Clinton Drops Penn, Sort Of

After months of criticism and allegations of conflicts of interest swirling around Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton's "chief strategist," the Clinton Campaign announced on Sunday that Penn is losing his title. A terse statement from campaign manager Maggie Williams says:

After the events of the last few days, Mark Penn has asked to give up his role as Chief Strategist of the Clinton Campaign; Mark, and Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates, Inc. will continue to provide polling and advice to the campaign. Geoff Garin and Howard Wolfson will coordinate the campaign's strategic message team going forward.

Garin officially began polling for the campaign last month, a major sign that senior Clinton aides doubted not only Penn's judgment, but also his numbers. This announcement aims to reduce Penn's visibility, but obviously he will continue his high-paying job providing "polling and advice" to Sen. Clinton. Tweaking titles does nothing to address the serious questions about Penn's potential conflicts of interest, which The Nation's Ari Berman began reporting as far back as last May.

Comments (12)

1. So typical aiming to reduce his visibility but remaining on the job. Sounds like maybe he is still working on the campaign

   Posted by AngMorg at 04/06/2008 @ 6:50pm

2. This makes me wonder how much Penn was clashing with Williams and if she's just using this as a convenient excuse to shuffle him to the background. I highly doubt his influence on her message will wane all that much, he'll just be lower profile. It's typical Clinton damage control.

   Interesting that you chose to comment on this and not Clinton's big whopper about the lady in Ohio being denied medical treatment.

   Posted by yutsano at 04/06/2008 @ 6:57pm

3. woopdeedoo...the clinton campaign reforms itself!

   har har har!

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 04/06/2008 @ 9:13pm

4. "campaign's strategic message team"

   god help us........

   Posted by frosty zoom at 04/06/2008 @ 9:33pm

5. Time for some RnR Mr. Penn, Love, Rodham-Rove

   Posted by winyahn at 04/06/2008 @ 9:44pm

6. Let's get this straight...Penn is outted, but not the organization he works for??? Someone please explain this to me. Please tell me this isn't a political move to sway voters who feel Penn is the brains (or the lack of) behind the Clintons...and his tactics are either not devisive enough between the democratic party nominees, or this will make people see Hillary in a different light despite the fact she's still Hillary. i'll be drunk till november....

   Posted by ThirdParty404 at 04/06/2008 @ 10:01pm

7. I just wonder if these people act as they do while still on campaign. What will they do when in possession of power? That is the real bottom line here.

   Special interests feel so confident of what they can do and on how they would eventually manipulate the close person in charge, that they do their business "free and merry". Will things eventually change some day in Washington?? I think the answer is NO but the people should tighten their controls.

   Now, listen other states hurt by free trade agreements (N. Carolina, Indiana, maybe even Kentucky) don't vote as Ohio, Ohio was wrong!!

   Posted by Frank42 at 04/06/2008 @ 10:11pm

8. Ohio's been wrong so many times... No video, no pain. This'll be insignificant compared to Wright.

   Posted by winyahn at 04/06/2008 @ 10:54pm

9. "Mr. Penn met with the Colombians in his role as chief executive of Burson-Marsteller, a global public relations firm. He has refused to sever his ties to the company, which also represents Countrywide Financial, the nation's largest mortgage lender, and Blackwater Worldwide, the military contractor blamed for numerous civilian deaths in Iraq."

   And he refuses to sever his ties to Billary. The firm he owns will continue to rake in millions from the Billary campaign.

   Pity Penn is stepping behind the curtains, he was such a marvelous albatross around Billary's neck, such a telling symbol of corruption & hypocrisy when he was out front in the lights. Mark Penn will be missed, now that he's back in the shadows of Bill & Hillary.

   Posted by sloper at 04/06/2008 @ 11:31pm

10. Posted by SLOPER 04/06/2008 @ 11:31pm | ignore this person

    don't concern yourself. you lie down with dogs as long as they have and keep doing so on a nightly basis...you got the fleas forever...

    chronic, terminal infestation...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 04/06/2008 @ 11:36pm

11. See this is why I dont trust Hilary's stance on that Free Trade deal and makes me wonder if she was AWARE of what Penn was doing. I wouldnt be suprise if she was talking out of both sides of her mouth kind of like what they said Obama was doing with Nafta. She is saying she oppose it but Penn is meeting with Colombian officials trying to lobby for it.

    I just do NOT trust Hilary Clinton. Its sad but I dont trust her one iota.

    Carol

    Posted by harriscrl3 at 04/07/2008 @ 08:46am

12. Broken Penn? If you got 109 million, you'll probably just buy a new one.

    Posted by winyahn at 04/07/2008 @ 8:49pm