--- title: 2016 Presidential Election: Hillary Clinton Allies Fight for Position description: Presidential campaigns are as much about who's in as who's out canonical: https://time.com/3701988/2016-presidential-election-hillary-clinton-campaign/ author: Haley Sweetland Edwards article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-02-09T23:52:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:42:33.780Z article:section: Politics og:title: Hillary Clinton Supporters Fight for 2016 Position og:description: Presidential campaigns are as much about who's in as who's out og:url: https://time.com/3701988/2016-presidential-election-hillary-clinton-campaign/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9fb93a6e8136361b/69877e62cd68487e6409999c/hillary-clinton1.jpg?branch=production&width=931&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 931 og:image:height: 524 og:image:alt: RFK Ripple Of Hope Gala - Inside og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Hillary Clinton Supporters Fight for 2016 Position twitter:description: Presidential campaigns are as much about who's in as who's out twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9fb93a6e8136361b/69877e62cd68487e6409999c/hillary-clinton1.jpg?branch=production&width=931&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Hillary Clinton Supporters Fight for 2016 Position > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=6e6c8011-aa54-446c-bb82-6798499e089a&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: 5 Campaign Themes Hillary Clinton Is Test Driving [Watch (HLS stream): 5 Campaign Themes Hillary Clinton Is Test Driving](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/1xvVf2Wa.m3u8) (1:54)  _Published 2014-01-16. Because you never know_  by [Haley Sweetland Edwards](https://time.com/author/haley-sweetland-edwards/)  ## Haley Sweetland Edwards Feb 9, 2015 11:52 PM UTC  Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks onstage at the RFK Ripple Of Hope Gala at the Hilton Hotel Midtown on Dec. 16, 2014 in New York City. Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks onstage at the RFK Ripple Of Hope Gala at the Hilton Hotel Midtown on Dec. 16, 2014 in New York City. Mike Coppola—Getty Images  by [Haley Sweetland Edwards](https://time.com/author/haley-sweetland-edwards/)  ## Haley Sweetland Edwards Feb 9, 2015 11:52 PM UTC Until now, Hillary Clinton’s proto-presidential campaign was allowed to be all things to all people. Anyone with a bit of cash, an organizational streak, and a lion’s share of enthusiasm could start his own pro-Clinton group—and, in doing so, make a claim to the presumed frontrunner’s coattails. That began to change this week, after two of the three main pro-Clinton groups publicly split ways. David Brock—a longtime Clinton ally who has launched an archipelago of pro-Clinton organizations, including Correct the Record, Media Matters for America, and American Bridge 21st Century—announced his resignation Monday from the main Democratic super PAC supporting her, Priorities USA Action, _Politico_ [reports](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/david-brock-resigns-priorities-usa-action-115028.html). The split comes just after Clinton hired a handful of high-profile advisers, including top brass from President Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns. Joel Benenson, Jim Margolis, John Podesta and Robby Mook are expected to hold senior positions in the as-yet-undeclared Clinton campaign. Brock’s sudden resignation, combined with those recent hires, has had the effect of drawing some hard lines—who’s “in” and who’s “out”—down the center of the Clinton Universe, an enormous and amorphous collection of aides, advisers, confidantes and hangers-on that has has, until now, evinced a unified, big-tent, everyone-is-welcome vibe. In November, leaders from Brock’s empire, Priorities USA and the quirky, grassroots super PAC, Ready for Hillary, all gathered amicably at Ready for Hillary’s financial meeting in New York City. At that event, officials from all three groups, as well as long-time Clinton insiders, gave speeches and met with members of the press, where they spoke of cooperation and partnership. But below the surface—and in quiet conversations—rivalrous factions have simmered. Several Clinton allies told TIME they doubted the efficacy of Brock’s organizations and worried that the “amateurish” nature of some of the mailings from Correct the Record might end up hurting Clinton down the road. Another dismissed both Brock’s organizations and Ready for Hillary as “opportunists” and “outsiders” positioning themselves for plum positions in a future campaign. Meanwhile, others in Clintonland doubted whether Priorities USA, which is run by Obama’s 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, could actually raise as much as $500 million—a vast sum that many say is necessary to compete with Republicans in 2016\. (The famously conservative Koch brothers reportedly intend to spend almost $900 million this election cycle alone.) ### See an Intimate Portrait of Hillary Clinton  With an ice cream cone in hand, Hillary waves to the crowd in Weedsport, New York, as she heads to the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged in Auburn, New York, one of the stops on her Save America's Treasures tour, July 14, 1998. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Getting ready for President Clinton's second inaugural, Hillary gets her first glimpse of daughter Chelsea's short skirt. Jan. 20, 1997 Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  The President and the First Lady Share a private moment, one of their last in the Oval Office. Jan. 11, 2001. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Hillary checks her messages upon departure from Malta for the as-yet-undisclosed location, Tripoli, Oct. 18, 2011\. This photo was turned into a meme that circulated around the world. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Before an appearance with David Letterman, Hillary checks her BlackBerry while Diana Walker takes their picture. Feb. 4, 2008. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Hillary gathers her thoughts moments before her introduction at Nueva Esperanza Academy Charter High School in Philadelphia. Apr. 18, 2008. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Hillary walks up the steps of the US Capitol to meet with Senate leaders. May 16, 2006. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Hillary enters a Super Bowl party at a bar and grill in St. Paul Minnesota, where she watches the New York Giants win the game, Feb. 3, 2008. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME In his resignation from Priorities USA on Monday, Brock accused officials at Priorities USA of orchestrating a “political hit job” against his organizations, according to _Politico_, which obtained a copy of his resignation letter. Brock referenced a recent New York _Times_ story that [revealed](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/06/us/in-invisible-world-of-political-donor-advisers-a-highly-visible-player.html?%5Fr=0) a consultant, who works closely with Brock’s groups, keeps an average of 12.5% of any fundraising money she brings in. “Current and former Priorities officials were behind this specious and malicious attack on the integrity of these critical organizations,” Brock wrote in the letter. Clintonland veterans say all this squabbling should come as no surprise. During the 2008 Democratic primary between Clinton and Obama, Clinton’s camp was known for its pitched in-fighting and epic personality clashes. Almost all the same people—plus a few of the biggest egos from the Obama world—are now alive and well in the as-yet-undeclared Clinton campaign. _Read next:_ [_New York Suburb Seeks to Host Hillary Clinton 2016 Campaign_](http://time.com/3694148/hillary-clinton-campaign-headquarters-white-plains/?xid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ## Transcript Is Hilary running? Her closest aides say she hasn't decided yet and won't for some time. But if she does, she has several campaign themes to choose from, all of which she set up in speeches and public appearances over the past few months, like here where she touched on economic inequality. >> Try to reverse this tide of inequality that is eating away at the social fabric. >> A focus on wealth disparity would make for a pretty seamless transition from the last democratic campaign. The issue was at the center of President Obama's 2012 effort. Clinton might also build on her work with family and social issues. Last summer, she helped launched Too Small To Fail, a nonprofit focusing on early childhood education. >> Our country's future depends on healthy kids and loving families. >> Though perhaps the easiest target for any 2016 candidate including Clinton will be dysfunction and increasingly partisan battles in Congress and surprisingly she's got a lot to say about that. >> We need to have a sensible adult conversation about what is necessary to be done. >> Of course since departing as Secretary of State it's not uncommon for Clinton to reference her experience as the nation's top diplomat. You can be sure any campaign from her will make mention of that. And it might be hard to believe for someone who's been a prominent part of American politics for so long, but Clinton also has the Washington outsider card to choose from and she's pulled it on the stump before as recently as last October. >> Recently in Washington, unfortunately, we have seen examples of the wrong kind of leadership, when politicians choose scourged earth over common ground. >> That is campaign rhetoric and it's exactly the kind of thing we could hear more of from Clinton if she chooses the campaign trail. 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