4/6/2008

Top Clinton strategist Mark Penn out

The top strategist for the Clinton campaign, Mark Penn, is officially out. And it doesn't appear to be a mutual parting of ways:

Mark Penn has been pushed out as chief strategist of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign after his work on a Colombian free-trade agreement that Clinton opposes, sources tell ABC News.

Sources said that the Clintons were angry to learn about Penn's work, especially because they had been told that Penn had recused himself from controversial clients and would restrict his private work.

It's interesting to note that now both Democratic candidates have had free trade bumps in their road. As you'll remember, Obama's economic adviser Austan Goolsbee came under fire for reportedly telling Canadian officals that Obama's pledges to withdraw from NAFTA were simply campaign rhetoric, not meant to be taken seriously.

Yet, Goolsbee's error didn't cost him his position with the Obama camp, just the expected distancing from the alleged comments and clarification that he wasn't speaking for the campaign when he made his Canadian confession.

As The Politico is reporting, the Columbia mess isn't the only reason Penn was pushed to resignation:

But for Clinton's aides and advisors, the meeting was just the latest in a list of complaints about Penn that began with his strategic decision last year to focus on a message of strength and electability rather than inspiration, and his insistence on highlighting policy over passion. His $13 million in campaign billing and his insistence on maintaining his salary as worldwide CEO of the firm Burson Marsteller were also sources of tension within the campaign.

You have to admit, considering that trajectory that Clinton campaign has taken, that $13 million is a bit much to ask for recycled ideas.

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Filed Under: Race for President

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