Bill Clinton comes under fire from some old allies for his harsh treatment of Obama

[ariesgem]

Bill Clinton comes under fire from some old allies for his harsh treatment of Obama, a chief rival of his wife.

By Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 21, 2007


From Washington to Sacramento, a generation of Democrats enjoys power and prosperity thanks to Bill Clinton, who ran for president as a fresh face representing hope and change.

A number of those graying Clintonites are now rallying behind Barack Obama, another national newcomer, who offers youth, optimism and an echo of that promise to upend the status quo.

Thus, many find it more than a little unsettling -- and dismaying -- that the former president is targeting the Illinois senator with the same kind of criticism that Clinton faced in 1992.

Reed Hundt, who attended law school with Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton, said he admired them both even though he was not supporting the New York senator's White House bid.

But he questioned some of the ex-president's recent statements, including a suggestion that a vote for the Illinois senator was like rolling the dice.

"President Clinton is going way too far -- too far into the politics of personal attack, which he knows is bad for the country," Hundt said. "It's not right for a former president to get out there and be demeaning any of our candidates.

"Calling Barack Obama 'a symbol' is not acceptable discourse," Hundt went on, referring to Clinton's comments in a recent interview with PBS' Charlie Rose. "Likening him to a TV commentator is an insult."

Hundt, who is supporting Obama but not working for his campaign, was Clinton's appointee to head the Federal Communications Commission during his first term.

Susan Rice, assistant secretary of State in the Clinton administration and an Obama advisor, said she was not surprised the Clintons were waging such a pugnacious campaign, particularly as the Democratic race tightened.

"It's politics as usual, and it's unfortunate," Rice said in Des Moines, where she traveled this week for an Obama speech on foreign policy. ". . . There are enormous challenges that we're facing in the world. To the extent that the debate can remain focused on the substance and the policy . . . we'll be better off."

Even some supporters of Sen. Clinton question her husband's turn to negative campaigning.

"He's got to take the high road," said Leon E. Panetta, chief of staff in President Clinton's first term. "He's strongest when he praises Hillary. He's weakest when he comes out as the attack dog."


..........................


But others expressed surprise and disappointment that Clinton, given his elder-statesman status, would engage Obama as if he were the one seeking office. Many of Obama's backers did not want to be quoted by name, out of loyalty to the former president or fearing retribution if Sen. Clinton wins the White House.

They suggested the former president had not only hurt his stature by stooping to attack Obama, but said he may be hurting his wife's candidacy. "I don't think he's been helpful by taking the campaign off message and reminding people about why they might not want him back in the White House," said a former administration strategist. "I have a lot of respect for Bill Clinton's policy and political skills . . . but I don't really want to see him back in."

Panetta said Clinton needed to keep at least one eye on history.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-bill21dec21,0,4216123.story?coll=la-home-center

[MonkeyFunk]

1. politics ain't ping-pong

[BeyondGeography]

2. Which is why ex-Presidents have always stayed out of it

And, lest you say I'm whining, I think he has done more harm than good for her campaign.

[indimuse]

26. Lobbyists on Obama’s ’08 payroll Wal-Mart, British Petroleum and Lockheed Martin

Lobbyists on Obama’s ’08 payroll
By Alexander Bolton and Brittney Moraski
December 20, 2007
Three political aides on Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) payroll were registered lobbyists for dozens of corporations, including Wal-Mart, British Petroleum and Lockheed Martin, while they received payments from his campaign, according to public documents.


The presence of political operatives with long client lists on Obama’s campaign contrasts with his long-held stand of campaigning against the influence of special interests. Obama has even refused to accept contributions from lobbyists or political action committees (PACs).




Obama was using PAC money secretly to pay- YES PAY other members of congress who would endorse him. For all those "feelings voters" - this meant quid pro quo

i.e. I'll contribute to your future election if you endorse me. Please review Obama's statements about not taking any PAC money. This was a direct contridiction to the fact, let alone using it to push monies to other

cnadidates who ONLY chose to endorse him.

[tularetom]

3. and Clinton ain't running

He's taking this waaay too personal, like this election is some sort of referendum on him. If he doesn't STFU he's gonna make himself look like an egotistical jerk and drag Hillary down in the process. He needs to face up to the fact that he is no longer anymore relevant to the political process than any other ex president. He can endorse Hillary all he wants but it's unseemly for him to come out and trash her opponents. And it will come back to bite her in the ass.

He's already diminished his own image with his dumbass statement about pappy bush traveling around the world to bad mouth his idiot son.

I'm not a Hillary supporter so if Clinton wants to keep making a fool out of himself and damage her prospects in the process, I say go for it. But if you want her to get the nomination you gotta want him to shut the fuck up.

[MonkeyFunk]

4. I disagree

he's the best politician in America - he remains relevant.

[KittyWampus]

32. Clinton is the best politician in America? Yeah, he did WONDERS for the Democratic party

while in the White House.

Unless you mean he's the best at taking care of his own political career as well as the fortunes of his chosen few.

[Hippo_Tron]

11. True, but it's going to make it hard for Obama to use Bill in the GE if the becmes the nominee

[Quixote1818]

5. Can you imagine Jimmy Carter going around and attacking guys like Obama, Biden and Edwards?

It really is unprecedented what Clinton is doing. He really needs to stop this pronto!

[ellisonz]

7. No, because Jimmy Carter has class, unlike the Big Dog.

[Quixote1818]

8. Bill will hardly criticize Bush yet he finds it totally cool to attack his own party members?

:wtf:

[ellisonz]

10. That's the least of it...

I guess he's shown his "Primary Colors" now.

[indimuse]

27. Lobbyists on Obama’s ’08 payroll Wal-Mart, British Petroleum and Lockheed Martin

Lobbyists on Obama’s ’08 payroll
By Alexander Bolton and Brittney Moraski
December 20, 2007
Three political aides on Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) payroll were registered lobbyists for dozens of corporations, including Wal-Mart, British Petroleum and Lockheed Martin, while they received payments from his campaign, according to public documents.


The presence of political operatives with long client lists on Obama’s campaign contrasts with his long-held stand of campaigning against the influence of special interests. Obama has even refused to accept contributions from lobbyists or political action committees (PACs).




Obama was using PAC money secretly to pay- YES PAY other members of congress who would endorse him. For all those "feelings voters" - this meant quid pro quo

i.e. I'll contribute to your future election if you endorse me. Please review Obama's statements about not taking any PAC money. This was a direct contridiction to the fact, let alone using it to push monies to other

cnadidates who ONLY chose to endorse him.

[GalleryGod]

28. Fascinating? Isn't it? Whatta Dickhead !

A REAL man, Bill !

[Lerkfish]

30. I wish I could reccomend this post

That is what completely bypasses most people. Where were the attacks against Bush? oh, yeah, they never happened.

[MonkeyFunk]

12. Rosalyn never ran for office

[Quixote1818]

14. George Bush Sr. didn't attack the other Republicans running against his son

If George Bush Sr. has scruples then you would think Bill would too? :eyes:

[MonkeyFunk]

15. don't be daft

of course Bill Clinton is going to be used. Cope with it.

[Quixote1818]

17. He can be used in a positive way as much as possible

But attacking fellow Democrats running for president is BULL SHIT and you know it! Now if Obama or who ever wins the nomination then all the Republicans will have to do is quote Bill Clinton. That is sheer bull shit! And I am not even an Obama supporter.

[MonkeyFunk]

19. they're competing with each other

for the nomination. It's utterly naive to think they won't go after each other.

[Quixote1818]

21. Hillary is allowed to attack Obama. Bill is not

It's presidential etiquette and that is why Bill's old friends are pissed off at him. Don't you care about playing by the rules? Is it that important to win?

[GalleryGod]

29. About 100 years of Presidential Etiquette, too. You know the Clinton Corp. ?

and the politics of personal destruction? and the Dick Morris politics-of-triangulation...

[ellisonz]

6. I hope this gets picked up by the newscycle.

Bringing Bill into this only reminds people of what he didn't accomplish in 8 years in the White House.

[MonkeyFunk]

13. He's the 2nd greatest President of the 20th Century

He accomplished a great deal.

[ellisonz]

18. Ha.

2nd greatest President of the 20th Century? For doing what exactly? Hillarycare? Monica? Accelerating uncontrolled globalization?

When TIME asked nine presidential historians to rank, from best to worst, the 17 American Presidents of the 20th century, we left some questions to their discretion: What do we expect from our leaders? Are effective Presidents also the most significant ones? What constitutes greatness? Here is our panel's consensus:

1 FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
2 THEODORE ROOSEVELT
3 WOODROW WILSON
4 HARRY S TRUMAN
5 DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
6 RONALD REAGAN
7 LYNDON B. JOHNSON
8 JOHN F. KENNEDY
9 GEORGE BUSH
10 BILL CLINTON
11 WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT
TIE 12 GERALD FORD
TIE 12 CALVIN COOLIDGE
14 JIMMY CARTER
15 RICHARD NIXON
16 WARREN HARDING
17 HERBERT HOOVER

THE JUDGES Stephen E. Ambrose, Alan Brinkley, Robert Dallek, David M. Kennedy, William E. Leuchtenburg, Ernest R. May, Walter A. McDougall, Herbert S. Parmet, Arthur Schlesinger Jr.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988154-2,00.html

[Jim Sagle]

9. Interesting.

Calling Barack Obama 'a symbol' is not acceptable discourse," Hundt went on

Perilously close to outright racism from Bill.

[autorank]

16. The Empire Strikes Back

Obama has shown flair and boldness in taking on Hilary and the gang.

Now he gets to take the big test. Can he withstand the counter attack of a sinking campaign?

It never occurred to the Clinton's that the presidency wouldn't be theirs. It should have but I'll
bet it was a distant thought. Aren't they now fully aligned with Poppy Bush and the mega money
faction that runs this country so poorly? It's a lock. Look at those Republicans.

Then Obama systematically takes on the Empire with the recent HRC apology as a culmination.

That apology was a humiliation, perhaps a Pyrric victory.

Now we've got Bill Clinton engaging in painfully obvious slaps at Obama and Hillary's election
engineer Penn taking the preemptive blame both as a cover if they lose and as motivation to Penn who
will go down in flames if this effort fails.

It will get ugly.

If Obama and company anticipate the counterstrike from Clinton and have another response equal to the
move that got HRC sent to the office (only to find Obama was the principal too), then he will take her
out of the race.

Very few want any more of either the Clinton or Bush gangs; and the images of Bill and Poppy traveling
the earth they let slide into chaos dispensing wisdom is just too much to even begin to imagine.

[JackORoses]

20. Bill has traded the dignity and respect of an Ex-President for the Politics of Personal Destruction

He should be ashamed for trying to inject himself into the middle of things in an effort to manipulate the race for his wife's and his own benefit.

[aquart]

23. "Manipulate" but you all see right thru him, don't you?

Not quite sure who I'm supposed to believe is doing the manipulation.

[aquart]

22. "A former administration strategist"? Dick Morris?

And Obama's backers didn't like what Clinton said? Shocking. You were expecting praise from them, maybe?

[Bitwit1234]

24. Whether he did or whether he didn't why is Obama untouchable

his campaign AND his supporters are spewing crap right and left about Hillary. The MSM is constantly spewing crap about Hillary. Can't Obama take critizism. Is he so widdle piddle cry baby he can't take the heat. Hillary Clinton has been taking the mud slung at her from republicans and woman haters for the last 15 years and she is a better damn woman for it. It would behove Obama to shut the hell up about his "HARSH TREATMENT".

[Lerkfish]

31. has Bill ever criticized Bush administration?

aren't you the guys that say we shouldn't attack other democrats?

[LeftCoast]

25. What was it that Bill Clinton said that was so out of line?

I've seen several clips and nothing I heard was particularly harsh. Did I miss a quote somewhere or something?

[BenDavid]

33. Oh help me L-rd! Twas Oprah that said Obama was "the one"

and hey if someone is going to make you the messiah then you best be able to walk on water. And folks obama is a long way yet from that and this is no kissey, kissey, nicey, nicey finger sandwich party.