Strategist Quits Clinton Post over Colombia Flap

By Renee Montagne,

Mara Liasson

Published April 7, 2008 at 3:00 AM PDT

Mark Penn, chief strategist for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, stepped down Sunday. Penn quit the campaign after it was revealed that he met with a Colombian diplomat about passing a free trade deal that Sen. Clinton opposes.

NPR's Mara Liasson tells Renee Montagne that Penn, the chief executive of public relations giant Burson-Marsteller, has been "a walking, talking political conflict of interest" for some time.

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Renee Montagne

Renee Montagne, one of the best-known names in public radio, is a special correspondent and host for NPR News.

Mara Liasson

Mara Liasson is a national political correspondent for NPR. Her reports can be heard regularly on NPR's award-winning newsmagazine programs Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Liasson provides extensive coverage of politics and policy from Washington, DC — focusing on the White House and Congress — and also reports on political trends beyond the Beltway.