More on Screw the Base Day

by Matt Stoller, Thu May 24, 2007 at 01:31:00 PM EDT

Here's Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton's chief strategist, on her work for corporate interests and for Clinton's campaign, written on an internal corporate blog.

I have found the mixing of corporate and political work to be stimulating, enormously helpful in attracting talent, and helpful in cross- pollinating new ideas and skills.  And,'' he added, ``I have found it good for business.''

And what does Clinton think of this, asks Howard Wolfsen?

The real question from the campaign perspective is whether Senator Clinton is comfortable with what Mark is doing, and the answer to that is yes, unequivocally,''

As I've written and will continue to write, Clinton is brilliant, warm, and very charismatic.  Frankly, though, I'm not sure if that makes the Penn problem more or less damning.  It certainly shows that there's a political machine that is embedded deeply in the Democratic Party at its highest echelons wedded to lobbying culture.

And while we're on screw the base day, I'm enjoying this.

Democrats who campaigned successfully last year against a "culture of corruption" in the Republican-controlled Congress found themselves one-upped today when more than 30 of their own members voted for a GOP motion to strengthen the package.

By 228-192, the House adopted a motion by Lamar Smith, R-Texas, to recommit the first of two lobbying bills -- a measure requiring quarterly disclosure by lobbyists of bundled contributions to candidates and party units -- to broaden the disclosure requirement to cover bundled donations to other PACs as well.

Woo-hoo!  Better parking spots for Democrats!  Universal health care for all Democratic members of Congress!

Tags: Hillary Clinton, Mark Penn (all tags)

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22 Comments

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Clinton sucks

She really could only do worse if Dan Gerstein was her campaign manager. If she wins, she'll immediately be in the hole when the DNC delegates refuse to let her install Harold Ford or some similar wanker as chair. Nothing will get better unless you are a major corporation.

She needs to be stopped.

by Bob Brigham 2007-05-24 01:33PM | 0 recs
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PENN IS OK!

Anyone with a proven track record at helping Democrats win is OK with me.  This includes Penn, Emmanuel, Schoen, et al.

by ChicagoDude 2007-05-24 01:40PM | 0 recs
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Re: PENN IS OK!

Penn and Schoen are disasters who put dems in the minority for years. And Rahn could have won a dozen more seats if he weren't so stupid (kinda like starting the cycle on third base and thinking he hit a triple).

by Bob Brigham 2007-05-24 01:57PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day

Exactly. You really think that after being in national poliyics for 16 years, John "saint" Edwards or Barack Obama or Mother Thersa wouldn't have connections with corporations. I almost puked after reading the artile in the Nation that obviously gave legs to this kind of post. Grow up, politics makes strange bedfellows. Who would you rather have: A democrat with corporate connects or a Republican?

by ND1979 2007-05-24 01:44PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day

a real Democrat, but great DLC use of a false choice

by Bob Brigham 2007-05-24 01:58PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day

Yeah, don't you know Hillary was selling herself to corporations, while Obama, Edwards, Dodd, Biden, and Richardson apparently made their millions in campaign contributions by pan handling.

by Kingstongirl 2007-05-24 04:07PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day

Edwards has never accepted money from PACs or lobbyists nor does he let them bundle for him. He also clearly comes down on the side of helping those that work for the living and not for helping large corporations take unfair advantage of people. His whole career has been about that.

Obama took in a ton of money from wall street (the most in fact) and plays a game whereby he says he doesn't accept money from lobbyists, but he does encourage donations from their spouses and family and wants to get access to their network of donors. Hillary is a big friend to big business and also took in plenty of their money and both she and Obama are neoliberal free traders who are going to sell us down the river in more unsenseable free trade deals.

by Quinton 2007-05-24 04:35PM | 0 recs
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Clinton is anything but warm and charismatic

but otherwise I agree.

She is as cold as ice and her attempts at playing folksy make me cringe.

by Populism2008 2007-05-24 01:52PM | 0 recs
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Re: Clinton is anything but warm and charismatic

Love the sig, populism2008! :)

by Nathan Empsall 2007-05-24 02:04PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day

I really hope screw the base day doesn't get recognized as a national holiday.

by DMIer 2007-05-24 01:54PM | 0 recs
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Screw the Base Day?

Screw the Base Day? If appeasing the base is so important, why do we get upset when Republicans try to pass their abortion and homosexuality bills? They're just avoiding Screw the Base Day, which is apparently a good thing.

I mean, I'm not happy about today either, but don't use "the base" as an argument. It's why things stay so damn partisan.

by Nathan Empsall 2007-05-24 02:03PM | 0 recs
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Re: Screw the Base Day?

Are you an idiot? Really? When it comes to Iraq, the "base" is most of the country and same with the culture of corruption (where Hillary is blazing a new trail).

And unlike the GOP wingnuts, we're right.

by Bob Brigham 2007-05-24 02:16PM | 0 recs
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Re: Screw the Base Day?

Yes, blogswarm, I am an idiot. I'm so glad you asked. My IQ is about 57, and I'm having a real hard time keeping the drool off my chin. Do you have any suggestions as to more efficient ways to wipe it off and keep it gone?

The majority of the country is sick of Iraq, yes. And they want a change. But they don't necessarily want Feingold-Reid. The fickle Independents would be just as happy if things started going well battle-wise tomorrow as if they got the six-month proccess of withdrawal passed today.

And besides, even if I'm wrong on that point, since when does "support for one or two issues" translate to "base"? The base are the folks who vote for you on a number of issues, time and time again, your ardent supporters. Folks the GOP sent flocking to us for one or two cycles are not the "base."

by Nathan Empsall 2007-05-24 03:24PM | 0 recs
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Re: Screw the Base Day?
I have enjoyed the many posts you have done on LA and MS.
by robliberal 2007-05-24 03:41PM | 0 recs
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Re: Screw the Base Day?

thank you :)

by Nathan Empsall 2007-05-24 08:04PM | 0 recs
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Re: Screw the Base Day?

Also, my critique is one of rhetoric, not policy.

by Nathan Empsall 2007-05-24 03:25PM | 0 recs
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Re: "The Base" and partisan politics

Thank you for this post as I think it sheds light on an important point.

I would also like to point out something that happens here, it seems that the general feeling here is all corporations are bad and all lobbyists are bad. I know from personal experience that neither of these things are true.

Are many corporations bad? YES Are many lobbyists bad? YES

But I am not sure I would concede that the bad ones are the majority in either case. Lobbyists who perform their function correctly are perfoming a necessary function. Corporations who behave responsibly strengthen our economy while showing that they have a sense of civic responsibility.

I consider myself pretty liberal, but I also understand that these companies exist to make money and that lobbyists took the job because it is a high paying gig... they like money,and speaking from experience I like money too... liking money in and of it self is neither a crime nor a sign that a person is not progressive.

by JDF 2007-05-24 02:17PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day

I think that this has far more to do with an unwillingness to appear principled than anything to do with the base.

That being said as far as disliking corporations goes the worst ones are the ones who have unions backing them up in the political sphere.

by sterra 2007-05-24 02:49PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day

And more and more Clinton is proving that if she is president she will destroy the progressive movement.  She will empower the DLC to rule the democrats again and we will once again become the party of republican lite and insider corporate rule.

by vwcat 2007-05-24 03:19PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day
One of the themes the GOP effectively used against Democrats over the years was that Democrats were "anti-business". That took root on Main Street, farms, strip shopping malls, corporate boardrooms etc. That cost a lot of votes over the years. The majority of the American people are for capitalism.
by robliberal 2007-05-24 03:39PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day
Not all big corporations are the same. There are good companies and bad companies just like there are good and bad people.
by robliberal 2007-05-24 04:30PM | 0 recs
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Re: More on Screw the Base Day

"Clinton is brilliant, warm, and very charismatic. Ok then, if it makes you happy.

by SandThroughTheEyeGlass 2007-05-24 04:07PM | 0 recs

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