Bill Clinton in an Obama Administration? Would offer job "in a second"

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Bill Clinton in an Obama Administration?

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Democrat Barack Obama has become increasingly critical of presidential rival Hillary Clinton as the primaries draw near, but when it comes to the New York senator's famous husband, Obama has nothing but praise. In an interview with Time Magazine that hits newsstands Friday, the Illinois Democrat said he'd offer the former president a job in his administration "in a second."

"There are few more talented people," Obama said....

***

Obama's mantra of 'change' is often interpreted as an implicit criticism of the politics of the Clinton administration, but the Illinois senator has generally refrained from direct swipes at the former president himself.

(A rare exception came during a light moment on the campaign trail last weekend, when Obama took Bill Clinton to task for saying during his 1992 presidential bid that he had smoked marijuana, but never inhaled. "I never understood that line," Obama said, to laughter from the crowd. "The point was to inhale. That was the point.")

In the same interview with Time, Obama also said he would be happy to offer Al Gore a position in his administration tackling climate change issues. "He has been working on this for decades," Obama said. "The country and the world caught up to him."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/11/30/bill-clinton-in-an-obama-adminstration/

[Bitwit1234]

1. I am sure Bill Clinton

wouldn't want a job at a senator's office. That's the only administration Obama is gonna have.

[silverweb]

2. Of course he would!

Bill Clinton is still a very popular statesman and face throughout the world and should be invited to participate prominently in any new administration, as should Al Gore for the environment.

One of the beauties of an Obama administration is that it would seek out and bring together the most qualified, talented, and forward-thinking people in their areas of expertise, including, I dare say, superlative Republican talent.

[Alamom]

3. But, Bill & Al are Boomer's!!!!!Once.....beltway insiders. Has Obama flipped

on his platform about change in Washington.....why would he bring back the old guys? :sarcasm:



Feeling the need for some "insider" help, maybe????




Flip-flop, pander, triangulate........which is it?

[Adelante]

4. A gracious answer to the question, wasn't it? nt

[jenmito]

5. There's a BIG difference between another Clinton administration and

having Bill having a part in an OBAMA admin. where OBAMA makes the rules. Clinton would be great to go around the world and speak on behalf of Obama's ideas/positions. no flip-flopping, pandering, OR triangulating. Nice try.

[Tactical Progressive]

6. Yes, an Obama administration would be a shambles

If there's any one candidate in the Dem primary that has been flip-flopping, pandering and triangulating, it is Obama. Oh, and let's not forget his real strong suit: smearing. He's just pretty bad at all of it.

And I don't really see that Obama has any ideas, although his supporters like to talk as if he does. What ideas? To have a 'new politics'? To get out of Iraq? It's absurd.

He's little more than a cult leader of disaffected leftists. I used to think he might make a good Presidential candidate eight years from now. I'm not so sure about that any more.

[jenmito]

9. Get real...

You have no idea what you're talking about.

Obama wants to talk to our enemies without conditions. He wants to create a civil rights division that will investigate crimes like those in Jena and other hate crimes. He will tell us what he really thinks unlike Hillary. He has no baggage or history of divisiveness like the Clintons.

Funny you call him a cult leader of disaffected leftists and another poster called him a DINO. In 8 years he won't be able to run again. His two terms as president will already have ended. :D

[Tactical Progressive]

18. Well, I like your positive attitude

That's the way to be.

And I'd forgotten about the civil rights division. That is a good idea.

But it is the only good one, in fact the only one, I've heard from him. Not that I really have a crying need for new ideas. Ideas that work are what counts now.

To me, his rhetoric is just normal political bs with some high-sounding words like working together with Republicans. Worse than bs actually, because that's pretty much what Bush said in 2000 except Bush said it better: govern from the middle, reach across the aisle, end the politics of personal destruction. Of course Bush did the exact opposite of that, but it woke me up to the rhetoric of bullshit. Plus Obama's bs about a 'new politics' of working together to solve problems is a slap in the face to Democrats. You don't think Dems tried to work with those people? Obama is like your typical Johnny-come-late who doesn't understand much of anything but thinks he has all the answers. He doesn't, and it becomes clearer with everything he says.

I honestly think he isn't anywhere near ready to lead this country on any level.

[Alamom]

15. "an OBAMA admin. where OBAMA makes the rules".

"Clinton would be great to go around the world and speak on behalf of Obama's ideas/positions."


See anything wrong with that?

We have one of those in the Whitehouse now, The Decider.


A good Administration is a group of people, a cabinet. A good president listens to them, takes their advice and then makes good decisions based on a lot of ideas and positions.


We don't need another Decider.

But thanks anyway.

[jenmito]

16. That's not how I meant it...

of course he'd listen to input. My point was it would not be another CLINTON admin. It would be an OBAMA admin., so all his criticism of the Clinton years is still valid and not inconsistent with wanting him in his admin. as a nice addition to his cabinet.

[Alamom]

19. This is a wee bit contradictory.......

"so all his criticism of the Clinton years is still valid and not inconsistent with wanting him in his admin. as a nice addition to his cabinet."

[Tactical Progressive]

7. Yeah, the marijuana shot at Bill Clinton was pretty low

Something I'd expect out of a Republican's snotty rhetoric.

Maybe, since Obama's pretending to be above and beyond all that, he should tell us what drugs he's used and how long he used them for. It wouldn't bother me, but it's probably a thousand times more drugs than Bill ever tried. But I'm guessing that the types, amounts and duration of his drug use are probably something he isn't about to reveal.

It doesn't take much honor to admit to smoking pot, now that Bill Clinton broke the barrier. And that was a hard thing to do and it cost him to do it. To snicker over that as Obama has just shows low honor. Let's see Obama own up to how much coke he snorted, or whether he ever smacked.

Obama's smart-ass smears of fellow Democrats are getting ever more unseemly.

[jenmito]

10. Do you know ANYTHING about Obama???

He HAS done more than pot. He said so.

Can you NAME the smears?

[Tellurian]

13. Who Cares...Obama is going to be no more than a blip on the screen of history!

Obama will be known as the "might have been" president if he had more experience before he tried for the #1 JOB.

He should have held back until *2016*...until he gathered "gravitas"!

[jenmito]

14. You wish...

He's surging and your girl is sinking. He just spoke in Harlem and won over many voters. Then he had a meeting with Bloomberg at Bloomberg's request, and today he just brought the house down with his speech today. Hillary's 60.

[Tellurian]

22. Obama 52

[calteacherguy]

42. What a load of

:rofl:

[Tactical Progressive]

21. I know everything about Obama

He's a standard issue assault-the-establishment candidate. You don't think I've seen his kind many times before? How old are you? Is he your first 'new guy with new ideas'? Which usually means one or two little things, alot of chutzpah and an attitude that he can fix everything that's wrong. And then he corrals supporters who don't know much of anything about politics and think that makes them better than people who do. I've seen this movie many times, Jen.

Last week he was smearing Hillary, with nearly thirty years of experience at the highest levels of State and Federal governments, who's probably the most-traveled and well-known American politician across the world in the last fifteen years. Talking smack about how she wasn't Secretary of the Treasury in comparison to his foreign policy cred from when he was ten years old.

How about you just address this smear instead of going back to revisit all the other mud he throws.
Tell me what and how much 'more than pot' he's done.

I heard him say that, and I didn't expect him to elaborate on it, but if he's going to mouth off on Bill Clinton, who broke the barrier to even let Obama into the race with a drug background like he's got, then let's hear all about it from Mr Smartass who grabs cred by dumping on fellow Democrats. It was a shitty thing to do, and he did it.

[mtnsnake]

23. Zing!

That was one powerful post, Tactical Progressive. Well said.

:thumbsup:

[cuke]

24. "I've seen this movie many times". So have I

The only one who pulled it off was Carter, and that was because his predecessor pardoned Nixon

[Cameron27]

25. Wow, good post.

:thumbsup:

[Rock_Garden]

26. I think I love you.

[Tellurian]

28. TP.. Well Done!

Thanks for putting a finer point on the pencil!

[durrrty libby]

29. Bravo

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[jenmito]

30. I disagree...

I'm 40. That doesn't mean I don't know what's going on. He did NOT smear Hillary. If she has nearly 30 years of experience than Obama has over 20 years of experience. He didn't smear her by stating the fact that she was not the Sec. of State or Sec. of the Treasury. Those are facts-not smears. And he didn't claim to have foreign policy cred. He claimed to have experience with foreign relations-not policy. And living abroad when he was young DID give him experience with foreign relations. It helped shape who he is. Hillary was First Lady and had photo ops with foreign leaders, most or all of whom are no longer in office. And Obama ALSO pointed out that she wants to take credit for the GOOD and distance herself from the BAD parts of the 8 years of Bill's presidency.

And he didn't "mouth off" about Bill Clinton's pot "use." He was asked a question and he answered it...truthfully and humorously. And he wrote in his book "Dreams of my Father" about his drug use. It's all there.

[Auntie Bush]

32. Tell'm like it is Tactical Progressive.

Hill is lucky to have you speak up for her. :thumbsup:

[Imagevision]

38. I know everything about Obama? then you follow it up by stating he's standard issue??

Tactical Progressive, Obama can fix everything that's wrong, pay attention to the upcoming number changes for Mr. Smartass... I'll bet you think Oprah is going to make no difference schtumping for Obama
You should be greatful there is a Barack Obama, the last time I heard the his level of intelligence was back in the JFK MLK days...

[Andromeda]

43. Wow, Tactical Progressive...

very snappy and to the point!

[Tellurian]

27. ...

[PATRICK]

8. This is actually important

because it seeks to de-escalate the tussle and maybe weaken Obama from going for broke having crossed a Rubicon of reconciliation. The graciousness comes from the biggest surrogate on the American scene and they have been doing A LOT of that this past week to avoid one thing.

A massive gang up against Hillary right before the opener. Nor will she publicly back down and add weakness to the unfavorable picture. Hillary slams him and then Bill trucks out the charm. Nice. And politically astute. If you are going to get away with strong attacks you have to draw down the negatives immediately- leaving the original damage against your opponent intact BTW. I think Edwards played the third candidate spoiler in actually forcibly starting this row by forcing Obama to take the clumsy attack so that Edwards wouldn't keep the initiative and Obama continue to politely wilt under the Clinton machine. He can get away with this with little political effort because everyone had decided to mute his volume anyway so that the blame or the memory fades as the two he instigated drag each other down.

What I need for some reassurance is to see the candidates at the very least not acting clumsy, blind, or stupid. Then we can get to more important things without the underlying despair that some of our top contenders are going to self-destruct and divide the party.

Or maybe this stuff just happens for no reason depending on how they feel from day to day.

[Tellurian]

11. Obama is dealing with the BEST Political Strategist in the WORLD...

Bill Clinton! I would be hard pressed to second guess the Master Chessman at his own game.

Believe me when I say, when Bill gets through with Edwards and Obama, Both of them will be spending more time with their families.

Know this: "BOOMERS RULE!"

[jenmito]

12. Well, "the best political strategist in the world" has been making mistakes lately...

He keeps saying things that he has to later explain, change, or "clarify." That's why Obama's surging and Hillary's sinking.

[Tellurian]

17. Spoken like a true neophyte..

[jenmito]

31. Spoken like someone who sees the truth without Bill-colored glasses.

[PATRICK]

37. But instead

of merely praising his wife's qualities(he has miserably failed to help past Dem campaigns with these straightforward endorsements) he is taking the heat away and doing his job and showing, in a way that one must admire even if it makes you nervous about the strange duality of the actual "First Women Presidency", he can and will do much more than simply endorse his wife.

In doing this he side-handedly affirms a prime attraction that HE and hs his legacy is part of the candidacy deal. This is very big with some voters and he is getting away with it cleanly no matter what anyone thinks of the substance of what he says and does. Nor is there much time for anyone even to say: "Hey, wait a minute? Who is going to be president here?" because no one at this time when it IS a Hillary selling point would be wise to bring it up.

It is amazing how crude and unsettling the substance of any of these brilliant maneuvers can be without damaging their effectiveness. Hillary's words have never been more possibly damaging to her image and Bill has been "caught" being inconsistent and pandering to his enemies. Similarly, when the Bushes are CAUGHT trashing people, they get away with the necessary short term damage they need to do and voila, who cares about consequences after they win?

Accountability is just voted away like so much habeas corpus embossed toilet paper. One does wish that this canniness would translate into better service to the nation, truth and the law. So far we have a deficit in this regard larger than the national debt.

[Imagevision]

39. One of Obama's advisers is Ted Sorenson, you know, JFK's campaign adviser...

[cuke]

40. One of Hillary's advisers is Bill Clinton, you know, former two-term President

who is actually alive

[cuke]

20. Good! Obama going to need some people with experience

[Chovexani]

33. I think the Big Dog will advise whichever Dem will be elected president

That's just how he is. Whether or not they'll listen is up for debate.

[jenmito]

34. I agree. You can't take him out of politics.

Homey don't play dat. :D

[Chovexani]

35. Always makes me smile

When someone recognizes Homey. :hi:

[jenmito]

36. How can people NOT

recognize Homey? :D :hi:

[calteacherguy]

41. That's the really great thing about Obama.

He makes an extra effort to seek out the very best people to work with, and he listens.

[cuke]

44. McClurkin was the very best at what he does

I'll give you that