Strategist X

I was flipping through channels at the gym, and I saw that Tucker Carlson and Pat Buchanan were talking about Iran and figured I'd watch that for a bit. I thought it was strange that the "from the left" panelist for this topic was a "Democratic strategist" rather than some kind of Iran expert or a journalist who writes about foreign policy or something. Weirder, the "strategist" in question turned out to be Hilary Rosen who, a bit of Googling now that I'm home confirmed, was the Hilary Rosen who used to be the head of the RIAA.

As best I can tell, it's just not the case that Rosen is a Democratic strategist. She's a longtime recording industry lobbyist, who's also heavily involved with gay rights issues through the Human Rights Campaign, and currently works as some kind of lobbyist or PR consultant or something for a variety of media firms. I'm biased against her since I hate the RIAA (I was also a Cheryl Jacques fan back in her Massachusetts days), but she did a fine job. It's just always struck me as odd that cable networks rely so heavily on these random people described as "strategists" and even odder to find one such "strategist" who doesn't genuinely seem to be a Democratic strategist.

Comments

"but she did a fine job."

As a lobbyist for RIAA? Or as a 'Democratic strategist' talking about Iran?

If the latter, what did she say?

Posted by otto | June 11, 2007 8:16 PM

it's not really all that relevant, but one of my favorite moments in the hubris of our excellent iraq adventure involved rosen.

there i was, reading the wall street journal on (it turns out, as i just looked it up) april 8, 2003, and an article entitled "Bush officials scramble to push democracy in iraq" caught my eye.

and what do we discover in the second graf but this:

During lunch last week at the Palm, tax-cut enthusiast Grover Norquist stopped by the table of the Recording Industry Association of America's Hilary Rosen. "I need your help," he said cheerfully. "I'm working on intellectual-property laws for a free Iraq."

http://online.wsj.com/article/PA2VJBNA4R/SB104975599952719900-search.html (this is behind a paywall, by the way, so it'll cost you $2.95 to read the whole thing)

the insanity of that moment (because, lord knows, what iraq really needed was intellectual property laws post-haste) has always stayed with me.

Posted by howard | June 11, 2007 8:24 PM

Wasn't Rosen a strategist, like, AGES ago? For Bill Bradley? She's with the HRC now. (That's Human Rights Campaign...not Hillary Rodham Clinton.)

Posted by DCeiver | June 11, 2007 9:53 PM

It's always funny when you bring up how much you hate the recording interest, and also bring up how much stolen music is on your ipod. Personally, I'd like to see you sued for a few 100K for theft.

Posted by pj | June 11, 2007 10:09 PM

It is obviously a plot by wing-nuts to make Democrats look bad. Having someone that used to be head of the RIAA comment on bombing Iran? ugh!! Is it any wonder why we can't get real progressives on those kind of shows?

Posted by Joe Klein's conscience | June 11, 2007 10:17 PM

Jack Valenti was also a CNN 'Democratic strategist' after leaving the MPAA pretty much until he died.

But look, the 'strategist' thing just means 'will pay the cab ride to the studio', 'knows what's expected in the format', 'copes with being bumped', 'can come in at an hour's notice'.

And that's how the bookers' Rolodexes work.

Posted by pseudonymous in nc | June 11, 2007 10:19 PM

It's always funny when you bring up how much you hate the recording interest, and also bring up how much stolen music is on your ipod.

In an ironic twist, my iPod was stolen.

Posted by Matthew Yglesias | June 11, 2007 10:55 PM

Rosen is apparently a principal with Berman Rosen Global Strategies, LLC, and is a Democrat. I think the conjunction "Democratic strategist" might be misleading, but it is technically an accurate description.

Posted by Thomas | June 12, 2007 12:51 AM

Hey, if you've time to flip channels at the gym you aren't working hard enough!

Posted by NW | June 12, 2007 4:43 AM

Jack Valenti worked for Lyndon Johnson before going to head the MPAA.

The idea that Hilary Rosen is a lesbian who works for the recording industry would somehow make her a Republican is almost laughable. The whole thing screams Democrat to me. I'm sorry that the "my internet should run free" crowd doesn't like the fact that the Recording Industry might have a vested interest in copyright law, but I'm kinda glad they do, and I don't think it makes them bad Democrats.

Posted by weboy | June 12, 2007 10:08 AM

So, let's see, have I got this right- You were watching Tucker Carlson and Pat Buchanan and you were shocked, absolutely shocked to discover that the person they described as a Democratic strategist was not, in fact, an actual Democratic strategist.

It's a sad state of affairs when you can't even trust Tucker and Pat.

Posted by serial catowner | June 12, 2007 11:13 AM

The recording industry is one of the few industries that leans Democrat, so it's not surprising the Democrats would play nice with them. Really, the Democrats are corrupt too, but much as I despise the RIAA, MPAA, and all corporate interests, suing filesharers is not the same as dumping CO2 into the atmosphere and encouraging America's dependence on cars and oil. Lesser of two evils.

Besides, the Dems need cash from somewhere.

Posted by SFG | June 12, 2007 1:11 PM