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Ear to the Ground

Whose Side Is Bill Clinton On?

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Posted on Aug 26, 2008
Bill Clinton
AP photo / David J. Phillip

While Hillary Clinton was preparing for her big speech in support of Barack Obama on Tuesday, her husband was busy throwing the presumptive nominee under the bus. Here’s what the former president had to say in Denver: “Candidate X agrees with you on everything, but you don’t think that candidate can deliver on anything at all. Candidate Y you agree with on about half the issues, but he can deliver. Which candidate are you going to vote for?”

To be fair, Clinton followed his comments with the stipulation: “This has nothing to do with what’s going on now.”

Still, after a primary season filled with unfortunate comments from Bill Clinton, it’s difficult to give him the benefit of the doubt on this—especially after his recently reported grousing.

We’ll leave the last word to Clinton stalwart Paul Begala, who insists, “He’s totally for Barack. ... He’s totally for Barack.”

(h/t: Political Wire)


The Hill:

Bill Clinton appeared to undermine Sen. Barack Obama again Tuesday.

The former president, speaking in Denver, posed a hypothetical question in which he seemed to suggest that that the Democratic Party was making a mistake in choosing Obama as its presidential nominee.

He said: “Suppose you’re a voter, and you’ve got candidate X and candidate Y. Candidate X agrees with you on everything, but you don’t think that candidate can deliver on anything at all. Candidate Y you agree with on about half the issues, but he can deliver. Which candidate are you going to vote for?”

Then, perhaps mindful of how his off-the-cuff remarks might be taken, Clinton added after a pause: “This has nothing to do with what’s going on now.”

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By KDelphi, August 27, 2008 at 9:42 am Link to this comment

Obama can’t stand Bill, and vice-versa—because they’re so damn much alike! Think about it! “Liberal” posers who realy beelive deeply that they got rich in the free mkt. bevause they are superior beings, and anyone who didnt may be pitied, but not much else. They are both charmers and liars.

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By Charley, August 27, 2008 at 8:50 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Senator Hillary Clinton gave a good speech to her (choir) supporters and the convention delegates. I believe she will do what she has to do to fulfill any commitment to her party, but I also believe a lot of her democractic supporters will split their ticket or not vote for the top ticket, or not vote at all. If Senator Obama lose, Hillary will be back in 2012. If he wins he will pays off her campaign debt that he promised to pay earlier.

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By knute, August 27, 2008 at 8:39 am Link to this comment
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Whose side is Bill on ? Why, he’s on Bill Clinton’s side ofcourse. Bill was always republican light. The only thing that made him standout out by comparison to the current idiot-in-chief is that he does have a well functioning brain and didn’t in every single policy decision pick the dumbest, most damaging option. But, he like his wife, have given the corporations most of what they wanted all along and helped to make things harder on those in need, watched as the costs of everything continued to spiral out of grasp for far too many. We, at this time in our history, are in dire need of an administration that gives a damn about the middle class and how the costs of health, education, food, etc..are dragging down their quality of life solely to benefit the corporations / wealthy who are in charge and actually start doing something for them. Thats obviously isn’t going to happen with a republican again in the office and unfortunately that isn’t something the Clintons can boast of either.

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By Michele, August 27, 2008 at 7:29 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

More like throwing the country and in particular the WOMEN he supposedly supports.
If McCain wins, what will happen to all the people he says he cares so much about.

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By thebeerdoctor, August 27, 2008 at 7:14 am Link to this comment

The Clintons are determined to “teach skinny a lesson”. Note to the novice: political crime families do not just fade away. Obama, by seeking counself from Clinton operatives such as Robert Rubin and Madeleine Albright, only keep the disease hanging around. Check out the Gallup daily tracking poll: Obama has been losing ground ever since he named Joe Biden. His numbers declined further after the Hilary Clinton show. Has he given up on Ohio? The polls show him six to eight points down. Eight points down to John McCain. Holy POW!

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By Leisure suit Larry, August 27, 2008 at 5:30 am Link to this comment
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... and the winner is McCain who takes all the contested states.

These are the most unqualified candidates I have seen in my 7 (voted in six) presidential contests!

demented or neophyte   some choice.

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By cyrena, August 27, 2008 at 5:23 am Link to this comment

Deliver, slimether,  predither.

DELIVER WHAT?

WHAT ARE THE PROMISES?

I had to read every attached link, to find out if he (or anyone) would address whatever it his that he says candidate X or Y can or cannot DELIVER!

This is the best I could find:


•  “The former president devoted much of his sometimes-rambling remarks to solving the global energy crisis and the need to address climate change.”

And yeah, his old ass is rambling. There’s nothing worse than an aging attorney who’s lost the sharpness of his rhetorical tacks. Go sit your ass down Bill, until your mind gains some leverage over the infamous ego. This ain’t ABOUT *you* Bill.

So go sit down, shut up, and ask us for permission before you speak again.

Meantime RUMCSwan, you don’t seem too interested in the specifics either. Just exactly WHAT don’t you think Obama ‘wants’ to deliver?

What do YOU want him to ‘deliver’ and why do you suppose that he WON’T?

Sounds to me like a whole lot of conversation about delivery schedules when nobody even knows what the hell the product is.

(or at least nobody’s talking about it)

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By Dyev, August 26, 2008 at 6:10 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Bill Clinton spent his entire eight years as president betraying his liberal supporters and sucking up to his conservative enemies (don’t ask - don’t tell, healthcare, NAFTA, etc., etc., usw).  I didn’t vote for him either time because I knew that anybody supported by the DLC didn’t support me.  I voted for Nader against Bush1 and Clinton.  I only voted Democratic the last two times because Bush2 was (and is) so bad.  Obama is not my favorite (Kucinich is), but I’d rather have him than either of the Clintons or McCain, all three of whom want nothing other than personal power.

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By Elizabeth Plumley, August 26, 2008 at 5:58 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Why would anybody vote for the DNC’s appointed, anointed, selected candidate?  Why would any real democrat vote for someone who tried to freeze out TWO American states from voting?  Why would any woman vote for some fundamentalist idiot with all that Saddleback twaddle?  If she’s just a little wifey, why does she get a speech?  Why do they think Roe v. Wade is enough to buy us off for another 100 years?  Dean, Brazile, Pelosi, and their teleprompter reader are enemies of the American people.  They were willing to sell out American women to take power.  Don’t help them.  McKinney 2008 Clinton/McKinney 2012

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By Ed Harges, August 26, 2008 at 5:42 pm Link to this comment

What simplistic crap.

The stubborn voters he’s talking about are us darned fool “leftists” (i.e., people who don’t like his DLC/AIPAC brand of “liberalism”).

Well, Bill, you’re wrong: there IS no “Candidate X” who “agrees with us on everything”. That would have been maybe the long-gone Mike Gravel.

Bill, don’t tell lies about us. The biggest right-wing lie,about the left in this country is that progressives refuse to compromise.

Look, Bill: supporting Obama IS a compromise, a HUGE one. Or did you not hear his groveling, warmongering speech to AIPAC? Did you not hear his endorsement of Blackwater? Are you not aware that he has laid out the red carpet for more unconstitutional government spying?

Sorry, Bill, but Hillary just want too far even for us craven compromisers. We have a somewhat better choice, and we’re taking it.

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By RUMCSwan, August 26, 2008 at 4:11 pm Link to this comment

Wow, now that was way better and more direct, than ‘please define “IS”’.

Frankly, I agree with Mr. Clinton. I’m not sure what Barack can deliver on. Because I don’t GET IT, that he WANTS TO DELIVER ON ANYTHING HE HAS PROMISED AND BACK TRACKED ON.

You aint gonna get someone deliver on something they DON’T WANT TO DELIVER ON. Cause even if they WANT TO DELIVER ON it, delivering is going to take well…. DELIVERING.

I don’t think Barack WANTS TO DELIVER, and even if he was on the road to Damascus tomorrow and was struck by lightning, and WOKE UP to St. Paul…... I don’t know if the POWER ELITE, will ALLOW HIM TO DELIVER.

And yet, THE DENIAL GOES ON, might as well be a fly on the wall, watching sermons in Jim Jones DNC church, as the faithful lap up the cool-aid rhetoric….

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By RightWing, August 26, 2008 at 4:05 pm Link to this comment

Clinton is on the “Right Side” HeHeHeHe, the dnc is doing what the cubs do ,choking Nazi Pelosi opening her mouth, Ted and his pity suprise(every one new about him showing up for over 2 weeks),all these4 people do is pat themselves on the back,and never mention an issue that is of importance, Pelosi is sticking it to you when she speaks. CUBS

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By reason, August 26, 2008 at 3:58 pm Link to this comment

Conventions and most of the people who speak at them are nothing but hot air from politicians pandering to the basest aspects of those who support them. The word “convention” implies that those attending must follow the prescribed political doctrine (platform) of the leadership. Little if any information of value comes from listening to those who feel they are somehow entitled to speak. Bill Clinton is a self severing narcissist.
I will vote for Obama this November, but not because of anything that will be said by the political hacks or the media commentators. I think it is time that politicians of both parties attempt to show respect for the voters of this country and address the important issues presently pressing our country. And, before I forget, I would like to offer a bit of wisdom to those seeking election and those supporting them; it is better to admit ignorance or indecision than to offer self serving dribble that will sooner or later come back to haunt you. We have had too many years of blatant self serving politicians from both parties. Bill and Hillary Clinton somehow feel entitled to leadership and for that fact if nothing else, they are least qualified.

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By Mudbones, August 26, 2008 at 3:27 pm Link to this comment

I used to respect the man. ‘nuff said.

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By Mudbones, August 26, 2008 at 3:25 pm Link to this comment

We can’t afford another 4 years of this crap.  Our country is almost bankrupt anyway that you look at it.  Come on Bill and Hillary, let’s move on and win this thing for the people, not you.

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By felicity, August 26, 2008 at 3:21 pm Link to this comment

Bill Clinton’s on Bill Clinton’s side.  In his mind he’s gotten fired. Nevermind that it was Hillary who got fired by the majority of primary voters, the delegates and the super delegates.  In Bill’s world, Bill is the world.

Frankly, with the exit of the Clintons may come the emergence of the true Democratic Party.  I wish them well and, I continue to hope, I look forward to its return.

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By Kevin C, August 26, 2008 at 3:17 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Enough of the Clintons already.  I was a huge fan until recently.  She lost, he won, get over it or McCain will be in the Whitehouse, do we really want that??

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By Brian Oard, August 26, 2008 at 2:42 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

There’s nothing in Clinton’s quote to suggest that he’s talking about Hillary and Obama. If by “Candidate X” he means McCain and by “Candidate Y” he means Obama, then he’s making a point about crossover voters swinging toward Obama because he can “deliver”, despite the fact that they may not agree with him on all the issues. This would also explain Bill’s remark that his statement has nothing to do with the Hillary/Obama “issue”. ...But all in all, I’d much rather interpret Rilke than waste any more time teasing out the potential meanings of Bill Clinton’s intricately hedged banalities.

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