Hillary's Blackwater Connection

A lot of negative things have been written in the blogosphere about pollster Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton's increasingly-powerful advisor. Penn's critics have focused on his firm's union-busting work. They've also attacked his insistence on promoting a strategy of so-called "centrism," even as supposedly "centrist" policy positions - especially regarding Iraq - become increasingly unpopular. And now we learn that the PR firm he runs, Burson-Marsteller, has been hired to repair Blackwater's reputation.

Which raises a question: If they're so good at PR, how did Burson-Marsteller manage to make themselves such a potential public relations disaster for their most famous client? After all, the firm helps "drive strong corporate and brand reputations for its clients," according to its corporate webpage. What will this link with out-of-control mercenaries do for Sen. Clinton's "brand reputation?"

While I haven't hesitated to criticize the Clinton campaign or its advisors, I've deliberately refrained from commenting on Mark Penn for a couple of reasons. For one thing, I work in the corporate world too. We're a capitalist society, and if a person chooses to function in that world the lines aren't quite as black-and-white as they may seem from the outside. (Although union-busting is, or should be, beyond the pale - especially for someone with a leadership role in a campaign that seeks union support.)

For another, I'm not prepared to heap the kind of scorn on Penn that others do (although Kos' impaling of him yesterday is pretty much the definitive blog commentary on Penn's shortcomings). I haven't read "Microtrends," Penn's new book. But Ezra Klein has, and his piece on it and Penn may be the definitive print takedown of the pollster.

Yet another reason I've stayed away from commenting on Penn is that Sen. Clinton seems committed to working with him - and, despite all evidence to the contrary, I suppose I keep clinging to the tattered hope that she develop into a candidate worth supporting in 2008. Some of us haven't completely given up on her yet ... but time is growing short.

Now we have the news that Burson-Marsteller, under Penn's leadership, has taken on Blackwater as a client. Blackwater has become a symbol for everything that's wrong with the incumbent Administration, from the greedy and irresponsible outsourcing of governmental functions to Pentagon-sanctioned atrocities like the shooting of an Iraqi politician's bodyguard by a drunken mercenary operating beyond the law.

Ezra Klein quotes Penn's partner and others as saying that he's driven by "the numbers," and only by the numbers. Yet numbers can only be understood in context - and political contexts include the social, the perceptual ... and the ethical. Taking on Blackwater shows a blindness toward context.

Mel Brooks said this about Hitler in a 1966 Playboy interview:

"There was a whole nice side of Hitler. He was a good dancer - no one knows that. He loved a parakeet named Bob - no one knows that either."

Here's some professional advice for Burson-Marsteller. The best you can do for your new client is to try an approach like that for your client (although Brooks, of course, was joking).

This latest revelation about Penn and his firm doesn't seem to have hit the mainstream media, at least so far. But it doesn't have to get wide press in order to do lasting damage to her campaign, especially during the primaries. That's something we're about to address in our next post - one that will presumably meet with Mr. Penn's approval, since it will be driven by "the numbers."

We're being told that Sen. Clinton and her staff combine "experience" and management savvy with the ability and desire to create "change." This example of poor judgment casts doubts on both claims. It's not smart management, and it certainly doesn't make her look like the candidate of "change."

As for Burson-Marsteller, the best thing it can do for its new client is to buy it a parakeet named "Bob."

A Night Light
The Sentinel Effect: Healthcare Blog
Future-While-U-Wait
RJ Eskow at the Huffington Post

Comments

[MikeMidCity]

Everything remotely having to do with Blackwater has to go.

[bklynsam]

I honestly don't know why anyone is surprised that Hillary is associated with Mark Penn. Early in the season, her campaign said that they admired Karl Rove and proudly proclaimed that they intended to try to copy his tactics. How better to do that than to have someone like Penn who is equally slimy.

I've watched Hillary Clinton closely for years. She is shrewd and calculating and will do anything to win. She knows exactly who Mark Penn is, and what his company is known for. Blackwater is just the tip of the iceberg. Read Ari Berman's 'Hillary, Inc'. Research some of the shenanigans his polling company has pulled with exit polls.

If the MSM were doing its job, you'd be hearing about this instead of $500 haircuts and lapel pins. Of course, if the Clintons could bully GQ into killing an unfavorable story on Hillary, no reason to expect they'd just stop there.

[OhPlease2007]

RJ, thanks for your post. You write:

"I work in the corporate world too. We're a capitalist society, and if a person chooses to function in that world the lines aren't quite as black-and-white as they may seem from the outside."

If, when you express the phrase, "black-and-white" to mean that, one has mortgages and children's braces to pay for, so it is unwise to rock-the-boat in the corporate atmosphere, I would offer that, in my opinion, corporations DO look for applicants that have a lot of bills to pay; these applicants are less likely to rock-the-boat in a corporate organization and are more inclined to get a corporate job OVER people who are NOT married with children and/or home owners; corporations have duly crunched these numbers and have arrived at this some time ago through their in-house risk-assessment teams or through risk-assessment services contracted through corporate clients.

Here is my take; it is better to be able to look ones children in the eye with a clear conscience pulling double hours working at McDonald's than it is knowing that one works in an unethical corporate environment. Truth be told, it is not so black-and-white after all.

More and more universities and colleges teach ethics classes; many of them require students to take ethics classes as part of a students chosen major in order to graduate.

I ask you the question, What exactly are WE, as parents, teaching our children in life ?

[tbone99]

If you're willing to do anything for money as it appears Mark Penn is, whats the difference between him and any other Blackwater mercenary?.if you're willing to hire anyone, to put and keep you in power whats the difference betwen Hilary hiring Penn and Bush hiring Eric Prince? Can we ignore the consequences of sleeping with the enemy and act surprised when we find we have spawned monsters,Hilary?

[bookish]

"Driven by the numbers". Isn't that special. I keep looking for someone who will be driven by our shared humanity. Silly me.

[JPC46]

So, first Hillary has Burson-Marsteller as her PR firm. Now, they sign up Blackwater. That makes a connection to Hillary how?

Get real. If we go looking for this kind of connection no one will escape. The point is there is NO CONNECTION between Hillary and Blackwater.

[LittleBrother]

So, first Hillary has two. Now, two signs up another two. That makes four how?

Get real. If we go looking for this connection no one will escape. The point is two plus two equals ZERO.

[bringbackimus]

The main steam media will not pick up the "Mark Penn Blackwater Connection". Even if the MSM did report the connection, the majority of Americans would not understand, nor would they make the effort to understand.

[DudeE]

They didn't pick it up because there IS NO connection. Is there a connection between Kevin Bacon and Hillary Clinton? Probably so if we're playing by those rules...

[ljsfolly]

I remember the scream that changed Dean's run for the job. Not really much of one but enough for the money people to scatter like rats away from him. Hil still has to get through to be nominated and she might win them all but the scream must be remembered as it takes but one to bring down the house built in politics. Blackwater being tied to her might not be a full scream but it begs for questions when a lot of people want answers.

[nickyboy1]

The "scream" was deliberately magnified by the right wing MSM. There was no reason for Howard Dean to be brought down by it.

[jazzman]

The "scream" was deliberatelly magnified by the Kerry camp. Who do you think was behind finding something to get Dean with? Who do you think fed this stuff to the media?

[NotMyPrez]

that's because America has the attention span of a gerbil on crack-accino.

Dean's scream could have been reclaimed if he himself took ownership of it and screamed down the msm like Peter Finch.

but he didn't.

[MyLadyMacbeth]

Mr Eskow not to lampoon you for your own personal leanings but your bio ia a bit revealing.You are under contract to
http://www.rcegonline.com/
I beleive that our personal dealings influence our opinions so in fairness to all you comment about I think you should disclose your own business dealings.

[xenofile]

I'm sorry, but I fail to grasp the relevance of this connection. Could you be a little less smug and obscure?

[MyLadyMacbeth]

I bet both Clinton and Penn drink Starbucks coffee too!

[lafrance]

Ezra's book review and his description of how Washington thinks Penn is just too wonderful reminds me of the gushing over Karl Rove in early part of the decade.
I suppose Washington is so use to slimey characters anymore over the past 16 years that they forgot what professional and really decent people are.
Ever since the corrupt and shady Bill and his crew came on the scene all the way through the joke that is Bush and his merry band of criminals, they probably think Hillary and her cohorts are just normal.
maybe that is why when this story appeared on Friday, so few in the traditional media and none of the on air newstalkers have made mention of this scandal.
the usual clinton coverup and the lapdogs doing their level best to keep her out there as the second coming while never letting the average voter know anything of truth.

[Drill]

Hillary is to hawkish for my blood. I believe she will not get us out of Iraq and may even continue expansion throughout the middle east! Enough of this nonsense! I want either Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich for President!

[dora rice]

yes dove! we need doves in 2007. The terrorist just love thinkers like you.

[Donald]

And God only knows why America needs more adults just like you, who so casually insults her fellow citizens like she was some tart-tongued ten-year-old.

If your fear of some amorphous "terrorist" bogeyman has reached the point where it overcomes both your common sense and innate human decency, then those who practice the art of terrorism have most certainly beaten you into submission. Pity.

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759)

[NotMyPrez]

we need a dove with an uzi, just in case lol.

or maybe a flying dove dumping a huge payload.....

[UNCLEJOE]

Here's a clear test for your chose of the next president. You will either be surprised at your choice or reassured that you are supporting the candidate that is on the same page as you, economically, politically and environmentally.

http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460

[NotMyPrez]

Interesting-thanks for the link.

[Prolix247]

Unclejoe,

Great link. I will only say that based on my selections (and to my surprise) Dodd was my number one choice. Dodd/Obama 08? Who Knew?

[Imabachi]

Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul are apparently,(or should have been apparent by now), the only two out of the herd of Presidential candidates of the Tweedle-Dum Tweedle-Dee "mainstream" political parties that have come to understand that the ultimately unsustainable American civilization/lifestyle has inevitably led to perpetual war. What do we expect when we invade other countries based on lies with the one object of gaining control of that country's natural resource/s?
And where is it written that peace lovers cannot be armed to defend themselves?

[frost]

.

Hillary Clinton is more of the same failure and corruption that has plagued this country for the last 7 years..

we do not need more of the same..

Hillary Clinton voted to authorize Bush to attack Iraq..

Hillary Clinton voted to authorize Bush to attack Iran..

Hillary Clinton has a husband who gave us the NAFTA that has sent our middle class jobs to countries that use child labor and slave labor and is creating a race to the bottom in wages and benefits.. There is no doubt that Hillary Clinton would continue to destroy our middle class..

Hillary Clinton will NOT get my vote.. under any circumstances.. if my choice is to live with more republican failure or new democratic failure.. i will simply write in my candidate and walk away proudly knowing i am not to blame for the misery and failure that continues..
.

[MrXfromplanetX]

Ron Paul voted against the Iraq war and voted against the Patriot Act. Ron Paul is against the North American Union, NAFTA and CAFTA.

Please look into the guy. I was going to vote for Barack Obama, but he's not going to end the war either, and wants to increase foreign spending by 50 billion.

If you look up John Stossel's Myths Lies and General BS on foreign spending, most of the money the US spends over seas goes to Military force and supporting corrupt foreign governments. Poor people never see that money. It just makes it so they can't overthrow shitty dictators.

Please check out Andrew Napolitano on the Patriot Act. Hilary voted for The Patriot Act and she has done nothing to repeal it.
http://www.thedavidallenshow.com/website/podcasts/Entries/2007/9/20_Judge_Andrew_Napolitano_-_%22Nation_of_Sheep%22_and_Ron_Paul_for_President.html

[UNCLEJOE]

I just listened to Ron Paul's Advocate, Judge Andrew Napolitano, and what he lauds Ron Pauls advocacy of lower taxes, smaller government and a strict adherence to constitutional law, is the exact platform that the Republicans have been espousing since I was in Jr. High Schol in 1939. But the reality is that Ron Paul is a Republican, and although Judge Napolotano lauds Kucinich for the same political advocacy, as Ron Paul the judge dismises Kucinich as a Socialist. WHEW !
The Republicans have been subsidizing failing conglomérants, like the Savings and Loan industry and actually buying the failed Pennsylvania Railroad Industry and financing the bankrupt NYC with tax money. What the Republicans call supporting failed industries is a form of state control of industries, no different from Russian Communism or Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy at its worse. Law school does not make good historians, unfortunately.

[dora rice]

ok . vote for Guiliani. Go for it.

[NotMyPrez]

his prostate cancer will "resurface", guarentee you- he's got no cajones left. Dropped out of the senate race and handed it to Hillary.

Shumer, I like, Hillary not so much.

[billysviez]

Hillary Clinton would be more of the same for this Country. i just can't ANY difference in her and Bu$co. i don't know who i will Vote for but, it won't be Hillary. she is bush in a skirt and much more rethug than Democrat.

[horhay]

RJ you write,"...I keep clinging to the hope that she develops into a candidate worth supporting in 2008."

What more proof do you need? She's a complete sell-out. She voted for the War in Iraq. She voted for the Kyl-Lieberman resolution making it possible to create War in Iran too. Now she is involved in the Blackwater madness.

I don't trust her, so I won't be voting for her. I hope she doesn't get the nomination, because America needs a new direction in a bad way. But the media seems to have nominated her already.

I haven't decided who I'm voting for but I know I'm not voting for Hillary or Obama(I knew he wasn't ready-he missed crucial votes in the Senate).

Gravel, Edwards, Kucinich, Richardson, or Dodd deserve the nomination. Forget Hillary.

[nickyboy1]

I think you're right - the media has nominated her. I keep hearing my democratic friends leaning left yet somehow Hillary is leading the pack and by larger and larger percentages. ??

[leftLibertarian]

War Profiteering is Good for the economy!