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

[Oldbuck]

Desprate people do desprate things if Hillary does not control her husband. The only counter to this kind of talk is I just made another donaton to the Obama campaign and will try to register someone else to vote. Bill needs to get agrip on him self. I think its about time Bill and Hillary need to release their tax returns. i think the voters need to know if we are going to have a open president ence with transparence in the office or some more of the same of the last six years.

[julescator]

I now remember what everyone said at the beginning of this campaign. Hillary was the presumptive winner and we hardly gave Obama a look at all. Everyone said that if Hillary couldn't get the Democratic nomination - she would tear the party apart. I think this is part of their strategy to get everyone in the Dem party thinking about McCain. That way she can save face and say that if she had been the nominee we would have won. I fully expect her and Bill to campaign for McCain in November. These two are dispicable and I DO not expect them to support Obama when he is the nominee. They should be kicked out of the party for good!

[WorldsGreatestActor]

"all this other stuff that seems to intrude itself upon our politics." We were forced to endure scandal after scandal and ultimately impeachment proceedings and he wants to pontificate about "other stuff" intruding on politics? Given his track record I am seriously concerned if he were to arrive in the White House as the First Gentleman. Given the current "Britnification" of our media I am convinced that he would seriously hamstring his wife's ability to run the country. There is no way he can stay out of trouble. Every news cycle would be dominated by his antics, quotes or worse...af­fairs. All presidents have family members that embarrass the presidency, Carter had his brother Billy, Bill Clinton had his brother Roger. No presidency however will have someone so close to the office with as much "stature" as Hillary will with Bill. Think about it. Every news conference will lead with questions relating to him, regardless of the issue. It will be a circus, worthy of TMZ and all of it's kind...

[RichardD]

Bill Clinton has effectively torpedoed Hilliary's candidacy. He is the one that presents the biggest "unknown" of all in each of the remaining campaigns. If she were to win what role would he play??
Would he be a "roving" Amabassador who could go off "half-cocked" missions negotiating deals with parties he himself believes need to be approached?? This could be worse than Bush's ineptness.
Look what he's has done to damage Hilliary's campaign. It speaks volumes as to her capability to run things.
For this reason alone, Obama should be left to crush McCain (as a Bush surrogate) and economic neofyte, for Obama can draw the best of the best to his administration and begin a new way of analyzing things and implememnting policies with competent people.

[wmbear]

BILL...

Sit on it.

[josephjsalas]

The Clinton "smear cabal" at it again!

[ropadopa]

Time to go quietly into that long good night. Since arguments of policy differences, experience and judgment has failed we now see a full scaled frontal negative attack on Sen Obama. First drugs then race now patriotism. What's next?

[ReadALot]

Come on Bill. As a Rhodes scholar you know that "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.­" Shame on you.

[max365]

This is an interesting phenomenon. If Hillary wins the nomination, will Dems rally behind her come November? Somehow, her campaign has managed to offend a lot of people.

In the begining I didn't care for either Obama or Hillary. Because I felt Obama was a neophyte and Hillary's experience was grossly exaggerated. However, I have steadily grown to respect Obama, he didn't tackle Hillary as she doing to him.

How did Hillary manage to sink so low? And Bill somehow managed to offend people who stood by him despite his many public foibles? I am still shaking my head at this turn of events.

[factanonverba]

Good for Bill. This is now an all out war against Obama and we will not be satisfied until Obama resigns from the Senate in shame.

Should Hillary not win the nomination, we are prepared to launch an independent run for the White House. We'll see how many states wins then. Illinois, Wisconsin perhaps and then he's done.

[jrdenn]

I for the first time am considering sitting at home and not voting this year. The Obama supporters are so vile and rabid I wish not be a part of it. Sure my vote is meaningless, but there are millions who feel just like me.

[GeorgeKaplan]

Unfortunately, I will see you at the convention and we will see how this turns out.

Those headlines are worth it alone! Only here can we get little itty bitty nuggets presented as is the Cuban missile crisis were in full swing. MSNBC the other night thought they had watergate going when the passport story broke - for Obama.

Old Joe McCarthy has never died and never will. But if Tony McPeak, is referring to the Wright story - the analogy is wrong. Because this is an election and no one is being prosecuted. All analogies break apart somewhere. McCarthyism is real and the consequence were: blacklists (to stop people from working), careers ruined, people committed suicide, etc, etc, etc. During the McCarthy era people were thrown in jail because they causally knew people who were communists - it did not have to be a 20 year relationship all you needed was to be at one meeting that was "questionable" and you were through.

I think Tony has McPeaked. He should retire now.

[dantheman]

SOMEONE PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON TO SENATOR OBAMA!

TIME TO GIVEA SPEECH ON PATRiOTISM!!!!!

Seriously, recent events have called attention to and provide an opportunity to once and for all re-establish to the American people what true patriotism is. It's not all the flag waving, lapel pin wearing, bumper sticker "patriots" who have it right. Obama is as patriotic as they come. Time to have another adult discussion in America.

[AguynamedWayne]

That's what I've always liked about Bill Clinton, HE TELLS LIKE IT IS!

[TotobiAyokoh23]

Bill Clinton is aware of the fact that Hillary cannot win the Democratic nomination. In this case, he would like McCain to win the Presidential elections to make a point that Obama is not electable. Then, Hillary will emerge in 2012 as a renewed candidate for a very vigorous Presidential campaign.