Mark Penn's Fall: Clintonistas Dance On Penn's Grave

New York Observer:

On a conference call among high-level Clinton staffers on the morning of April 7, longtime adviser Mark Penn was arguing about a proposed advertisement for Hillary Clinton.

"Mark, Mark, Mark," said Geoff Garin, a pollster who had taken over some of Mr. Penn's duties as chief strategist, as Mr. Penn continued to press his point. "A decision has already been made."

Read the whole story: New York Observer

Comments

[ldvisavis]

Yeah, that TITLE CHANGE REALLY nipped the conflict of interest integrity issues in the bud.

Nice reminder of how things work in Hillaryland.

[jsinclair]

I think Clintonistas are celebrating how stupid and gullible the media is.

Hillary made no statement on Penn's secret mission to Colombia (I believe, like Canada/Nafta, with her consent and on her behalf). Clearly she's not upset--what does that say about her "principles"?

He gave up his title. Big deal. He's still advising...still doing what he's always done....still making millions.

Meanwhile, the stupid media continues to talk about him "resigning" from the Clinton campaign. What a lie!

[Justtellthetruth]

He was NOT FIRED, HE DID NOT RESIGN. This is whats known, in common vernacular, as a LIE. You SAY he resigned, or was let go, but then keep him and his firm on. I fail to see what difference it would make, to SAY he's fired, but then allow him free access to the campaign and the candidate, and in a capacity that still allows him to draw income. If his actions are considered offensive to the sensibilities of, and counter to the promises that she makes to, many of her supporters, she should FIRE him. But in actual fact, she could care less about the Union issues.

HILLARY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT NAFTA, FREE TRADE ISSUES, OR THE MASS MURDERS OF UNION WORKERS IN COLUMBIA. HER "NON FIRING" OF PENN CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES THIS .

[Zhonni]

I was just going to say, what are the "Clintonistas" dancing for? HE ISN'T DEAD! He still pulls the strings behind the curtain.

I am not sure they are fooling anyone. Let me take that back since we have this headline over hear. I believe the informed wouldn't buy it.

[jeff97005]

compared to Wright, Penn is wrong

Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity UCC --
one) amidst a life time of other sermons and proclamations that were faithful ministry to his congregation and their neighbors, and
two) in the context of his congregation that knew and expected challenge about the issues at the intersection of life and faith, and
three) in the tradition of the United Church of Christ which welcomes critical as well as supportive response to what is shared from a free and prophetic pulpit
-- was preaching to his choir .
THE KEY, I submit, is that Rev. Wright was preaching to a congregation that had the power and the responsibility to call him as their pastor, or - if needed - to curtail his call. Barack Obama, one member among thousands, had a less than 0.05 % voice and vote in the continuation or curtailing of Rev. Wright's tenure at Trinity UCC.

HOWEVER: Mark Penn was serving solely at the determination of Hillary Clinton as the highest paid staff member of her campaign. And Clinton has 100% voice and vote to continue or to curtail Mark Penn's call to his position in her campaign. Penn and ultimately Hillary Clinton are 100% wrong.

[AZDemocrat500]

The Obama Post makes comments about the the Clintons as if it is an adversarial group with such name calling as Clintonistas. This site and the rest of the far left MSM are falling over youselves getting in line for Obam. This is totally unacceptable for a news outlet, is this what the media has become; niche groups supporting one side or the other.

[cowman]

You make a good point about the name-calling but as for the rest of your post, this site is billed as "news and opinion" I do believe.

[HeadScratcher]

Appreciate your thoughts, but I've read numerous posts by you AZDem on this blog that have been very critical of Obama supporters - so, you've played the niche game too. There is no question that this primary has become personal - more personal that I can recall in the past. That is very unfortunate for all concerned.

[bleek]

Maybe now Hillary can concentrate on what's worked for her in the past. Like offering to grant pardons to people who will vote for her.

[ChimpmasterDJ]

Dancing on his grave, are they? Are you saying the poor benighted fools don't see that 1] there's no grave and no dead body, the scoundrel is still working for her, as he probably was when dealing with the Colombians, and 2] This is just another instance of Hillary's mask dropping for a moment, revealing who she really is, her true agenda, and her contempt for her own followers?

[cowman]

It's not a grave if he ain't dead.

[andyboy]

Mark is the evil offspring of that family from the Twilight Zone who all had pig masks permanently affixed to their heads.....Rod Serling would be so proud.

[KQuark]

I've been off line relaxing the past few days but first I hear Penn is fired and now I hear he is only demoted. Hillary has run one of the weakest campaigns in recent history and we are supposed to believe she will do better against McCain.

[cowman]

Bait and switch.

He's fired!

No, wait, actually he'll stay on to do polling.

No, wait, he'll also continue to advise.

[V4Vigilance]

Mark Penn, the gift that keeps on giving.

You gotta love this trifecta.

1. Mark Penn calls into question Hillary's truthfulness and credibility. What do you mean he's still working for the campaign? Didn't he resign?

2. Mark Penn calls into question Hillary's competence and sanity. What the hell was he doing running her campaign in the first place?

and perhaps best of all

3. Stories about Mark Penn being "b*tch slapped"*** by the folks he'd arrogantly pushed around before he was demoted. Hey Hillary! I checked the thesaurus. "Resigned" and "demoted" ARE NOT synonyms.

OBAMA 08

***My apologies to anybody offended by this dysphemism.

[andyboy]

I thought that was a triptych. Your post was a work of art.

[KQuark]

Hillary has a real problem with Penn. If she continues to have him in this campaign the questions will continue. I wonder if Penn is one of those people who knows where the Clintons have the bodies hidden, so to speak.

[patriotscholar]

Why do I get a feeling of "smoke and mirrors"? I get the feeling that all of this publicity is for the sake of publicity itself, and for the "feel good" of thinking that Penn is gone. He isn't gone. My bet he is till going to be important in her campaign and that all this yakking about Penn mean nothing. It sure gets headlines, though, and it distracts voters away from other issues.

[SubparDude]

:

Don't forget The Stake!


:

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

Dancing on someones grave is a sure sign that they were a Bully

[cowman]

If only it were a grave. They're talking to him as they're doing the dancing so he's still there.

[Teritt]

If the Clinton's won't let Rev. Wright go, then Obama's people shouldn't give them a pass on Colombia-gate. HuffPost has another article on Bill Clinton and his ties to Colombia, and this was posted on the Observer today:

Mark Penn isn’t the only Hillary Rodham Clinton supporter on the wrong side of the Colombia trade agreement.

The Democratic-leaning advocacy firm the Glover Park Group, former home to Clinton campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson, signed a $40,000 per month contract with the government of Colombia in April of 2007 to promote the very agreement that Clinton now rails against on the presidential campaign trail.

That means Glover Park Group was arguing the same position on the free trade agreement as has Penn, the contentious Clinton strategist and Burson-Marsteller chief executive who lost his campaign job over the weekend after The Wall Street Journal revealed that he’d met with Colombian officials to plot strategy on the pact.

Several other Glover Park employees have deep connections with the Clintons, including founding partner Joe Lockhart, who served as the White House press secretary under President Bill Clinton, and Joel Johnson, who was a senior communications adviser in the Clinton White House.

Six employees of Glover Park Group contributed a total of nearly $20,000 to Clinton’s campaign in 2007, according to data kept by the Center for Responsive Politics.