Clinton insiders question Penn's approach - "The heat's on Mark. ... He's got a lot of enemies."

Newsday.com
Clinton insiders question top aide's approach
BY GLENN THRUSH
8:36 PM EST, December 12, 2007

DES MOINES

On the eve of the final Iowa debate before the Jan. 3 caucuses, Clinton campaign insiders are increasingly questioning the cautious, poll-driven approach taken by Mark Penn, Hillary Rodham Clinton's top political aide, sources familiar with the situation say.

With Clinton barely holding her own against Barack Obama and John Edwards in Iowa, dissatisfaction is growing with Penn, who some say has mistakenly run Clinton as a de facto incumbent.

"There are two people who have come up with this strategy -- one Hillary Clinton and one Mark Penn," said a top Clinton ally, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Mark wanted to run her, basically, for re-election, and we are seeing what happened."

Said another Clinton camper: "The heat's on Mark. ... He's got a lot of enemies."

Penn didn't respond to requests for comment. Campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson downplayed the dissent.

Clinton's aides insist that no shake-up is imminent and that Penn still has her ear. But they concede Bill Clinton has taken a more active behind-the-scenes role as her campaign flags.

For months, tension has been building between the "Hillary" and "Bill" parts of the team, say several people familiar with the situation. Bill Clinton -- along with former White House hands, including Paul Begala, known jokingly as the "White Boys" -- have counseled her to adopt a far more aggressive approach with Obama.

Penn, sources say, has counseled moderation, believing an attack would elevate her already-high negatives and drive her too far to the left to win a general election.

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http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/ny-ushill1213,0,2146646.story?coll=ny_sports_highschool_util

FOR GOD'S SAKE

AND BLACKWATER

AND EXXON VALDIS

AND CHALABI


AND ARGENTINA FASCIST JUNTA

AND THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT

AND THE EL SALVADORIAN GOVERNMENT

AND THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT

AND SAUDI ARABIA ON SEPTEMBER 14 2001

AND THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT TO PROMOTE NAFTA

AND ROMANIAN DICTATOR NICOLAE CEAUCESCU

AND SOUTH KOREA South Korea (to avoid discussion of human rights issues during the 1988 Olympics)

AND THE UNITA - The US sponsored Angolan guerrilla army

AND BABCOCK AND WILCOX (for Three Mile Island nuclear accident)





Burson-Marsteller




DEAD BECAUSE OF A LIE

how would that drive you "too far left"? That doesn't make any sense to me.

The "resistance is futile" thing worked well for a while, but now it's crumbling. But whenever she attacks, she looks awful - shrill and contrived. Her camp tried attacking other candidates by claiming that they were attacking her, but that was just silly - particularly the bizarre claim that she was being swiftboated like Max McClellan.

That kind of crap ARE the attacks on Hillary.

and they are right out of Rove's mouth.

Why don't you just go for hard and brittle --hey add bitchy while you're at it.
Maybe desperate and hysterical too! All of these are typical attack words against powerful women.


Obama is playing a Rovian game on the best candidate we have --and you are wallowing in it.

nt

It couldn't happen to a nicer cackler.

another buzz word attack.

You mean like a witch?

ooooh scary scary Hillary!

It's the petty, personal insults that drives up Clinton's negatives.

game..like you said..it's the petty shite that leaves 'em wondering who's in charge.