I caught Charlie Rose's interview with Bill Clinton late Friday night on PBS and I was shocked that the Big Dog was so dismissive of Obama (I guess he didn't get the memo from his wife's headquarters about easing off), even suggesting that Charlie or some other TV talk show host might be about as qualified as Obama to run for president. But he said it was up to the voters -- they could take a "risk" with Obama if they really wanted. He also said that it was a "miracle" that Hillary even had a chance to win Iowa now. When in American history have we elected a person with little more than one year in national office? Clinton asked. He hinted that they might as well choose a gifted talk show commentator. Amazing. Here's a write up: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003686025
40 comments:
I like President Bill Clinton and respect him a lot. But I think this interview has disaster written all over it. I hope this doesn't sink Hillary's chances in the primary. May be it's time for our former President to retire from politics...
1. klinton perfected the art of political low-balling.
2. nobody of any party thinks mrs klinton has been vetted.
3. mrs. klinto has done nothing in the senate except run for prez since day one.
4. charlie rose won't even ask klinton a hard ball question.
5. the whole interview was a free tv promo for mrs klinton.
I don't see how he can spend the entire interview trashing Obama and then concludes that he has nothing against any candidate. Moreover, it's particularly unseemly that a former president so overtly trash a presidential candidate of his own party. You can be for Hillary, but you don't have to trash every single other candidate too. That's unpresidential, but Bill Clinton has done plenty of things at this point that were unpresidential. What's to stop him now.
I watched the interview...but I was shocked to see a Bill Clinton, very nerveous. Look at his hands, they were shaking while he was talking about Obama. It looks like someone who did not sleep or somebody who was in trouble everytime he hears the name Obama.
Everyone named Clinton is such an ass. Every single one, even Webb Hubbell's spawn.
I am losing all the respect I have for the Clintons. As a former president, Clinton should not be involved in dissing other democrats in the race because the might end up being the actual nominee. I know he is in bound because of his wife political ambition, but one thing he should not do is dissing. As much as I like Bill, he should not throw the first stone while living in a glass house.
The thought that Hillary has vast experience is a joke. What about whitewater missing papers, secrecy of health care group which ruled she couldnt do, inability to release papers from the Clinton library. Hello Hillary wake up and smell the coffee. What a hypocrite!
didnt clinton say obama has excellent political skills? isnt that whats needed to get things done?
Smells like fear to me. Hill and Bill don't want to be left behind. In the 1990's.
rose as a clinton acolyte would not ask his the obvious question,
overall obama has more time in elective office than hillary. she has 6 years + in the senate. a body not is really a disqualification for the presidency. they have tiny staffs and no respomsibility just constant arguing and disorganization.
rose failed to ask him for one single accomplishment of hillary's life. JUST ONE.
and what about this BS of all this int'l develpoment he was working on. sounds like some sort of fundraising.
Hillary Clinton's experience comes from the fact that she was First Lady for 8 years, and that as First Lady she became America's most famous (or infamous) victim. The Clinton's are to politics what the Grifters were to charity: self-serving and duplicitous.
I too question Obama's experience, let alone his liberalism. Which is why I am leaning toward Giuliani or Romney.
Thanks for your article.
Bill Clinton comes from a viewpoint he expressed as he got to know Hillary, asking her why she would want to be saddled with a guy like him when her capacities for success were so obvious. This is paraphrased from the actual quote, which I read while researching the Clinton's biographies.
The odd partnership of the two notwithstanding, it's my understanding that the reason she won New York was the glaring ineptitude of her opponent, and to elect her in my view is a limp decision.
Regardless the surplus and the improvements Bill Clinton made for the working and poor class during his years, the couple is a poor role model, clearly opportunistic, manipulative and disingenuous.
Far as Obama, you don't get to Harvard one sandwich short of a picnic nor surround yourself with anything other than world-class advisors. Whatever he lacks in hands-on, he'll obtain among the best.
Clinton is both right and wrong:
A) Obama is not just unqualified, the things he has said make him a clear and present danger in a world where America Stands Alone for a reason; the others have given up!
B) He is wrong on his wife's accomplishments. She has few and nobe are any good. But if you got to leave planet earth for 4-8 years of a Hillary Clinton presidency, you have a hcnace of returning to find that the republicans stood in the way of her Marxist religion and that we nmade it. With Obama at the helm we are utter toast for again two reasons:
C) he is possibly the most grossly underqualified candidate for the Presidency in our history, and;
D) He cannot lead a nation. He can lead a group of sycophants, but in dire times, we will not look to him for answers. We won't look at all and we will not be united in crisis. He brings nothing to the game.
I keep haring "change". The Weimar Republic did really well when it needed change. California is doing tremendously now that Arnold has changed Gray Davis out of a job. The change we need is to work with what we have and stop the remnants of what used to be a patriotic party - the democrats - from being that "big tent" where we now see all sorts of what could be called "clowns for votes".
MW
Clinton is both right and wrong:
A) Obama is not just unqualified, the things he has said make him a clear and present danger in a world where America Stands Alone for a reason; the others have given up!
B) He is wrong on his wife's accomplishments. She has few and nobe are any good. But if you got to leave planet earth for 4-8 years of a Hillary Clinton presidency, you have a hcnace of returning to find that the republicans stood in the way of her Marxist religion and that we nmade it. With Obama at the helm we are utter toast for again two reasons:
C) he is possibly the most grossly underqualified candidate for the Presidency in our history, and;
D) He cannot lead a nation. He can lead a group of sycophants, but in dire times, we will not look to him for answers. We won't look at all and we will not be united in crisis. He brings nothing to the game.
I keep haring "change". The Weimar Republic did really well when it needed change. California is doing tremendously now that Arnold has changed Gray Davis out of a job. The change we need is to work with what we have and stop the remnants of what used to be a patriotic party - the democrats - from being that "big tent" where we now see all sorts of what could be called "clowns for votes".
MW
There he goes again...they really do think the populace is as dumb as a brick. If Bill says in a dismissive manner that we can choose someone other than who he recommends, then we will pay the price. Hmmm, more of Clinton or not....Hmmm.
Watching the Clinton campaign implode is the surprising highlight of this year's election cycle.
What's beautiful about it is that Bill Clinton, a man who I once thought was a brilliant politician, still can't get out of the way of his own hubris. It's not 1991 any more. Clinton should have had the class to say that ANY of the Democratic candidates would be better than George W. Bush.
What did you expect him to say? Charlie was doing his best to make news. I don't see critiquing Obama as slamming. Come on: have Michelle Obama go on Charlie Rose and what happens. Words like slam distort the argument. Did you expect Bill to praise Obama?
"Open Mouth Insert Foot" Did Bill get the "Back Off Obama Memo"? We don't want Hillary Clinton for President! Enough of the Clinton's and Bush's already! Go Obama!
It is indeed a difficult choice between Hillary and Obama. On one hand, the younger generation wishes to get someone who speaks their language and can relate to them (Obama). On the other hand, Hillary has the experience in the senate. I think Bill is right in saying it would be a risk in choosing with the heart -- we are not choosing a debate team captain here. Besides, I am yet to see a single accomplishment from Obama which I can take as his own initiative. He was conspicuously silent on the Darfur issue, for which he could have taken the initiative. Hillary, has her own baggage, partly owing to "association" with Bill and majorly owing to cowtowing the Bush administration in many a legislation.
MK
http://manocam.wordpress.com
By envoking 'miracle' if Hillary wins, Bill is again manipulating the Christian heart. It reminds me of the Lewisnky saga, and Bill's strolls out of the church...Bible in hand. I've never seen him depicted as such before or since. Now we have the potential for a 'miracle ' in Iowa.
If one wonders why I am so detailed in my analysis of the Clintons, it is because I hate the unauthentic approach they utilize.
I made a music CD that spells it out plainly, too.
www.conservativemusiconline.com
Both Clintons are such devious people .She is more obvious then him........he is subtle in his sarcasm..............I am so tired of them both my vote is for Obama
I don't like anyone that is running, as the candidates are not discussing Americas fall from being a superpower. Russia and China are whip ping us with our $30,000 debt owed by each and every citizen.
No talk of the finical crisis, social security or recession. Just "I" want to be in charge. How selfish and pathetic.
MW said:
"California is doing tremendously now that Arnold has changed Gray Davis out of a job."
Then we read today's headlines:
Schwarzenegger Will 'Declare Fiscal Emergency' In Weeks!
How ironic and funny! Hint: talk issues, not self-centered people!
http://www.nbc11.com/news/14858065/detail.html
As David Geffen said.....The Clinton's have brought lying to an art form.
How do you know when Slick Willie is lying? His lips are moving.
UNBELIEVABLE! Just unbelievable. If this kind of politics that Bill Clinton displayed is what America is going to go through again for another 4 years, then I'm ready to commit suicide to show my protest.
Isn't it bad enough that by endorsing dynasticism, America would be in no position to advice dictatorship regimes?
Can't Bill Clinton see that, regardless of Ms. Clinton's qualification or Democrats' fondness of the Clintons, Republicans AND the America people in general have a solid case against her?
Anyone who would allow Mark Penn to go on camera and speak for them is incompetent. Doesn't MP remind you of one of the kids in Willy Wonka ?
We have come full circle after a year in this campaign - David Geffen WAS right.
What Bill C. knows in his heart is that vision, judgement, and the ability to inspire change are qualities you have or don't have, you don't gain them thru years in Washington. Obama has all of these and he will win the nomination.
What was remarkable, in watching the interview, wasn't that Clinton was trying to put in a few jabs at Obama, it was the times he had to catch himself. He calls Obama "a person of staggering political skills" and later, several times just says "he" without antecedent, clearly meaning Obama. At one point he begins another line of praise with "he," catches himself, and switches gears to say they're all great, and to try to single out Edwards for his praise, which came out much more lukewarm. The old dog definitely admires the new one's tricks.
And the argument about experience would carry a lot more weight if Obama weren't the only candidate that got the most important foreign policy question of the last twenty-five years right, and if Clinton hadn't just fallen for another Bush line of "bad intelligence" on Iran.
I find it ironic that the first Black President doesn't believe that Obama is qualified enough...
I'll roll the dice. Obama!
Bill said he'd prefer someone for president who has actually done something for people? Hmmm, how about the fact that Obama was a community organizer and activist before running for state office in Illinois,turning down lucrative offers from top law firms in order to assist and aide poor/working poor people?
I'm surpised Rose missed that one.
this whole interview and the Clinton campaign of late stink of desperation. IMHO these anything-but-subtle attascks on Obama will all blow up in Clinton's face and Obama will win Iowa and New Hampshire.
I would take an Illinois senator over a back woods governor any day of the week. I really feel after watching this that Bill does not want Hillary to win.
As an Iowa undecided, I am surprised how easily Bill laid it out to me. Yes. It is true. do I want to roll the dice, andswer is NO. I would rather be with Hillary than Obama. Obama has no experience, and if people claim his state senate, then he hasnt taken stances other than present votes on impoprtant issues that matter to me.
As to Hillary's experience.... As a senator she introduced 339 bills, 293 of which died unnoticed in committee. Her performance rate, according to the non-partisan GovTrack.us, is "very poor" in comparison with other senators. Her experience consists of introducing bills that sound noble and/or currently critical, but she fails to muster the support to make any difference at all. Most of her successful sponsorships are for pure fluff. Verify all by going to the public records through www.GovTrack.us where the full text of the introduced bills and their status are given.
In hindsight Bill Clinton might be saying Hillary Clinton should’ve never went to Iowa. The truth of the matter is there’s a chance that she might come in third in Iowa and she could’ve pulled third without even going. A lot of campaign resources were spent there and the image of the perennial frontrunner have been tarnished there as well. http://www.enewsreference.wordpress.com
Hillary is a massive liability -- Don't peeps remember Lewinsky? Be sure, if she gets the nomination, Republicans will run ads with her, Paula Jones, Flowers, and the other women Bill has cheated with.
To think that Republicans won't play this kind of gender-politics is a mistake. Remember "Swift Boat" & McCain's illegitimate black baby? The republicans are messed up and will not only seize on the truth of all the infidelity, they will also add a few lies. My guesses are she "will have" a lesbian lover, 3-somes, orgies, BDSM, etc...
As many above have noted, Bill seems really nervous and defensive in this interview (his hand wringing the whole time!). This is because he knows that Obama is the strongest American politician since Kennedy.
Despite turning down ALL lobbyist & PAC contributions, Obama has raised more money than all of the candidates (other than Clinton) combined. He has more small contributions from regular people (under $100) than all of the other dem candidates combined (including Hillary) and more than any candidate in US History. He broke that record in the Summer and has been running up that number for months now!
He is a visionary who is about to take the mantle of both Kennedy & MLK! He is the only candidate with any serious chance of getting most of the corruption out of the political process. He has run on that platform and stayed true to those principles.
Where Hillary will give in to her massive corporate lobbyist/PAC contributors, Obama will stay true to his values and stand up for the American public. That is why the lobbyists are giving Hillary so much money: they know the Obama will not cave to their requests like Hillary would. The oil and drug companies see contributions as an investment which says a lot about who will "give in/work with" these industries and who will "stand up to/fight with" these industries for lower oil and drug prices.
Obama will win by double-digits in Iowa and then begin to secure his nomination by taking New Hampshire.
I am excited and looking forward to an Obama White House!
You all don't get it. The HRC/Clinton Machine is the Most Powerful Machine on the Planet.
They cannot be touched. Their scandals (vince foster, monica lewinsky, norman hsu, etc.) cannot be touched. No one can inquire or dissect them.
America is not a republic but a monarchy. You and I are but cheer leaders. We must bow before the Machine. Just see how Carolyn Washburn of the IA Register did and endorsed Clinton (who repeatedly called her via phone).
Support Obama
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