Patti Solis Doyle, longtime Hillary Clinton loyalist, joins Obama camp

As The Times' Michael Finnegan detailed today, initial signs indicate that many women voters who had supported Hillary Clinton's presidential quest are more quickly and willingly lining up behind Barack Obama than many analysts had anticipated. And one conversion is bound to get a lot of attention -- the Obama campaign has announced that additions to its staff include Patti Solis Doyle, who for more than a year managed Clinton's bid.

The prospect of Doyle signing on with Obama had been rumored for a few weeks, and it was made official with the news that she will serve as chief of staff to his eventual vice presidential pick.

At first blush, that would seem to make it less likely that Clinton will be tapped for the running-mate slot.

Doyle, a longtime Clinton loyalist, was jettisoned from her team during Obama's February streak of caucus and primary wins, which  gave him a lead in the nomination contest that he never relinquished. At the time, she was singled out for much of the blame for a campaign that had not maximized Clinton's strengths in the race's early stages and then was seriously was short on cash during the Obama surge. Last week, the New York Times reported that since Doyle's departure, she and Clinton had not spoken.

It would seem odd if they were to set about repairing their relationship with Doyle shepherding another Clinton campaign after the jolting end to their most recent collaboration. Then again, the adjustment period for the two presumably would be about a nanosecond. 

Also on the list of new hires by Obama is another woman well-known within political circles: Stephanie Cutter, who served as head of communications for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. Cutter has been assigned to what could prove an especially challenging position -- chief of staff for Michelle Obama, expected to be the target of intensifying attacks from some conservatives.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[crat3]

Patti Solis Doyle got the job because she sabotaged Sen. Clinton's campaign at get go. She is a loser jumping on the cult Obama bandwagon that will crash and burn in November.

Obama has no legitimacy as the Democratic nominee. He stole the nomination with Howard Dean's FL and MI shenanigans and his surrogate Nancy Pelosi rigged the nomination for him.

Sen. Clinton is the legitimate Democratic nominee. She won the popular vote; she won MI and FL; and she is the best qualified and strongest candidate to win the general election hands down.

HRC supporters will not surrender in "unity" to the cult powers of Obama. HRC supporters will campaign and vote for McCain. The Democratic Congress will be a firewall for any "third Bush term." In 2012, Sen. Clinton will be the presidential candidate to put America back on track.

Patti Soylis Doyle is now an Obama cultist joining the cult team of cult leader Obama, who is unqualified, inexperienced, immature, and unelectable as a radical left wing liberal.

[Oopali Operajita]

Good for Patti Solis Doyle! Well, it now certainly seems like Clinton's chances at a shot for the Vice Presidency just took a major dive.

[Colleen M]

It doesn't make sense to have PS-D as chief of staff! She should be helping with Latino (and possibly Catholic )outreach. From all reports she was a horror in charge- taking hours of midday private time to watch soaps, calling herself "the Queen Bee". That does not sound like the right attitude for Camp Obama!

It makes me nervous that the head of the Kerry campaign is in charge of protecting Michelle Obama. They did a horrible of job of protecting Kerry. Basically, they let a draft dodger paint a war hero as a coward. What is their plan to refute all the "Whitey" nonsense!

[Richard P. McDonough]

The paranoids are coming, the paranoids are coming!!!

Crat3, do look under the bed before retiring.

[Paul]

Hey There Crat3!

I think your posts should come from CRAP3! Dont you have anything original to say - other than "The Cult of Obama...the Cult of Obama" ?

Ive seen your posts everywhere they say something good about Obama.

Get a clue - This guy will win. He is popular, and has a message that people have been waiting for.

Get over it! Hillary is OUT. Obama is IN. Lets have some unity and get this amazing guy elected!!

[Daniel Jamtgaard]

Why on earth did they hire this woman? .The only reason she had a prominent position in the HRC campaign was because of her diehard loyalty...Wasn't she infamous for watching soap operas while on the job? I just don't understand why the Obama campaign would hire an incompetent person (even if she is a latin woman...they should at least go after a competent one).

[rajah kahn]

Beautiful and intelligent, Patti is a significant addition to Barack.....She will play a PIVOTAL role in his capaign...Well done patti. Really love.

[John]

Ouch. I feel for crat3. How bad life must be running around in crat3's delusional world of psychopathic resent. crat3: I sincerely hope you can find your way back to reality one day. In the meantime, perhaps you should join Debra Bartoshevich's cult.

[iconoclast2400]

crat3 why u gotta be a hater? lol

[Frank Z]

Why would the Obama campaign select Stephanie Cutter as Chief of Staff for Michelle Obama, who will be assailed viciously by the Republicans, when she, Ms. Cutter, failed to react quickly and decisively to attacks made on Kerry? I'm thinking especially of the slow reaction to the attacks made on Kerry's military career, the swift boat incidents virtually doomed his campaign.

fz

[mike]

crat3, what do you really hope to achieve by voting for McCain out of spite? Your notion of a democratic congress acting as a "buffer" against McCain's imperialist ambitions will go out the window the second the next Supreme Court justice is appointed, and the unitary executive becomes a synonym for tyranny.

Get over your spiteful notions and look at real policy choices which exist. This election is a little too important to say "I'm taking my marbles and going home."

[Craig livingstone]

I worked with Soliis at the White House and she was a no-nothing, back-stabbing, latina-when-it-suits-her lightweight. The HRC campaign was in the toilet because of the self-proclaimed 'queen-bee's' gross idiocy. Reminds me of Gore's inability to fire the unsure and unequally unqualified Donna Brazille (for his loss). Maybe, HRC IS going to be the nominee, why else bring her most trusted lackey? Hmmn?

[Tom in California]

Welcome aboard! There's room for everyone who wants to work for the good of the campaign and the party! Republicans OUT in November!

[Dee]

Come on Crat3...stop all the "hatin"...and start "participatin" !!

Obama/Powell '08

[The Voice of Reason]

Crat3: Your comments are full of horse manure. Quit whining and rally behind the nominee. If it had been the other way around, I'll just bet you and your lame cronies would be all over the comments pages telling us Obama supporters to do the same thing.

If you are really this angry about losing out, just think how much might change if you took a proactive stance at informing the public properly on your candidate. Sitting on the web and complaining won't change a darned thing. But maybe your active involvement in the Democratic process (meaning, OFF the web) and your community may actually change things the next time.

Get a clue and make a difference by rallying behind the person Hillary has told you to rally behind, and stop trying to sabotage our party in November.

[Streetlight]

About OB crat3 is 100% right. But look at HC's future party status. OB will now be THE contender - whether he's elected or not - for 2008 & 2012!!! Get the point.
This marks the end of the Clintons' regime. In the best scenario HC may want to be Secr of State in an OB cabinet. I'll bet the farm she turns down VP. She doesn't want to be 2nd fiddle for 8 yrs. In fact, I'm not so sure McCain isn't thinking about HC and visa-versa. She'd actually have a better chance of making Pres.

[Bane]

Sorry crat3, the world can't wait until 2012. I don't understand why Hilary supporters would line up behind McCain, a candidate who represents the antithesis to Hilary's policies, and not behind Obama, who is very close to Hilary in terms of politics and has the same or a very similar vision for America. Are you really so bummed out that your precious Hilary didn't win that you would turn your back on everything she stood for politically? Maybe you would, but I believe that Americans are smart enough to vote based on policy, not superficial differences in personality. A vote for McCain shows that maybe Hilary didn't want your support anyway- you're a backstabber to the party and you stand for the wrong political principles. If and when we get Bush's third term, we'll have sore losers from Hilary's cult of personality, like yourself, to thank.

[JOE]

Who cares. Her brother, Danny Solis, is one of Chicago's most "influential" backroom dealmakers. That's where she comes from.

[karl]

crat3 is a Rush Limbaugh "Rushian Republican", not a Democrat. You'll notice crat3 never says Hillary is better than McCain, or that Hillary should be president, just that Hillary should be the Democratic nominee. I have seen crat3 ranting this Rushian nonsense on other sites. We should start outing these Rushians for who they really are.

[Radian]

This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Patty Solis Doyle, wife of Chicago's 25th Ward Alderman Danny Solis, is a product of the same corrupt Chicago/Crook County Democratic machine that spawned Barack Obama, and whose behind-the-scenes puppet master is King Richard Daley II. Nothing here happens politically w/o his OK.

Paranoia? Try reality. If you knew just how dirty politics is in ILLinois, which is not so much a state as it is a racket, you would puke. Both major parties here are morally and ethically bankrupt.

[Chris Ross]

Is this the precursor to bringing Bill Richardson on as the VP running mate?

[blackhippychick]

OK Cinton and Doyle have not spoken, this must mean that Doyle is Benedict Arnold. I thought Obama was the "clean" candidate, not so. I really don't think the Clinton's will be campaigning heavily for Obama in the Fall. I guess he better hope he wins otherwise he'll be on the $%^& list of a former President and a Senator from a major state.

[Radian]

Correction - Patti Solis Doyle is Danny Solis' sister, not wife, but the connection is still relevant.

My bad.

[B]

Wouldn't it make sense if Doyle was so loyal to Clinton before that they might be preparing for Hillary to take the VP Spot!

[sjoerd]

I know, I shouldn't take this seriously, but crat3, Hillary won the popular vote? You crazy? Only if you don't count caucases, don't count undecideds in MI, and do count FL 100% (which Hillary, as well as all other candidates, agreed not to do until it became the last thing she could hold onto to salvage her campaign). Still clinging on to numbers? Read this: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2008/06/02/080602taco_talk_hertzberg?printable=true