Mark Penn, Not Reverend Wright, is the Mega-Embarrassment of this Campaign

[babylonsister]

Adam Hanft

Mark Penn, Not Reverend Wright, is the Mega-Embarrassment of this Campaign
Posted April 7, 2008 | 07:31 PM (EST)


Choose one:

Sitting in Reverend Wright's church and hearing him say "God damn America" in the heat of rhetorical spasm...

...or sitting in a conference room and listening to Mark Penn, CEO of the PR and lobbying firm Burson-Marsteller, coolly spin up ways to defend Blackwater or Phillip Morris or Exxon Mobil. Or setting up the "Foundation for Clean Air Progress" -- a front group to "turn back EPA regulations for smog and soot."

I'd head for Chicago any day. I'd rather see authenticity than corruption.

Oh, and if I've misstated any of Burson-Marsteller's clients, forgive me. They don't list any of their current clients on their website. Carefully selected, benign case histories, yes. Current clients, no. (Just like the Clinton Foundation doesn't list any of its donors. That's opacity as a strategy).

I've been amazed for months that Mark Penn has been able to hold down the job of Senator Clinton's chief strategist, while being CEO of a global firm with 58 wholly-owned and 45 affiliated offices in 59 countries. My incredulity isn't based on the poor baby's time constraints; I'm sure that his clients are willing to trade his time for the dazzling lubricity of access.

What's surprised me is that the supposedly Obama-besotted press has largely given a free pass to Penn and the Clinton campaign for what is clearly a crazy conflict of interest. Does anyone believe for a moment that the lines between the presidential campaign and Burson-Marsteller's client work have been kept crisp and uncrossed? Does anyone believe that the bacteria and slime that grow in the murky world of lobbying and "strategic communication" aren't fattened by the entrée he provides?

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-hanft/mark-penn-not-reverend-wr_b_95526.html


*********************

Mark Penn Speaks (In Private): Will Still Advise Clintons, Calms Nervous Aides
Sam Stein
April 7, 2008 05:08 PM


Mark Penn, who resigned over the weekend as the Clinton campaign's chief strategist, went into full damage control mode on Monday, hosting a conference call with Burson Marsteller's managing directors to persuade them that the fallout from his resignation was both overblown and would soon pass.

Peppered with questions from colleagues -- one mentioned her "pretty panicked client," another asked bluntly, "Ultimately did you think that it was the best thing for the company ?" -- Penn insisted that "the situation has played itself out."

But he confirmed that while his title with the campaign had changed -- and his work load would undoubtedly decrease -- he still would play a direct advisory role for Clinton.

"I think you've heard that I made the decision to step down as chief strategist of the Clinton campaign. Penn Schoen and Berland is going to continue to poll for it and I'll continue to play a role advising Senator Clinton and former President Clinton as well as the rest of the leadership of the campaign," he said.

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/07/penn-speaks-in-private-wi_n_95508.html

[Texas Hill Country]

1. you dont loose a GE b/c of Penn... you might with the issues Wright brings up unfortunately.

[NanceGreggs]

2. Except for the fact ...

... that Obama isn't the one who's losing.

[babylonsister]

4. Funny how reality inflicts its ugly lil head, isn't it. nt

[DJ13]

5. Dont confuse him with inconvenient facts

:thumbsup:

[Texas Hill Country]

6. he is not losing the nomination... we shall see what happens with the GE, I hope Wright is not as

big a problem as i suspect it may be.

I want to think the best of this country and that it totally wont matter at all, but knowing that this is a hot button issue and the soundbite culture we live in, i am unsure.

[babylonsister]

16. I see you're not at all concerned with Penn; odd, isn't that, considering

the title of this thread.

[Warren DeMontague]

15. If the GE gets loose, where's it gonna go?

Or perhaps, if we are stuck with the prospect of a loose GE, we should investigate tightening it.

Maybe through exercise.

[XemaSab]

19. Is the word "lose" not in your vocabulary?

That's the only explanation for this post.

Look it up; it's a good word, and one you're going to hear in the near future.

[JeffR]

3. 1st rec

All I needed to read was the post title to smile and nod my head about how true this is. But the whole piece is a very good read.

[gateley]

7. Well after I looked up the definition of "lubricity"

I enjoyed the read, too. Agree.

[JeffR]

11. One of those words, I guess, that don't crop up much anymore.

Maybe Penn can at least be credited for its revival. God knows he hasn't done anything else to earn the millions that get thrown at him.

[gateley]

12. As with all new words I learn,

I'll be liberally peppering my conversations with it to impress my fellow man.

Thanks, Mark! :yourock:

[leftofcool]

8. In the GE only Wright will matter

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

17. ...to morons.

Sad.

[stillcool]

18. It is obvious that some have hung..

their hat on Reverend Wright as their meal-ticket to bringing down Obama. It must be very dis-heartening to look at the polling lately. I've read here, that some are hoping that our country is 90% racist. Strange isn't it?

[Whisp]

9. so the rich and influential are worried that Penn won't be calling

the shots in the Clinton Whitehouse.
and he's saying, don't worry - I'm still pitching for you. We're in charge here.

that oughta go over really good with the great unwashed.

maybe she'll do another 'lobbyists are real people too' speech soon.

[babylonsister]

13. The great unwashed won't even know about this little conversation;

he's protecting his clients/her interests? This gets more convoluted as we go on.

[H2O Man]

10. I agree.

Nominated.

[stillcool]

14. Conflict of Interest..

permeates the Clinton Campaign. Nice link to a Daily Kos diary in those comments. Thanks!

[Cha]

20. What's so freakin' ironic and Twilight Zonic

about this.. is mark penn has, along with hilary (Dennis)rodham clinton, been heading the losingest campaign that is so chocked full of busted lies that even the m$$$m can't cover them up.

Any candidate worth their salt would welcome the chance to unload the loathsome penn..but not miss hilary. She ostensibly demotes him while eagerly awaiting his next bad call.

[babylonsister]

21. Per CNN, Clinton STILL hasn't talked about Penn? nt