DNC Rewards Clinton Loyalists with Leadership Positions | Observer
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greets supporters and members of her staff after conceding the U.S. Presidency to Republican challenger Donald Trump. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Hillary Clinton failed to defeat DonaldTrumpin the general election, but theDemocratic Party is giving Clinton campaign staffers another chance by appointing several of them to a “war room” to take on President-elect Trump’s administration.
The Washington Postreported, “TheDNC’snew communications and research operation, to be staffed by former aides to HillaryClinton’spresidential campaign, will be one of several efforts from across the Democratic firmament to take on Trump, including the office of Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), the Center for American Progress, and American Bridge.” Clinton campaign manager John Podesta founded the Center for American Progress, andClintonsurrogate and former aide Neera Tanden serves as its president. American Bridge, a super PAC, is runby controversialClinton propagandist David Brock. Combined with the office of Schumer, theDNCcouldn’t have created a less effective way to fight Trump.
After losing an election they treated as a certain victory, the Clinton campaign staff is being rewarded for their loyalty with jobs at the DNC. Thewar room’s director will be Zac Petkanas, the Clinton campaign’s rapid-response director, who will also serve as aDNC senior adviser. Petkanas was vice president of Brock’s Media Matters. The DNC’s national press secretary will be Adrienne Watson, aClinton campaign spokesperson. Additionally, just as former DNC chairDebbie Wasserman Schultzdid before the primaries began, the organization is now being stacked with Clinton loyalists by interim chairDonna Brazile, who CNN severed ties with after WikiLeaks revealed shehelpedthe Clinton campaign cheat before the primary debates. Despite violating the DNC charter, theDemocratic Party is allowing Brazile to remain interim chair until a new one is electedin February.
The idea of establishing a “war room” againstTrump is a desperate attempt for the DNC to look relevant. Given its dramatic title, the “war room” was likely conjured up by David Brock. If the Democratshave any intention of ever winning an election again, Brock—who used over $1 million to hire internet trolls to “correct” online criticisms ofClintonduring the primaries—is the last person they should have stringing together the party’s staff. In addition to participating in the “war room,” Brock is hosting aprivate retreat with billionaire donors in West Palm Beach during Trump’s inauguration. Brock told Politico, “what better way to spend inaugural weekend than talking about how to kick DonaldTrump’sass?”
The creation of the Trump“war room” and the recentappointments to theDNC signal that the Democratic Partyhas no intention of reform. The losses that the Democrats have suffered this election cycle should have been a wake-up call. Instead, Democrats are creating a hyperbolic distraction, doubling down on everything that is wrong with theparty,and repeating the mistakes that led them to their current predicament.
Disclosure: Donald Trump is the father-in-law of Jared Kushner, the publisher of Observer Media.