Bill Clinton Talks About Bill Clinton
[Guest post by DRJ]
The conventional wisdom is that Hillary Clinton is a long-shot to win the Democratic nomination but I still hope she stays in and muddies the waters for awhile. I also hope Bill Clinton keeps talking because he’s downright entertaining:
“On the stump, the former President dispensed idiosyncratic political analysis. “One of the reasons that she won Ohio that nobody wrote about,” he said, without explanation, “is that Ohio has a plant that produces the largest number of solar reflectors in America.” He offered commentary about his wife’s earlier limitations as a candidate: “I think Hillary’s become a much better speaker.” But, most of all, Bill Clinton talked about Bill Clinton:
‘The headquarters of my foundation is in Harlem. . . . My Presidential library and school of public service are in Arkansas. . . . I try to save this generation of children from the epidemic of childhood obesity. . . . I am working on rebuilding the Katrina area in New Orleans. . . . I have major global-warming projects in cities all around America. . . . Most of the time I am out in America on the streets. . . . I once gave a speech to a million people in Ghana.’
When Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign was launched, in January, 2007, her supporters feared that Bill would overshadow her, as he had when they both spoke at the funeral of Coretta Scott King, a year earlier. Now the constant fear is that he will embarrass her. When he makes news, it is rarely a good day for his spouse.”
The article notes that, even with his bad days, Clinton is an excellent campaigner and he connects with the voters. He’s also put his heart and his reputation on the line:
“I think this campaign has enraged him,” the adviser told me. “He doesn’t like Obama.” In private conversations, he has been dismissive of his wife’s rival. James Clyburn, an African-American congressman from South Carolina, told me that Clinton called him in the middle of the night after Obama won that state’s primary and raged at him for fifty minutes. “It’s pretty widespread now that African-Americans have lost a whole lot of respect for Bill Clinton,” Clyburn said.”
What’s more, Bill Clinton is offended by Obama’s efforts to paint his Administration as partially responsible for America’s problems:
“In much quoted remarks to a private group in San Francisco, Obama said that some Pennsylvanians were “bitter” and would “cling” to guns and religion, because jobs “fell through the Clinton Administration and the Bush Administration.”
That is what offended Bill Clinton. “Hillary’s opponent, in his entire campaign, every two or three weeks has said for months and months and months, beginning in Nevada, that really there wasn’t much difference in how America did when I was President and how America’s done under President Bush,” he said in Lock Haven. “Now, if you believe that, you should probably vote for him, but you get a very bad grade in history.”
It’s fascinating to watch someone who thrives on drama the way Bill Clinton does.
— DRJ
Every time I hear the ex-president denigrating by OBAMA and company, it hurts. There you had a ex-president with his Democratic administration that bought surplus, jobs and pride for Americans. He did not got the most powerful country of our days to war. He is human with feelings and weaknesses. He is nothing but charm and should be given all the credits that he deserves. What did OBAMA offer to the country talking like that?
Obama and company have abused his presidency with lies and unfair allegations. The Black community turns table upon him. Bill Richardson back stab him at the most critical moment and go against the will of New Mexico.
It is stupid to tell us that a small state and big state as equivalent. No they are as important but not as the same in electoral votes. The OBAMA company has no respect for this great president of 90s. The American seniors and senior Americans will teach OBAMA and company a tough lesson that they’ll never forget.
John_Lai (9b5bde) — 4/28/2008 @ 5:00 pm#1
Any chance your first language is something other than English?
I ask only because that construct took me a while to parse and figure out that you are a Hillary supporter.
EW1(SG) (84e813) — 4/28/2008 @ 5:13 pmBJC is the World’s idea of a great US President because he was weasel leftist that never stood up for his own country, was a convicted liar and a known pervert/rapist, just what the EU wants in it’s leadership…fools that they are.
Moultrie (33e0c8) — 4/28/2008 @ 6:04 pmBill loves to talk about his favorite subject: BILL!
Another Drew (8018ee) — 4/28/2008 @ 7:33 pmJohn Lai, I’m no fan of Obama, but your knowledge of the history of Bill Clinton’s administration is deficient.
SPQR (26be8b) — 4/28/2008 @ 7:54 pmWhy are we really talking about Bill Clinton? Why is he news? He’s not running for office, Hillary is. Who cares about what Bill Clinton said about Obama? And how come nothing positive is ever posted about Obama? I am sure he’s not all that evil!
love2008 (d2a57f) — 4/28/2008 @ 10:02 pmlove2008, if you want to post something positive about Obama, no one is stopping you from creating a blog to do so.
SPQR (26be8b) — 4/29/2008 @ 7:06 amlove2008, if you want to post something positive about Obama, no one is stopping you from creating a blog to do so.
love2008 (d2a57f) — 4/29/2008 @ 7:54 amWrong answer number 7!
I dont have to create a blog to state the obvious. If the man has some positives, talk about them even as you talk about his negatives. That way you give the viewer the right to make up his or her mind without being influenced by your personal opinion. It’s called objectiveness.
Lovey – Nothing is stopping you from praising Obama in threads where it is appropriate. I’ll say something nice here – he’s clean and articulate.
daleyrocks (906622) — 4/29/2008 @ 7:57 am#8
love2008 (d2a57f) — 4/29/2008 @ 8:26 amNow thats the spirit Daley, thats the spirit!
#8:
Objectiveness? Anyway, the blogosphere is made up of individuals expressing their … individuality. That doesn’t seem to require that it be objective.
EW1(SG) (84e813) — 4/29/2008 @ 8:59 am#11
love2008 (d2a57f) — 4/29/2008 @ 9:32 amI agree.
We can still be objective even as we express our individuality or we will fall into the problem of myopia. Individuality must comform with reality. We must not only be willing to see what we want to see but able to see what we dont want to see that we need to see.
He gave a speech to a million people in Ghana?
Who counted? Louis Farrakhan?
L.N. Smithee (d1de1b) — 4/29/2008 @ 9:46 am