Hillary on sovereign wealth funds - or, "Why the best law firms have retrodigitized records."

[IdesOfOctober]

Right about one nanosecond after Senator Clinton mentioned "sovereign wealth funds" in Tuesday night's debate, the forces of good and evil each did a double-take and drew a sharp sputtering intake of breath.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=clinton+sovereign+wealth">The Clintons and sovereign wealth funds are not exactly a subject that Mark Penn & Co. want to scratch more than superficially.

Especially since the best law firms have retro-digitized their records, going back as far as - and beyond - the Clinton Years.

Some inconvenient truths about the Clinton Administration's curious blind eye on these issues are soon to become public, my pretties.

Ides

Edited to add: After the 2004 loss, some of the law firms that you've probably never heard of (but whose activities on behalf of multiple constituencies within either parties are invaluable) started a retrodigitizing arms race. The goal: put paper records at the fingertips of the potential candidates and the parties for 2008.

[mod mom]

1. Here's some background for us Sovereign Wealth Fund novices (like me;):

Clinton, demanding transparency, fails to disclose chief aide's ties to UAE wealth funds
by JedReport

Wed Jan 16, 2008 at 09:37:51 AM PST

During Tuesday night's Democratic presidential debate, Hillary Clinton called for "aggressive" measures to reign in sovereign wealth funds, the investment funds owned by oil-producing states like the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. She said she was "very concerned" about the multi-trillion dollar funds which are now buying substantial shares of American enterprises such as Citigroup and Merill Lynch.

Clinton, who first raised this issue six weeks ago, said the funds "need to be more transparent," adding "we need to have a lot more control over what they do and how they do it."

Despite Clinton's tough talk about transparency, she failed to disclose that her chief campaign strategist has substantial business ties to sovereign wealth funds owned by Abu Dhabi and Dubai, a pair of small -- but oil-rich -- emirates located on the Persian Gulf coast.

The Clinton strategist, Mark Penn, is worldwide CEO of Burson-Marsteller, one of the most powerful lobbying and public relations firms in the world.

-snip
http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/16/44826/9286/677/437652

[IdesOfOctober]

2. I can help get you up to speed, and Mark Penn is TOAST.

I call dibs on the fork on this turkey. He's so done.

Ides

[mod mom]

3. Go ahead...I prefer lean turkey, NOT FAT CAT! ;)

[IdesOfOctober]

6. Well, the turkey on this one is pretty plump.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=mark+penn&gbv=2

[Angela Shelley]

4. She uses alot of terminology, but missed the point.

The US banks "bundled" the high risk sub-prime mortgages and sold them to foreign investors as "low-risk attractive investments" ... yes, that´s the scandal in this story.

International banks are obviously ANGRY and are no longer willing to buy these products from US banks.

That´s why US banks need to look for cash from "sovereign wealth funds", because the US banks have no other choice.

The US government borrows money EVERY SINGLE DAY from foreign countries!

[IdesOfOctober]

5. Her inner circle's ties to the thieves is part of the point, and the problem.

[Angela Shelley]

11. For clarification:

Citigroup sold "junk" to international banks.

International banks no longer want to buy "junk" from Citigroup.

Citigroup has no choice. They have to find cash now. They borrow from "foreign governments".

If HRC´s best friends are helping Citigroup to obtain financing from foreign governments, then it´s an interesting twist in Who´s Who in Washington, and shows that HRC doesn´t have the facts.

[IdesOfOctober]

13. "and shows that HRC doesn´t have the facts."

No, it shows that she got tangled in her own web. Funny how facts can do that.

Ides

[AntiFascist]

61. I think she's borrowing a page from the Bush playbook...

appear to fight that which has made you powerful.

[mmonk]

15. Greed, debt, and slight of hand go together.

[IdesOfOctober]

16. I play the pea under the shell game very well.

And I know where the Clinton's pea on these issues is hiding.

[Angela Shelley]

18. OK, you are obviously clever ...

why is there no outrage about the US banks selling "junk, packaged in silk" to foreign banks?

Everyone gets their panties in a wad when low quality products from China are sold in the US, but when the largest banks in the US sell "junk, packaged in silk" to foreign banks, that´s OK?

[mmonk]

19. Because that junk is debt of Americans.

[IdesOfOctober]

20. And because Robert Rubin thinks it's nifty keen.

[Angela Shelley]

21. Clarification please?

[mmonk]

23. It represents debt and assets extracted through greed based

profiteering.

[IdesOfOctober]

29. It's less about being clever, and more about being informed.

[HeraldSquare212]

22. But I thought she was so hands-on and detail-oriented?

She doesn't know the facts, and apparently doesn't know what Penn is up to?

[Angela Shelley]

27. Because she is a politician, they do not get paid

to know what´s going on around them.

[IdesOfOctober]

28. You're being sarcastic, right?

[leftchick]

30. lol!

sounds like a description of GWB**. :rofl:

[leftchick]

7. Burson-Marsteller represents sovereign wealth funds in at least two emirates!!!

very messy for senator clinton. very, very messy......

<snip>


Last August, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, a sovereign wealth fund, hired Burson-Marsteller to represent its global interests.

Three months later the fund invested $7.5 billion in Citigroup, giving it a 4.9% stake in Citigroup and making it the firm's largest shareholder.

Before Abu Dhabi's investment, Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal was Citigroup's largest shareholder, a title he will likely reclaim after Tuesday's announcement that he will expand his 4.4% stake in the company.

In addition to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Burson-Marsteller also represents at least two other Dubai-based sovereign wealth funds. In late 2006, Penn's firm formed an exclusive partnership with JiWin Public Relations, a Dubai-based public relations firm representing more than twenty firms, including several sovereign wealth funds owned by the government of Dubai.

According to the partnership agreement, "JiWin will work with Burson-Marsteller clients across the United Arab Emirates, Gulf Cooperation Council States (GCC) and the Levant."

In return, "Burson-Marsteller will support JiWin clients as they seek to expand to global markets."

[IdesOfOctober]

10. That's just the tip of a very large iceberg for both Clintons.

The serious warnings that they've both ignored on these issues are inconvenient truths.

Hillary exposed her flank on this, and will fight a losing rearguard battle. I will lay a marker down on the table on that.

Ides

[Uncle Joe]

49. I wish I had your optimism, but the way I see it,

that losing rearguard battle will only take place after the Clintons are enabled back to the White House by the corporate media, NBC being an example that comes to mind, at which point said media will decide that integrity is an important issue, after much coverage the Republicans will retake control of the congress and appoint a Starr type clone to drag out investigation for a four to eight year span. The public will then become sick of scandal and some ass hole Neo-neo con will claim to restore honor and integrity to the White House if appointed and I pity the Clinton's Vice-President.

[IdesOfOctober]

50. Faith + facts + funding = solution set

[Uncle Joe]

51. Doesn't NBC have the facts yet? n/t

[IdesOfOctober]

53. Their factcheckers have been outsourced to the Bermuda Triangle.

[Uncle Joe]

54. It seems like the rest of us have gone there as well. n/t

[IdesOfOctober]

55. Pass the Howard Dean Bronzer, will ya?

[AntiFascist]

63. Interesting theory...

once again, all of government corruption will be covered up by the smoke and mirrors achieved by pinning some of it on the Clintons. It worked so well before (not sarcastic, this was intended to give credit where credit is due :mad:)

[IdesOfOctober]

73. The proof is in the pardons.

[mmonk]

8. Thanks Ides.

[IdesOfOctober]

14. Don't thank me.

I am merely the beneficiary of someone else's vision.

Ides

[leftchick]

9. Penn is FILTH

I can't imagine why hillary didn't dump him last fall over the Blackwater connection. Once again I question her judgement....

<snip>

In Dubai, Burson-Marsteller and JiWin now share office space. Their clients include Dubai Group and Dubai International Capital, which owns 3% stakes in both Airbus and Sony, among other companies. After completing the acquisition of a British company with U.S. factories, Dubai International Capital announced plans to open an office in the United States.

Sovereign wealth funds are a $1.6 trillion component of a "petrodollar investment cache" that has reached $4 trillion globally, fueled by skyrocketing oil prices and expected to continue growing rapidly. From 2002-2006, oil producing states from the Persian Gulf invested $300 billion in the United States, according to published reports. The pace of investment is accelerating. In Las Vegas, for example, Dubai World recently aquired half of MGM Grand's CityCenter project.

Penn: Working for Hillary "good for business"

In addition to his work as head of a lobbying and polling firm, Penn has been a senior political adviser to both Bill and Hillary Clinton since the mid-1990s. He was the chief strategist for Hillary Clinton's senate campaigns in 2000 and 2006 and is currently the chief strategist of her presidential campaign.

According to Bloomberg, last year Penn discussed "Workin With Hillary" with his colleagues.

"I have found the mixing of corporate and political work to be stimulating, enormously helpful in attracting talent, and helpful in cross-pollinating new ideas and skills," he said.

"I have found it good for business."


....Thank you Ides! Killer article.

[IdesOfOctober]

12. Penn is the Democratic version of Grima Wormtongue.

And she ain't Theoden.

Ides

[mod mom]

24. Yes Filth. More on Clinton Chief Strategist-Mark Penn:

Isn't it Time for Mark Penn to Leave Burson-Marsteller?
Posted November 12, 2007 | 11:18 AM (EST)


My colleague at The Nation, Ari Berman, has done more than any journalist to shine some light on how pollster-strategist Mark Penn, head honcho at PR giant Burson-Marsteller, and perhaps the most important figure in Hillary Clinton's campaign, poses a real dilemma for the candidate. Penn heads a firm that has represented everyone from union busters to big tobacco, and more recently Blackwater. (According to a Marsteller spokesperson, it was a subsidiary, BKSH & Associates, run by GOP operative Charlie Black, which helped Erik Prince prepare for congressional hearings after his employees killed civilians in Iraq).It would seem difficult to find a more controversial client than Blackwater but Penn's firm has just been retained by Spin Master.

Who is Spin Master? It turns out that Spin Master distributes Aqua Dots, a toy that was recalled last week because it contains a glue ingredient that when ingested is broken down by the body to make GHB, the "date rape" drug, which can cause unconsciousness and even death. (The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the number of children sickened by Aqua Dots has risen from two to nine in the past week.)

Penn has repeatedly stated that he has no direct contact with controversial clients like Blackwater or unionbusters. But what about the good old-fashioned American principles of responsibility and accountability -- principles which his candidate likes to invoke on the campaign trail? As Ari Berman has pointed out, the dilemma for Clinton is that Penn's firm represents many of the interests whose influence she has vowed to curtail. But as kids get sick from poisonous toys, how can Clinton keep in her corner, as her chief strategist, a man who has even limited involvement with a firm like Burson-Marsteller? Isn't it time that Clinton ask Penn to choose: my campaign to make this a safer country or a PR firm which has too many clients undermining that agenda?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/katrina-vanden-heuvel/isnt-it-time-for-mark-pe_b_72206.html

"In '06, with Penn at the helm, the company gave 57% of Campaign Contrib to GOP"



Polling Czar



After the 1994 election, Democrats had just lost both houses of Congress, and President Clinton was floundering in the polls. At the urging of his wife, he turned to Dick Morris, a friend from their time in Arkansas. Morris brought in two pollsters from New York, Doug Schoen and his partner, Mark Penn, a portly, combative workaholic. Morris decided what to poll and Penn polled it. They immediately pushed Clinton to the right, enacting the now-infamous strategy of "triangulation," which co-opted Republican policies like welfare reform and tax cuts and emphasized small-bore issues that supposedly cut across the ideological divide. "They were the ones who said, 'Make the '96 election about nothing except V-chips and school uniforms,'" says a former adviser to Bill. When Morris got caught with a call girl, Penn became the most important adviser in Clinton's second term. "In a White House where polling is virtually a religion," the Washington Post reported in 1996, "Penn is the high priest."

Penn, who had previously worked in the business world for companies like Texaco and Eli Lilly, brought his corporate ideology to the White House. After moving to Washington he aggressively expanded his polling firm, Penn, Schoen & Berland (PSB). It was said that Penn was the only person who could get Bill Clinton and Bill Gates on the same line. Penn's largest client was Microsoft, and he saw no contradiction between working for both the plaintiff and the defense in what was at the time the country's largest antitrust case. A variety of controversial clients enlisted PSB. The firm defended Procter & Gamble's Olestra from charges that the food additive caused anal leakage, blamed Texaco's bankruptcy on greedy jurors and market-tested genetically modified foods for Monsanto. PSB introduced to consulting the concept of "inoculation": shielding corporations from scandal through clever advertising and marketing.

In 2000 Penn became the chief architect of Hillary's Senate victory in New York, persuading her, in a rerun of '96, to eschew big themes and relentlessly focus on poll-tested pothole politics, such as suburban transit lines and dairy farming upstate. Following that election, Penn became a very rich man--and an even more valued commodity in the business world (Hillary paid him $1 million for her re-election campaign in '06 and $277,000 in the first quarter of this year). The massive PR empire WPP Group acquired Penn's polling firm for an undisclosed sum in 2001 and four years later named him worldwide CEO of one of its most prized properties, the PR firm Burson-Marsteller (B-M). A key player in the decision to hire Penn was Howard Paster, President Clinton's chief lobbyist to Capitol Hill and an influential presence inside WPP. "Clients of stature come to Mark constantly for counsel," says Paster, who informally advises Hillary, explaining the hire. The press release announcing Penn's promotion noted his work "developing and implementing deregulation informational programs for the electric utilities industry and in the financial services sector." The release blithely ignored how utility deregulation contributed to the California electricity crisis manipulated by Enron and the blackout of 2003, which darkened much of the Northeast and upper Midwest.

Burson-Marsteller is hardly a natural fit for a prominent Democrat. The firm has represented everyone from the Argentine military junta to Union Carbide after the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India, in which thousands were killed when toxic fumes were released by one of its plants, to Royal Dutch Shell, which has been accused of colluding with the Nigerian government in committing major human rights violations. B-M pioneered the use of pseudo-grassroots front groups, known as "astroturfing," to wage stealth corporate attacks against environmental and consumer groups. It set up the National Smokers Alliance on behalf of Philip Morris to fight tobacco regulation in the early 1990s. Its current clients include major players in the finance, pharmaceutical and energy industries. In 2006, with Penn at the helm, the company gave 57 percent of its campaign contributions to Republican candidates.

-snip
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070604/berman

[mod mom]

25. WaPo: "A Few Degrees of Separation From Hillary Clinton's Top Advisor":

A Few Degrees of Separation From Hillary Clinton's Top Adviser

By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Tuesday, February 20, 2007; Page A11



Mark J. Penn is a man who wears many hats: high-paid political and corporate pollster, chief executive of an international communications and lobbying company, and chief strategist to New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Enough connections for you?


Well, there are more. Penn's firm, Burson-Marsteller Worldwide -- with 2,000 employees and $300 million a year in revenue -- owns BKSH & Associates, the major lobbying firm chaired by Charles R. Black Jr. That's right, Black, counselor to Republican presidents, reports to Clinton's top strategist.

The connections get even more entangled. Burson-Marsteller is a subsidiary of WPP Group, a London-based advertising and PR giant that owns many of the biggest names on K Street. These include Quinn Gillespie & Associates, Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates, Timmons & Co., Ogilvy Government Relations Worldwide (formerly the Federalist Group), Public Strategies Inc., Dewey Square Group and Hill & Knowlton.

To be more precise, Penn's parent company employs as lobbyists and advisers an ex-chairman of the Republican National Committee (Edward W. Gillespie), a former House GOP leader (Robert S. Walker), a top GOP fundraiser (Wayne L. Berman), and the former media adviser to President Bush (Mark McKinnon).





http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/19/AR2007021900972.html

[IdesOfOctober]

26. How do you think Mark will look in orange?

[OzarkDem]

31. So that's why they're keeping oil prices high

They're using the profits to buy control of US banks and businesses?

They did the same thing with businesses during the 70's and 80's when oil prices skyrocketed. But I don't recall them getting so heavily invested in US banks back then.

Different now, there aren't pesky rules and regulations to follow these days.

[IdesOfOctober]

32. Now just stop it.

Stop it right now!

No connecting dots to see patterns.

:toast:

Ides

[OzarkDem]

34. Wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall

to hear what kind of deals the Blivet is trying to cut with the Saudis?

I hate having my country run like some shady, cutthroat corporation.

[IdesOfOctober]

35. I'd rather be an asp in the sandal.

[OzarkDem]

37. Think about it

There's going to be a big freakin' mess for the next Dem president to clean up, and it will take someone with a lot of savvy and intestinal fortitude to deal with these crooks.

Can Hillary do it? No, she's in it up to her eyeballs.

Can Obama do it? No, he doesn't have the experience and would probably delegate it to whichever advisor his coporate donors tell him to hire.

Can Edwards do it? Yes. He at least knows how the game is being played and can take them on.

[IdesOfOctober]

40. A toast to sound reasoning.

:toast:

[leftchick]

33. Excatly right

Greg Palast fills us in on all of the disgusting details.....

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/12210

<snip>

Bush needs the Saudis to charge us big bucks for oil. The Saudis can't lend the US Treasury and Citibank hundreds of billions of US dollars unless they first get these US dollars from the US. The high price of oil is, in effect, a tax levied by Bush but collected by the oil industry and the Gulf kingdoms to fund our multi-trillion dollar governmental and private debt-load.

The US Treasury is not alone in its frightening dependency on Arabian loot. America's private financial institutions are also begging for foreign treasure. Yesterday, King Abdullah's nephew, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, already the top individual owner of Citibank, joined the Kuwait government's Investment Authority and others to mainline a $12.5 billion injection of capital into the New York bank. Also this week, the Abu Dhabi government and the Saudi Olayan Group are taking a $6.6 billion chunk of Merrill-Lynch. It's no mere coincidence that Bush is in Abdullah's tent when the money-changers made the deal just outside it.

Bush is there to assure Abdullah that, unlike Dubai's ports purchase debacle, there will be no political impediment to the Saudi's buying up Citibank nor the isle of Manhattan.

So what? I mean, for the average American about to lose their job and their bungalow it doesn't matter a twit whether it's Sheik bin Alwaleed who owns Citibank or Sheik Sanford Weill, Citi's past Chairman.
Bush needs the Saudis to charge us big bucks for oil. The Saudis can't lend the US Treasury and Citibank hundreds of billions of US dollars unless they first get these US dollars from the US. The high price of oil is, in effect, a tax levied by Bush but collected by the oil industry and the Gulf kingdoms to fund our multi-trillion dollar governmental and private debt-load.

The US Treasury is not alone in its frightening dependency on Arabian loot. America's private financial institutions are also begging for foreign treasure. Yesterday, King Abdullah's nephew, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, already the top individual owner of Citibank, joined the Kuwait government's Investment Authority and others to mainline a $12.5 billion injection of capital into the New York bank. Also this week, the Abu Dhabi government and the Saudi Olayan Group are taking a $6.6 billion chunk of Merrill-Lynch. It's no mere coincidence that Bush is in Abdullah's tent when the money-changers made the deal just outside it.



.... And Hillary's Right Hand Man Is Smack Dab in the MIDDLE of The Rape and pillage of US Consumers! Great going Hill! Excellent judgment yet again! :puke:

[IdesOfOctober]

36. Think she picked him by accident?

[leftchick]

38. lol!

[IdesOfOctober]

42. At least I can see that Magic 8 Ball.

[antigop]

45. .but, but, but.... we need her EXPERIENCE, don't we? Don't we?

:sarcasm:

[leftchick]

46. No We DON"T!

we do not need anything from her. I would love to see the clintons and their ilk (Think BFEE) ride off into the sunset. FOR GOOD!

I know you know this. :)

[antigop]

47. I agree. We don't need her "Experience". Just trying to inject a little humor. But ...

it's really not funny.

[IdesOfOctober]

52. Inject away.

[IdesOfOctober]

48. No.

[IdesOfOctober]

110. Thanks for sharing the fruits of your research in this thread.

:hug:

I love a researcher with chops!

Ides

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. K&R

[Blackhatjack]

39. IMHO this is a most critical time given the next President is likely to be a Democrat....

These interests are looking down the road at what a Democratic Administration would mean to them, and they have chosen Hillary Clinton as their best hope to proceed on their agenda with the least interruption.

Time is short before the next President takes over, so the Middle Eastern interests realize they will have to make moves that cannot be hidden from the public.

Bush is indeed assuring the Middle Eastern interests that they will not be blocked in acquiring US assets with high oil price money.

I believe that Edwards would be the biggest threat to their plans, and to a lesser degree Obama(because he would be less aggressive in going after these interests since he would be entangled in efforts to bring the country together in a bipartisan manner).

We are literally be taken over from within by interests that care not one whit about the good of this country as long as they get filthy rich in the process.

[IdesOfOctober]

41. The Corporatists on both sides of the aisle are trying to sell us out, Blackhat.

I know you know this, but let's call it for what it is.

Ides

[Blackhatjack]

43. That is it in a nutshell.... and it will continue unabated until we take strong action to stop it.

When was the last time someone went to jail in this country for violating laws regarding acting on behalf of foreign agents without registering, payment of bribes to US govt officials from foreign agents, etc.????

It is an open market for the Middle Eastern interests --and they are buying not only AMerican assets, but American politicians. And American citizens are aiding and abetting it in exchange for getting filthy rich without any fear of prosecution.

[IdesOfOctober]

44. I'd be interested in seeing Edwards' short list for US Attorneys.

[Blackhatjack]

62. You can bet they would be a very busy bunch once Edwards took office...

I think the policy changes within the DOJ would be like a "cold bucket of water" to Republican protected corporate interests.

But right off the bat Edwards would put an end to discrimination practiced with impunity by Repubs for the last 7 years. No more racial, gender or sexual orientation discrimination. Finito!

No more 'don't ask, don't tell' policy in the military. No more firing foreign language translators because they are gay.

He would appoint a Head of the Civil Rights Unit who would actually enforce civil rights.

He would most likely issue an order that all Departments undergo immediate audits done by independent auditors.

The FDA, ERA, and FTC would actually become functional again.

And financial services companies would have to go back to making money the old fashioned way --by earning it, instead of defrauding their investors and stealing from the public taxpayers.

It certainly would be the 'worst nightmare' Repubs and their protected sources of funding could imagine.

[AntiFascist]

66. Making money the old fashioned way...

it's what separates the corporatists from the honest capitalists.

[IdesOfOctober]

79. We have a winner!

:toast:

Ides

[IdesOfOctober]

72. Comprehensive. Most comprehensive.

[leftchick]

56. hillary a corporatist vamipre??

who knew??

[IdesOfOctober]

57. Inconvenient facts are like wooden stakes.

[Marie26]

58. What is your point?

You link to a google search of "sovereign wealth funds + Clinton", which just lists her quote from the debate again. What's the implication here?

[IdesOfOctober]

59. I would urge you to familiarize yourself with the Clintons' and Mark Penn's dealings w/ these funds.

[Marie26]

60. Do have any links or articles to help enlighten me? nt

[leftchick]

64. here you go

for those loathe to see truth this is pretty devastating...

http://www.jedreport.com/2008/01/hillary-clinton.html


In return, "Burson-Marsteller will support JiWin clients as they seek to expand to global markets."

At the time, Penn welcomed the deal enthusiastically. "We are excited about our new partnership with JiWin and welcome them into our global network," he said. "The UAE, GCC and the Levant all hold compelling prospects for our business and our clients and we look forward to further expanding our broad range of public relations services into this region."

In Dubai, Burson-Marsteller and JiWin now share office space. Their clients include Dubai Group and Dubai International Capital, which owns 3% stakes in both Airbus and Sony, among other companies. After completing the acquisition of a British company with U.S. factories, Dubai International Capital announced plans to open an office in the United States.

Sovereign wealth funds are a $1.6 trillion component of a "petrodollar investment cache" that has reached $4 trillion globally, fueled by skyrocketing oil prices and expected to continue growing rapidly. From 2002-2006, oil producing states from the Persian Gulf invested $300 billion in the United States, according to published reports. The pace of investment is accelerating. In Las Vegas, for example, Dubai World recently aquired half of MGM Grand's CityCenter project.

Penn: Working for Hillary "good for business"

In addition to his work as head of a lobbying and polling firm, Penn has been a senior political adviser to both Bill and Hillary Clinton since the mid-1990s. He was the chief strategist for Hillary Clinton's senate campaigns in 2000 and 2006 and is currently the chief strategist of her presidential campaign.

According to Bloomberg, last year Penn discussed "Workin With Hillary" with his colleagues.

"I have found the mixing of corporate and political work to be stimulating, enormously helpful in attracting talent, and helpful in cross-pollinating new ideas and skills," he said.

"I have found it good for business."

[IdesOfOctober]

67. Thank you.

I was indisposed, but figured it would be easy enough for others who have seen the light to pinch hit.

Ides

[Marie26]

69. OK

So Penn has a public-relations firm that represents sovereign wealth funds, and he's a political adviser to Clinton. But there's nothing there about Hillary Clinton investing in these funds, or laundering money for these funds, or whatever it is that the OP is attempting to imply.

[IdesOfOctober]

70. You're right. Hillary is fresh as the newdriven snow on these matters.

You win.

Ides

[Marie26]

71. Why thanks!

At least Clinton is proposing reigning in these funds & adding transparency to how they operate, which is more than other candidates have done.

[IdesOfOctober]

76. She already "reigns" in these funds. Again, you speak truth.

"At least Clinton is proposing reigning in these funds & adding transparency to how they operate, which is more than other candidates have done."

But she's already been crowned the Oligarchs' Empress. Just check out the mutual fund execs' donations to her.

Ides

[Marie26]

81. Nah

More like I can't spell! Clinton gets big money donators, and so does Obama - often, the same mutual funds/banks donate to both of them. So that's sort of a wash. Your OP was referring to some mysterious shady illegal badness involving Hillary Clinton, but now that's come down to "she gets donations from mutual funds"? Eh. I do like that HRC actually has a proposal to regulate & give transperancy to these "sovereign money funds" & I don't like that people are trying to twist that into a bad thing. Whether she's a corporate candidate or not, at least she brought up the danger of these types of funds & attempted to address the problem that they pose to the economy.

[IdesOfOctober]

83. HRC's donors sure know how to spell, "our gal" in the memo line of their checks.

[leftchick]

85. yes indeed

every liberal/progressive LOVES this cover...



:sarcasm:

[IdesOfOctober]

87. Shouldn't she be wearing red?

[leftchick]

88. now if she did that

then everyone would KNOW! shhh!

;)

[IdesOfOctober]

89. Oh, sorry. I thought it was an open secret.

[leftchick]

86. Hillary's Ranger

(Fortune Magazine) -- One of Hillary Clinton's most important courtships began early last year, around a formal dinner table at Georgetown's Four Seasons Hotel. Her targets were Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack and his wife, Christy. Mack was already active politically - but on behalf of Clinton's political opponents. A Bush "Ranger," he had raised at least $200,000 for the President's reelection bid and was one of the most prominent business names on GOP donor lists. At one time his name had circulated as a potential Bush Treasury Secretary.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/07/09/100121742/index.htm

Guess what? She Snagged him! Aren't You Proud?

:puke:

[IdesOfOctober]

90. Corporatists of a snout, etc.

[Marie26]

99. Uh-huh

"Yet even in those early days, Obama and his advisers were thinking ahead. Some called it the "2010-2012-2016" plan: a potential bid for governor or re-election to the Senate in 2010, followed by a bid for the White House as soon as 2012 or, if not, 2016. The way to get there, they decided, was by carefully building a record that matched the brand identity: Obama as unifier and consensus-builder, an almost postpolitical leader.

When asked to speak in 2006 at the Gridiron Dinner -- a white-tie-and-tails gathering that brings together Washington's political and media elites -- he reached for humor to show a bit of humility and deflate expectations. "Most of all," he told reporters gathered for the function, "I want to thank you for all the generous advance coverage you've given me in anticipation of a successful career."


Deferring to the lions

To some liberals, the proposal was a no-brainer: a ceiling of 30 percent on interest rates for credit cards and other consumer debt. And as he left his office to vote on it, Obama planned to support the measure, which was being considered as an amendment to a major overhaul of the nation's bankruptcy laws.

But when the amendment came up for a vote, Obama was standing next to Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), the senior Democrat on the banking committee and the leader of those opposing the landmark bill, which would make it harder for Americans to get rid of debt."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-obama_senate_recordjun12,1,4414390.story?ctrack=3&cset=true



Fundraising 101 at 'Obama U'

"Gathered in a Chicago hotel ballroom, the 100 or so students had come from across the nation to learn from some of the top names in the business: Solomont, Kearney, Barzun.

While not household names, they are some of the top players in the presidential money game, where the bundling of contributions by elite fundraisers is an essential part in financing the growing cost of national campaigns. ... "Obama University" was started after three of his top fundraisers pitched the idea to Chicago billionaire and Hyatt Hotel heiress Penny Pritzker, the campaign's national finance chairwoman.

Before then, Obama will attend seven low-admission-fee, large-attendance fundraising events in October alone, as well as several high-dollar events. ...Obama's campaign has grabbed media attention for attracting 365,000 donors—many over the Internet—since the start of the year. But a much smaller group of donors provides most of the funds for his campaign, and individuals like those at "Obama University" are an integral part.

It is impossible to know exactly how much of Obama's money has been raised by bundlers, although a Tribune analysis in July showed at least 22 percent—and likely much more—came through those who had raised at least $50,000 for him during the first half of the year.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-obama_u_web20,1,3823275.story


That's the way the game is played.

[IdesOfOctober]

106. But Hillary says it's not a "game," right?

I mean, weren't you listening?

Ides

[leftchick]

112. "the game"

IF you are corporately controlled like repukes and clinton and obama.

[leftchick]

84. proposing is easy on the campaign trail

when payback time comes for her big Time Corporate/Big Pharma/Insurance/Hedge Fund/ ETC. DONORS her proposals will be so much shit down the toilet.

By your logic these Corporations and Fascists that feed off of US consumers with an insatiable appetite for our money are donating to Hillary because she is a "progressive" on issues. Damn! I want what you are smoking.

:crazy:

[IdesOfOctober]

93. Don't stand too close, you'll get a contact high.

[Marie26]

94. That's not it at all

My logic is that ALL of the major candidates have been bought out by the corporations, even John Edwards. The corporate elite wouldn't let them on the stage if they weren't willing to play ball and follow the will of the oligarchy. So it's not that I'm naive, but really that I'm profoundly cynical. If you look at the top donors for ALL the Dem candidates, you'll see the same names over & over again - Citigroup, Skadden, Wal-Mart, etc., & in fact these entities usually donate to all of the candidates to cover their bases. IMO it's naive to think that Clinton is a corporate sell-out & Obama is a radical change when they're funded by the same people, for (presumably) the same reasons. I support Edwards because he gets less corporate funding, but even that's a gamble considering the corporate-friendly way he voted when he was in the Senate.

So, if they're all supported & funded by the "oligarchy", what's the difference? It's certainly not based on who their strategists are, because Obama & Clinton both employ lobbyists & PR agents. It's not even based on who they are - though Edwards rejects lobbyists & rails against financial institutions in his campaign, Edwards actually worked for & is funded by a major multinational hedge fund. The only thing left to base a judgment on, IMO, is who will be most likely to work around the oligarchy, who knows the system & seems to actually care enough to bother trying to beat the system. For me, Clinton's record shows that she did profoundly care about these issues & worked for many liberal causes - Legal Services for the poor, the childen's defense fund, universal health care, etc. So I place some hope that she still has that public service spirit to implement within the corporate government that we've got now. But it's a gamble - just like Edwards, Obama, Biden, etc. is a gamble. Because they've ALL been co-opted by the system that exists now, or else they wouldn't be allowed to function and succeed within it.

[IdesOfOctober]

96. You're putting Edwards in bed with Skadden?!?

Have you spoken to your doctor about your meds?

Ides

[leftchick]

97. lol

perhaps I could have some of them. :crazy:

[IdesOfOctober]

98. Those should come with a serious black box warning, whatever they are.

They seem to cause unclear thinking, and difficulty operating a keyboard in a lucid fashion.

Ides

[Marie26]

100. Try looking at the list of his top contributors

JOHN EDWARDS (D)
Top Contributors

Skadden, Arps et al $54,950

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.asp?id=N00002283&cycle=2008

[Marie26]

102. Hello, no more insults? nt

[IdesOfOctober]

104. Have a heaping helping of facts.

Type in skadden for the employer, if you wanna take off those lazy eye blinders.

http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/advindsea.shtml

Ides

[Marie26]

107. Ok... it's a search engine

OMG, what are you trying to say? Linking to a search engine does not make a point, or give any information. Talk about lazy research! You laughed & implied I was crazy for saying that Skadden contributed to Edwards, then had to ignore it once I provided the proof. Now you're linking to the FEC website, for what exactly? If you've got some great inside information about Clinton, or whoever, please provide or stop making these unsubstantiated "hints" of scandalous dealings that you can't talk about. IMO you're trying to make it sound like you've got access to great secret important inside information when you do not.

[IdesOfOctober]

108. You got spoonfed from OpenSecrets, but can't feed yourself with the raw data.

That's the point.

Thanks for proving it.

Ides

[Marie26]

113. What you've proven

is that you've got nothing to back up these posts at all, and when challenged, resort to personal insults and links to nothing. You act like the Oracle of Delphi, posting these cryptic missives that the mere mortals must puzzle over or interpret or try to decipher. No thanks. If you've really got that super-important scoop about HRC, you'd have posted it by now. Since you haven't provided anything in the way of links, evidence, or even an actual allegation that can be investigated or disproven, I'm concluding that this is all a bunch of smoke & mirrors meant to smear a candidate.

[IdesOfOctober]

114. OK. You're right. Now, please go away.

[Marie26]

132. No problem.

I think my work here is done. :)

[IdesOfOctober]

109. Now you know how OpenSecrets gets those open secrets, though.

So all is not a total loss.

Ides

[IdesOfOctober]

111. Willful suspension of disbelief.

[paulk]

65. the implication is that the Clinton's did something

never really stated, never pointed out, that was, well...

bad.

No one is quite sure what it exactly is, but if you spread enough innuendo you are bound to attract a following on a website like DU - which, after all, loves a good conspiracy theory.

[IdesOfOctober]

68. Except the facts are there for those without blinders on.

[paulk]

74. you're not fooling anyone, Dave.

[IdesOfOctober]

75. Good to know that you're a conflater.

[paulk]

77. good to know you're a sock puppet.

[IdesOfOctober]

78. Nope, just a good and longtime friend.

[Marie26]

80. That's pretty much it.

Thanks for laying it out there. Just put "Clinton" and "sovereign wealth fund" in the same sentence numerous times & make some vague, never specified, innuendos, sprinkle with a dusting of Hillary hate & conspiracy theory & present to DU. And I also agree that "Ides" and "Corpgov" are the same person.

[IdesOfOctober]

82. Just put Mark Penn in a good google search.

And turn on those blunt powers of observation.

Ides

[leftchick]

91. you know what happens when you can't attack the message

put your flak jacket on Ides.

[IdesOfOctober]

92. They make me laugh so hard, I snort, to tell the truth.

[Marie26]

95. What would be helpful

Is if you'd put this information in the OP itself - "Mark Penn's PR firm represents sovereign wealth funds!" so people can evaluate how useful this info is. The hints, and innuendos, and suggestions of unknown, never specified, "dirty dealings" by Clinton are NOT helpful. But they do give leave to let the imagination run wild, which may have been the point.

[IdesOfOctober]

101. Or maybe you might learn to use a search engine.

Sorry, lazy researchers aren't really my bag.

Ides

[Marie26]

103. Which is why you don't

include any information or research in your posts. Check. Leftchick has actually dug up the information here.

[IdesOfOctober]

105. Go run and play with your marbles.

You stopped boring me long ago.

Ides

[paulk]

115. fascinating how you resort to denigrating the intelligence

of those who question you...

Kind of like the same thing your "friend" does....

[IdesOfOctober]

118. Sometimes I have a higher tolerance for willful ignorance than he does.

Sometimes, it's the other way around.

Ides

[paulk]

119. I often feel the same way

especially when I look into a mirror...

everything is reversed - yet still the same.

[IdesOfOctober]

120. Do you write your own material?

If so, there's this marvelous thing called "outsourcing" that's all the rage.

Ides

[paulk]

121. of course I do

the real question is - do you?

[IdesOfOctober]

122. Listen, Lambchop.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2712979&mesg_id=2712979">First, learn some logic.

Then, consider the riffing dynamic that goes on in some of the http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=harvard+lampoon">finest writing establishments on the planet.

Then, if that still doesn't work for you, I've got an old athletic supporter you can glue eyes to, and play with until the cows come home.

Ides

[IdesOfOctober]

123. You can call him Jacques, and give him a Parisian accent.

That's how I hear many annoying potshotters.

Ides

[IdesOfOctober]

124. You already do a fine mimic of a rightwing nut.

[paulk]

125. par for the course

here come the personal denigrations, right on schedule.

[IdesOfOctober]

126. I could kiss you. Absurdity is the handmaiden and midwife of comedy.

:bounce: It's a bouncing baby homepage: jockpuppet.com, newly registered by the Merry Braintrust Band. :bounce:

"A support group for nuts, with extra wide room in the back for them to talk out their ..." (TM)

Bless you.

Keep 'em coming.

We're going to have JockPuppet Theater (TM), and contests, and prizes. Here, have a cigar!

Ides

[IdesOfOctober]

127. We drank a toast to you at FondueFest 08.

You made us a mint.

Ides

[DemReadingDU]

128. Looks like I missed a party here!

too busy with my own, lol


:hi:

[IdesOfOctober]

129. "And anuther thang!"

:toast:

Ides

[conscious evolution]

133. Leftchick is not the only person

to dig up stuff through the links Ides provides.
Seriously,learn how to use those search engines he provides links to.They can come in very handy for stuff even if it ain't the controversy du jour.

I have found this one to be very useful: http://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/webusers.htm

[Name removed]

116. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

117. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IdesOfOctober]

130. Only, it isn't.

[CorpGovActivist]

131. !