Mark Penn Finally Fired

Late Sunday evening, the Clinton campaign confirmed that Mark Penn was stepping down as chief strategist in the wake of his dust-up with the Colombian government. That his tenure at the helm of the campaign ended because of a connection to a Burson-Marsteller client is not terribly surprising. But there were plenty of reasons, far better than this one, to have fired Penn many months before.

Penn presided over a top-down campaign in which, to the surprise of most observers, he was responsible for both crafting the message and polling its effectiveness. Normally frowned upon, such an approach often leads to self-fulfilling polling that validates the assumptions of the strategist, rather than providing an objective assessment. Perhaps that is the best explanation for a series of horribly misguided message strategies that Penn employed.

There was the now infamous inevitability argument, a message that ramped expectations to heights that Clinton could never have expected to meet. There was the change vs. experience message, one that helped validate Obama's persona as the change candidate. And of course, when times got tough, there was the "Let's get real" message. Showing a clear sign that the campaign did not understand its opponent, this message criticized Obama supporters rather than Obama himself, driving the wedge further between the candidate and the voters she needed to persuade.

But Penn chose not to confine his incompetence strictly to messaging, allowing it to invade all parts of the campaign strategy. His decision to forego caucus states demonstrated a glaring misunderstanding of the delegate allocation process. In a system in which losses must be minimized and wins inflated, Penn surrendered essential turf. It is equally surprising that someone who perceived his candidate as having enormous weaknesses in caucuses would have steered the campaign directly into the Iowa caucus. Had Deputy Campaign Manager Mike Henry's recommendation been adopted -- that Clinton forego Iowa -- she may well have earned the nomination months ago.

As a chief strategist, Penn consistently proved to be a disappointing spokesperson. His mannerisms and tone on television suggest an abiding arrogance; he is often described as unsavory and unpleasant. While on Hardball, he was chastised by Joe Trippi for invoking the word "cocaine" while talking about Senator Obama. When paired with Obama strategist David Axelrod, Penn seemed unable to control his disdain.

Even when he wasn't speaking for the campaign, he too often found himself at the center of the story. Private infighting with staff was often public and unprofessional, with uncomfortable details making front page news on multiple occasions.

Having not taken a leave from being Worldwide CEO of Burson-Marsteller, Penn set himself up for a number of potentially harmful situations for the Clinton campaign. His moonlighting for anti-union companies and other controversial organizations were an issue throughout the campaign, culminating this past week when he met with the Colombian Ambassador. The Colombian Embassy had hired Penn's firm to help pass a trade deal that Clinton opposes. Last night's resignation was the eventual result.

There were a number of reasons to fire Mark Penn, not the least of which was his obvious incompetence. But more than anything else, Mark Penn deserved to be fired because he viewed Hillary Clinton as just another client. Who wouldn't want a chance to elect someone president, a chance to leave a permanent mark and a lasting legacy? But for Penn, the Clinton campaign was just a client who purchased his services, no different than the Colombian government, or Exelon, or Blackwater.

So much of what was wrong with her was him.

Mark Penn should have been fired back in September and again in January. He should have been fired after Super Tuesday, and fired after the 11 contests that followed. He should have been fired before Texas and Ohio, and fired twice after. Instead, he wasn't fired until April 6th, two weeks before the Pennsylvania primary, when no change in strategy could possibly change the outcome.

Comments

[Fotios]

Hillary acts as if the 8 years she spent in the white house was a co-presidency, except when it hurt her, like NAFTA (she actually helped promote the NAFTA proposal). She should have just admitted that her experience is really in the first man, Bill. He would be the experienced one in the Lincoln Bedroom. However, that hurts her too, because he was a bigger proponent of the Columbian trade deal than Penn! Wake up people, these people lie to get what they want!

[thrutheseasons]

Penn, Penn, Penn. Hillary's blunders have been more than just not firing Penn. She accepted all his strategies. She could not see where they would lead and how she would be viewed. She has shown a terrible lack of character that I was very surprised to find because of this race. Penn may certainly have been incompetent, but he was hired by Hillary, and the fact that she hired him and held on to him for so long, shows that she does not qualify for the job, not now, not eight years from now. Her negative and frankly entitled attitude towards this campaign and her out and out lies have made me lose all the respect that I used to have for the Clintons. The blame does not lie exclusively with Penn, but should be held squarely on Hillary's shoulders.

[srtjsrtj]

MARK PENN IS NOT FIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Sen. Clinton came on TV last night and acknowledged that she did not FIRE him. She said she did not fire him because Sen. Obama had some supporter in his camp that made a similar mistake. Many were floored! She refused to accept responsibility for what happened and did not fire him even though he clearly stands in opposition of what her position is on NAFTA. Now we are clearly brought back to this "loyalty" thing as all cost. Which tells us this administration would not be any different relative to job assignments and what's or whose right or the most qualified for the country. I am floored!

[daddysboy]

Very excellent analysis. You have your thumb directly on the pulse. I would add that being inside that bubble (this would include Clinton) also precluded anyone else from seeing the errors in his strategies. This latest conflict of interest was severe enough that a small child could have detected it.

[mizonglohong]

You know, Penn is like a human version of Porky Pig except I like Porky Pig. He isn't really fired either. The Clinton machine is addicted to him, and they will never cut the cord!!!

[DC]

"So much of what was wrong with her was him."

Spot on. Mark Penn was about himself and not who hired him and paid him well.

HRC hired someone just like herself, (which is really bad management) someone who made her comfortable, but could never propel her forward because it was all about him.

[Openeyes]

Dylan - as many have noted, Penn was demoted not fired, which leads to a more subtle and interesting situation. Doubtless there will be many post-mortems lilke yours exposing his numerous blunders along the campaign trail. But he is still part of the campaign. How will it play out now that he is not in charge, but still has a voice? Even more internal bickering? Will others in the campaign leadership feel emboldened to challenge him? To what extent does he still have Hillary's ear - she demoted but did not entirely dismiss him? How effective can he be while the post-mortems are swirling about even as he is trying to assert influence on the direction of the campaign? Will a sudden change in strategy make the campaign look stronger, or desperate?

Those are the really interesting questions that have yet to be answered, and that we are only able to ask because Penn remains with the campaign.

I think it bodes well for Obama, as I can't see Penn's continued but diminished presence doing anything but contributing to internal strife within Clinton's campaign, versus a new direction if he were simply gone. If they don't cut him completely loose, there will be internal fighting. Makes for good drama, and bad campaign strategy.

[02066MA]

Penn is a dis-sheveled looking, obese, owf. For him to represent a candidate, who I by the way support, that is touting health care, this guy looks like he's about to have a heart attack, needs a haircut, and needs to lose 200 lbs! He loses all credibility when he's on t.v. as soon as he opens his mouth. I hope he's gone and maybe her candidacy will turn around. Hillary, get somebody healthy and vibrant to represent you, somebody besides that schmuck. He looks like a loser.

[betsyblair]

yes, we like our Democrats to be nice and thin - like Ted Kennedy and Tip O'Neal. What an obnoxious post. Maybe Obama should have his ears pinned back so he doesn't look like Barney Fife. That would help the cause too, huh?

[waynesmyer]

Guess What Dylan, Penn is still working for HRC! His next poll numbers will show that Hilliary has won all the Super and sub-super delegates and is the only candidate who can beat Fuck-Thee Cheney and Johnny " Mad Dog" McCain in the coming election! It's not broken! I can "fix" it!
Fat Guys need love to!

[cybersense]

Hey everyone. Who cares if you make money. Really? Isn't that pretty okay?

Common on. If it was Obama, then would everyone say "hey, it's okay if he knows how to make money, it just shows he knows how to use his judgement" Jeez, nothing orginal, all the hype.

[cybersense]

Okay, now. Hang on you cyber politicians. Lighten up. I am forever thankful (after reading some of these posts), that none of you are working for either candidate. Whew!

My judgement. Pretty darn sound on that one.

Now get off the ranting and raving about who should have done what. You are not "in the know" and you are not in anyone's campaign, are you?

[daddysboy]

Such an oppressive attitude sounds like it could only have come from a member of the republican party. Thankfully that group is leaving our government soon.

[PhDiva]

He wasn't fired. He was just demoted. Great judgement, Hill.

[ButterflyWeed]

imho - to fire Penn would be to sever his big money/special interest ties. Not that her "blue collar supporters" would relate to this much, but is it really about them?

[mrJJ]

Fired?? More BS out of the Clinton campaign. How many people do you know that gets fired still collects a paycheck from their employer? Talk about fairytales... The show continues....Penn is still onboard the Clinton train and will continue to have a seat at their table.

[Giopaps]

Exactly. Fired means you are taken off the payroll. If Penn still gets paid for other work he does for Hillary's campaign he is not fired; his profile is simply lowered. But Penn is not the point; the point is his betrayal of Hillary's "blue collar" base and that a Presidential candidate like Hillary is going along with this. This is not the first time Hillary is confused or she is for or against trade agreements. Some people say low income Republicans vote against their own interest. I hope by now her "blue collar" Pennsylvanian base is getting the picture that a vote for Senator Clinton is against their interest. At least they should give it a second thought and their unions should be questioning a candidate who is always at both sides of the coin.

[ahornick]

The phrase used by the Department of Defense is:

Same monkeys; different trees...

[CorkExaminer]

Hilarious. After all that it seems to have been an exercise in news management--Penn has been taking part in all the calls and so forth: see 'Penn: Never Out, Still In': http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/04/penn_out_then_in.php

[ampay]

Once again, Clinton is exercising the poorest judgment. And like Bush, values loyalty over competence.

[Larry Kegel]

Everything the Clinton do they made it look bad know matter what it is... If it's Obama are McCain they have a exscuse for everything that goes against them... I don't see them putting Obama are McCain taxes out the way they are Hillary... Personally I think it's great that they are making money on their talks are their books... At least they are giving a good amount towards charity... They also pay good taxes on it also... I like to know how much Taxes & Charity both McCain & Obama payed on the money they made!!! I like to know How Obama made 1.5 billion dallars last year... We don't even know how much McCain mad are payed in taxes alone how much charity he's given to...

They had Obama on Hard Ball... I never heared Hard Ball so easy on anyone as they were on him... I bet if they ever got Hillary there they wouldn't be that easy... They asked Obama about the Paster... He mumbles about everything but the question asked... Obama does that with ever question ever asked of him... They act like the answer he gives is a good answer... But I've seen with other People they just keeped up until the person gave them the answer to the question... I for one would love to know how Obama could let His Children sit through anything like that!!! alone give $50,000 donation to them... According to the Church thats the way they can talk...

[betsyblair]

If the Trinity Church paid taxes Americans would really get a windfall. Everyone, except the press, knows it is tax fraud for a 501C3 non-profit organization to endorse a political candidate.

[daddysboy]

You'd think everyone knew, but bush was able to sign and pass that taxes for religious charity act not that long ago. I think we SHOULD be taxing religious organizations in America. Why not? Most of these groups have opted to FULLY participate in every aspect of our system including lobbying and political action so why are we giving them a free ride? I'm tired of paying organizations to lobby against my own interests.

[TishiJo]

Mark Penn has quit or fired (I['ve heard it both ways) as damage control for his recent Colombia dealings to prevent casting one more negative shadow on Hillary. This is of course, like everything about the Clinton campaign, for appearance only. Be afraid, be very afraid.

[zesto]

I'll tell you what makes me really afraid; the SUPER DELEGATES. I only hope that this latest conflict of interest gaff has weight with some of those back room cigar smoking power brokers. This Penn deal is actually larger than it seems. My guess is that at some point there will be an election law about the use of so-called consultants who line their pockets every which way. But I'm sorry Hillary, this is just another example of your poor judgment to gain the upper hand rather than focus on policy and issues. Oh yeah, and keeping the contests above the fray.

[rgblue]

Mark Penn makes me sick. Arrogant know-it-all.

I have been a loyal Clinton supporter since 1992 and am too old to "fall in love" with candidates the way so many have fallen for Obama.

However, what we all should be looking for is the one who can best delegate responsibility and authority, and the one who's comfortable with the most transparency.

On both counts Obama beats the daylights out of Hillary. Her delegation has been horrific and her seeming inability to see the momentous change already started is most troubling. Penn should've been gone months ago. Totally.

I will always have great respect for Hillary and always hate the way she is crucified even by her own (including a lot of you). But if I had to do the primary over again I would vote for Barack.

The writing is on the wall.