|
"There is just too much to be done, so we had to add some more people. There really is not significant change, we really just got to get more help, we just don't have enough help," Clinton told a Chicago television news crew.
For months before Iowa, campaign workers were upset at Patti Solis Doyle's abrupt, unreasonable and arrogant approach, hardly the way to influence loyal workers to the cause. After Iowa, it was worse, if possible. Her answer to (what should have been anticipated) bad news in the lead up to Iowa was to throw money at the problem, but without a plan, an organization, and really without any financial or political sense. Estimates range that she wasted close to an additional $35,000,000 over and above what was budgeted. On one hand, if it had been a knockout blow like Doyle and Penn had predicted, perhaps such wasteful spending might have been worth it. Unfortunately, there was no Plan B. Once they were ahead by 20% in Iowa, they never considered that they would tie, or lose. Surely 3d place was impossible. Except for one pesky detail. The Iowa voter.
As Super Tuesday approached, so did more bad news. A $500,000 parking bill just from New York. (JUST ON PARKING? ARE THEY NUTS?) $4 mill on Mark Penn, another $3 mill on his polls, and that does not include the moneys paid from her senate campaign to keep him aligned with her since 2000. The real bad news? They were out of cash. No money for caucusing. (which explains her insulting comments about how because her husband lost those states, they and their citizens were unimportant. Nice move, there, Hillary) No money for more polling. (Why else would Penn attend a book signing, instead of Working Hard On Hillary's Business on a primary night?) No money for a separate private plane. (Hey, let's sell that as trying to be friends with the media, as part of the campaign plan!) No money for suites or an entourage of make up artists, clothes specialists and other image makers. - - HOLD YER HORSES! NO image makers? And they want cash upfront? as do hotels, airlines, and more?
Her personal needs were the kicker, and the real reason why she loaned $5 mill to her campaign.
Considering the huge leads that Hillary had over the rest of the field, (20-28%, even higher in NY and NJ) when she started, any space traveler who left orbit last October only to return to see the detritus, the mess, the complete screw-up of a campaign in just 3.5 months could come to only one conclusion. The campaign was a trainwreck waiting to happen.
Too many top egos, (Penn, Wolfson, Solis-Doyle) clashing with even bigger egos (Hillary and Bill), without any national plan, no alternative plan, and no acceptance of bad news. It was and is a disaster. TO say that it was badly managed is to suggest that the Pacific is wet. As close as Patti was to Hillary, she was way out of her league, and too young, inexperienced, and to arrogant to learn on the job. Her leaving came 3 months too late.
The person who replaces her is Maggie Williams, a smart, forceful, and savvy manager. More importantly, she tries to put the right people in the right places. There are rumors that she can even listen to bad news without ignoring it, or without biting off the head of the news bearer.
The question that everyone has, especially the Super Delegates (who have been plied with non-stop calls and arm-twisting from Hill, Bill,. Chelsea, and many more), IS IT TOO LATE?
Patti was relegated to the bench, and told that maybe, if she stays on message, she can travel, rarely, and with permission, once or twice in the future. Translation, "You're fired."
Which brings us to Hillary's statement that was aired on Chicago TV with such rolling of eyes. "We had to add more people." Yeah, right. What is so hard with telling the truth? Why not say, "we did not like the direction of the campaign, and because we truly believe in this campaign, we have to make changes. WE recognized it and we acted quickly and decisively, just as we would in the White House."
but no. This campaign reminds everyone that it was, is and never will be Hillary's fault. She simply does NOT make mistakes, and even if it is painfully obvious, one simply does not admit it.
That trait, more than others, pisses off people who would otherwise give her a chance. On a simple, obvious, and well-known fact like this, she cannot admit it.
|