Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Clinton Camp: How Low Can She Go?

Some want victory at all costs; others look to legacy, 2012

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 20, 2008 12:43 PM CST

(Newser) – With Hillary Clinton’s campaign down to its last moves, her advisers are duking it out over how negative the candidate should go, MSNBC reports. Pollster Mark Penn wants to go ahead full throttle, while communications director Howard Wolfson and ad guru Mandy Grunwald are concerned that Hillary might damage her future—including a potential White House run in 2012. John Heilemann notes in New York that the lopsided defeat in Wisconsin can be interpreted as a rejection of the negative messages she deployed there.

"Another way to see things is that the Clintonites started hammering too late and too soft," he writes. "The latter is the view in Clintonland." The Times of London’s Gerard Baker agrees, saying it's time for Obama's team to get out the hazmat suits. But the extra slime may not matter much anyway, MSNBC’s Domenico Montanaro concludes: “She no longer controls her own destiny, but now has to hope for an unforced error by Obama.”

Howard Wolfson (Getty Images)

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., speaks during a campaign stop at Hunter College Auditorium in New York, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (Associated Press)

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Mark Penn, left, chats with Democratic Leadership Conference founder and CEO Al From before Penn's presentation at the 2001 DLC National Conversation in Indianapolis, Indiana on Tu (KRT Photos)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Clinton Aide: Obama Is Like Ken Starr

And as they plot next move, Hillary's staffers fight each other

(NEWSER) - The Democratic campaign took a turn for the nasty today, with a top adviser to Hillary Clinton alleging Barack Obama is “imitating Ken Starr”—an apparent reference to Obama’s recent Whitewater-tinted shots at his rival. Exclaims Greg Sargent at Talking Points, “Talk about throwing down the gauntlet,” and says Clinton’s camp may be trying to energize sympathy among female voters. More»

Clinton Spending Vexes Donors

Supporters ask why consultants are paid so much for failing campaign

(NEWSER) - The $25,000 Hillary Clinton's sputtering campaign dropped at Vegas' posh Bellagio last month is raising eyebrows among those cutting her the checks, reports the New York Times. Add $5 million for the very strategists who engineered her string of recent failures, and donors looking over her latest campaign finance report are having some serious doubts about Clinton's spending priorities. More»

How Hard Will He Hit Back?

Clinton's attack plan worked; Obama must respond

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton scored her dramatic comeback in last night's primaries by getting tough—even nasty—with her opponent, Josh Marshall writes on TPM, and the question is now whether Barack Obama has it in him to fight that kind of fight. "Can he take this back to Hillary Clinton, demonstrate his ability to take punches and punch back?" If Obama wants to win this, Ben Smith writes on Politico, “he’ll need to shove her off the stage.” More»

Wounded Hillary Marches On

As Clinton's campaign falters, morale dips and advisers are on edge

(NEWSER) - With Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign on the ropes, morale is low and advisers are screaming at each other in back rooms, the New York Times reports. While the candidate appears resolute, she no longer expresses the supreme confidence she once did and has stopped prefacing sentences with "when I'm president." Some advisers regret using Bill Clinton so much and concede Hillary's race may end after the Texas and Ohio Democratic primaries. More»

Clinton Fails to Turn Tide in Debate

She needed a big night, but it's mostly business as usual

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton had to tread a difficult line in last night's debate—make a dent in Obama's credibility and momentum without sounding too negative—and she seemed to fall short of making any real headway, writes Wayne Slater of the Dallas Morning News. Clinton tried repeatedly to make the case that she's ready to be president and he isn't, but Obama "coolly deflected her attacks," Slater says. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Clinton Camp: How Low Can She Go?

Some want victory at all costs; others look to legacy, 2012

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Wisconsin • Democratic nomination • negative campaigning • Mark Penn • Howard Wolfson • Mandy Grunwald

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Clinton Aide: Obama Is Like Ken Starr

And as they plot next move, Hillary's staffers fight each other

Clinton Spending Vexes Donors

Supporters ask why consultants are paid so much for failing campaign

How Hard Will He Hit Back?

Clinton's attack plan worked; Obama must respond

Wounded Hillary Marches On

As Clinton's campaign falters, morale dips and advisers are on edge

Clinton Fails to Turn Tide in Debate

She needed a big night, but it's mostly business as usual

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Clinton Camp: How Low Can She Go?

Some want victory at all costs; others look to legacy, 2012

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Wisconsin • Democratic nomination • negative campaigning • Mark Penn • Howard Wolfson • Mandy Grunwald

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Clinton Aide: Obama Is Like Ken Starr

And as they plot next move, Hillary's staffers fight each other

Clinton Spending Vexes Donors

Supporters ask why consultants are paid so much for failing campaign

How Hard Will He Hit Back?

Clinton's attack plan worked; Obama must respond

Wounded Hillary Marches On

As Clinton's campaign falters, morale dips and advisers are on edge

Clinton Fails to Turn Tide in Debate

She needed a big night, but it's mostly business as usual

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?