Clinton's Campaign is falling apart

[pmcalk]

Mark Penn, Clinton's chief strategist, is stepping down.  This, after a major mistep, in which Penn met with Columbian officials to lobby in favor of a trade deal that Clinton opposes.  Even Clinton supporters, like Rendell, recognized what a bad mistake that was.

This follows on yet another month in which Obama once again raised twice as much money as Clinton.  Obama is now ahead nationally by all accounts.  Clinton continues to lose ground in Pennsylvania and Indiana.  Her intrade numbers dropped to 13.  Her "death watch" number is at 8.  I imagine after Pennsylvania, the writing will be even more clear than it is now.

She did a great job campaigning, and I look forward to her continuing her career in New York.

[USRufnex]

Ironic if the Mark Penn story gets enough traction to put the nail in the Clinton coffin...

Penn shoulda been fired in February for reasons that have nothing to do with his lobbying... Microtrend this!

http://www.observer.com/2008/panettas-lament-they-had-no-plan

quote:In an interview with The Observer, Mr. Panetta compared Mrs. Clinton's top strategist, Mark Penn, to Karl Rove, suggested that the Clinton campaign had totally underestimated Barack Obama's appeal, and complained about the overall lack of planning that he said had characterized the former First Lady's bid to return to the White House.

Mr. Panetta, who served as chief of staff in the White House from July 1994 to January 1997, and who has contributed $2000 to Mrs. Clinton's presidential campaign, complained that Mr. Penn "is a political pollster from the past."

"I never considered him someone who would run a national campaign for the presidency," he said.

He asserted that Mr. Penn "comes from an old school, like Karl Rove—it's all about dividing people into smaller groups rather than taking the broader approach that was needed."

http://www.observer.com/2008/micro-mark

quote:A source in the campaign, speaking on background, said that Mr. Penn's philosophy was perfectly represented by a comment he made during one of Mrs. Clinton's debate preps at campaign headquarters in early winter. About 15 staffers were in a room with Mrs. Clinton discussing how she could best respond to a particular line of attack. One of the aides, the source recalled, had an idea.

"I think you need to show a little bit of humanity," said the aide.

Mr. Penn interjected. "Oh, come on, being human is overrated."

[FOTD]

You Want to know why Penn was ostensibly demoted but not fired sooner, ask why Colombia's Uribe fiercely attacked Barack Obama twice this week and not Hillary Clinton? A Clinton Campaign strategy backfired by involving a Foreign Nation in the American election process. Someone had to pay the price, and so Hillary Clinton's Prince of Darkness walked the plank.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120726769569388303.html?mod=hpp_us_whats_news

[FOTD]

The Real Final 'Straw' That Broke Mark Penn's Back

http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=1703