

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has yet to announced if she intends to run for president. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

A cache of emails from a private listserv maintained by Democratic operatives Robby Mook and Marlon Marshall — contenders for top positions on Hillary Clinton's potential presidential campaign — was leaked to ABC News and published Friday. But rather than coming from Republican rivals, which wouldn't be terribly surprising, the leak reportedly came from within the group's ranks.

The episode does more than showcase the jockeying that's already happening in Hillaryland before a would-be campaign has even been announced. It's also a vivid reminder that Clinton's 2008 race was frequently cited as a case study in how behind-the-scenes squabbling can derail a frontrunner. And it contributes to an already-existing narrative that the new Clinton campaign is highly susceptible to similar infighting.

Some background: Mook and Marshall have long been said to maintain a network known as the “Mook Mafia," which ABC reports has an email list that reaches around 150 political operatives around the country. The existence of the group has been reported before, as has the strong allegiance Mook has cultivated among veteran campaign ops. The content of the group’s exchanges, however, has largely remained private.

Reports ABC’s Rick Klein:

Copies of a cache of the emails obtained by ABC News, and revealed publicly for the first time, show Mook and [Marlon Marshall] demonstrating an aggressive tone in rallying their friends behind political causes, in exchanges that are often self-mocking and sometimes border on being profane.

They include rallying cries to, in Mook’s words, “smite Republicans mafia-style,” and, to quote Marshall, “punish those voters.” Mook sometimes calls himself “Deacon” in the emails, while Marshall, now a senior White House aide, refers to himself as “Reverend” in many of the exchanges.

The content of the emails doesn't seem to be particularly damaging. My colleague Aaron Blake over at The Fix has an excellent take on the "bro-tastic" tenor of the emails and what it says about the 2016 Democratic field.

ABC reports that the leaker has worked on Democratic campaigns alongside Mook and Marshall. According to the report, the leaker does not support Mook or Marshall as potential Clinton campaign managers, strongly indicating that as the motivation for the leak.

The clearest target of the email release seems to be Mook, who has a long history in Democratic politics and is considered a top talent by both Republicans and Democrats. Mook worked with Howard Dean and John Kerry during their 2004 presidential campaigns and, by 2008, was working as a top aide on Hillary Clinton's presidential bid. His other notable roles include executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and campaign manager for Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s 2013 election.

Marshall is also a hugely respected operative in Democratic politics. Currently a special assistant to the president, Marshall has served as the national field director for the DCCC and deputy national field director for the Obama campaign in 2012.

It's hard to see how chatter disqualifying top talents like Mook and Marshall would be a good thing for Clinton's presidential prospects. Instead, veiled intraparty attacks and media leaks contribute to the very narrative that could hurt Clinton in the future. In the wake of her 2008 primary loss to now-President Barack Obama, publication after publication reported on the frequent and vitriolic disagreements among the top members of her staff.

Those reports not only explained how Clinton went from the "inevitable" candidate to a bitter loser, but also called into question Clinton's ability to manage her staff. And those points are still very much on the minds of political watchers—comprising reporters, Republican rivals, and even potential Democratic challengers—who stand ready to scrutinize Clinton's every move if she chooses to run for president.

Social media was buzzing Friday in response to the email leak:

The news is less what's in these emails/juvenile stuff than someone dumping oppo on Mook http://t.co/Mf09Df6Qhg — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 14, 2014

Whoa the quiet struggle for control of the Clinton campaign just blew up in the open. Off to a good start here. http://t.co/opTKcBYHcV — Ben Smith (@BuzzFeedBen) November 14, 2014

@rickklein @maggiepolitico takes awfully sad, pathetic person to leak these emails. They're obviously kidding around. — Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) November 14, 2014

As a member of the Juicebox Mafia I don’t see what’s offensive here. http://t.co/eDQVZRtuUP — Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) November 14, 2014

The really scandalous thing about Mook Mafia is that Hillary Clinton would associate with such dorks — john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) November 14, 2014

To anyone involved in politics anywhere: Your emails are NEVER private. http://t.co/hCzAbp4icW — Taegan Goddard (@politicalwire) November 14, 2014

It's worth noting (perfunctorily) that Clinton has yet to announce if she intends to run for president.