going up aginst the Military Industrial complex thou thats going to cut Cheney's profits.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:06 AM on 01/06/2008
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