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A Good [Expletive] Story

March 06, 2008 11:10 AM

Our friends Peter Baker and Anne Kornblut at the Washington Post take a backstage look at the Clinton campaign and find it, even in victory, something of a mess.

Read it HERE.

Some highlights:

An anonymous senior aide: "The greatest challenge going into the campaign was the management of Bill Clinton."

Political director Guy Cecil to Mark Penn and Mandy Grunwald: "You guys need to grow up. You're acting like kids. I've got work to do."

Deputy communications director Phil Singer to the "war room": "[Expletive] all of you."

Harold Ickes to Penn: "[Expletive] you!"

Penn to Ickes "[Expletive] you!" 

Ickes to Penn "[Expletive] you!"

- jpt

March 6, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (25)

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And this is relevant, how?

Posted by: AmazonTraveler | Mar 7, 2008 8:19:17 AM

Apparenty "[Expletive] you!" is Hillary's latest slogan.

Posted by: SE Croft | Mar 7, 2008 7:13:09 AM

The greatest challenge going into the campaign was the management of Bill Clinton. - they act as if they have.

Posted by: cobb | Mar 6, 2008 4:53:44 PM

Big deal.

Everyone I know has acted that way at some point in their life.

It's not suprising that it may happen in one of the highest pressure situations?

*yawn*

Posted by: Lauren | Mar 6, 2008 4:38:33 PM

Good to see them finally tell the truth.

Posted by: Edna | Mar 6, 2008 3:48:27 PM

Obama blames media for losses in Ohio and Texas, and Obama bolts out of press conference when asked about the Rezko corruption trial all in same week. The most disturbing thing to me about Obama is that when he is asked a tough question he never answers it. He calls it "old politics", he attacks the questioner (political rival or media)or he walks off and dismisses it. Accountability is the cornerstone of American democracy Barack - get used to it!!

Posted by: hopesprings52 | Mar 6, 2008 1:44:15 PM

Redcat, does this same rational re;4000 American deaths also apply to Obama supporters and sometimes spokesman John Kerry who also voted for the Iraq war? Rockerfeller who also voted for the war and if you were to check Obama's super delegates fully 97% voted for the war. Will you now write each of their names here and condemn them as well? Or are you not the straight shooter you claim you are?

Posted by: Dogsoldier | Mar 6, 2008 1:29:02 PM

Khan perhaps you could name the smears the media made against Obama so I have some idea what you're even talking about. For me, Obama is too thin skinned to play with the big dogs. He whines whenever he is even questioned.

Posted by: Dogsoldier | Mar 6, 2008 1:19:15 PM

What is this about media being not so supportive of Hillary the another Clinton!! I have read most of blogs in the past 10 days have been highlighting Hillary's smear campaign against Obama. Those false smear stories were in the headlines. Obama was totally thrown in the background. USA - Take it from me! If you really desire CHANGE from the same old, same old, then

GO FOR OBAMA

Posted by: Khan | Mar 6, 2008 1:08:57 PM

I am a Hillary supporter. Nevertheless, I have to admit that the WP and Trapper got the essence of the Clinton camp problems correct. I have been privately saying this during the Iowa campaign. The fact is Hillary is doing as well as she is can only be attributed to Hillary herself and her loyal internet supporters and not the campaign team. I personally believe Ickes does know the situation out here on the ground and he does understand the value of ground troops every campaign needs. The most telling comment: when Hillary herself asked what have you people done with all the money I raised? To me that says it all.

Posted by: Dogsoldier | Mar 6, 2008 12:58:00 PM

Jake, excellent story, the news media has really nothing to write. If you are so much into it, here it goes:

[Expletive] everyone in the news media!

Hope this will meet news media's appetite.

Posted by: Josh | Mar 6, 2008 12:57:42 PM

This is why West Wing got cancelled. Who cares?

Posted by: chasseur | Mar 6, 2008 12:54:44 PM

Hey "Redcat", what did you say? If you are not going to vote for Hillary Clinton, and just because you support her competitor is not a basis for you to reach into the garbage can and start pulling this stuff out. We aren't getting facts from Jake's ticker today or you for that matter. This just a bunch of emotionally laden stuff, a manuever right out of the RNC playbook. Hmmm, I wonder who you really support.

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Mar 6, 2008 12:51:56 PM

Penn should go anyway.....So they can bring in the big guns like Carville.

That would be great!

Posted by: Sue | Mar 6, 2008 12:35:11 PM

Now is the time to ask the Sen. Clinton what her 35 yrs of experience really is. Now is the time to ask questions about what the American public need to know and are going to ask very soon. If we don’t ask these questions, the republican’s will. Every American knows all of the stuff that’s part of Clinton’s experience like: Whitewater, Travel gate, Monica Lewinsky and impeachment, renting out the Lincoln bedroom, the loss of the Rose Law Firm billing records for nearly 2 years until they were miraculously found in the White House living quarters, removing files from Vince Foster’s office following his suicide and before investigators could get there. Has anyone asked why she hasn’t released her library records or tax returns? What if she's hiding something negative that might cost your party the White House? I know she's hiding something. While you guys are deciding we'll consolidate and take the white house again. I guess being a Dem isn't much fun.

Posted by: Chan | Mar 6, 2008 12:26:39 PM

This was a very uneventful column to write and even more uneventul to read. Who cares what they are doing behind the scenes running their campaign. I'm a little more interested in the issues at hand and who can offer some solutions to solving some of the many problems that we have here in the USA. Hillary is the only candidate that has offered solutions, she is the only candidate that presents herself as a business person. So the choices are Obama a preacher-like candidate, he's going to rid the world of all of it's problems. McCain an old war veteran with a temper and is still a war monger. And Hillary, someone who has achieved a great deal in the area that she represents as Senator not only has she spoke of the issues but is offering solutions as well. Regardless of what Hillary's campaign staff members are doing backstage, she is the best person for the job.

Posted by: blazinsaddles | Mar 6, 2008 12:16:24 PM

You really did it with this one, jpt, and I thought you were a balanced journalist. If putting a bunch of expletives in the Clinton staff rhetoric, you surely won't do such a story on Obama's staff, like no one else uses expletives! Look at your bloggers who violate the ABC code. You really did it with this one. Fall in the CNN, MSNBC, and FOX mudpit, if you like. I'll get my news somewhere else.

Posted by: georgia | Mar 6, 2008 12:08:58 PM

Same way she will run this country >>>>>>

Posted by: honest | Mar 6, 2008 12:02:51 PM

Yeah this is the way people talk in a tense, high pressure situation. It's the way folks talk in the oval office behind closed doors, in police stations and yes newsrooms. It's not all PC, all the time. The real story is that after losing Ohio and Texas, Obama blamed the media for "turning against him". Oh boo, boo (expletive) hoo!!

Posted by: hopesprings52 | Mar 6, 2008 12:02:48 PM

Seems obvious that Obama has the media in his pocket. Evident by most of the headlines and stories.

I wonder who's money is paying for it all?

I wonder who is paying the salaries of all the high Prices specialist he has on his team. Plus the advertisements, the campaign itself, and other expenses.? Or So *cough* Donating it.

Posted by: seah | Mar 6, 2008 12:00:29 PM

Well here we go again seem as soon as Hillary win a race everyone jumps on the bandwagon to question this to question that.

Its the delegates, she is cheating, she is hiding her tax forms, her campaign is in a mess, she lies, she cant do this or that, she is wicked and evil.

I am really sick of it now, its getting old and boring, if I was in here place I would say to hell with it, its really not worth it, this constant attack, always having to fight as if she is waiting to do the USA the greatest harm, with a host of bad intentions to get Americans.

Give them Obama I say let him deal with the McCains and the entire lot, better yet he should win and change everything for everyone maybe that is what MSM really needs for a good dose of reality.

Posted by: SJ | Mar 6, 2008 11:39:32 AM

I'm assuming that Ickes and Penn aren't the same people who write her speeches.

I'm amused by the idea of a "Deputy" Communications Manager. How many layers of bureaucracy does she have in this campaign?


Posted by: Ladyvoter | Mar 6, 2008 11:39:00 AM

I don't even go to the washington post's web site anymore, nor would I buy their paper because of the vicious assault on Hillary CLinton that borders on Hatred, and I capitalized that for a reason.

If Hillary Clinton had won 11 states in a row, it would have been turned into a negative story in the WP. All I can say is that i hope the garbage they pass off as journalism loses them readership and money.

I believe one of their columnists has a piece today entitled, "Why she isn't dead yet?" In many jurisdictions that would be considered Hatred to the point of being punishable under the law.

People are getting tired of this and women especially flock to the polls anytime they spew this kind of garbage.

The WP needs to clean up its act.

Posted by: s.b. | Mar 6, 2008 11:26:22 AM

Clinton needs to stress It's the Economy, Stupid II. Obama can't handle it.

Posted by: Bryans Shuy | Mar 6, 2008 11:17:12 AM

I thought Penn did not work for the Clinton Campaign, did he not say that last week?

Posted by: spock | Mar 6, 2008 11:14:28 AM

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