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

[kfdan]

Ol'Bill is surely losing his cool, good manners, demeanor, sensibility, mind and future influence peddling. Pretty soon, his presence will at the Democratic Convention will not be desired!

[hearye]

Oh Gawd, the bullying and abusive is in motion already. Sounds like Shelley Ross really will have a place in this world after all. Ranting, manipulation, intimidation, back stabbing....
and of course the fake shallow public pleasant persona vs the behind the scenes in your face ranting. All I can say is I couldn't really stand another round of the Clinton's. Can't we stop recycling previous politicians and their family members and move forward with some new people for a change? Ya think?

[trinity29]

who needs to watch a reality show when you have the primaries?

[rosal]

What a shame. Its meltdown time for the out of control Clintons. Bill Clinton should be so lucky to have the respect Gov. Richardson has. Please, just make the Clintons go away!

[RandyRP]

Another posted said:

"I also believe that Bill and Hillary Clinton promised US a "Rose Garden" when they were in the White House, we got Scandal and Impreachment hearings"

This depends on what your definition of "Rose Garden" is. Opps I guess it also depends on your definition of "is". To Bill and Hillary "Rose Garden" = Running the White House as a Bed and Breakfast.

Bill just blew his top becasue while Carville mentioned 30 peices of silver, he forgot to mention Bill offere 60. All fro a man who puts his hand out when some one say "Pardon Me"

[Ozarks]

Bill's outburst shows how badly Bill Richardson's endorsement of Obama damaged Hillary's campaign to woo super delegates to vote for her . Bill's "5 times" allegation reminds me of his redefinition of the word 'is' after it was revealed that Monica's "stained" dress had been found. Bill's tirades at super delegates is the best thing that can happen , maybe those California super delegates will use Bill's displayed threats to direct their vote toward Obama. I hope so. He just doesn't carry the "weight" he believes he still has, and it all started in the South Carolina fiasco largely attributed to him.

[trinity29]

Bill needs to chill a bit.

[brooklinme]

I have a message for Bill Clinton. My vote in the Maine Caucus means just as much as his vote in New York or wherever.

[thedudeabides]

he's melting down, and dragging her with him...

[richardgordon]

So Bill & Hillary Clinton are HUMAN. They screw up and make foolish mistakes like the rest of us.

It has never ceased to amaze me how the public reacts to the Clinton's. They either worship them or hate them. And their enemies positively revel in their "flaws".

The first thing I have learned is never to worship another human being. No matter how charismatic, intelligent or gifted. The fact is they are human beings just like you and me. Eventually they will screw up, make errors in judgment and just be plain wrong on some issues. We all do. The only way of avoiding this reality is to truly be God.

The second is to think for oneself. So Kudos to Richardson for doing just that. In fact, Richardson owes the people of America his loyalty not the Clintons. And even if he did promise Bill Clinton 5 times he would endorse Hillary, he did the right thing for America by voting his conscience.

Thirdly, America's mania for Obama (and personally I do think Obama will make the best president out of three outstanding candidates - yes, I even like McCain for all of his flaws) is very likely to turn into a backlash at some point. So, its in the Obama people's interest to suppress the god like worship that his supporters are throwing at him. Like I said. Eventually Obama will screw up. We all do. We are only human.

[kato1]

Yes, we are all human and we do make mistakes. But, we're not all running for the highest office in the land! I think the primary season is the first test - how the candidates manage their campaigns, handle "rough spots" and deal with the stress of losing or the attacks from the other side or the media are revealing. Can one maintain grace under fire? Can one maintain their principles in the toughest of contests? The sad truth is that the Clintons have never managed to rise above, to take the high road. They've always sunk down and mucked around in the dirt. They've engaged in fear mongering and have all too easily lied when cornered.

They've bullied and railed. When things got really bad, they fired their campaign manager (of course, it was all her fault). They say one thing and do another. They've been as secretive as Bush and Co. all the while insisting that they're totally transparent.

So, in my opinion, they've failed the first test. Big time. This is why they're losing support, why their supporters are waffling, ready to jump0 ship. By the end of the primary season, Hillary will be wishing for the good old days when she had a 37% approval rating.

[richardgordon]

Why couldn't the American people have been so discerning in the last two elections? Yes, I agree that we must hold our candidates to a higher standard, but hey, that sure as hell wasn't the case in the last two elections was it?! In both cases a bumbling fool was chosen over an articulate and intelligent observer.

The problem was that the electorate chose to focus on the perceived flaws of the candidates in making their decision. Not their strengths. In the case of Al Gore it was his "woodenness" and in the case of Kerry it was his perceived "anti-Americanism" (i.e. his views and crusades against Vietnam war. And brilliantly exploited by the Republican attack machine) Everybody has flaws and had the American people chosen to focus on their candidates strengths there would have been an entirely different outcome in the last two elections.

[nihilate]

The only act that could save hrc's butt is for her to fire wjc!

[PhoenixWmn]

I'm reading all these posts and wondering WHY no one is mentioning HRC's conection to Colombia through one of her campaign chiefs ? Everybody got their knickers in a wad over the Obama-Canada-NAFTA thing, but here we have MONEY CHANGING HANDS to officials high up the food chain in the Clinton campaign and I'm seeing NO press on it, aside from teh article here in HuffPo. WTF ??!!?
Does anybody care about the facts, or is this primary just a popularity contest ? Bill is showing his a*s and blowing his considerable political cred incrementally; HRC is conniving, grasping at straws, desperate to get nominated at any cost ( vis a vis "arriving under sniper fire-opening the Macedonian border-major role in Irish peace talks", etc etc ad nauseum) and people are whining about Obama's "lack of experience". Take away the BS and embroidering and claims to vicarious experience thru being the spouse of a POTUS, and you have 7 yrs of not so distinguished senatorial experience, pretty much on par with Obama. Caveat emptor, America; we're starting to behave like a battered wife who keeps returning to her batterer.

[justobserve]

We are all human but not all human are the same. Some are as bad as the Clintons! It seems whenever Clintons do something bad, the argument is everyone is just as bad. No, liars are bad, but swindlers are worse.

[bdd]

Hey Bill,
Heed your own words..."chill out".
While you are doing that, please for the love of the Democratic Party, advise your wife to bow out now.

[hiprogloho]

Cut Bill some slack. We haven't had a fair election since before 2000, the media is spinning public opinion like a king maker and his wife is the fall gal this time around. So he has reason to be pissed.

[seattleblogger]

Oh, please, get real! Hillary is the "fall gal" because she deserves it, not because the media has it out for her.

[wolfi101]

Typical. Blame everyone but those responsible. Hillary's situation is her own design. She blew her "inevitable candidacy", when she ignored the media, refused to talk about issues, and spent her money spuriously (and literally) in Las Vegas.

[finethnx]

Exactly.

[WilburM]

you mean, like, 1960?

[UrbanRevolution]

Gee, today Hillary claimed that she opposed the war prior to Obama's 2002 speech!!! (see Eugene, OR rally articles) Hmmm... seems to me she mighta mentioned that in the 20 or so debates they've had. I don't know, I'm just sayin' ...

[KOisGod]

Wrath springs from the deep well of unfulfilled desire.

Think 'ol Bill still hasn't sown his seed?

[patriotscholar]

Guess he really made a fine impression on those delegates. Especially now that Gov. Richardson has said that it was a lie.

[Bummer]

I hope that Bill Richarson is wathching his back, It is not above the Clinton's to put a hit contract out on him, they did it on there own lawyer in the white water scandal and got away with it. They believe they are above the law.

[StephenJK]

Yes, because we all know how intimately involved with that case you and everyone else claiming to know that Hillary and Bill put a hit on Vince Foster. I actually thought that people like you knew she actually pulled the trigger. And how they stole all the records pertinent to her indictment according to a secretary. Yes, they, the Clintons, were responsible for much. Up to, and including humanity's fall from grace.

[user168]

"Anger dwells only in the bosom of fools."

“In a controversy, the instant we feel anger, we have already ceased striving for truth and have begun striving for ourselves.”

"Can anger survive without his hypocrisy?"

[srtjsrtj]

This is the very Washington that Sen. Barack speaks of constantly run by favors and big business. It's nice to see President Clinton confirm that what we thought we knew, we now know is absolutely true. Gov. Richardson was more thatn qualified for both positions and did an outstanding job, he owes nothing to the Clintons. I was so dissapointed in James Carville because we now finally see all the straight talk he's done for years is crooked talk because he's definitely a part of the Washington mind set of favors and big business. What ashamed.

[zull2]

The only questions about "fairness of votes" should be directed by the Democratic Party against the Clinton campaign. For one precinct, an entire precinct in New York to have 0 votes for Obama (in any district, there will be at least one freaking vote for the other candidate), for the votes in New Hampshire to only fall to Hillary in districts where there were voting machines (and then suspiciously, the memory cards of those machines to be yanked and "discarded" before an investigation could begin)...there is evidence all over the country that indicates that various party insiders, dissatisfied by the campaign not "following the script", decided to try to MAKE it "follow the script".

[TREEFLOWER]

I AM SO PLEASED TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE RAISED THIS ISSUE. THE MEDIA SIMPLY SWEPT IT UNDER THE RUG. AS FOR ME, I TRULY BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT THE CLINTONS ARE ALL ABOUT, "LYING AND CHEATING,"

AS A NATIVE NEW YORKER, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WITHOUT A DOUBT, THAT THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO DISTRICTS IN WHICH SENATOR OBAMA RECEIVED 0 VOTES IN HARLEM OR ANY OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS INCIDENT INVESTIGATED. I'M SURE WE WILL FIND THE DIRTY, DEVIOUS HANDS OF THE CLINTONS IN THE "SNAKE POT!"

[TRYKER]

When Hillary handily won Ohio, the first question was, have they gotten to those voting machines that perform so miraculously?

Maybe sub-contracting yourself "like a xerox machine" to so many interests has proven painful when the likelihood of the win is fading. "But I promised so many corporations...".