NPR: Clinton Campaign Manager Steps Aside

Clinton Campaign Manager Steps Aside

Switching campaign managers any time during a presidential run is never a good sign. And for Sen. Hillary Clinton, replacing her campaign manager right now adds to a perception of desperation in her campaign.

Marc Ambinder writes in his blog at TheAtlantic.com that Patti Solis Doyle is stepping down as Clinton's campaign manager. As Ambers writes, "Was Solis Doyle, who has served in Hillaryland since 1992, shown the door? Or did she decide to leave? ... "In part, this was Patti's choice. She knew that when things start to get funky, you have to make, for appearance sake, some changes," a senior campaign adviser who was briefed on the decision and who is close to Solis Doyle said."

But Solis Doyle had faced internal opposition for some time, particularly after Obama's victory in Iowa and after he fund raised more than the Clinton campaign.

Solis Doyle's replacement is Maggie Williams, a long-time Clinton confidante and her one-time chief of staff during her husband's presidency.

When Williams appointment was announced, columnist Ariana Huffington remembered a piece she has written about Williams ten years ago. Williams left the White House in 1998 after questions arose about her relationship with controversial Democratic fund raiser Johnny Chung, who was convicted of bank fraud, tax evasion, and two misdemeanor counts of conspiring to violate election law. Williams had also faced allegations during the first Clinton term that she had removed the files of deputy White House counsel Vince Foster after his suicide.

11:35 AM ET | 02-11-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

I find it very strange that Senator Clinton chose to remove her campaign manager and replace her with a person who had serious negative allegations against her previously. Sworn testimony by a Secret Service agent that she carried documents from the office of Vince Foster after his suicide? Are we reaching into the bottom of the barrel to revive a campaign that is being left behind by Senator Obama's rising popularity, integrity, honesty and pledge to improve America? I am afraid that the real Clintons are about to emerge as they fall behind in the run for the Democratic candidacy. The nastiness of politics is about to begin.

Sent by Patricia Schidt | 12:49 PM ET | 02-11-2008

When the going get tough, .....
Revert back to the people and srategies that have worked so well in the past!
What is the difference between Mr. Chung and Mr. Hu? 10 years, same candidate, same fund-raising problems.

This is how Hillary works! Think about that!

Sent by Harold | 12:50 PM ET | 02-11-2008

But what about this perspective. The Clinton campaign is obviously having problems. Wouldn't you want a real fighter in there with you when your back's against the wall, someone you could really count on, who has been through tough times with you before?

Do you think this is what Sen. Clinton could be thinking?

Tom Regan
Host, Newsblog

Sent by Tom Regan | 1:35 PM ET | 02-11-2008

i think it's too little, too late. the wheels have come off the clinton campaign, and obama has a locomotive of momentum right now. if clinton doesn't hold onto virginia, the dem race could very well be over after tuesday.

Sent by adam schaeffer | 1:51 PM ET | 02-11-2008

The ends, DO NOT justify the means!
(Didn't we learn that with Bill? Breaking rules, lying, just to win!)

I agree with Patricia, "The nastiness of politics is about to begin."

BTW, getting into situations where "my back is against the wall" would be a sign of MY incompetence!!!!!
"Look BEFORE, you leap!" (Not while you leap, after you leapt) Maybe if Hillary stopped repeating history!

Sent by Harold | 2:03 PM ET | 02-11-2008

My two cents (adjusted for inflation of course)...

What derailed Mrs. Clinton's chances was a combination of deficiencies and excellences. Deficiencies in taking any of her running mates seriously early on, as she was deemed 'inevitable' by many pundits, and with a false sense of security simply employed the same campaign financing and mobilization tactics employed by her husband, too bad they forgot the memo to realize the difference between appealing to big cat donors as opposed to the entire population of individual donors. Deficiency in realizing that her campaign was not the only innovative, ground-breaking one, and what's worse her husband made sure by his missteps that the US got to know that real quick. (See S.C. primary debacle) Deficiency in really tackling the issue of how Democrats (with some exceptions) and Republicans (with fewer exceptions) have been sleeping in the same bed since 9/11. The problem here? A key issue where Mrs. Clinton was caught between the sheets, and Obama wasn't even 'present'. The war. The economy could have been her strongest card to play due to Bill's now famous balanced budget (in large part due to reduced post Cold War economics, but I digress..), but she failed to introduce anything really innovative (as did most other candidates sans Ron Paul) regarding a stimulus package, just some new bells and whistles on the same thing. THe main problem was just that, she has become the symbol of that Same Old System, the unholy alliance of GOP and Democrats that has yielded much ruined fruit for the last decade.

The excellences lay with Obama on this one. The excellence of playing the Outsider, Newcomer, Rebel, and Dissenter to a system long in failing health, now accentuated by a fiscal crisis. And America loves a rebel, just with a cause, and he seized one at the most opportune time: Change. And not only did he repeat it like the great mantra it is, he has become a symbol of it, and people love symbols, they inspire, the move, they shake, they transcend. And that is what this senator from Illinois has done. Transcend. Excellent.

While a professed GOP man myself, I must give the man credit for being one amazing orator. I just wish men in my party had half his inspirational power, though Ron Paul takes the ingeniuty prize.

In the end, I hope he wins the bid, and who knows I may just vote Democrat.

Cheers.

Sent by platonicform | 8:22 PM ET | 02-11-2008

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