Philly firm said 'no' to Hillary
And now comes confirmation via Wikileaks that a top Philly political ad firm declined to work for Clinton's presidential campaign.
Among the trove of just-leaked emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign is confirmation that a top Democratic Philly consulting and TV ad firm said "no thanks" when asked to work for Clinton's presidential effort way back in 2014.
One of many of Clinton guru John Podesta's Wikileaked emails shows Clinton bigwigs Huma Abedin, Robby Mook and Cheryl Mills sharing news of the turn down.
The subject line is "Saul Shorr." It's dated December 22, 2014. And here's what Abedin tells Mook & Mills: "Just spoke with him. He is firm in his position. He is honored to have been considered but cannot accept the job given his economic and business responsibilities, including prior commitment to other candidates. He reiterated that he was enormously impressed with HRC and wishes her the best but cannot put himself through what she will have to put herself through. He welcomes continuing to have a dialogue about ideas for people or issues."
You can see the email right here.
Shorr is a principal in Shorr Johnson Magnus, a Philly firm that does a ton of national political work for PACs and candidates. Pennsylvania candidates have included Gov. Wolf and Sen. Bob Casey.
The decision not to join the Clinton team was reported by Politico in early 2015, cast as the firm "apparently" saying no. The just-leaked email from a Podesta email string confirms the decision.
Shorr Johnson Magnus won accolades for having made what was called one of the most effective ads in the 2012 presidential election. That ad, an anti-Mitt Romney ad, was titled "Stage" and featured an Indiana paper plant worker.
The worker told how he and co-workers were instructed to build a 30-foot-wide stage outside their factory from which they later were told by Romney's Bain Capital executives that the plant was being closed and they all were fired.
In the ad, the worker says, "When we built that stage it was like building my own coffin, and it just made me sick."
You can read a New Yorker magazine piece about the ad right here.
None of this is to suggest Clinton would be better off had Shorr Johnson Magnus joined her team. And, anyway, the firm is working with a pro-Clinton PAC. So don't be surprised if an ad resembling "Stage" but featuring a Trump company pops up in the campaign's final weeks. Just sayin.