Out! Sort Of…

The irksome Mark Penn stepped down as Hillary Clinton’s top advisor yesterday after his company, Burson-Marsteller strengthened ties with Colombia’s government, who want a bilateral trade agreement which Mrs. Clinton opposes. Penn’s long been a contentious character, perhaps most memorably when he repeatedly referred to Barack Obama’s past cocaine usage after the campaign promised not to bring it up again. Penn will stay on the campaign for sporadic polling and other sordid dealings. [NY Times]