Mark Penn Reportedly Dumber Than Previously Realized

Campaign strategist Mark Penn has long been held out as the despised, incompetent ally of the Clinton campaign's own gravediggers, what with his decisions to lobby for trade agreements that his candidate was simultaneously opposing and to make over Hillary as some sort of poll-driven android. Plus, he'd earned the open enmity of Harold Ickes, which never ends well for anyone. And yet his strange mystique has made the microtrending ninnybot the most unfireable person outside of legendary Knicks doofus Isiah Thomas.

And according to a report on Time's Karen Tumulty, the depths of Penn's political ignorance are still being plumbed:

Clinton picked people for her team primarily for their loyalty to her, instead of their mastery of the game. That became abundantly clear in a strategy session last year, according to two people who were there. As aides looked over the campaign calendar, chief strategist Mark Penn confidently predicted that an early win in California would put her over the top because she would pick up all the state's 370 delegates. It sounded smart, but as every high school civics student now knows, Penn was wrong: Democrats, unlike the Republicans, apportion their delegates according to vote totals, rather than allowing any state to award them winner-take-all. Sitting nearby, veteran Democratic insider Harold M. Ickes, who had helped write those rules, was horrified -- and let Penn know it. "How can it possibly be," Ickes asked, "that the much vaunted chief strategist doesn't understand proportional allocation?" And yet the strategy remained the same, with the campaign making its bet on big-state victories.

And keep in mind, this is the guy to whom Clinton's still in debt to the tune of fourteen kajillion dollars.

Comments

[KISSman]

06:08 PM on 05/08/2008

It's hard to believe that a guy like this could be such a tool, BUT it all falls on Hillary and not Mark Penn. She prioritized loyalty over ability. Do you know who else does that? George W. Bush.

[HumeSkeptic]

06:05 PM on 05/08/2008

Mistakes were made.

[bibimimi]

05:24 PM on 05/08/2008

Mark Penn, Harvey einstein, Hugh Rodham...what's with Hillary Boys and JOWLS?

[TrueBlueMajority]

05:24 PM on 05/08/2008

This is the same guy who thought HRC could skip Iowa? Who didn't understand the Texas two-step? Who needed Ed Rendell to cover for them when they failed to file a delegate slate in PA on time? Penn got paid all this money when evidently I and half the regulars at Daily Kos understand the ins and outs of the primary season better than he does?

Barack Obama said it last spring: we would be able to judge his executive skills by how he ran his campaign. And look how true that has proven to be. Here is Obama running a national campaign for the very first time, flawlessly on the management level. Meanwhile the Clintons, who thought they were the titular heads of the D party and were entitled to a coronation, have had one managerial mis-step after another. I know which team I want running the White House and the country. Just one more reason why I am glad HRC will not be our nominee or our next president.

[FLindependant]

05:20 PM on 05/08/2008

Hiring this nincompoop.... $20million dollars

Having Jason Linkins proclaim him a "ninnybot".... P R I C E L E S S.

[Smunker]

05:18 PM on 05/08/2008

Much as I loathe Penn, I don't really buy this story. I think that it's more likely to be a story to make Ickes look good - he, after all, comes out looking much better from this 'tale'.

The fact that it's plausible though should tell you all you need to know about the campaign 'team' that Clinton put together.

[savertime]

01:45 PM on 05/08/2008

So Hillary's campaign was a one-man operation? Where was the "team effort?" Where was Bill? He did this in 1992 and 1996; no one thought the strategy was inane? I can't believe Penn is getting a kajillion dollars for the most pathetic campaign I've ever seen! I knew instantly whenever a big
mistake was being made. There were too many no-no's.

[the964kid]

01:31 PM on 05/08/2008

I hope this is the truth! If it is - wow! How is Hillary's chief strategist not going to know the Dem primary rules??! How much was this fool paid?? I'd hate to be Clinton donor reading a story like this. But as much as people want to blame Penn, the real blames lies on Hillary who picked this crony to have such a high role in her campaign.

[rnb]

01:44 PM on 05/08/2008

Penn and his firm were paid millions, if not tens of millions. And people thought that the few hundred dollars they were spending on snow shovels in Iowa was fiscally irresponsible.

[Robespierre]

05:47 PM on 05/08/2008

What do you mean, How is Hillary's chief strategist not going to know the Dem primary rules??!"

It's easy. Why should he know the Den primary rules? This guy is a Republican! It's the only acceptable excuse!!! Otherwise, he's as dumb as a box of rocks!!!!

As Mr. B. Bunny would state: What a Maroon!

[filo]

01:03 PM on 05/08/2008

In the words of Homer J. Simpson.......D'OH !!

[Nommo]

01:02 PM on 05/08/2008

"The same thing we do every night, Pinky..."

[NCRESIDENT]

12:51 PM on 05/08/2008

And this is why she do not need to be the president. How can you not know when I am an ordinary citizen who do not get paid for this know. Where was Clinton when they were building the campaign. Again, not reading what is before you. She didn't read the Intel for Iraq war now a democrat politician that she is didn't know that democrats split. I don't know about this one but I am happy she isn't running in the general election. There is no excuses for this one none. And for you Hillary supporters don't blame it on Mark Penn. She is the one running for president not him. She is the one who should have known what was going on instead of paying someone to do her work for her. A sign an elitist. Sign the check and read your speech. Same reason alot of stars are in debt now. Not reading and working closely with staff. Obama has ran an excellent campaign that gets no mention. 1.5 million donors. Over 100 million contributed by everyday people. He never once had a shakeup in his campaign. Says enough for me. If you want to see how they'll run the country look how they'll run their campaign. Has to do with money and getting a point across to the people AND HE HAS!

[AliHajiSheik]

12:47 PM on 05/08/2008

You're doing a heckuva job Penny.

Sounds like the Hilldabeast would put together a team every bit as inept as Bush.

[maidenofdforest]

12:46 PM on 05/08/2008

CLINTON HAD A DIFFERENT YARDSTICK FOR PUTTING PEOPLE ON HER CAMPAIGN WAGON. LOYALTY. AND LOYALTY ENDS WHERE YOUR STOMACH BEGINS. SURROUNDED BY HORRIBLE PEOPLE WITH HORRIBLE TACTICS SPELLS WHAT A HORRIBLE PERSON HILLARY CAN BE AT THE WH.

>C'S IN MATH (SHE'S THE LADY IN THE RED)
>D IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS (LOOK AT HER SURROGATES LANNY, CARVILLE, KIKI)
> D IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS (NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN)
>C IN NATIONAL POLICY (GAS TAX HOLIDAY)
> E' IN FOREGIN POLICITY (OBLITERATE IRAN)
>POOR IN JUDGMENT (WHO IS THIS UPSTART? I'M THE QUEEN...)


?

[4wehttam]

01:03 PM on 05/08/2008

Actually I have to give Kiki her props, she's a lot more professional and respectful than Carville, Lanny and those other blowhards.

I can't believe Penn is still part of that campaign. Again I ask, what does he know about the CLinton's that they don't want revealed??????