Bill's Tirade In Private Meeting Stuns Superdelegates

"The Bill Clinton who met privately with California's superdelegates at last weekend's state convention was a far cry from the congenial former president who afterward publicly urged fellow Democrats to 'chill out' over the race between his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Barack Obama," the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

"It was one of the worst political meetings I have ever attended," one superdelegate said.

According to those at the meeting, Clinton - who flew in from Chicago with bags under his eyes - was classic old Bill at first, charming and making small talk with the 15 or so delegates who gathered in a room behind the convention stage.

But as the group moved together for the perfunctory photo, Rachel Binah, a former Richardson delegate who now supports Hillary Clinton, told Bill how "sorry" she was to have heard former Clinton campaign manager James Carville call Richardson a "Judas" for backing Obama.

It was as if someone pulled the pin from a grenade.

"Five times to my face (Richardson) said that he would never do that," a red-faced, finger-pointing Clinton erupted.

The former president then went on a tirade that ran from the media's unfair treatment of Hillary to questions about the fairness of the votes in state caucuses that voted for Obama. It ended with him asking delegates to imagine what the reaction would be if Obama was trailing by just 1 percent and people were telling him to drop out.

Comments

[demozealot]

10:01 PM on 04/05/2008

Slick Willie can't keep his pants zipped; why expect him to zip his lips?
Hang in there Obama. Power to the People!

[barriosbabe]

08:53 AM on 04/06/2008

You know, I used to like Bill Clinton, even when he was way to prog for my tastes. But he really is a skunk. I think it's all the money!

[KatiaK]

02:58 PM on 04/05/2008

Why can’t so called superdelegates unequivocally get behind the democratic process and uphold the will of the people. To do otherwise mocks the democratic process and will surely destroy the Democratic party. In spite of Senator Obama’s lead in pledged delegates, popular vote, and number of states, I have observed Senator Clinton and our ex-President attempt to use every imagined metric (and tactic) to rationalize and advance her personal ambition. Left unchecked her ambition will surely cost us the election. It is readily apparent that superdelegates can never yield independent judgment. Bill Clinton and cronies are making an example out of Governor Richardson should they try. The whole damn process is sickening.

[justShareandbeNice]

07:04 PM on 04/05/2008

Exactly! I think the Clintons are really pressuring superdelegates in sleazy ways. Just an educated guess. :-)

[RandyRP]

08:52 PM on 04/05/2008

Another reader said:

"Left unchecked her ambition will surely cost us the election."

Given the fact that she does not really stand much of a chance of securing the nomination at this point, it appears that this is her strategy. A Democratic loss means she will be back in four years an Obama victory on the other hand means an eight year hiatus. Same was true for her and Bill's lack of support for Kerry in 04. She is not about what's best for the party and the people, only what satisfies her own means and her refusal to bow out gracefully proves it. Her latest endorsement of the delegate plan for Florida and Michigan casts her as desparate and pathetic, and this hurts the party too.

[Jason357]

02:21 PM on 04/05/2008

The Clinton's aren't exactly the most unselfish people on Earth. It's very odd for a guy like Bill Clinton to be giving anyone a sermon about not lying and considering others.

[Drewkowski]

10:30 AM on 04/05/2008

Damn. Even though I don't like Hillary, what Richardson did - if he did tell bill 5 times - is rough stuff. If I were bill, I'd be pissed if someone I thought was my "bro" stabbed me all Caesar-like. I'd want to clock em'!

But... like the Clintons say, politics is rough & though.

[KarenZipdrive]

10:14 AM on 04/05/2008

Gee, Bill got mad that Richardson screwed Hillary over. What a shock.
This is not news, it's tabloid garbage that the lemmings just love to snack on.

[edayres]

09:12 PM on 04/04/2008

I think the point here is that Richardson was lying to Clinton and other Democratic party operatives when he was already in negotiations with the Obama camp. Richardson well knows giving his phony assurances to the political pros like Carville and many others to whom he reported to have done so makes them look like fools when it is discovered their inside information wasn't reliable. Washington is a town where access to information is how you make your living. Richardson was messing with the livelihoods of some people. The other point I'd make is the ingratitude on the part of Richardson. The Clintons were responsible for giving him a shot at the big time and I'm sure they feel betrayed.

[bailey2006]

09:31 PM on 04/04/2008

Too bad, soo sad.

And how do you know that Richardson was lying to Clinton while in negotiations with Obama?

Did it ever dawn on you that during the time he was in negotiations he was going to throw his vote to Hillary. However, after soooo much has come about Hillary's reputation and all of her lies/misspeaks, he just could no longer support her???

[justShareandbeNice]

07:10 PM on 04/05/2008

What is this, 5th grade? Richardson can do what he damn wants. Billary knows that. That is why he/she is pissed. If "promises" can't be broken then why would Billary make Richardson promise "five times to my face!". Heh.

Besides, Richardson said he didn't make promises. Is he lying? I have no idea. Their politicians for God's sake.

[barriosbabe]

08:54 AM on 04/06/2008

Good post.

[muktukcanuck]

06:31 PM on 04/04/2008

As Hillary continues to unravel during this campaign Bill is either breaking trail, or bringing up the rear in an increasingly desperate looking manner. This whole campaign is turning into a a disheveled mess. Do they let Bill talk, send Chelsea out, soften Hillary up, toughen her up, and so it goes. The whole thing is looking a little rag tag at this point, and unfortunately the Clinton legacy is crumbling.
In my view this is what happens when your personal agenda overrides good sense. Kind of a sad thing to watch.

[PhoenixtheUndying]

04:28 PM on 04/04/2008

It's gona be one hell of a convention this year

[lizabethj2]

02:07 PM on 04/04/2008

The Clinton Camp's meeting after Bill Richardson endorsed Obama:

"Okay, what can we do to devalue the endorsement?"

"How about if Bill becomes "outraged" and says that he's a traitor?"

"Yes, and we could say that he said Obama was electable. Then people will think Richardson is just out for himself."

Hillary: "Make it so."

[lizabethj2]

03:01 PM on 04/04/2008

correct to "unelectable"

[Rex11]

07:21 PM on 04/04/2008

Speaking of endorsements, I don't know if this endorsement will hurt or help Obama;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx9PQOkqtY0&NR=1

[notnuffsaid]

01:05 PM on 04/04/2008

I was sitting in the house when he came from that superdelegates' meeting to ask the delegate masses "to chill out.". And, say what you will, I have heard no one speak to the issues, both domestic and foreugn with as great a grasp of the intricacies of the issues as he did. He really is quite brilliant. I think he sees politics as a great chess game and he is a grand master, whereas with Hillary, it's more a matter of life and death.

[Boringat]

10:54 AM on 04/04/2008

If the dress is a mess he must confess!!

[2sunny]

11:36 AM on 04/04/2008

get over it!

[trinity29]

12:47 PM on 04/04/2008

LMAO. I actually laughed out loud.

[finethnx]

09:57 AM on 04/04/2008

Nice private meeting, and Binah- she's a peach. Bill's "tirade" was legit. More people whould be yelling about these things.

[2sunny]

11:37 AM on 04/04/2008

right-on.....

[trinity29]

12:49 PM on 04/04/2008

you mean Richardson should not have a right to support who he wants to support? You mean his need to be loyal to the country should trump his loyalty to Clintons? Richardson did not promise an endorsement. Bill just thought that he would most likely endorse Hillary. If his endorsement is of no significance as the Hillary campaign stated, then why such an outrage? Which side of the mouth will the story be coming out now?

[garnetwood]

03:10 PM on 04/04/2008

Sure Richardson has the right to endorse anybody he wants to. Just like Carville has the right to call him a Judas if he wants to. The bottom line is what goes around comes around and Bill Richardson may never be trusted by anybody again in the Democratic party. If he can backstab a friend like this, imagine what he could do to Obama, a guy he barely knows.

[thegulliblecitizen]

08:43 AM on 04/04/2008

Since when can sleazy lobbyists for foreigh interests get serious consideration for the Presidency? Didn't this creep arrange the sellout of the U. S. ports to Dubai? Forty million dollars worth of speeches seem a lot like bribes to me! It is an embarrassment to the Democratic party that these creeps still have political life! They''re waiting for their payoff to get out! Heap so much ignominy upon them that they suffocate from kitchen sink syndrome!

[2sunny]

11:55 AM on 04/04/2008

....and What have YOU done for your Country lately? My immigrant Father who came to America on a "cattle boat" in 1910, admonished us, (4 siblings) daily. "WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE YOU COME TO THE BREAKFAST TABLE. AND.....questioned & challanged us often by asking, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR YOUR COUNTRY TODAY?"
What I am reading in your angry words are a sad state in this county. No disrespect intended........but I ask.....can YOU do better?

[klimtone]

06:51 PM on 04/04/2008

That's assuming that Clinton did what he did for the country.

[The 13 Colonies]

06:43 PM on 04/04/2008

Didn't Hillary vote forU.S. ports in Dubai?

[JiminNC]

06:08 AM on 04/04/2008

He's going to wag that damned finger in the worng person's face one day and get it snapped in half.

[StephenJK]

07:00 AM on 04/04/2008

Looks like you're the perfect violence-prone individual to do it.

[Jeffersonian1]

05:19 AM on 04/04/2008

Well, I don't say, "I told you so" much.

But I will say this, I'm damned glad I supported Bob Kerrey for the Democratic nomination in 1992.