Mark Penn's firm behind PR blitz urging pregnant women to eat more fish, mercury be damned!

[Bluebear]

Oct. 4, 2007 (Bloomberg) -- A nonprofit group backed by the seafood industry urged pregnant women and nursing mothers to eat more fish than recommended by U.S. officials concerned that mercury contamination can hurt babies.

The group, the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, said women who avoid seafood to limit exposure to mercury deprive their babies and themselves of essential nutrients. Women should eat at least the 12 ounces a week suggested as a maximum by the government, the coalition said today at a briefing in Washington.

Child-development and nutrition specialists produced and promoted the report, with $74,000 from the seafood industry's advocacy arm, the National Fisheries Institute. That group is a client of Burson-Marsteller, a New York-based public-relations unit of WPP Group Plc in London. A Burson-Marsteller employee serves as vice-chairman of the coalition behind the study. The coalition said it was acting in the public's interest.

"It's our job to translate the science for people who need it most," said Judy Meehan, executive director of the Alexandria, Virginia-based coalition, in a telephone interview today. ``This is of critical importance. What happens during those nine months affects that individual's lifetime.''

Institute vice president Maryanne Hansan declined to disclose fees paid to Burson-Marsteller. At that firm, representative Patricia Pincus declined to comment on the company's relationships with its clients.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=axA77zz5n5sA&refer=japan

[Evergreen Emerald]

1. ohmygod. Does he eat puppies too? He is EVIL EVIL

and why...that makes...(gasp) Hillary Clinton evil too!!!

[journalist3072]

2. ROFL! You know, some people here on DU will believe that! Sad, isn't it? eom

[Bluebear]

3. And some people will say Mrs. Clinton is dealing with the devil.

Sad, isn't it? "ROFL!"

[journalist3072]

10. Yes, it is sad, when the people on DU start sounding like those on Free Republic. eom

[Bluebear]

12. Take your pejoratives elsewhere, journalist3072.

[journalist3072]

14. I guess the truth hurts, doesn't it? eom

[Bluebear]

15. Away with you, and take your Hillary button with you.

Some of us are populists and progressives here. :hi:

[journalist3072]

26. And some of you like to engage in group think, because you haven't been taught how to have your own

opinions.

[leftist_not_liberal]

31. I gots my own :)

Hey journo.

I'm a noob. I work for progress some when I can. I was a state delegate my state's Democratic convention in 2004. But I am also a Marxist, plain and (some would say especially :) ) simple.

My opinion is that the company MB is so wildly large that it can and does do a number of contradictory things, some of them utterly amoral. Now even a Rovian workaholic like Penn can't manage all of that. But if it doesn't show the enormous gulf between the corporate class and the rest of us proles, what does?

As far as these mere poison the people campaigns go (don't miss the Bovine Growth Hormone one too), they are important but the polling stuff is positively scary, and Penn is much more directly entangled with that. Of course I am a 'tin foil hatter' who thinks we have has some election stealing going on as historical and social context for all of this so-far otherwise spotty history. I posted in another thread that a lot of the coup-stuff has little solid reporting behind it that I've been able to find. But the ability? Oh yeah. Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates have it in droves.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1990587&mesg_id=1992350

Seems to me what we see here is yet more evidence for the highest level of power, those where coronations seem to be in the wind, that there are a number of shared objectives that some are calling disaster capitalism
(http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2007/09/reviewing-naomi-kleins-shock-doctrine.html)

The hawkishness. The militarism. It's all surprisingly, increasingly bipartisan. I have been reading DU with interest for some time, especially as the chasm between the base and the leadership has yawned to vigorous life on the Greatest Page. My my my. Wow.

Power relations. Folks, it's time to study up. I wish Mark Penn would have some of Dr. Gene Sharp's pamphlets air dropped on us like he did the Ukrainians. Only 88 pages to start a revolution. In a few places.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2005/05/29/war_by_other_means?pg=full

Power relations. Obviously, there is some thirst for the facts as evidenced by the top of the greatest page right now. Like my granddaddy, no Red, always said, "It is ALL about the money."

What are we missing here? We need to spread some more democracy.

Domestically.

What are we missing here?

Cheers,

LNL

[NYC]

52. Your grandfather was right.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[Bluebear]

36. I realize this is your theme of the week, you keep repeating it, but it's just not so.

[Jim Sagle]

65. It does indeed. And you're the one that's hurting.

[earth mom]

32. You can say that again! It's sad what DU is becoming. nt

[Bluebear]

37. What's so sad? What are we becoming? Free thinkers who don't give people like Penn a pass?

[earth mom]

38. There are too many Hillary & Penn apologists for my taste.

That's what I'm saying.

[creeksneakers2]

48. I think there are too many slam Hillary threads

There were two nearly identical threads about Penn on the front page at one time today. I counted 10 others in the greatest column. A group of people recommends every thread that slams Hillary. They have a disproportionate share of the attention.

Of course, I like arguing with them so its really OK with me if there are some slam Hillary threads. Just not everywhere.

[earth mom]

70. Jeez! You should care more for The Truth instead of your sad misguided loyalty to a candidate!

:wtf:

[creeksneakers2]

71. I see lots of stuff about Hillary that isn't true

Last night they said she called an audience member a plant. She didn't. I'm trying to find a tape of event.

My loyalty is to the party. I'm very worried about America progressing toward fascism. The GOP and especially the right wing must be stopped. If Hillary is who we've got, I hope everybody goes with Hillary. Smearing her now with falsehoods could hurt later.

[earth mom]

72. Falsehoods?

:wtf:

[creeksneakers2]

73. Yeah. Often there are falsehoods about Hillary

There are groundless character smears too. I just found a recording of what Hillary said in Iowa and its nothing like how the smear threads last night said it was.

I wonder sometimes if some of the anti-Hillary stuff here drifted over from the GOP.

I feel like I'm the one defending the truth.

[earth mom]

74. Again WTF?! You are not making sense. Why not address what's in the OP?

:crazy:

[creeksneakers2]

75. Because I was responding to post #38

[RaleighNCDUer]

22. Not dealing with him.

Just hiring him.

[sniffa]

4. hiLLary shouLd repLace him with romney's former chief of staff

what a nice guy.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Hillary's handlers are brushing up on ways to say she didn't know.

[Evergreen Emerald]

6. didn't know what? That he works for a PR firm that represents lots of people

from different persuasions? AAGGGGHHH.

I can't take the lemming-like responses here.

[Bluebear]

8. "A PR firm that represents lots of people" - I'll say.

* Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, a firm owned by the Abu Dhabi government; PR Week reported in August 2007 that "the contract runs through January 31, 2008, and is worth an estimated $802,250, including fees and expenses" <20>
* Action Performance Cos.
* Allergan: Botox
* American Public Health Assn.
* CDW Government Inc.
* Cephalon Inc.
* Chicago Office of the Mayor
* Citizens Flag Alliance
* Colombia <21>
* Coach Inc.
* Dubai 2003
* Entergy Corp.: Indian Point nuclear power plant
* Foundation for Clean Air Progress
* Housing & Construction CA
* HP
* IGN Entertainment Inc.
* Indonesian Government
* Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity <22>
* Iraqi National Congress
* JAMDAT Mobile Inc.
* Miller Brewing Co.
* Lincoln Park <23>
* Novell <24>
* Optimus Inc.
* Orbitz
* Philippines, The
* Presidential Climate Action Project <25>
* Public Utility Commission of Texas
* Qualcomm
* R.R. Donnelley Financial
* SAP AG
* Sony Electronics
* SRI <26>
* State Farm
* Stellar Internet Monitoring
* T.D. Jakes, Bishop
* Texas Assn. of Business
* think3 <27>
* UNITA (anticommunist group led by Savimbi)(Source: Julie Gozan, MultinatinalMonitor, April 1993.
* U.S. Treasury Dept.
* Union Banka (UB)
* Wine.com <28>
* YukosSibneft Oil Company

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Burson-Marsteller

[1932]

9. ...the problem with this is that the brains behind Clinton's campaign are people who use their

talents to make as much money as possible for themselves, and that helping people is not their primary concern.

It's about power for them and not principles.

[The Backlash Cometh]

25. You hit it on the nail.

Why is she surrounding herself with people who are more interested in making a better life exclusively for themselves? Rather than in making a better America?

[creeksneakers2]

49. In fairness on that point

Mark Penn started with the Clintons in 1996. That was years before he took over as CEO of Burson-Martsteller.

Hillary probably kept him on because he does a good job for her. She could fire him for becoming an inhuman sellout to some of the worst groups on the planet, but most of the talented folks in Washington end up doing the same thing. Its either all rookies and unproven staff or accepting the sleaze.

I wish she'd get rid of the guy. From what I read he is giving her some terrible DLC type of advice.

[Terri S]

43. exactly right.

I'm not sure why so many think Hillary doesn't know who Mark Penn is and what his PR company has done. She strikes me as someone who could care less as long as she wins. Hell, her campaign said long ago that they admired Karl Rove and proudly proclaimed that they would attempt to use his tactics. Winning is everything.

[AlGore-08.com]

66. That, and the guy is either incompetent or twists his results to fit his bizarre ideology

Ezra Klein reviews Mark Penn's book here:

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3320/trending_towards_inanity/

People assume that any Democratic administration will mean a return to competence in the Executive, but if that is the case, why is Mark Penn the brains behind Hillary Clinton's campaign? (Read the review: the guy's polling is very bizarre.) Then there's her speech praising Michael Chertoff's competency:

http://www.vote-smart.org/speech_detail.php?sc_id=145183&keyword=chertof&phrase=&contain=

I question her judgment on a lot of things, including her ability to pick executive branch officials who are up to the job.

[Joanne98]

18. Yep. if she knew then what she knows now! lol

[Pachamama]

20. Well, if I were Hillary I'd get rid of this guy very quickly and have some good answers of how she

didn't know these things and as soon as it was brought to her attention that she got rid of him....Whether that's true that she didn't know or not will become irrelevant. But if she wants to win, she better act fast and send Mark Penn walking because the internet is on fire this morning. Everywhere I have gone on various democratic blogs, its one of the biggest discussion topics with lists of his involvements and Burston-Marsteller.

[havocmom]

7. I am convinced they want a vast population to just die and get off the land

they covet for their playgrounds.

[mod mom]

62. Limited resources and climate crisis. I agree this great transfer of wealth from public coffers

to those who play along is a calculated action.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

11. They started promoting this again on the Today Show this past week. I believe

their Dr. on board, Nancy Snyderman is in cohoots with propagandizing this bullshit for corporations. This isn't the only thing she's promoted that didn't feel right on a gut level.

[Bluebear]

13. Well, they have to "interpret the science" for us, after all.

The first thing that comes to my mind is "catapult the propaganda".

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

21. I wish I have the transcript...if I recollect, part of her spiel was that if you don't

eat fish during pregnancy, your child might not be as bright as they can be because of the lack of omega 3 oils.

(I very rarely eat fish (canned tuna, smoked salmon) and both of my sons are very very bright, thank you very much.)

And "catapult the propaganda" sounds about right.

[RaleighNCDUer]

23. I would love to see the studies that balance the intelligence enhancing benefits of

omega-3 oils against the retardation enhancing effects of mercury poisoning.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

35. FYI, the article about the spot was pulled from MSNBC. I wonder why??? eom

[Pastiche423]

50. It's a good thing I did not know that when I was pregnant

It would probably have freaked me out since the only food I couldn't smell, much less eat was fish.

Ate it before and after my pregnancy, but no way during.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

27. Want to chuckle? I did a search for that segment of the show and the

article was pulled! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/?search=MSNBC&q=+fish+urged+omega+to+eat+pregnancy+safe&submit=Search&id=11881780&FORM=AE&os=0&gs=1&p=1

[Joanne98]

16. OMG! How low can he go?

[Bluebear]

17. $ $ $ $ $ $ is all the man needs. Principles? None.

[Joanne98]

19. Really! Hillary must have really lousy judgment.

[Richard Steele]

24. Thanks for all the history you've been digging up on this utter creep, Bluebear! recommended

[leftist_not_liberal]

28. Oh Sweet Jeebus! I'm gonna get in trouble

having such a new handle.

How many recommends can I do without flooding the system again?

[MilesColtrane]

29. Sleazy.

If Hillary has any political acumen she'll fire Penn yesterday.

Still like the idea of sending her flea collars, since she's lying with dogs.

[Quantess]

30. If it's the Omega-3

then pregnant women might get it from sources like flax seed instead of fish. No, I'm not a doctor.

[AspenRose]

34. I took Nordic Naturals fish oil

in lieu of eating as much seafood as I would have liked...expensive but it was worth it to me.

http://www.nordicnaturals.com/environment.asp

[AwakeAtLast]

39. I was thinking that when I read those "reports" a few days ago

There are more sources of those nutrients than mercury-laden fish.

Why don't they just help clean up the rivers and streams so we can eat fish without fear? Amazing concept for them, I'm sure!

[Quantess]

41. Well no, because that would be harmful to business.

Big business gets #1 priority, don't forget. Public health and clean environment are way down toward the bottom of the list of priorities.

[AwakeAtLast]

42. Yep, them Commie Red Socialist ideals will get us nowhere!

What was I thinking? :shrug:

;)

[earth mom]

33. This is criminal! This country already has a crop of kids poisoned by Mercury & who now have Autism.

These fucking greedy unethical bastards make me sick! Do NOT be fooled again people! :puke:

[alarimer]

46. There is NO proven link between mercury and autism

None.

[earth mom]

54. And it has NOT been proven that Mercury did not cause Autism.

Just because the pharma giants don't want it to be so-

and are doing everything in their power-funded by their billions of dollars-for it not to be so-

doesn't mean it ain't so.

[TZ]

58. since there is no mercury in any vaccine

except for a couple of flu vaccines (which you can get thimerosol free) why the fuck should the pharmas care?
Nobody ever proved the moon is NOT made of green cheese either.

[earth mom]

69. Mercury is in the preservative Thimerosol which was in vaccines given to infants & toddlers

FYI-the pharma giants care because they will be sued for millions/billions of dollars by the families of the children they poisoned! :grr:

[Junkdrawer]

60. Not True...

http://www.safeminds.org/

The studies are done, Big Pharma vigorously suppresses/contradicts the studies, the Bush Administration and the Corporate Media side with Big Pharma and, hey presto, no proven link.

[Bluebear]

67. Indeed.

[pitohui]

40. i was wondering about this

they even placed an article on the front page of msnbc.com the other day

how could anyone with a conscience advise a pregnant woman to eat that much fish?

[w4rma]

44. Omg. Scum.

:wow:

[alarimer]

45. There is plenty of fish that does not contain mercury

You only have to worry about tuna, swordfish, and other top predators. Catfish, tilapia, salmon should all be fair game. No mercury at all.

[Bluebear]

51. But this ad blitz recommended eating more than even the US government recommended.

[Iris]

76. still not a problem if you're eating the fish that contain no mercury.

I don't think anyone ever suffered ill effects from eating 12 oz of mercury-free fish a week, pregnant or not.

[Ilsa]

63. Depends on where it comes from.

I wouldn't eat the fish from anywhere near the waters next to the chemical plants here in south texas, and I won't touch catfish. I've met too many people who have gotten ill right after eating the same meal my husband had. Some people are more susceptible to reacting to the crap the catfish eat on the bottom of their living environments.

[depakid]

47. So that's what Hillary means by takinjg the politics of science

Associating with folks like that is a LONG TIME Clinton deal- reflected in their policies.

Quite frankly it still surprises me how some DUers don't seem to care. Wow....

[NoodleyAppendage]

53. CNN's corporate science whore covered this propaganda the other day.

I was surprised by the almost complete 180 that CNN was reporting and figured that corporate sociopathy was behind it. I'm all for injecting mercury directly into the family members of the EVIL propagandists more concerned about self-interest and money than our children.

J

[Lethe]

55. There are some fish with very low levels of mercury and it is very beneficial to eat them

if this guy was advocating eating swordfish every day (which is extremely high in mercury), it would be outragously unhealthy for a mother.

But advocating something like canned salmon would be fine. It has an extremely low amount of mercury, and is very safe to eat and very beneficial for health.

[Bluebear]

56. "Women who avoid seafood to limit exposure to mercury deprive their babies and themselves.....

of essential nutrients."

That is the quote.

[Lethe]

57. check out www.gotmercury.org to check for mercury levels in different fish

It says canned salmon has "undetectable" levels of mercury in it, which would be safe to eat often and very healthy because of Omega 3's and everything else in it. (also fresh salmon has low mercury levels)

Compare that to swordfish:

2 oz of swordfish for a 120 lbs woman would be 140% of EPA recommended limit

[Solon]

59. Question, doesn't Mercury accumulate in your body over your lifetime, or is it flushed...

out over time? I thought it was like every other heavy metal poisoning, like lead, and accumulates. In a case like that, even low amounts can be dangerous, if you eat it all the time.

[Lethe]

61. yes it does accumulate

Elemental mercury can readily be eliminated as waste by the body. The majority of mercury we consume however is methylmecury, which has been altered to an organic form in algae and plants, which the fish eat, and then we eat. The methylmercury mimics an amino acid or protein and is harder for the body to get rid of.

As mentioned in the article, selenium, which is also found in fish, helps to counteract mercury absorption.
Also, we need to remember that almost everything in our food supply has mercury in it, not just fish. I wonder how the average cut of beef at the supermarket compares to a salmon steak in mercury content?

I still think eating fish can be really beneficial to health, as long as you eat a type that has low mercury content. Also, you want to choose a type of fish that has a low chance of PCBs. According to most studies, farmed fish have much higher PCB concentration than wild caught.

[LeftyMom]

68. Fucking A. There's nothing in fish you can't get in more healthful sources.

Babies born to vegetarian mothers have higher IQs on average, and of course they get no fish-sourced omega 3's in utero. Which is no problem for anybody, there are loads of omega 3s in flax, walnuts and other plant sources without all the mercury, cholesterol, flame retardants and god knows what else eating dead fish exposes a body to.

[Iris]

77. yes, I was thinking walnuts, too.

[Ilsa]

64. I wouldn't want to take that chance if I was pregnant, though. I'd rather

pay for refined fish oil supplements or add flaxseed oil to my diet. I am a mother of an autistic child. I don't think any "minute" amount of mercury is okay for him.