Below The Beltway

Something tells me we won’t be waiting for the end much longer, because the blame game has already started among Clinton insiders:

Harold Ickes definitely doesn’t buy the argument that Mark Penn isn’t responsible for everything that has happened to the Hillary Clinton campaign.

“Mark Penn has run this campaign,” said Ickes in a brief phone interview this morning. “Besides Hillary Clinton, he is the single most responsible person for this campaign.

“Now, he has been circumscribed to some extent by Maggie Williams,” said Ickes, who then pointed out that that was only a recent development.

When asked about the assertion by one senior Clinton official the campaign was effectively run by committee, diluting Penn’s authority, Ickes was incredulous.

“I don’t know what campaign you’re talking about,” said Ickes. “I have been at meetings where he introduces himself as the campaign’s chief strategist. I’ve heard him call himself that many times, say, ‘I am the chief strategist.’”

Asked if Penn preferred the title of chief strategist to pollster, Ickes said, “Prefer it? He insists on it!”

When asked if Penn was therefore responsible for the campaign’s strategy, Ickes said, “It’s pretty plain for anyone to see that he has shaped the strategy of the campaign. He has called the shots.”

“Mark Penn,” he said, “has dominated the message in this campaign. Dominated it.”

Ickes isn’t admitting that it’s over, yet, but it’s pretty clear who he thinks is responsible for one of the most mis-managed campaigns of this election cycle.

And, oh yeah, Barack Obama apparently raised almost twice as much money as Hillary in February:

Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton both had a record-breaking month of fundraising in February, bringing in more than $80 million combined, but with Mr. Obama again raising significantly more than his opponent.

Mr. Obama’s campaign did not release an official estimate of its February fundraising on Thursday. But several major donors estimated it is about $50 million based on their calculations and knowledge of tallies during the month, when on many days the campaign took in as much as $2 million.

(…)

Mr. Obama’s fundraising appears once again to have dramatically outstripped Mrs. Clinton’s, just as it did in January, when Mr. Obama brought in $36 million and Mrs. Clinton raised just under $14 million. After spending enormously to compete in Iowa, New Hampshire and heading into the 20-plus Feb. 5 nominating contests, Mrs. Clinton finished the month essentially in the red, forcing her to loan her campaign $5 million.

Mr. Obama’s total is expected to exceed the $44 million that Senator John Kerry raised in March 2004, a month that set a record in a presidential campaign. Mr. Kerry, however, was already clearly the Democratic Party’s nominee when he raised the then-extraordinary sum.

Hillary can’t win for losing these days.

Previous Posts

Hillary Clinton Death Watch
Hillary Clinton Death Watch, Afternoon Update
Hillary Clinton Death Watch Saturday Update
Hillary Clinton Death Watch Sunday Update
Hillary Clinton Death Watch Monday Update
Hillary Clinton Death Watch Tuesday Update
Hillary Clinton Death Watch Wednesday Update
Hillary Clinton Death Watch Thursday Update