Clinton Advisors Pushed for Penn to Go

Subscribe to this blog's feed

« Previous | Main | Next »

Clinton Advisors Pushed for Penn to Go

April 07, 2008 7:45 AM

From Eloise Harper, Kate Snow and Jake Tapper: Senator Hillary Clinton made the decision to push out senior strategist Mark Penn from her campaign Sunday after key aides became concerned that his outside work on a Colombian free-trade agreement that Clinton opposes might risk alienating key labor unions.

With the Pennsylvania primary looming in just two more weeks, that risk was considered too great.

Sources tell ABC News, two top advisors made the case to the Senator to remove Penn -- Harold Ickes and Tina Flournoy. Flournoy is a longtime teacher’s union leader who has taken on a prominent role in the Clinton campaign ever since Maggie Williams took the helm as campaign manager.

Ickes and Flournoy told Senator Clinton, according to sources, that she needed to “throw Penn under the bus” to regain the support of unions. Trade is a prominent issue in the Pennsylvania primary.

Former President Bill Clinton -- who has long been a fan of Penn’s -- argued that Penn could be demoted and not completely let go. But in the end, even President Clinton recognized that this was the last straw, after months of internal bickering between Penn and other senior staff.

Penn and his firm, Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates, Inc, will still continue to provide polling information to the campaign, but sources indicated that his day-to-day role will be much reduced. He will no longer serve as chief strategist. Instead, pollster Geoff Garin along with Communications Director Howard Wolfson will head up the message for the campaign.

On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Penn had met with the Colombian Ambassador to the United States -- in his capacity as the head of public relations firm Burson-Marsteller -- in order to help the Colombian government push for congressional approval of a free trade agreement with the United States.

The problem? Senator Clinton -- the candidate for whom Penn was also working—opposes that trade agreement.

Later on Friday, Penn described the meeting as “an error in judgment”. On Saturday, the Colombian government cancelled its contract with Penn’s firm.

On Saturday, seven labor unions that are part of the "Change to Win" coalition wrote a letter to Clinton, urging her to fire Penn.

“The Penn situation -- and the lack of action by you -- raises serious questions about the veracity of your claims of what you would do should you become President,” wrote Executive Director of 'Change to Win' Greg Tarpinian.

Clinton officials were particularly concerned about the prospect of thwarting any potential union endorsements they might have hope of receiving. While they concede Sen. Barack Obama D-IL has been more successful with gaining support from labor lately, they are hanging on to the slim possibility that the steelworkers might decide to endorse Clinton. Aides were deeply concerned that allowing Penn to stay on the job would kill that possibility.

Aside from President Clinton, Penn did not have many allies left at senior levels of the Clinton campaign. After every big loss, and when the campaign ran into financial problems prior to Super Tuesday, there were persistent rumors that Penn might be forced out.

Sources familiar with the discussions over the past few days said Penn’s enemies seized on the Colombia issue as a way to finally reduce Penn’s role.

The Colombia trade controversy was not the first case in which a client of Penn's irritated the Clinton campaign.

The work a Burson Marsteller subsidiary did for controversial war contractor Blackwater, and Penn's work for the union-busting corporation, Cintas, were other instances in which the Clinton campaign didn't appreciate having its name associated with Penn clients.

Penn also was regarded by many in the campaign as too self-serving, particularly after a Los Angeles Times profile of the campaign written after her horrible month of February, with many primary losses, when Penn was quoted saying that he had "no direct authority in the campaign," describing himself as merely "an outside message advisor with no campaign staff reporting to me."

"I have had no say or involvement in four key areas -- the financial budget and resource allocation, political or organizational sides," he reportedly said. "Those were the responsibility of Patti Solis Doyle, Harold Ickes and Mike Henry, and they met separately on all matters relating to those areas."

That eyebrow-raising display of running from failure was contradicted by senior staffers such as Wolfson, who told the newspaper that Penn had top responsibility for strategy and message.

Then there was this infamous exchange with Clinton consigliere Ickes from a recent Washington Post profile of the campaign:

Ickes to Penn: "[Expletive] you!"

Penn to Ickes: "[Expletive] you!"

Ickes to Penn: "[Expletive] you!"

April 7, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (146)

User Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Hillary does something right and bloggers here as well as ABC News turn into something bad. Obama does something wrong - like referring to the majority of Americans as "typical white people" - a statement that would have gotten a white person fired for saying "typical black people" and they spin it for the good. It is like ABCNews things Obama walks on water while Hillary should drown in it. Wake up and smell the coffee. Obama is a lying racist pig who is married to a lying racist unproud to be an American wife, and racist, unAmerican pastor. Hillary '08 for me ... and if not Hillary, McCain '08 will do just fine because I refuse to elect a race card candidate. I'm sick and tired of the Obama Campaign making people feel that if they decide to vote for someone else, they must be racists and THAT is not the truth at all.

Posted by: MM | Apr 7, 2008 9:20:22 AM

This is exactly why I can't support the Clinton's. The lies, scandals and scams have already started pouring in and she not even in the White House yet. Reminds you of anything? Say, her husbands terms in office. America, we have to move on from Bush,Clinton.

Keep doing the same things and expecting different results...Isn't that the definition of insanity?

Posted by: Do the Right Thing | Apr 7, 2008 9:26:40 AM

People do not blindly support Hillary Clinton. In fact, they are the ones who can actually see through all of the conservative led attacks against her. Wake up people! She is being attacked because she is the most feared. Think about, if you were a republican you would want to get to the candidate that you feared the most before the general election. If we are duped into nominating Obama then that public manipulation machine will turn on him and he does not stand a chance against it.

Posted by: Tom NYC | Apr 7, 2008 9:28:21 AM

MM: I think you need therapy! All you seem to do is spout the same crap about Obama since he starting this run for Pres. How about you talk about his policies? O, wait your a Hills supporter, so all you can do is reguritate the same rederic that she does. How about backing awayfrom the keyboard when you have something new to bring to the table. Because right now, your candidate is on one hell of a sinking ship...and the man you want to tear down...seems to be kicking A**!

Posted by: Michelle | Apr 7, 2008 9:28:27 AM

Like Bush says...
"Fool me once, shame on you".. "A fool can't be fooled again"!!

In one of the debates with Edwards, Clinton and Obama there was a question, "what is your biggest weakness?" posed to all candidates.

Obama goes first: "I am not well organized when it comes to paper. I always need some help with that."

Clinton: "I am too impatient to bring about change in this country"

Edwards: "I cant wait to change this country"

Later Obama recalled this event in one of his rallies. He said, had I gone third I would have said, "my biggest weakness is my compulsion to help old ladies across the street".

Bottomline is, the Clinton's don't mean what they say or say what they mean!!

Clinton against Columbia free trade agreement, but chief strategist Penn is already negotiating with them! What a surprise!

-Obama 08-

Posted by: Vee | Apr 7, 2008 9:28:55 AM

Ha ha ha ha ha... And some poor fools still want Hillary as president.. How many times must her Campaign staff mess up before her followers see that she is unable to control her staff.. let alone run a country.. MM~ about your statement about white/blacks.. in America it is alright for blacks to talk about white.. But Whites are not able to talk about blacks.. That is the law..

Posted by: Dan Fisher | Apr 7, 2008 9:32:17 AM

I want to denounce my support for Hillary, right here right now and forever, please tell the campign to loose my information and I regret ever donating to that schemer called Hillary. I quite admired the idea of a woman in the white house but now I don't think Hillary is that woman. I denounce her and I stand by my party (DEM) in november. Go away Hillary!!

Posted by: Lindy | Apr 7, 2008 9:33:01 AM

Lets talk about Obamas Policies Michelle. OH opps there is nothing to say "present"

Posted by: Tom NYC | Apr 7, 2008 9:34:42 AM

Listen people...The guy is patriotic..He was the only one who said to keep going after Osma Bin Laden and pressure Pakistan when Clinton, Bush and McCain wanted to start an unneccessary war in Iraq...
Also, he is the only candidate that brings intergrity to the office. I mean the clintons lie and cheat (bosinia, the hospital story Hillary made up Lewinsky, Paula Jones, NFTA etc...) and McCain wants to spent an 100 years in Iraq and has no clue about the economy and I think NY Times hinted he might had an extramarterial affair with a lobyist.
Finally, Last September, Clinton was clear cut favorite for the Democratic nomination; she had over 20% lead nationwide;Obama was an afterthought...Today, Obama has a 12% lead nationwide, 134 delagate lead, 700,000 popular vote lead, won 25 states and has shattered donation records. The clintons have thrown the kitchen sink and the bathroom tub and he still survied and maintain his lead. In the process I think he is vetted. I dont think there nothing McCain can do to Obama that the Clintons have not already done. The way he managed and organized this campaign is exceptionally...One must use this example on how he will lead America. Its time for a change and that change is Obama.

Posted by: Anthony | Apr 7, 2008 9:34:51 AM

Free trade implies unrestricted movement of capital and profits with very little regulations, if any, from local governments and communities. While this may free up business to be highly profitable, there is no guarantee of protection for the workers, the environment or sharing of natural resources. How can this be all good?

Posted by: worldsam | Apr 7, 2008 9:36:51 AM

cry4america: Im just happy you researched...and found out now, before you already cast your ballot in Nov.
Im glad you saw the crap that Hills is throwing us. But just make sure that as each story comes out on each candidate...that you research it. That way you can be sure to make the right choice for u!

Posted by: Michelle | Apr 7, 2008 9:37:23 AM

I would strongly advise Hillary NOT to drop out hastily. I hope not to have to vote for her in November but there is no way that I would even contemplate a vote for McCain. I still hope for our democracy to prove itself. Enough infighting!

Posted by: paula c. | Apr 7, 2008 9:38:29 AM

TomNy: I would love to talk about what Obama wants to do in office. May I ask you a question: What Is Hills plan for early childhood education in urban areas as well as rural?
I know Obama's answer to that question, but I would love to know Hills...do you have that info for me? Oh and McCains answer to taht as well!

Posted by: Michelle | Apr 7, 2008 9:41:42 AM

Posted by: Tom NYC | Apr 7, 2008 9:28:21 AM

"People do not blindly support Hillary Clinton. In fact, they are the ones who can actually see through all of the conservative led attacks against her. Wake up people! She is being attacked because she is the most feared".

Tom, The truth be told she is the one attacking herself because she can't seem to distinquish the truth from a lie or a misspoke.

The fact is her credability is sinking because of the "Shots fired over our heads" comments, the back door free trade agreement with Colombia fiasco by her #1 stratagist (sounds like he was stratagizing alright)her lie about firing the travel office when she was in the white house...need I go on?

She is simply not a trustworthy person and America is waking up to that sad but true fact. She's doing it herself because that's who she is!

Posted by: Do the Right Thing | Apr 7, 2008 9:47:17 AM

Hey Anthony, she said she mispoke, Obama embellished his stories a couple of times before too. If you pay enough attention you would notice.

Posted by: John | Apr 7, 2008 9:47:39 AM

Lets look at the Clinton record 8 years of nothing but positive development for this country. Dispite all of the attacks. If you are a democrat, then you need to release how and why the clintons are being constantly attacked. The attacks are fueled by the republican spin machine and by all of this so call fair consevative talk shows. please think this through. The people in this blog that are spewing their hatred of Hillary are republicans.

Posted by: Tom NYC | Apr 7, 2008 9:50:33 AM

Sen. Barak Obama has emphasized Change; change the status quo; that’s his campaign slogan. What more status quo than Murdoch family and their influence peddling empire? Can you believe that Rupert Murdoch's daughter Elisabeth Murdoch is planning fundraiser in London, away from scrutiny of American media; not that our media is going to say anything even slightly critical of Sen. Barak Obama’s past or present activities; our perceived Mr. Clean and Mr. Change. What hypocrisy is this? I am asking all those naïve Obama supporters to open their eyes and see what’s going on? Or have they all been brainwashed by Oprah?

Posted by: charleschaplin | Apr 7, 2008 9:52:20 AM

As much as I despise the would-be Clinton dynasty this was the result of one individual's blatant disregard of a conflict of interest. All this shows is that professional politics are inherently flawed.

Posted by: Publius | Apr 7, 2008 9:55:18 AM

It's OVER!!! Hillary's camPAIN is a complete shambles...She has no money, has lost one of chief strategists and now is caught in another lie about an OHIO Hospital during her stump talks. It amazes me how her supporters can look the other way? I figure they think they have the same entitlements. POLLS in PA. now show a virtual tie...I thought she had to WIN BIG there!!!!!

Posted by: Dennis | Apr 7, 2008 10:02:16 AM

Gosh. This is about the last straw for me. I live in Ohio and voted for Senator Clinton, but the lying is just outrageous. I even researched the whole NAFTA thing (after the primary unfortunately) and discovered that it was Clinton, not Obama, that was making back room deals with the Canadian government... of course, ABC didn't report that little fact. I wish I could have my primary vote back, but I can assure you that Senator Clinton won't be receiving any more votes from me!!

Posted by: Marge | Apr 7, 2008 10:02:40 AM

Post a comment