Another Bill Clinton Moment On The Campaign Trail

***UPDATE***

Tony McPeak, a retired Air Force general and current co-chair of Obama's presidential campaign, compared former President Bill Clinton to Joseph McCarthy Friday in response to comments Clinton made earlier in the day that appeared to question Obama's patriotism.

"It sounds more like McCarthy," McPeak said. "I grew up, I was going to college when Joe McCarthy was accusing good Americans of being traitors, so I've had enough of it."

Read more about McPeak's response from the AP

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Adding a bit of fuel to the political fire, Bill Clinton made a bizarre comment on Friday, leaving the impression that he believed Barack Obama's patriotism would be a general election issue.

MSNBC is reporting that on the campaign trail today in Charlotte, North Carolina, the former president said a general election matchup between his wife, Sen. Clinton, and Sen. John McCain would be between "two people who love this country" without "all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics."

It's difficult to determine exactly what Clinton meant by this. Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for the Clinton campaign, said the former president was not implying that Obama didn't love America. As for "this other stuff," that Clinton referred to? He was talking about "the politics of personal destruction," said Wolfson. "He was lamenting that these kind of distractions 'always seems to intrude' on our politics."

Not everyone had the same interpretation. MSNBC, for example, was quick to suggest that the former president was implying there were doubts about Obama's patriotism, and that those doubts would play a role in the general election. Which seems, on its face, hardly a stretch.

However, President Clinton also seems to be suggesting that his wife would be immune to swift-boat like attacks; a supposition that does not seem terribly likely.

Recently on the campaign, the former president has made remarks that have been a bit unpredictable. Days ago, he complimented McCain as bipartisan, a war hero, and a tough general election foe. No "but"s included. Days before that, he was touting a Sen. Hillary Clinton-Obama pairing as an electoral "dream ticket," even though his wife's own campaign was making the case that Obama was not ready to serve as commander-in-chief.

Watch:

Here is the full quote: "I think it would be a great thing if we had an election between two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interests of the country and people could actually ask themselves who is right on the issues, instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics."

Comments

[pottery]

Bill Clinton is out of practice, uttering incomplete thoughts and for whatever reason leaving open to conclusion just what he meant by his remark. Or is he?

[Jonny38103]

This whole episode was brought on by Obama paranoia. Damn, you just can't speak any more without the Obama campaign jumping on and making an issue where none was intended. I'm becoming more convinced America won't vote for Obama because no one can say anything, and It doesn't even have to be negative, without these people whining that they have somehow been slighted. America doesn't vote for crybabies. Real sentiment, sure, but contrived crap like this? Nope.

[YouThinkAndTalk]

I am now convinced that the Clintons are Republicans in Democrat's clothes. The special interests have taken the Clintons on their side. The Clintons USED to be better, that they are totally corrupted now. Hillary will not bring change. She will use her experience and connections in politics to derail change.

I like Bill, but that was the time I was clueless. Now I realized that he campaigned and signed NAFTA, he signed the law that allowed the consolidation of the media, his economic achievements were actually a bubble, and you know who benefited from that bubble - not me, he amassed a trillion dollars in the Treasury, but didn't protect it, so Bush found some spending money to give his friend. And now Bill goes around with that grim on his face and shaking his finger to everybody, like we are all children. Give me a break!

[huffhuffpass]

Too bad, I use to like President Clinton to. Should Obama win the party nomination, the DNC should ask him to NOT attend the convention in Denver. With all the attacks he received in 92' he should understand and sympathize with Obama more than he has. And for crying out loud stop waving that damn finger around, we all know where's it been!

[ChrisS13]

WOW, you guys are too much. Do you even read the entire true articles or watch the entire spot??? He was responding to a question of what would a general election be like if it were HRC and McCain? You act as if he needs to go out of his way to promote Obama, when has Michelle Obama ever said anything positive about HRC? In fact the opposite when she said she wouldn't know if she'd support her. The lengths at which Obama supporters go to attack the Clintons and defend OBama, will be the root source of McCain becoming president.

[hppygrl15]

It's funny how Bill Cinton can talk about all this "other stuff". What about ALL your other stuff Bill? Those other things you always claim to have never done still got you elected! What about ALL the "other stuff" while you were president.

GIVE IT UP!

[G24]

"America's 'first black president' just put a sheet over his head," my father shouted from upstairs.

He was referring to Bill Clinton discussing a race between his wife and McCain in North Carolina Friday, in which he said that he thinks it would be great "if we had an election between two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interests of the country" so that people could focus on "who is right on the issues, instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics."

"I just lost all respect I had for him," my dad finished. My father is exactly the demographic the Clintons are looking to appeal to with this characterization of Obama. And he saw straight through it.

Is this where the democratic party stands now? Is this what happens to a black candidate running for president, regardless of his resume, statesmanship, or ability to run a strong campaign?

The picture Bill Clinton was trying to paint of Barack Obama is of an angry black man. A candidate who is weak on the issues, hoping to lean on race instead. A candidate whose interests are furthering the black agenda first, with no loyalty to this country as a whole.

He knows there are deeply rooted fears of this running throughout the white working class community. He was attempting to play on these fears and further cement in the minds of those that are newly wary of Obama in wake of the Reverend Wright controversy the picture of Barack as an unpatriotic black man, disloyal to his country and unconcerned with white voters.

This is especially insidious when you look at how Mr. Obama found himself in such a position that he needed to address the issue of race in the first place, which was no doubt what Bill Clinton was refering to as "this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics."

Senator Obama did not enter this campaign raising the issue of race or even indulging the attempts of others to make it an issue. It continued to rear it's ugly head, not as much amongst the voters, as we all might have thought; but amongst politicians, campaign aids and the talking heads of the media. It has been an issue that he has tried to down play as the kind of silly distraction that discourages voters and detracts from the issues.

It has been clear to those closely watching this contest the pains Sen. Obama has taken in order not to play the race card.

He has brushed off Geraldine Ferraro's statements as a simple gaffe. He denied the idea that Clinton played with racial undertones in television ads, while even white male news anchors were convinced they were racist. He graciously accepted Hillary's claim that her camp had nothing to do with the photo depicting Obama in native African garb released to the Drudge Report, despite the fact that Matt Drudge himself states that Clinton's campaign gave him the picture.

This has all been in spite of the subtle and plausibly deniable though consistently present tones of race that lace Sen. Clinton's campaign.

Sen. Clinton has made intentionally curious statements about Sen. Obama not being a Muslim.... that she knows of. She has played television ads reminiscent of D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation,” attempting to evoke fear in white voters of black men lurking in bushes and invading their homes. Her husband has compared the Senator to Jessie Jackson, then after apologizing for the comment, one of her top aids repeated the comparison. It has even been noted that in television ads she aired in which she includes clips from a debate, Sen. Obama's skin tone is significantly darker than in footage from all three of the major networks.

And when the issue of race had been pushed to the point that Sen. Obama had no choice but to give a speech addressing the issue, Bill Clinton pounced.

What does it say when racism is allowed to operate this pervasively as long as it is done with a degree of subtly? What chance does a black or minority candidate have when they are hounded and harassed by the issue of race until it becomes politically necessary to respond to it, only to be condemned for doing so? What about the media who crucified him for his ties to the black church, while leaving the association of both white candidates to religious figures with racist, offensive and anti-American views almost completely untouched? And what of our democratic party that this has been it's treatment of it's first truly viable black presidential candidate?

What does it say that the republican's treatment of the candidate has been markedly less offensive and more respectful?

This tactic on behalf of the Clinton campaign is brilliant, deliberate - and morally reprehensible. It will win them some votes. It will lose them others. But the mark left on the democratic party will run deep. A wound deeper and more difficult to repair than the damage inflicted by such a long primary, the debate over re-votes in Michigan and Florida, or the idea of 796 Super Delegates deciding the nominee. A wound carried not just by black voters, but democrats of all demographics, like my father.

Our country began to see itself in post-racial terms when a black man was able to appeal to over 50% of voters in polls between himself, a former first lady and a well respected war hero. To come crashing down to the reality that not even in our progressive democratic party will an exceptional minority candidate be allowed the same chances as a white candidate will be devastating. It will hurt and disenfranchise more deeply than what can be repaired with the simple passage of time or a new election in four years.

I still hope, but I am afraid that the only 'black president' that our media and political system are willing to accept at this time is a white man, who plays the saxophone and "just put a sheet over his head."

[ntmessage]

The old why dont you put a sheet over your head comeback! Thats really been working, both to keep the party together and against the Pubs. Nice work.

[citizenxyz]

I agree with your comments- The behavior of both Clintons is morally reprehensible. I expect such behavior from Parick Buchanan but not from two people who ostensibly are for progress, human rights, individual dignity and honor.

[ChrisS13]

LOL< you act as if it's the Clintons job to promote or protect Obama. Where was OBama when the media was treating them as racists? Did he come to there defense, when he knows that they are not racists? Or did he let that play out so he could benefit from it, hell Axelrod even played on it, and spread more BS accusations.

[pottery]

Obama stated in speeches that the Clintons were not racist, and addressed the issue bluntly during the debate immediately following the controversy.

[StephenS]

Obama's Feb 9 words about McCain: "Now, John McCain is a good man, an American hero, and we honor his half century of service to this nation."

Obama said respectful things about McCain without mentioning Clinton. (Later, of course, he said where McCain was wrong.)

If posters here are consistent, they believe Obama was endorsing McCain.

If Tony McPeak, co-chair of Obama's presidential campaign, is consistent, he believes Obama's words were really a personal attack on Clinton, Edwards, etc. - that Obama was saying they are bad people and have not honorably served this nation.

[jfromga]

Obama's statement was a typical political reference to an opponent, one offers respect or acknowledgement of his biography, and you follow it up with a BUT . . .

What both Clintons have done and continue to do, is say things that praise McCain, claim the same virtue for themselves, not add the BUT . . . about McCain's record and deliberately exclude Obama from the praise.

The two are worlds apart. I realize you are probably one of those people hired to repeat talking points rather than a real voter with a personal opinion, but it gets ridiculous to have to keep untwisting the sophisms of the Clintonistas. Truth works sometimes, but apparently not for Clintons.

[StephenS]

I realize that you are probably one of those people hired to attack anyone who disputes or questions attacks started by "their side", and then slips away after your own attack.

But on the chance that you are not:

Bill Clinton's remarks at the VFW post started with him saying the BUT... which you claim both Clintons do not give. Bill said that Clinton was better for specific reasons: "She'd be the best for the veterans, she'd be the best commander-in-chief, and she'd be the best at managing this economy."

So the argument that you are giving is contrary to facts available to you when you posted.

That Obama stepped aside to let national co-chair Tony McPeak take the stage and make a words-twisting attack on Bill Clinton saddens me. There were no sophisms in this case, no matter how many times you repeat that talking point of the Obama campaign.

Despite what you think, or perhaps have been paid to say, telling a Veterans of Foreign Wars crowd that Clinton matches McCain in being patriotic and loving her country does not imply that Obama is not patriotic, anymore than Obama saying McCain is a good man implies that Edwards and Clinton are not good people.

[ChrisS13]

Um actually the Clintons has said at just about ever stump, that they disagree with McCain on many issues. That they get along but they disagree on many issues. I don't have you dolts attacking someone for something, i would just like you be at least somewhat consistant. Stop defending OBama, while attacking HRC for the same exact things. It's not only hypocritical but it makes you look foolish.

[PhDiva]

In the words of the Beastie Boys: "It's Sabotage." The Clintons have decided to sabotage Obama's campaign to achieve either Plan A) convince the superdelegates that Obama's unelectable so that Hillary Clinton can get the nomination or Plan B) ensure that Obama loses to McCain so Hillary Clinton can win in 2008. Both plans involve destroying the party in the interest of personal ambition don't understand why none of the party leaders are challenging their party destroying behavior.

[citizenxyz]

The Clintons are only about the Clintons winning. Recall Bill's words when he first ran, "judge my presidency by what I do with health care..." They do not care about anything but their own perceived victories.

[dajay]

Go Bill! We love ya!

[segsig]

Why does everythign lately seem like they are trying to position her as McCain's VP candidate? That is NEVER going to happen and is the stupidest strategy in the world.

[chowdertalk]

Listen to every word he says and take it out of context and blow the whole thing out of propotion.
Folks get over it. Allow President Clinton to speak.
Why not apply the same scrutiny to what BO, his wife and his pastor has to say.
Double standard.

[candlewax]

So taking little tiny snippets out of context from about 2 sermons of Wright over a 30 year period is not taking things out of context? The only double standard that I see is the media's obsession to take Obama down.

[realwoman]

"taking little tiny snipets out of context" Puh-leeze.

[nopasaran]

Obama is not electable. No matter how much you wish it would, Wright will not go away. Obama is now a liability to the Democratic party and he will take the party and all of us down with him.

[nopasaran]

You are all so incredibly afraid of Bill Clinton. And all that hate....He was the only successful democrat in the WH in a long long time. You have been brainwashed by the republicans. Keep it up with your self-loathing, that is.. if you really are democrats.

[KaAp]

Are we talking about patriotism to a nation or are we using patriotism as a ruse ... really meaning if you do not support Hill and Bill otherwise known as the washington hillbillies ...you cannot be a patriot
Listen to my story about a boy named Bill
Poor country boy barely kept his cigars in heat
Then one day he was cooking up some grits
And his wife came home with a Senate Seat ... from New York that is ---
Next thing you know ol' Bill's a millionaire ... blah blah and on and on I am sure people can think of better lyrics than I can at 6 AM
Point is if you do not support their peculiar brand of government republican lite and the conflation of corporatism and patriotism (otherwise defined as fascism) then you cannot be patriotic ...

[Tator]

Saying Bill is like McCarthy is an insult to McCarthy. Documents released proved McCarthy was right all along about the folks he exposed.

Doubt this will get past the HP Censors #102