Posted by Damozel | As I haven't been at all impressed with her campaign strategy---while exceedingly impressed with Hillary---I'm afraid I can't muster anything over this except a sigh of "About damn time." And that's assuming that it isn't in fact too late:
Mark Penn, the strategist with near-total control over Hillary Clinton's campaign message and strategy since its inception, left the campaign under pressure, her campaign announced on Sunday night....Penn has been a controversial figure throughout the campaign, alienating colleagues with his brusque manner and pursuing a strategy emphasizing Clinton's toughness, experience, and electability, at a time when most analysts in both parties see an electorate demanding change....The campaign statement simply said, ""After the events of the last few days, Mark Penn has asked to give up his role as Chief Strategist of the Clinton Campaign." (Time)
Everyone seems to agree with Halperin that it's not possible to overstate "how fundamental a change this represents in Clinton's campaign," given the level of Penn's autonomy and control. (Time)
Apparently others in Clinton's campaign weren't as oblivious to what seemed to the detached observer to be Penn's long string of mistakes as they seemed.
For months, many have wondered why Mrs. Clinton had protected the gruff, rumpled strategist. Many rivals within the campaign held Mr. Penn responsible for the flawed electoral strategy that is considered partly to blame for Mrs. Clinton’s difficult political position, trailing Mr. Obama by more than a hundred delegates and facing a very narrow path to winning the Democratic nomination.
Early on, Mr. Penn also resisted efforts to humanize Mrs. Clinton, insisting that her personality was not a detriment and that voters would be drawn to her experience and presumed competence. He repeatedly pointed to polling data to support his position, leading to battles with other aides who later said it was the glimpses of vulnerability and humanity seen after her loss in Iowa that enabled her to rebound. (NYT)
I don't know about that, but I do know that there has been too little of the famous Hillary charm on display. I don't know why. It's one reason that people who have seen her live and in person are so often so drawn by her, despite her own mistakes and missteps.
But whatever you think about Penn and his strategy, at least you can't say that Clinton doesn't learn from others' experiences.
The stunning announcement came after it was revealed Friday that Penn, in his capacity as worldwide CEO of the lobbying firm Burson-Marsteller, had held discussions with officials from Colombia on a bilateral free-trade agreement. Clinton has said she is against such a pact. While campaigning for the Ohio primary, Clinton had assailed Barack Obama's campaign for what she said was its tacit collusion with Canada over NAFTA, another controversial free-trade pact that she has said needs to be renegotiated..(Time)
Yes, despite the Clintons' continued support for Penn against the advice of some 'loyalists,' this time he went a bridge too far.
Mr. Penn’s work on the trade treaty with Colombia threatened to undercut Mrs. Clinton’s support among the blue-collar voters who are a crucial part of her base, as well as call into question the sincerity of her populist economic message.
A statement from Maggie Williams, the campaign manager, and comments from aides suggested that Mr. Penn voluntarily stepped aside, but other knowledgeable aides said that Mrs. Clinton was furious when she learned of the Colombia talks and insisted on Mr. Penn’s demotion. Mr. Clinton concurred in that judgment, aides said.
The Clinton campaign declined to make Mr. Penn available for comment. On Friday he apologized to the campaign for taking on the Colombian contract. (NYT)
Apparently, it does seem that the Clintons intend to keep 'the swaggering oaf' around.
Memeorandum commentary here.
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