Hillary Clinton's campaign team ripped a page from President Bush's playbook [View All]

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Hillary Clinton's campaign team ripped a page from President Bush's playbook

By KENNETH R. BAZINET
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

Saturday, January 5th 2008, 3:22 PM

WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign model is stolen from George W. Bush's playbook - at least in theory.

As a once-mighty juggernaut struggles to salvage her candidacy after a humbling loss in Iowa, however, it's apparent Hillary '08 hasn't been able to practice what Bush '04 preached.

Her team privately bragged it would replicate the discipline, loyalty and damage-control smarts of the Bush campaign, but it's been an elusive goal: Bill and Hillary Clinton have veered off message, and her staff has been rocked by backbiting.

"We never aired our dirty laundry in public. Years after the fact, maybe there will be stories, but never during the heat of battle," said Trent Duffy, a 2004 Bush spokesman. "Everybody saluted, and we executed."

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