Mark Penn Dismisses Accounts Of Campaign Discontent

Sen. Hillary Clinton's chief strategist and other surrogates dismissed reports of infighting within the presidential campaign following Saturday night's debate in Manchester New Hampshire.

Earlier in the evening, Time magazine reported that high-ranking donors and advisers were distraught with the New York Democrat's third-place finish in the Iowa caucus. Mark Penn, Clinton's strategic guru, was blamed specifically for the poor performance.

"...Internally," the magazine's reporter Karen Tumulty wrote, "a round of recriminations is being aimed at [Clinton's] 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.... 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."

Penn, speaking to dozens of tightly packed reporters following the ABC News/Facebook forum at Saint Anslem College, dismissed the account as baseless campaign fodder.

"People always say a lot of things," he said. "We are organized, together, moving campaign and I think you are going to see the results come time this nomination is decided."

The sentiments were echoed by Clinton's Deputy Communications Director Phil Singer, who spoke to a similarly large group of journalists, just feet away.

"I can't [comment on the account]," Singer said, before adding, "I think that our campaign is forging ahead we are moving forward we are making our arguments for why we are in position to best make change happen for the United States."

Rumors of discontent within the Clinton campaign ranks were brewing even before her poor showing in Iowa. Speculation has abound over whether Clinton erred in running a campaign based around her experience rather than change, and in campaign's effort to stress the inevitability of her candidacy.

Recently, discussion has also swirled as to the prudence of having her husband, Bill Clinton, campaigning on her behalf. And indeed, during an appearance in Amherst, New Hampshire, earlier in the day, onlookers expressed mixed sentiments as to whether the former president was a benefit or a burden to his wife's White House ambitions.

Comments

[joe6671]

This comment will likely not be released to the bloggers. But I'll submit it just the same. I will live with the HF decision. This forum is Republican,quasi Democratic in appearance. Republicans want Obama to be the Democratic standard bearer. Irrespective of the warm reception Iowans and many of the commentariat gave Obama's rhetoric and performance in Iowa, some of it undoubtedly sincere, I cannot reconcile myself to its political intent. I remember the commentariat's role in the defeat of Gore in 2000. The commmentariat was more guilty in this than the Supreme Court, in my humblw opinion. And the commentariat is at it again. As to Obama . He is of mixed heritage and his greatest inner motivations derive from this. In rejecting partisanship he is expressing his desire to be part of THE MAJORITY and his fear of being part of the Black minority. His record as I see it is one of trying to please all sides in keeping with his psychic need to be accepted. Is he for abortion rights? Maybe yes maybe no; it depends on the day the vote is taken. Is he for healthcare reform? Yes and no; again it depends on who opposes what the day of the week the vote is taken. Regarding foreign affairs one should not even ask; anything goes ; against Iraq but for invading Pakistan tomorrow morning, Etc etc.. Obama is the Black man on the Supreme Court. Some varations on the theme but overall the same thing. Supreme Court Justice Thomas: A Black man who finds being Black too confining , is a member of the White conservative majority , saying publicly but implicitly that minority interests are of little concern to him.

[peachfuzz]

TIME was not the only source reporting it.
If Hillary can keep coming in Number THREE and still get the most delegate votes and be the nominee, I would think that is our real story. The American people need to take a hard look at the nominee process and ask themselves why in the hell they should buy into such a scam.

[villastrangiato]

Bush had Karl Rove, Hill-Bill have Mark Penn....how utterly fitting......

[jmundstuk]

I watched the C-SPAN coverage of an Iowa caucus, beginning to end. Very impressive. It was a bit chaotic, ordinary, mundane, and a bit thrilling. These people live in the same community; some know each other; some don't. Some were working the room -- "Have you considered...?" -- while others were explaining their choice. People were taking positions, in public, with their peers. Absent were media spin, advertising, crowd mentality.

Far from being an undemocratic anachronism, I think the caucus system should be replicated. Let's have California lead the way by replacing the primary with caucuses leading to a state convention to choose delegates.

Okay, maybe I'm a little carried away, but really, I thought the face-to-face nature of the caucus reflected a fundamental aspect of the original American idea of democratic republicanism.

[andyboy]

Hillary is boring. Mark Penn is boring.

Who in there right mind would have two seperate sets of consultants, one for Hill and one for Bill? How can they ever hope to stay on message and focus?

How's your campaign going Mark?

"We're moving forward."

Boring. Uninspired. Muddled.

Hillary's whole campaign serves as an example of the type of administration she would lead. Bold or decisive do not spring to mind.

They chose to take a maintain the status quo approach after America has "experienced" seven years of chaos, war, and economic disaster.

Keep in mind that Hillary personally has won her biggest victories and her own star has risen considerably during these years. Is the "experience" she is talking about?

Which causes me to question whether she can identify with what we as average Americans are going through. She doesn't seem to feel our pain. I get the feeling she assumes that all of the events that have occured were somehow out of the control of us as a nation.

Did you know there were books being written about America's ripeness as a terror target for years prior to 911? Many of them expressed big concerns regarding our airports. Contrary to popular belief 911 did not have to happen.

We didn't have to invade Iraq. A few billion dollars in aid and a couple photo ops would have had Saddam eating out of our hands. You catch more bees.

The Patriot Act didn't have to be passed. Warrentless spying and torture are not mandatory responses. The risks and outcomes to massive amounts of sub-prime lending are all well known to economists. And there isn't any good reason why all Americans shouldn't have access to the same healthcare these poseurs and preeners hog up. Not too mention the exploding cost of getting a decent education. We as a nation have shamed ourselves. We need to come to terms. Look in the mirror.

To continue down the road we are on will break this nation my friends. The chickens WILL come home to roost. It is inevitable.

[Kreskytim]

I'd really like,for just one time, have my vote count in a primary. I live in CA and I'm sure the media will called it after 2 state out of 50. L

[pranger]

Senator Obama and Clinton are both viable candidates and I'd be proud to have either as my president. On February 5th this Army veteran is voting for Clinton.

[rh654]

Mark Penn wrote a book called "MicroTrends" which according to reports is how the Hillary Campaign is being run.

The problem is that, so far, this election is moving on MacroTrends and Hillary's Camp missed the change and kept focusing on the individual Micro electorate while not seeing that the people are just tired of the same same old stuff.

Hillary keeps talking about experience but what exactly has she done over 35 years???

I still don't see any change in health care for the vast majority of Americans.

Our Troops are still in Iraq.

Hillary is still voting with the NeoCons on foreign policy.

[Jimmyboyo]

The night before the iowa caucus, mr. penn said that hillary was going to win it. That all his info said so.

LOL

His track record stinks.

Only a cultist kool aid drinker would believe anything that comes out of mark penn's mouth.

[nbb1956]

In Iowa the Clinton refused to take questions and answers which was a huge error--I watched her on C Span yesterday at a High School rally in NH where she toke Q&A and she was terrific--she answered each question that reflected her understanding of the issues along with a way to solve them--sometimes a loss can be a positive--a reality check--If she continues to be the Hillary as she was in NH she will be our next President

[BARRISTER]

Would America slavishly do as Iowans bid:
1. On Investing their hard earned money?
2. On sending their children to War?
3. On How to educate their children?
4. On medical treatment for any serious condition?
5. On what to wear?
6. On what to eat?
7. On which school to attend?
8. On what to drive?
9. On who to marry?
10. On what house to buy?

No, but yes on who to be President????

How dumb are Americans; How very DUMB!!!!

[gulopartisan]

Why is it that the pundits and spinners don't seem to get it? Hilary lost in Iowa because votes didn't want her nominated. That isn't anybody's fault, any more than the moon is.

[SteveRoach]

Why is Edwards allowed to continually assert he got second in the Iowa Caucus?

Edwards won 14 delegates in the Iowa caucus. Hillary won 15 delegates, while Obama won 16 delegates.

Explaining to young people that the nomination process is a marathon and not a sprint is not resonating with the electorate.

[esl]

Some can blame Penn if they want. I blame so-called progressive blogs like this one. Obama talks a good talk, but won't do the walk because he is not a progressive or liberal Democrat and neither is this blog. I hope somebody can pull the curtain back and expose this wizard for what he really is, but it won't be any of the writers here unless Smiley does it.

[Rhayden]

Amazing how a few Iowa hicks can affect the course of the election of the leader of the free world. Voters always seem to favor "change," whatever the hell that is. I'm a former journalist, and I don't put a whole lotta faith in today's mainstream publications. Therefore, I dismiss the Time rag hit piece on Mark Penn as column inches designed to increase revenues for Time Inc.