"Reports of Penn's death are greatly exaggerated" (Columbia fired him but HRC did not)

Stephanie

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Tue Apr-08-08 09:48 AM
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"Reports of Penn's death are greatly exaggerated" (Columbia fired him but HRC did not)

Edited on Tue Apr-08-08 09:59 AM by Stephanie

Clinton continues to prove she has very poor judgment. And it's quite dishonest to announce that he's resigned, and then keep him involved in "day to day matters like conference calls" and debate prep.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/04/08/2008-04-08_mark_penn_still_in_clinton_loop_source_.html

Mark Penn still in Clinton loop: source
BY THOMAS M. DeFRANK and MICHAEL McAULIFF
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
Tuesday, April 8th 2008, 4:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton's political guru may have been pushed from the top spot in her campaign, but he didn't land in the grave.

Despite embarrassing the White House hopeful by consulting for the Colombian government on a U.S. trade agreement she opposes, Mark Penn remains "very much in the loop," a Clinton source said.

Penn stepped down after Bill and Hillary Clinton learned he was getting paid by Colombia as a consultant and directly expressed their anger to him, sources said.

The campaign said that Penn would keep his role as an adviser and pollster, but most observers took that as a fig leaf to the former First Couple's trusted adviser.

Not so, say friends and critics.

"Reports of Mark's death are greatly exaggerated," said a Penn confidant.

"You don't break a circle like that easily and quickly," a senior Clinton adviser agreed.

Sources said Penn will remain involved in day-to-day matters like conference calls and will even maintain his modest role in preparing Clinton for upcoming debates.

***

With polls showing Barack Obama closing the gap in Pennsylvania, the Clinton campaign made a show of Penn's demotion.

"Mark continues to be providing his wisdom," one adviser added, with a touch of sarcasm.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/

April 7, 2008
BUSH: MARK PENN WAS RIGHT

One day after the Clinton campaign gave Mark Penn the hook for lobbying for a free trade deal on behalf of the Colombian government, President Bush made a special appearance at the White House today to press Congress to pass the very same trade pact.

Bush argued that the Colombian agreement contains the most stringent labor and environmental safeguards ever included in a trade pact. But Congressional sources say it will be an uphill fight for the lame-duck President to get the deal approved before he leaves office, in part because because Colombian strongman President Alvaro Uribe has done little to curb violence against labor organizers in his deeply divided nation.

Penn, meanwhile, and his flack/lobbying shop Burson-Marsteller got fired by the Colombian government because it was offended by Penn�s apology for working to pass the free-trade agreement. That is one tough weekend for the former chief strategist for Team Hillary.

Penn�s conflict of interest went beyond belief; while shilling for Colombia, he was advising Hillary Clinton on how to oppose the trade deal that many American workers fear will cost them more jobs at home, as the North American Free Trade Agreement has done. Unions, particularly in battleground Pennsylvania, want assurances Clinton is truly opposed to the free trade deal, especially since Uribe is close to ex-President Bill Clinton.

- Ken Bazinet