Mark Penn: "NAFTAgate" memo was a big factor in Clinton's victory in the Ohio primary

[sabra]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/03/06/memo-leak.html

The memo leak, which is being dubbed NAFTA-gate, came in the final days before Tuesday's primary in Ohio, where Obama ended up narrowly losing to Clinton.

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton used the leaked information as ammunition against her Democratic rival, Barack Obama, ahead of key primaries in four states on Tuesday. But reports allege her camp may also have sought to alleviate Canadian officials' concerns over her anti-NAFTA stance.

...

CTV News went to air with the information on Feb. 27, focusing on the Obama side of the story, and it caused an uproar in the United States. Clinton accused Obama of double-talk, while the Republican front-runner and now nominee, John McCain, said Obama wasn't a straight-talker.

Following that report, someone leaked a diplomatic memo to the Associated Press describing a conversation between Obama's economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, and Canadian Consul General Georges Rioux.

Earlier Thursday, the chief campaign strategist for Obama's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, said the memo was a big factor in Clinton's victory in the Ohio primary.

"It had a significant impact," Mark Penn said during a conference call with reporters. "I think it is going to be a serious issue moving forward in this campaign. It raised serious questions about Obama."

[thepurpose]

1. Only problem is it was Clinton's campaign that actually did this.

[LulaMay]

2. Women were the big factor....and few here want to discuss it.

[bunnies]

3. They're still pushing this fucking lie?!

Where the hell is the MSM NOW???? :nuke:

[KittyWampus]

5. at this point, I think the Clinton campaign colluded w/CTV

[bunnies]

7. After all thats happened so far...

I certainly wouldnt put it past them. It reminds me so much of rove. Disgusting.

[Rageneau]

4. I like Hillary and I say "Screw Mark Penn!"

That jerk has been nothing but an albatross around HRC's neck from day one.

The one place where I think Hillary's judgement is suspect is that she relies on too many old beltway insiders -- people like Brazille and Penn who seem to figure out whole new ways to lose slam-dunk elections.

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Mark Penn is the Boss of John McCain's Lead Advisor

London-based WPP Group owns Penn, Schoen & Berland, whose president Mark Penn is Hillary Clinton's chief advisor. The same British lobbying octopus also owns BKSH, whose chairman Charles Black is the lead advisor to John McCain; and WPP also owns Ogilvy Government Relations, whose leader Wayne Berman is McCain's Washington DC finance co-chairman and senior advisor.

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, and now John McCain's advisor 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

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

8. Mister Penn really needs to choke on a donut

[SKKY]

9. After spending $1,200.00 on them you'd think one would find the spot, huh?

[Kittycat]

10. Isn't he do for a bypass?

I bet he's pushing so hard for DinoHill, so that he can have Cheney's dr. Because seriously, that pig has one leg in the hole.

[Beregond2]

11. NAFTAgate

Oh, please. Most Americans don't even know what NAFTA is, let alone NAFTAgate. They choose their candidates based on emotional factors, not reason.

[catgirl]

12. It was a big deal in Ohio

and NAFTA weighed heavily on their decisions.