Hillary loyalists say: "No f-ing way" we work for her if she hires Mark Penn

[geek tragedy]

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/03/hillary-clinton-mark-penn-2016

In recent weeks, I've talked to several Washington politicos close to Bill and Hillary Clinton, and when I've asked if they will be joining Hillary's presidential machine, should she run, I've received a variant of this (understandably) not-for-citation reply: If Mark Penn is involved, no f-ing way.

...

This choice could also say a lot about Hillary Clinton. What did she learn from 2008? Does she now have the ability to pull together and lead a cohesive team that can function smoothly as it oversees an operation that will conceivably spend hundreds of millions of dollars? And how will she handle what one Democratic strategist calls the "Bill problem and opportunity"? Whoever runs a Hillary campaign is going to have to contend with the former president, one of the top political forces of recent decades (even if he did seem to lose his touch in 2008). "Bill Clinton will be on the phone all day, and if anything is not going well, he'll be second-guessing it or saying someone should have called me on this," a Democratic consultant notes. He could be a forceful, on-the-mark, disciplined advocate for his wife or wind up the campaign's Secretary of I-Told-You-So. Or both.

One of the first necessary steps of a successful presidential candidate is to assemble an infrastructure that can serve the candidate and develop an effective strategy. Hillary Clinton muffed that seven years ago, and resentments still linger, with Penn symbolizing that particular failure. So some members of Hillaryland are holding their breath, looking to see what happens with Mark Penn. Although he appears to be comfortably ensconced at Microsoft, they fear he may either return to Hillary's side or, perhaps worst, play an informal but close-in role, casting a dark shadow over the enterprise.

"I would do anything for Hillary," one Democratic operative says. "I love her. I think she'd be a great president. Anything. Except work with Mark Penn."

Indeed.

[Scuba]

1. I don't know much about Penn, but really don't like it that Jamie and Lloyd are on her team.

[geek tragedy]

2. I don't really pay attention to whom the Wall Street donates money.

If they know someone is going to win, they'll donate to that person regardless of ideology. They're assholes, but not stupid assholes.

[Scuba]

4. Hey, if you want a Wall Street corporatist shill that's your choice.

[geek tragedy]

6. thank you for reading my mind and telling me what I think, that way

I don't have to do it for myself

very grateful

[Scuba]

7. You're welcome.

[Skidmore]

3. From DUs wayback machine.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4764865

He's a Republican operative.

[Scuba]

5. Illuminating, thank you ...

Mark Penn's tangled corporate web: Clinton is a client; McCain is a client.

That tells me everything I need to know.

[BeyondGeography]

8. But now he actually knows what a caucus is

and that California is not a winner-take-all primary.

[Beacool]

9. They needn't hold their breath.

The Clintons learn from their mistakes. I doubt that Penn will have a role in any future Hillary campaign.

[geek tragedy]

10. she should get a protective order against him. nt