MyDD :: More insight on the nomination campaign

More insight on the nomination campaign

by politicsmatters, Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 02:15:54 PM EST

Just as it looked like things were calming down somewhat from the nomination campaign, a whole lot of documents will be coming out from within the Clinton campaign. We'll learn quite a lot about their decision-making and strategies.

Just when you thought everyone had moved on... former advisers to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton are in a tizzy over an upcoming piece in the Atlantic Monthly that chronicles the inner workings of the now-defunct campaign. Of particular concern are nearly 200 internal memos that the author, Josh Green, obtained -- 130 or so of which he plans to scan in and post online. When the piece is published sometime next week, readers will be able to scroll through the memos, from senior strategists such as Mark Penn, Harold Ickes and Geoff Garin, and see what exactly was going on inside the infamously fractured Clinton organization.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-tra il/2008/08/07/atlantic_scores_internal_c lint.html

Last fall I was sure - like many - that Clinton would win the nomination. She had the name recognition, strength in the polls, lots and lots of money, and a 100 superdelegate lead. We all know her campaign made some dumb mistakes (even as the Obama campaign did an excellent job in longer range planning).

A lot of times this kind of stuff doesn't come out until after the general election, maybe even years later. I tend to think it would be better if that were true now.

Tags: Hillary Clinton, 2008 election (all tags)

Permalink :: 14 Comments :: Post a Comment

I don't see how this helps Democrats. eom (2.00 / 2)

by Geekesque on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 02:18:39 PM EST

Re: I don't see how this helps Democrats. eom (2.00 / 1)

well, if you forced me to find something positive about it, at least if the media stays occupied with shiny, Clinton-related objects, McCain gets pushed to the background again.

by Johnny Gentle Famous Crooner on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 02:30:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I don't see how this helps Democrats. eom (2.00 / 2)

I don't think that's good at all. Americans need to learn more about the real John McCain.

We care about politics because we know politics matters for people's lives and opportunities.

by politicsmatters on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 02:37:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I don't see how this helps Democrats. eom (none / 0)

And you really think the media would diligently expose McCain if left alone? They certainly did a wonderful job exposing the "real" George W.

They're fools and idiots. There won't be some major expose on McCain...just more of the same bullshit, false-equivalency, passing-the-buck crap that we've been seeing for years. I'm sure you've read, heard and seen it constantly: "John McCain took a lot of money from oil companies right before he changed his position on offshore drilling. But factcheck.org says Obama tooks some money from an oil company at some point in his life, so neither side is completely clean on this issue."

So because McCain's coverage is generally positive, and because he needs the free airtime, a lack of coverage is a good thing. I'm not saying the media's crack-like addiction to the "Dems divided!" storyline is good at all, but again, I'm trying to find a silver lining.

by Johnny Gentle Famous Crooner on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 03:06:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I don't see how this helps Democrats. eom (none / 0)

And you really think the media would diligently expose McCain if left alone?

No, I don't think that at all. But if the Obama campaign focuses on McCain, it would be good for them to have some airtime in which to do it.

We care about politics because we know politics matters for people's lives and opportunities.

by politicsmatters on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 03:30:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More insight on the nomination campaign (2.00 / 2)

Yup, this is just going to open barely healed wounds and give the talking heads more dirt to throw at the democrats.

"Well the danger on the rocks is surely past... Still I remain tied to the mast"...Don Fagen, Poet and Piano Player

by WashStateBlue on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 02:22:32 PM EST

Re: More insight on the nomination campaign (2.00 / 2)

Yeah, no good can come of this. Imagine what the first diary would be like. No thank you!

"In the primary you should vote with your heart, but in the general, you should vote with your head" Bill Clinton

by venician on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 02:45:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More insight on the nomination campaign (none / 0)

Maybe we all should agree to PRE-make that diary a weather response diary!

I'll give the current conditions in Seattle as my response....

"Well the danger on the rocks is surely past... Still I remain tied to the mast"...Don Fagen, Poet and Piano Player

by WashStateBlue on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 02:47:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More insight on the nomination campaign (none / 0)

I'll post the Constitution.

"In the primary you should vote with your heart, but in the general, you should vote with your head" Bill Clinton

by venician on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 04:05:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I understand the concerns (none / 0)

But setting aside the politics, just for a second....

This will probably be hilarious.

by Reaper0Bot0 on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 02:57:35 PM EST

Re: More insight on the nomination campaign (none / 0)

I wonder what idiot handed these to a reporter.

by souvarine on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 03:24:53 PM EST

Re: More insight on the nomination campaign (none / 0)

Someone with an axe to grind is my guess.

"Well the danger on the rocks is surely past... Still I remain tied to the mast"...Don Fagen, Poet and Piano Player

by WashStateBlue on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 03:51:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More insight on the nomination campaign (2.00 / 2)

It was always amazing to me how the Obama campaign was so airtight while the Clinton campaign leaked like a sieve.

If Obama cam maintain that kind of order through November and beyond it truly will be a new kind of politics. I am so sick of the paradigm where the Democratic Party can never do anything without some anonymous operative simultaneously undermining it.

Whatever Obama does to keep his house in order, there needs to be a partywide injection of it, and the sooner the better.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 03:27:12 PM EST

Re: More insight on the nomination campaign (none / 0)

I agree.

This is not Hillary bashing in any way, shape, or form, but her campaign was frequently a mess (I'm looking at you Mark Penn - for starters!) It is, and was, a shame, because she is so much better than most of the (upper-echelon) team she had working for her.

I hope Penn, Wolfson, et al will keep their traps shut, and do no further damage to Hillary's image, nor to the party as a whole. But signing onto Fox ain't a great sign in my book.

January 20 & sricki join with The engels in love!

by January 20 on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 05:47:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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