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As Trump and Clinton Clash, 2 Operatives Duke It Out in Their Shadows As Trump and Clinton Clash, 2 Operatives Duke It Out in Their Shadows
(about 9 hours later)
One takes a pint-size dog named Toby almost everywhere, smokes electronic cigarettes and wears his silver hair in a flowing pompadour. One takes a pint-size dog named Toby almost everywhere, smokes electronic cigarettes and wears his silver hair in a sweeping pompadour.
The other has a portrait of Richard M. Nixon tattooed on his back, boasts that he owns more shoes than Imelda Marcos and traffics in conspiracy theories about the Kennedy assassination.The other has a portrait of Richard M. Nixon tattooed on his back, boasts that he owns more shoes than Imelda Marcos and traffics in conspiracy theories about the Kennedy assassination.
The 2016 election, filled with ugly insults, whispered innuendo and sordid character attacks, features two central antagonists known for their colorful traits and devotion to the dark arts of politics: David Brock and Roger J. Stone Jr.The 2016 election, filled with ugly insults, whispered innuendo and sordid character attacks, features two central antagonists known for their colorful traits and devotion to the dark arts of politics: David Brock and Roger J. Stone Jr.
Each has a passion for his side — Mr. Brock for Hillary Clinton and Mr. Stone for Donald J. Trump — and a zeal for attacking critics of his candidate. Their intensity and pugnacity make them either perfect villains or misunderstood masterminds, depending on your point of view.Each has a passion for his side — Mr. Brock for Hillary Clinton and Mr. Stone for Donald J. Trump — and a zeal for attacking critics of his candidate. Their intensity and pugnacity make them either perfect villains or misunderstood masterminds, depending on your point of view.
On the wall of Mr. Stone’s office in South Florida, which has an undisclosed address because of the death threats he said he had received, hangs a “Spy vs. Spy” cartoon, which young staff members titled “Brock-Stone” after the two battling operatives.On the wall of Mr. Stone’s office in South Florida, which has an undisclosed address because of the death threats he said he had received, hangs a “Spy vs. Spy” cartoon, which young staff members titled “Brock-Stone” after the two battling operatives.
“The dynamic between the two of them is very interesting,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist who knows both men. “This will be a battle about who’s tougher.”“The dynamic between the two of them is very interesting,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist who knows both men. “This will be a battle about who’s tougher.”
Politics has always attracted flamboyant characters with a sometimes-reckless devotion to a cause, and both these men seem to enjoy their outsize images. Politics has always attracted flamboyant characters with a sometimes-reckless devotion to a cause, and both of these men seem to enjoy their outsize images.
Mr. Brock, 53, divides his time between Washington and the West Village in Manhattan, throwing lively salons and wooing liberal donors on both coasts, often accompanied by Toby, his schnoodle — a schnauzer-poodle mix.Mr. Brock, 53, divides his time between Washington and the West Village in Manhattan, throwing lively salons and wooing liberal donors on both coasts, often accompanied by Toby, his schnoodle — a schnauzer-poodle mix.
Mr. Stone, 64, has a fashion blog and likes to quote Gore Vidal’s advice to “never miss a chance to have sex or appear on television.” He divides his time between Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan crammed with political memorabilia and Le Corbusier furniture.Mr. Stone, 64, has a fashion blog and likes to quote Gore Vidal’s advice to “never miss a chance to have sex or appear on television.” He divides his time between Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan crammed with political memorabilia and Le Corbusier furniture.
“Socially, he’s a very charming, likable, intelligent guy,” Mr. Stone said of his rival in a telephone interview on Saturday. He praised Mr. Brock’s style, saying he is “a dapper guy” and likening his hairstyle to that of the title character in “Eraserhead,” David Lynch’s 1977 surrealist horror film.“Socially, he’s a very charming, likable, intelligent guy,” Mr. Stone said of his rival in a telephone interview on Saturday. He praised Mr. Brock’s style, saying he is “a dapper guy” and likening his hairstyle to that of the title character in “Eraserhead,” David Lynch’s 1977 surrealist horror film.
But in recent weeks, as sexual assault allegations against former President Bill Clinton surfaced in the campaign, the intersections of Mr. Brock’s past with Mr. Stone’s attacks on the Clintons have made for a deeper kind of intrigue.But in recent weeks, as sexual assault allegations against former President Bill Clinton surfaced in the campaign, the intersections of Mr. Brock’s past with Mr. Stone’s attacks on the Clintons have made for a deeper kind of intrigue.
Last week, when Mr. Trump brought up a decades-old rape allegation against Mr. Clinton in a Fox News interview, Mrs. Clinton’s allies saw the influence of Mr. Stone. His thinly sourced 2015 book, “The Clintons’ War on Women,” which he wrote with Robert Morrow, focuses on Mr. Clinton’s sexual misconduct and accuses Mrs. Clinton of silencing women who came forward to complain about it.Last week, when Mr. Trump brought up a decades-old rape allegation against Mr. Clinton in a Fox News interview, Mrs. Clinton’s allies saw the influence of Mr. Stone. His thinly sourced 2015 book, “The Clintons’ War on Women,” which he wrote with Robert Morrow, focuses on Mr. Clinton’s sexual misconduct and accuses Mrs. Clinton of silencing women who came forward to complain about it.
But it is reporting by Mr. Brock that Mr. Stone has used to help Mr. Trump make that case.But it is reporting by Mr. Brock that Mr. Stone has used to help Mr. Trump make that case.
Before Mr. Brock became the man at the center of a multimillion dollar operation built to defend the Clintons, he was a self-described conservative hit man intent on taking them down. He and Mr. Stone knew each other socially and would occasionally compare notes. Before Mr. Brock became the man at the center of a multimillion-dollar operation built to defend the Clintons, he was a self-described conservative hit man intent on taking them down. He and Mr. Stone knew each other socially and would occasionally compare notes.
Reporting for The American Spectator, a conservative newsmagazine, Mr. Brock asserted in 1994 that Arkansas state troopers facilitated sexual liaisons for Mr. Clinton when he was the state’s governor, allegations that have been central to Mr. Stone’s attacks.Reporting for The American Spectator, a conservative newsmagazine, Mr. Brock asserted in 1994 that Arkansas state troopers facilitated sexual liaisons for Mr. Clinton when he was the state’s governor, allegations that have been central to Mr. Stone’s attacks.
“Today, Brock claims his American Spectator stories exposing Bill Clinton were false,” Mr. Stone wrote in his book. “He’s lying.”“Today, Brock claims his American Spectator stories exposing Bill Clinton were false,” Mr. Stone wrote in his book. “He’s lying.”
Mr. Brock declined to be interviewed about Mr. Stone.Mr. Brock declined to be interviewed about Mr. Stone.
Mr. Brock now runs Correct the Record, a “super PAC” that coordinates with the Clinton campaign to defend Mrs. Clinton, and American Bridge, a related group that digs up opposition research to defeat Mr. Trump. (Enough to “knock Trump Tower down to the subbasement,” as Mr. Brock put it in remarks to liberal donors, according to Politico.)Mr. Brock now runs Correct the Record, a “super PAC” that coordinates with the Clinton campaign to defend Mrs. Clinton, and American Bridge, a related group that digs up opposition research to defeat Mr. Trump. (Enough to “knock Trump Tower down to the subbasement,” as Mr. Brock put it in remarks to liberal donors, according to Politico.)
His mission now will largely be to get inside Mr. Stone’s complicated head to anticipate, and stay ahead of, Mr. Trump’s attacks. Mrs. Clinton’s allies have vehemently denied that she was involved in silencing Mr. Clinton’s accusers, but Mr. Trump will continue to push that assertion as the two candidates battle for the support of women voters. His mission now will largely be to get inside Mr. Stone’s complicated head to anticipate, and stay ahead of, Mr. Trump’s attacks. Mrs. Clinton’s allies have vehemently denied that she was involved in silencing Mr. Clinton’s accusers, but Mr. Trump will continue to push that assertion as the two candidates battle for the support of female voters.
Mr. Stone acknowledged that Mr. Brock’s operation has significantly more resources, but he said the traditional tactic of dismissing these accusations as sordid rumors could backfire. “Brock is calling us conspiracy theorists and trying to make us all sound kooky,” he said. “The only people that scares away are the elites.” Mr. Stone acknowledged that Mr. Brock’s operation had significantly more resources, but he said the traditional tactic of dismissing these accusations as sordid rumors could backfire.
“Brock is calling us conspiracy theorists and trying to make us all sound kooky,” he said. “The only people that scares away are the elites.”
Mr. Brock’s group Media Matters for America has taken direct aim at Mr. Stone, labeling him “the underbelly of the Trump machine” and assembling an encyclopedia on his tactics, including his involvement in a National Enquirer article that accused Senator Ted Cruz’s father of associating with Lee Harvey Oswald before President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Mr. Stone calls Media Matters part of “the Clinton slime machine.”Mr. Brock’s group Media Matters for America has taken direct aim at Mr. Stone, labeling him “the underbelly of the Trump machine” and assembling an encyclopedia on his tactics, including his involvement in a National Enquirer article that accused Senator Ted Cruz’s father of associating with Lee Harvey Oswald before President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Mr. Stone calls Media Matters part of “the Clinton slime machine.”
Both men operate outside the official campaigns, though Mr. Brock directly coordinates with the Clinton campaign through Correct the Record. Mr. Stone said he had “no formal or informal role” within the Trump campaign, but he is close to Mr. Trump and has had a major influence on strategy.Both men operate outside the official campaigns, though Mr. Brock directly coordinates with the Clinton campaign through Correct the Record. Mr. Stone said he had “no formal or informal role” within the Trump campaign, but he is close to Mr. Trump and has had a major influence on strategy.
And both have taken risky moves that have created drama and tensions within the campaigns they are ostensibly helping.And both have taken risky moves that have created drama and tensions within the campaigns they are ostensibly helping.
Mr. Stone hit a rough patch with Mr. Trump after the first Republican primary debate in August, when he advised Mr. Trump to stop attacking Megyn Kelly of Fox News. Mr. Trump said he fired his longtime friend and adviser. Mr. Stone said he quit. Mr. Stone hit a rough patch with Mr. Trump after the first Republican primary debate in August, when he advised Mr. Trump to stop attacking Megyn Kelly of Fox News. Mr. Trump said he had fired his longtime friend and adviser. Mr. Stone said he had quit.
Since then, a détente has occurred.Since then, a détente has occurred.
Mrs. Clinton has embraced Mr. Brock ever since his flattering 1996 biography of the first lady, “The Seduction of Hillary Rodham,” and, later, his 2002 book, “Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative,” which Mrs. Clinton said provided evidence of a “vast right-wing conspiracy” against her and her husband. Mrs. Clinton has embraced Mr. Brock ever since his flattering 1996 biography of the first lady, “The Seduction of Hillary Rodham.” She said his 2002 book, “Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative,” provided evidence of a “vast right-wing conspiracy” against her and her husband.
The Clintons encouraged Mr. Brock to start Media Matters, and Mr. Clinton used to hand out copies of “Blinded by the Right” that he kept in the couple’s Chappaqua, N.Y., home.The Clintons encouraged Mr. Brock to start Media Matters, and Mr. Clinton used to hand out copies of “Blinded by the Right” that he kept in the couple’s Chappaqua, N.Y., home.
As the campaign intensifies, Mr. Brock and Mr. Stone are likely to keep clashing.As the campaign intensifies, Mr. Brock and Mr. Stone are likely to keep clashing.
When CNN barred Mr. Stone from the network in February, after he had used racial and gendered slurs in describing two of the network’s commentators, he accused Mr. Brock of influencing the cable channel. “As Media Matters continues its campaign to highlight the worst of Roger Stone’s history, we encourage other networks to follow suit,” Bradley Beychok, the president of Media Matters, said at the time. When CNN barred Mr. Stone from the network in February, after he had used racial and gendered slurs in describing two of the network’s commentators, he accused Mr. Brock of influencing the cable channel.
“As Media Matters continues its campaign to highlight the worst of Roger Stone’s history, we encourage other networks to follow suit,” Bradley Beychok, the president of Media Matters, said at the time.
Mr. Stone said the move was all part of Mr. Brock’s “suppression game” with mainstream news outlets that he said were increasingly irrelevant in the social-media era. He wrote on Twitter: “My exposing Bill Clinton’s serial rapes and Hillary’s bullying his victims seems to have gotten under @davidbrockdc’s skin.”Mr. Stone said the move was all part of Mr. Brock’s “suppression game” with mainstream news outlets that he said were increasingly irrelevant in the social-media era. He wrote on Twitter: “My exposing Bill Clinton’s serial rapes and Hillary’s bullying his victims seems to have gotten under @davidbrockdc’s skin.”
Not long after that, Mr. Brock’s Correct the Record said it would spend $1 million to defend Mrs. Clinton against attacks on social media. Perhaps it will start with Mr. Stone’s Twitter feed.Not long after that, Mr. Brock’s Correct the Record said it would spend $1 million to defend Mrs. Clinton against attacks on social media. Perhaps it will start with Mr. Stone’s Twitter feed.