Questions Remain About Mark Penn's Role Inside Clinton Campaign

Mark Penn has resigned as Hillary Clinton's chief strategist. But questions remain about what role he'll play inside the Clinton campaign (his firm will still provide polling) and why he had such a prominent position in the Clinton orbit to begin with.

The news about conflicts of interests stemming from Penn's business work was hardly new. The Nation reported last May, in an investigative profile, that Penn's massive PR and lobbying firm, Burson-Marsteller, was running a union-busting division and helping a number of unsavory characters (big tobacco, oil companies, etc) that Democratic politicians, including Hillary Clinton, have distanced themselves from.

"[I] have never personally participated in any anti-union activity," Penn told me last May. "Personally my father was for many years a union organizer in the poultry workers union and so I find these attempts to connect me to work done by a firm I then had no connection with to have absolutely no relevance and a complete distortion of my views and my own work."

But Penn was only half telling the truth. Even after joining the Clinton campaign, he continued to work on projects that labor and Democratic politicians bitterly opposed, like a free trade deal with Colombia, a country with a history of murdering union organizers--which eventually led to his resignation. He never took a formal leave of absence from Burson-Marsteller, as other figures in the Clinton campaign did from their prior jobs. He said that he was only helping Microsoft, his biggest client, which we now know wasn't the case. And after the publication of my article, Burson and its subsidiaries assisted a number of controversial clients, including Countrywide, a leading subprime mortgage lender, the private mercenary company Blackwater and Aqua Dots, maker of tainted Chinese toys.

Unlike many bogus resignations this campaign season, Penn's departure was long overdue. "The only real question was, why did it not happen sooner?" former Dean and Edwards strategist Joe Trippi told the Washington Post today. "The conflicts have been a problem for the campaign from the start."

Only the mainstream media chose to initially ignore them. Shortly before the publication of my article, the Washington Post wrote a glowing profile about Penn and his "undisputed brilliance." Fortunately publications like The Nation, The American Prospect, The Huffington Post and others chose to dig deeper, scrutinizing Penn's business interests and his approach to politics.

It was a "fairy tale," to paraphrase Bill Clinton, to expect that a pollster who (along with Dick Morris) had coined the strategy of triangulation for Clinton in '96 and had worked for the DLC and Joe Lieberman could convincingly package Hillary as an authentic populist and progressive. Instead Penn chose to sell Clinton as a hawkish, technocratic quasi-incumbent--a terrible strategy in a change election. His bite-sized approach to the electorate and pro-corporate centrism represented the Democratic Party of the past, not the future.

After a disastrous performance in Iowa, Penn became a punching bag in the media and a polarizing and unpopular presence inside the campaign, where his gruff and arrogant manner led to shouting matches with Clinton loyalists like adviser Harold Ickes. When things really turned sour for Penn, after the Wall Street Journal reported that he had met with Colombia's ambassador to push for the trade deal, the chief strategist had few defenders left inside the campaign. He was forced to resign.

Yet reports of Penn's demise may still be premature. Will his demotion represent a real change of strategy inside the campaign or more of a PR move to push Penn out of the spotlight while he continues to have the Clintons' ear? That's the real question worth asking. The buck stops at the top.

UPDATE: According to Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic, Penn is still on the campaign's conference calls and still plotting strategy. A senior Clinton aide says Penn "is still going to be very much involved." His reported resignation looks more like a subtle demotion at this point in time. Stay tuned for further updates.

Comments (35)

1. The psychophants that surround Hillary - and what an incredible bunch; every time you see one on TV you get the willies & the shakes and have to call Mom to make sure she hasn't been gang raped by a bunch of political snake oil animals - are like the leeches that emerge from your sewer on your ankles after you've put your feet in the gutter. What this says about Hillary? You know, if you run a psychophant fascist organization populated by nothing but psycophant fascists, what indeed does that make its leader?

   Well, a borderline psychophant if nothing else. Penn should be hung from the galley. Can I draw up the rope? If only God had made me so lucky...

   Posted by Tatoo at 04/07/2008 @ 12:24pm

2. Posted by HAPPY2 04/07/2008 @ 11:54am

   Everyone thought it would be a breeze so nominating controversial people to be in her staff wouldn't have been a big deal. Now that she is having problems I bet she wishes she had gone with less controversial people.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 04/07/2008 @ 12:26pm

3. Berman is largely correct in all particulars. But the issue is not whether the "buck stops at the top" in firing or retaining Penn, but rather what all of Mark Penn's corporate ties [ to Blackwater, China - re toys, pharmaceuticles (?), and Microsoft - as well as Countrywide, and Columbia in all its ugly currents ], and his long-standing involvement with both Hillary and Bill, says about Hillary's "judgement" and values. That she acceeded to Penn's corporate dealing since the mid 1990's is troubling in itself. More, that it has recently been revealed that she and Bill became multi millionaires in part through corporate dealings with China, suggests the need to look further into the Penn-Clinton ties to China. And that Penn [ in today's New York Times article] worked for Joe Lieberman and the conservative wing of the Democratic Party - the DLC - speaks to the need for greater scrutiny of Hillary's putative "progressive" agenda, and to reassess the Clinton legacy and record of both she and Bill.

   Posted by leuihgingdak at 04/07/2008 @ 12:44pm

4. sycophant

   Posted by emile duBois at 04/07/2008 @ 12:47pm

5. Too bad, Penn was such an obvious target to kick around, so revealing of hypocrisy & corruption & fraud. He will be missed. May his successor be just as clumsy & off-putting.

   Posted by sloper at 04/07/2008 @ 12:53pm

6. SLOPER I am not so sure whether this isn't better for us opposed to Hillary. The way it's come to a head is somewhat of a Wright episode - where a bad insider type is suddenly exposed. At the same time, this helps to put the spotlight on Hillary instead of Obama. AND it's somewhat of a *DINK* in terms of her management credentials / claims, e.g., if she can't run a campaign how can she run a country?

   Posted by winyahn at 04/07/2008 @ 2:35pm

7. Frank, you are one tenacious guy. Not flaming you at all. I think you have thought through your support for Hillary carefully, and respect you accordingly.

   Posted by winyahn at 04/07/2008 @ 2:37pm

8. As Ari has pointed out so clearly, Penn has long had huge and glaring conflicts of interest, yet has remained a prominent member of Team Clinton. We know that Penn is a whore; that is the nature of his work. But what can we say of Hillary, who has not found these conflicts to be problematic? A generous assessment would be that she is untroubled, because she works in the same whorehouse.

   Poor Randi Rhodes. She got in trouble for pointing out what is obvious. (Should have used different language.)

   Posted by robgo2 at 04/07/2008 @ 3:09pm

9. Exactly ROBOCOP2. You said it. Any suspicions that the people behind Hllary Clinton were just corporate-DLC sleaze have now been confirmed. If Hillary felt that Mark Penn had really betrayed her she would not have kept him on in any capacity - UNLESS Hillary Clinton and Mark Penn both share the same agenda.

   Posted by jimijazz at 04/07/2008 @ 3:25pm

10. Isn't it just like Bush and his Rumsfeld and Gonzales? It is glaring indication of Clinton's lack of judgement, inappropriate tone and similar Bush-like brazeness as well.

    Posted by Lil at 04/07/2008 @ 3:29pm

11. Isn't it just like Bush and his Rumsfeld and Gonzales?

    no it isn't. get a grip. those guys are criminals.

    Posted by emile duBois at 04/07/2008 @ 3:43pm

12. Hillary supporters can't blink this away, that much is certain. Although I'm sure it must be a bad dream that won't stop. I'm sure the Hillarites will spin this and rationalize this to death but it won't work. The facts are the facts. Go Nader '08.

    Posted by jimijazz at 04/07/2008 @ 4:52pm

13. This campaign can't see the macrotrends for the microtrends.

    Macrotrend: Left-handers, caffeine crazies, cougars et. al are ALL tired of lies, cronyism and corruption!

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2007/09/20/ nosplit/ftmicrotrends120.xml

    Posted by habiba at 04/07/2008 @ 5:12pm

14. Actually, it's syncophant.

    Yes, Rumsfeld et al are criminals ... ditto Blackwater & the likes of the former Philip Morris top execs, all Mark Penn clients ... who would have been prosecuted under RICO, if CheneyBush Scalia & Co hadn't stolen the '00 election. Burson clients all, for whom Penn has been a valued advisor, just as he has been & still is for Billary.

    Posted by sloper at 04/07/2008 @ 5:12pm

15. http://www.thenation.com/blogs/action/ignore.mhtml?who=sloper

    actually it isn't.

    A sycophant (Gr. (συκοφάντης)) is a servile person who, acting in their own self interest, attempts to win favor by flattering one or more influential ...

    Posted by emile duBois at 04/07/2008 @ 5:46pm

16. straw after straw after straw dropping on that camel's back...is this the one that makes it break?

    not to worry. if not, this, more straws to come...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 04/07/2008 @ 6:24pm

17. it will be a torrent.

    Posted by emile duBois at 04/07/2008 @ 7:04pm

18. Hillary's real agenda can be seen with snakes like Mark Penn working in her Campaign, giving each other a political/financial embrace. This isn't some spiritual leader being consulted on Sundays, this is a guy that Hillary and Bill have made SERIOUS $$$$$ with. And NOW, they are showing him to the penalty box for conflicts of interest? Like the light JUST came on? I question her integrity and maybe more importantly, her judgement.

    Posted by gwats1957 at 04/07/2008 @ 7:04pm

19. Billy Boy is coming to our sleepy little SW IN town Thursday. I may actually get to ask a real question ... am pondering whether I should go "Penn", or "experience as 1st Lady" (pointing to the ideea I saw on Tim Russert over the weekend regarding HRC and Kosovo and how her agenda contributed to continued genocide) or her axing the "Cooper Plan" on helath care becasue it wasn't "hers" Ahhh the possibilities!

    Any ideas are welcome though...

    Posted by leftofcenter at 04/07/2008 @ 7:37pm

20. Ask him why he did not resign after the scandal was exposed.

    Posted by emile duBois at 04/07/2008 @ 8:34pm

21. Ask him if when Obama wins, if he'll hand over the "first black president" trophy.

    Posted by winyahn at 04/07/2008 @ 8:44pm

22. Emile

    I should think a campaign-related issue would be more germane as compared to asking him about a BJ.

    Posted by leftofcenter at 04/07/2008 @ 8:44pm

23. Posted by WINYAHN 04/07/2008 @ 8:44pm

    Ha .. much better

    Posted by leftofcenter at 04/07/2008 @ 8:44pm

24. Posted by HAPPY2 04/07/2008 @ 9:24pm

    Good questions but that last one could get you put on the FBI watch list.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 04/07/2008 @ 11:06pm

25. Posted by HAPPY2 04/07/2008 @ 9:24pm

    Or the FBI immediately arrest list.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 04/07/2008 @ 11:06pm

26. Posted by HABIBA 04/07/2008 @ 5:12pm

    hey, that's very interesting.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 04/08/2008 @ 12:18am

27. Any ideas are welcome though...

    Posted by LEFTOFCENTER 04/07/2008 @ 7:37pm

    ooh! ooh! i know!

    ask him about the repeal of glass-steagall, rubin's ties to citigroup, and the subprime fiasco.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 04/08/2008 @ 12:20am

28. interesting...

    Posted by leftofcenter at 04/08/2008 @ 05:27am

29. Posted by LEFTOFCENTER 04/07/2008 @ 8:44pm | ignore this person

    maybe you should read my proposal again.

    Posted by emile duBois at 04/08/2008 @ 10:03am

30. asking him about his sex life in place of a question about the economy

    sure would cause more political "buzz"

    and ultimately more "impact" on the voter.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 04/08/2008 @ 10:21am

31. the Clinton scandal was not that he had sex, but that he lied in court. that is what he was impeached for.

    I did not feel this way ten years ago, but I do now. he should have resigned.

    Posted by emile duBois at 04/08/2008 @ 10:27am

32. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_n34_v14/ai_21119958

    14. He won't resign because he knows the Senate never will muster a two-thirds majority to convict him even if he is impeached by the House.

    13. Clinton will stay in office because he knows the public mind is short and easily can be distracted. The character issue is hot right now, but in six months, if he hangs tough, it will all but be forgotten.

    7. Clinton will remain president because unless he holds that office, he loses the ability to meddle in distant places around the world.*** [i bet this writer's an iraq guy, though]

    5. Clinton won't resign because Al Gore, fearing the consequences of the Gerald Ford precedent with Nixon, won't agree to pardon him.**** [yeah, right]

    4. This president will remain in office because he has a pastor who publicly excuses what he does.***** [oh, that crazy church business!]

    3. Bill Clinton will not resign because he has an opposition party that will give him a pass. They want him to remain in office and have all but told him that he just needs to confess some small aspect of wrongdoing and all will be fine.****** [damn! always "off the table". i guess that's because it's always under the table

    And finally, reason No. 1: Clinton will remain in office because resignation would mean he would forever lose his chance to become U.N. secretary-general. Or maybe my friend Richard Odermatt from the Heritage Foundation is right. "Maybe he will resign, but given his interpretation of the Scriptures, it won't really be a resignation."********* [yep.]

    the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round.....

    The top 25 reasons why Bill Clinton won't resign - Fair Comment - Column Insight on the News, Sept 14, 1998 by Paul Weyrich

    Posted by frosty zoom at 04/08/2008 @ 10:28am

33. Questions remain about David Axelrod's clients and his role in the Obama campaign. Questions remain about Hildebrand-Tewes roles in Obama campaign and MoveOn/AEiI as dual clients. How many groups you belong to have been absconded for the Obama campaign via HT?

    Wow. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of...Obama?

    Posted by coolwater at 04/08/2008 @ 12:17pm

34. Guys- anyone interested in politics/presidential race should definitely check out http://www.savagepolitics.com Their articles are like nothing I have read in any of the current media outlets. It is brilliant writing plus it offers a great community in which to discuss. The editor actually takes time to answer and the political humor section is awesome!!!

    Check out the article "We are the puppets"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://savagepolitics.com/?p=271

    Posted by elsylee at 04/08/2008 @ 12:32pm

35. Posted by ELSYLEE 04/08/2008 @ 12:32pm | ignore this person

    NOT on every goddamn thread, you jerk.

    Posted by emile duBois at 04/08/2008 @ 2:02pm