HE\'S BACK...

HE'S BACK...

New York Times   |   March 22, 2008 05:33 PM


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The New York Times reports that a top aide to Barack Obama accused former President Bill Clinton of employing "divisive attacks" to promote his wife's candidacy:

As Senator Barack Obama folded his arms and looked on, one of his leading military advisers forcefully defended Mr. Obama's patriotism here Saturday and accused former President Bill Clinton of trying to employ "divisive attacks" to promote his wife's presidential candidacy.


Mr. Clinton, in a speech to voters in North Carolina on Friday, said "it would be a great thing if we had an election year where you had two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interest of this country."

At a town meeting here Saturday, retired Air Force Gen. Merrill A. McPeak, who is a co-chairman of Mr. Obama's campaign, read the quote from Mr. Clinton. A few members of the audience gasped and hissed at the former president's words.

"Let me say first, we will have such an election this year because both Barack Obama and John McCain are great patriots who love this country and are devoted to it -- so is Hillary Clinton," General McPeak said, speaking over loud applause. "Any suggestion to the contrary is flat wrong."

Mr. Obama, on his first trip to Oregon before the state's primary on May 13, did not address the comments from Mr. Clinton. He stood a few feet away from the retired general as he made his remarks before a crowd of more than 1,500 people in a Medford community center.

Keep reading the New York Times report.

The Clinton campaign has reined in the former president in the past after he made other similarly divisive remarks, including:

Calling Obama's Iraq War claims a "fairy tale":

"Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen," Clinton had said in accusing Obama of distorting his stance on the war.

Telling Charlie Rose that a vote for Obama would be like "rolling the dice":

In a hard-changing interview with Charlie Rose tonight, Bill Clinton said Americans who are prepared to choose someone with less experience, are prepared to "roll the dice" about the future of America. "It's less predictable, isn't it? When is the last time we elected a president based on one year of service before he's running?"


"What do you want to do -- whether you think it matters that, I mean, in theory, no experience matters," Clinton said. "In theory, we could find someone who is a gifted television commentators and let them run. They'd have only one year less experience in national politics..."


 
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- meanguy I'm a Fan of meanguy 17 fans permalink

if this is all it takes to get obama's campaign to wet their diapers and start wailing and drooling, they'd better hope they don't have to face the GOP attack machine...i've yet to see a campaign so full of thin-skinned whiners and crybabies...this is the real deal, not a cakewalk in a safely ultraliberal district...time to 'sack up' and 'grow a set' if you wanna run with the big dawgs...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:13 PM on 03/25/2008

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:59 AM on 03/25/2008
- mediahack I'm a Fan of mediahack 2 fans permalink

Remember all the stuff about Bill Clinto questioning Obama's patriotism?

Bill Clinton's comments were distorted by several news reports.Check out MediaMatters below to see what he actually said:


http://mediamatters.org/items/200803280010?f=h_top

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:25 PM on 03/29/2008
- LeftLeaner I'm a Fan of LeftLeaner 26 fans permalink
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Speaking of comments, anyone hear the outrageous rants spewed by the NEW Pastor of Obama's Church.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:35 PM on 03/24/2008
- PhDiva I'm a Fan of PhDiva 20 fans permalink

The problem is not that Clinton did not praise Obama. He's not obligated to do so. The problem is that he is endorsing the Republican opponent, and implying that he is superior in every way to his wife's democratic opponent during the democratic primary season.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:43 PM on 03/24/2008
- Unlearn I'm a Fan of Unlearn 2 fans permalink

There us nothing wrong with praising McCain as he is undeniably a courageous man and he indeed loves his country. My interpretation of Clinton was that he was including Obama as the one of "two candidates who love this country."

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:23 PM on 03/24/2008

There is even a certain logic to it. Having been the President at a young age like Obama's, "knowing what you know now compared to what you didn't know back then", perhaps the Clintons honestly feel that life and political experience is that vital to an American president. Such that staying in the race when it's either impossible or disastrous to win is okay. After all, what have you got to lose?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:57 AM on 03/25/2008
- PhDiva I'm a Fan of PhDiva 20 fans permalink

If Hillary is supposed to be protecting our sleeping children at 3am, why would she put her own daughter's life at risk in Bosnia? Oh, right. She wouldn't. Because she was lying. I used to respect Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton. Now, I can barely stand to look a them. If she wins the nomination, I will vote for a third party candidate.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:33 PM on 03/24/2008

Here we go again.

The Obamaholes are reading into comments AGAIN.


Now, tell me how Bill Clinton, Ed Rendell, Ferraro, and all blue collar whites are racists again, please, its been a while.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:00 AM on 03/24/2008

Exactly, there HE goes again waving that stinky finger! He should know about other distractions getting in the way of politics!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:56 AM on 03/24/2008
- PhDiva I'm a Fan of PhDiva 20 fans permalink

He's not a racist, just a traitor to his child and to the party that gave him the white house as he endorses the republican candidate who insulted his own daughter.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:56 PM on 03/24/2008
- Unlearn I'm a Fan of Unlearn 2 fans permalink

When all the Clintons have done to this point is to go below the belt, it's easy to see how this comment was misconstrued by the Obama camp. That being said, McPeak and other Obama supporters have to remain above the fray that the Clintons are creating and show some discipline. At this point, by the time we get to the general election whoever makes it, Obama or Clinton, will be thoroughly bruised and worn out. This race has become like the Democrats Iraq, supposed to be easy but having the potential to bring down the party.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:17 PM on 03/24/2008
- joeyp404 I'm a Fan of joeyp404 4 fans permalink
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This is the whole quote:

“I think it would be a great thing if we had an election year where you had two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interest of this country,” Mr. Clinton told the group in Charlotte, N.C., according to a report by NBC News. “And people could actually ask themselves who is right on these issues, instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics.”

Look's like Barry's people are cherry picking and the Huffington Post is holding the ladder.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:53 AM on 03/24/2008
- sandpiper1 I'm a Fan of sandpiper1 16 fans permalink

Actually he prefaced it with saying John McCain was a great American and he and Hillary were good friends, then went to 'I think it would be a great thing if we have an election etc, etc.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:34 PM on 03/24/2008
- gcswift2 I'm a Fan of gcswift2 9 fans permalink
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There are 2 things that never ceases to amaze me:

People who "love" america but don't "Love" Americans...
&
People who forget that this Nation was founded on the concept that dissent (even vigirous) is the most "Patriotic" thing you can do.


Its this general failing that seems to keep our country from becoming a more perfect union. I love my country dearly, but there are things about my country that I am loathe to accept. Bill complains that Racial Identity should not be a part of this campaign, but a house divided against itself cannot stand and if we ignore the very foundations that OUR Nation is built on we cannot honestly expect it to continue. Yes we need the racial i.d. issue to end, but we need to fix the problem and not the blame.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:42 AM on 03/24/2008

There is a new problem with the Clinton's behavior which makes it even more important that Obama get the nomination. When he was attacked before he was defended by a lot of people with whom he has now lost all credibility. He played the race card and then says that is not what he meant. He makes a clear inference that only a McCain and Hillary match up would result in two patriots running for president and the tries to deny it, wagging his finger the way he did when he lied about something we all thought should not have been an issue.

It is nonesense that they have been vetted. If she is the candidate the Republicans will force an explanation of the donations to the Clintonsfrom the Canadian Mining Magnet who through Bill's efforts received mining rights from the dictator of Kazakhstan. They will deny there was a quid pro quo implied for future services, White Water where there partner was convicted of 18 counts of felony fraud will be brought up and they will again say they knew nothing about it. Most gave them credibility then. Will they give them credibility now.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:16 AM on 03/24/2008
- Plank I'm a Fan of Plank 5 fans permalink

What's truely pathetic about Bill Clinton's remarks is that he was subjected to the same smear in 92. His challenger, a highly decorated Vietnam veteran was calling him out as a draft dodger. Senator Kerry, among others, came to his defense. Bill is pulling the exact same stunts that Bust pulled against him.
The only difference this time: he's doing this to a fellow democrat.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:15 PM on 03/23/2008
- Forest I'm a Fan of Forest 7 fans permalink

Former President Bill Clinton's unbelievable praise of John McCain as a patriot seems out of character for him and what I thought of his ethical boundaries. If Hillary shares her husband's wholesale praise of "Bomb, Bomb Iran" John McCain, then I think Obama looks better and better.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:15 AM on 03/24/2008

Now I don't mean to demean Ms Clinton, or Bill Clinton, but for me, there is one very important issue that speaks to Bill Clinton's claim of Hillary loving her country. Just read the links:

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?pid=239574

http://www.liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=2856

http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/627247

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:12 PM on 03/23/2008
- rojo7449 I'm a Fan of rojo7449 9 fans permalink

"AP would have you believe that General McPeak was just an Obama "aide." In fact, he's the former Chief of Staff for the entire Air Force. Even better, he's a Republican who served for nearly 2 years as Bill Clinton's Air Force Chief of Staff. He's also a co-chair of Obama's presidential campaign, but for AP to refer to him as an "Obama aide" hardly does the man justice. This isn't some kid we're talking about." -- AmericanBlog.com

It is important for both Obama and Clinton supporters to not take everything they read and hear at face value.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:46 PM on 03/23/2008
- kellygrrrl I'm a Fan of kellygrrrl 644 fans permalink
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the naughty boy lip-biting pause

the angry authoritarian finger-wagging

ENOUGH!!!!!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:34 PM on 03/23/2008

Will not the Billary will say anything, do anything, and just plain old lie like the dirty rugs that they are to win? America WAKE UP it's all about Bill and Hillary - you my friends are just obstacles along their path of political avarice.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:09 PM on 03/23/2008

Bill Clinton is an excellent example of Lord Acton's comment that great men are almost always bad men. Among this "great" man's many neo-lib accomplishments was the the decade long embargo of Iraq that primarily killed innocent people, including a half a million children (that Madeleine Albright referred to in a May 11, 1996 60 Minutes interview in this way...."It’s a hard choice, but I think, we, think, it’s worth it." A half a million dead children was worth what again?


That embargo did little to slow down Saddam. That embargo was a crime against humanity, in that it used biological weaponry against the civilian population, in a secondary way. By this I mean, the embargo among other things, denied the population proper infrastructure support, like water treatment pumps, and related hardware, that were denied by Bill Clinton himself. The lack of these infrastructure elements, caused outbreaks of dysentery and diarrhea, cholera and other diseases associated with polluted water supplies. And these were known knowns, to state it in Rumsfeldian logic, that Clinton and his administration were well aware of. When you set the conditions for this sort of pandemic, you are guilty of biological warfare.

And now, this man of "honor" who claims only Hillary and Mad Dog McCain love their country, is slinging mud at Obama, and the people around him who speak truth to power. Obama's wife, in her now famous speech which spoke truth to power, addressed the utter hopelessness of so many people of color in the face of a nation that remains racist at it's core, while painting the walls of it's edifice as if it was different. She spoke something that was politically incorrect, much like Rev. Wright has spoken truth to power and damned the politically incorrect mantle...and here's political opportunist Bill Clinton trying desperately, with unethical and immoral statements, to call into question Obama's love of country! And, apparently, Bill would rather see Mad Dog as President than Obama!


Obama's recent speech in that regard was a bulwark for the discussion that must take place in this country, if we are ever to get past our racist past and move into a future that will be fair to all. If Bill has his way, that discussion will NEVER happen, and the country will continue off the cliff that he helped push it toward. Hillary is working overtime to make that happen, and these comments indicate just how desperate she and her husband are to deliver the return on investment that the military industrialists (and others) have demanded of them...and they expect RETURN ON INVESTMENT!


Bill Clinton is a "great" man who meets Lord Acton's description. His speaking these words should guarantee that Hillary NEVER get into the White House, as anything but a guest. I am not an Obama supporter, but outrageous comments like this one from the greatest right-wing Democrat of our time, only push me more toward voting for Obama. I am a Nader supporter, but the slime that Bill Clinton is slinging makes me want more than anything, to use my vote to prevent another Clinton from further staining the honor of this highly besmirched country or ours. If this country has a Bush a Clinton a Bush and another Clinton as Presidents right in a row...god help us all.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:53 PM on 03/23/2008
- meanguy I'm a Fan of meanguy 17 fans permalink

obama's recent speech was a bulwark against the possibility that someone might actually start looking into his self-described 'superior judgment' (rezko, meeting with weather underground bombers, rev "god damn america/the gov't created aids to kill the black man/the u.s. deserved 9-11" wright,) nothing more, nothing less...he used the age-old tactic of 'blame the white man, excuse the black man' that makes the far left tremble in delightful self-loathing

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:22 PM on 03/25/2008
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