Bill Clinton: "I Wouldn't Even Worry About The Republicans"

WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton says those in his party should ignore any grief from Republicans on health care reform, because the GOP is just waiting for Democrats to "mess up."

Clinton told Esquire magazine that lawmakers should put together the best health care measure for President Barack Obama, even if it must be fixed later.

"All we have to worry about is getting things done and doing them as well as we can," Clinton said. "Don't even worry about the Republicans. Let them figure out what they're going to stand for. 'Cause as long as they're sitting around waiting for us to mess up, they don't have a chance."

Unlike his failed effort to revamp health care in the mid-1990s, Clinton said he believes Obama will overhaul the system.

Comparing Obama's busy first year in office to his own, Clinton said, "It's going to have a different ending – he's going to get health care reform."

Clinton also laid out his take on the GOP's strategy in the Aug. 7 interview.

"The broad canvas is that the Republicans are trying to figure out whether to keep playing their old songs or try to write a new script," he said. "Meanwhile, they're hoping this president will fail, and they're trying to spook the Democrats from the more vulnerable districts into helping him fail."

Clinton recalled how Democrats regained control of Congress in 2006, which Republicans had held since 1994.

"I remember I told Hillary the morning after the election, I said, 'If we don't nominate a convicted felon, our nominee's gonna be president,'" he said.

Obama won the Democratic nomination after a long primary battle with the former president's wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The interview is published in the October issue, on stands Sept. 14.

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On the Net:

http://www.esquire.com/

Comments

[dukesman2000]

Preaching to the choir here, Bill.

[arlandbaee]

Just the idea that republicans believe that government is a bad thing is sufficient to mark them as hypocrites. I would love to see one Republican president who fostered the "Less Government is Better" ideology and succeeded in reducing government. Anyone out there with a succinct and definitive representative who lives up to this standard? I must remind you that increases in the military equals increases in government. The last president who effectively succeeded at this was Clinton. This false ideology is just more propaganda the right espouses because it's a great selling point. Reagan increased taxes, both Bushs increased military spending exponentially. Did we witness a republican outcry? No, we were fed a cry me a river excuse. Every republican in the past thirty years has increased our deficit by extraordinary measures. Why is this never demonized by those who condemn such actions? I guess I am not wise enough to understand the ins and outs of politics.

[CTtransplant]

Folks, NO trigger!!! And NO waiting five years !!!

Never ever ever give up!!! Folks, do not forget the marches on September 13th!!!
If not now, when? If not us, who?

Kennedy was one of our greatest champions of health care reform. He carried the torch for a long time...and now it is up to us to continue to carry it!

Our elected officials in Congress receive health care mostly paid for by us tax payers, yet many are trying to make it impossible for us to purchase an affordable plan of our own :

While many of us are struggling to afford medical insurance/medical bills.
While Congress people try to stop healthcare reform.
While Congress people accept large contributions from lobbyists to prevent health care reform.

Please sign these petitions - and by all means, spread the word! Thank you!

http://www.petitiononline.com/PubOp676/petition.html
http://www.democrats.com/honor-ted-kennedy?cid=ZGVtczQ0MTA5OGRlbXM=
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5649/t/4922/content.jsp?content_KEY=2763&tag=hk1_typ-e1

[68-lukeburlington]

But it is not the R's that Obama needs to worry about, well....not those R's, now Raciest is the "R" to worry about! http://www.suburbanempire.com/content/its-racism-stupid

Left wing sass served up daily by folks in Vermont..... so you know it's Liberal!

[AZterritory]

Bill has called this one right . . . the party of no is only worried about what is best for THEM as they see it. Time to get moving and leave them to pound sand.

[Opus007]

The health care industry owns the GOP. What's our excuse?
The other concern with the GOP is all these investigations piling up and the Democrats have subpoena power. The easiest way to kneecap the Democrats is to go after health care tooth and nail and splinter the base and please their health care industry overlords. We are being played.

[realpolitic]

Conservatives really have no ideas at all. The idea that "the government is not the solution but the problem" is older than the memory of Ronald Reagan. They deny climate change, the fact that health care needs reform, and increasing income extremes that create incalculable disparites in society. They deny homelesness, malnutrition, and racial disparities. They deny, deny, deny, while telling us how great the country is. The object is to make the country better and not to deny all social problems and then insist it is wonderful. As long as Republicans have their collective heads in the sand, they will be the party of "birthers", government death squads for granny, and people bringing assault weapons to Town Hall meetings. In fact, instead of wanting to hear their ideas, they are beginning to frighten me with all the shrill, crazy rhetoric. They often sound like a far-right militia who wants to eliminate dissent when they are in power, casually toss aside the constitution, and fuse church and state.

[arlandbaee]

It really goes beyond that. It's a condition which has been around since documentation. People who espouse these ideas have always been and always will be part of the systemic problem every government faces. Literally these people represent the gangsters, the mafia and the religious extremists which exist in every society on the planet today. They represent the part of humanity which promotes individualism over societal concerns. They represent conformity over diversity. They are the consistency required for propagation. But they lack the creativity required for improvement or evolution. A distinct moral divergence exists in humanity, both branches are equally tenable and both branches have been necessary for our species survival during different stages of our evolution. Since it is a genetic trait rather than a learned behavior it is impossible to correct and should be viewed as such. At some point in our near future we will have our genes mapped out and the product of those genes categorized. I sincerely hope when this occurs, it won't be seen as a liability, but as a product of nature. Of course I am assuming that science will prevail over superstition. The fight goes on.

[realpolitic]

The conservative element is not as strong at all in Europe. Much of the shrill conservatism we hear of today in America of "birthers" and "death panels for grandma" is due to inadequate educations among so many. I guess Obama can not assume everyone is rational!

[rf dude]

" But Barrack my buddy, I gotta warn ya about them interns..."
--

[LemonMeringue]

He tells the truth.

Republicans do not care about the health care crisis. Their Number One Goal is to make this administration fail - whatever the cost to the American people.

Party before country. Permanent oblivion is too good for them.

[Shrinath]

Not even party. Its like the richest of the richest's club, beholden only to themselves. Who wants in? The wannabes. But, not everyone is let in. It is like the civil war has never ended. Who are the fools? Those middle class working people who think they relate to the Republicans. Sad part: to the Republicans they are just a gullible lot that is to be milked dry and cast away. Irony- the very middle class that is being screwe.d over does not realize it.

[disintaGreatNation]

I sure do miss Pres. Clinton. He encouraged subprime lending; expanded NATO and provoked Russia; increased defense spending; reinforced the impotence of the UN; opposed the International Criminal Court; endangered the ABM Treaty; protected anti-personnel landmines; signed Helms-Burton; supported Israel, no matter what; launched an air war in Iraq; enlarged capital punishment; limited welfare; and understood that leadership was no substitute for poll-driven politics.

[lbicomber]

He didn't do most of those things, but he did enact policies that helped create 22 million + jobs, the longest economic expansion in US history, turned record deficits into a record surplus, the lowest crime rate in 30 years, highest real wage growth since the 1960s, largest increase in AA household income, lowest unemployment for AAs ever, largest drop in the child poverty rate in 30 years, largest overall drop in poverty in 30 years, Family Medical Leave Act, Hope add LL college tax credits, expanded EITC and raised the minimum wage, SCHIP health insurance for children for low income families, etc., etc., etc. ....

I understand why you miss him.

[armadillious2002]

Rats - you beat me too it - I might add that the 22 million jobs he created were 4 times more than bush created and that he balanced the budget for the first time in decades.

[2Bfair]

and how many jobs were lost due to American citizens because of NAFTA, irresponsibly lax immigration policies, unregulated corporate outsourcing, and the RECKLESS deregulation of the financial industry and resuling economic collapse.

In effect, Clinton era "prosperity" was the first stage of the HUGE Wall Street ponzi scheme, used to seduce average investors and borrowers who have been taken for TRILLIONS, while the Clintons, Summers, and Rubin made mega millions.

Continuing to spin the meme of Clinton prosperity when it was a set up and collapsed, while Bill and cronies cashed in, is laughable.

[wrldtrv]

Good advice from Clinton, but I doubt Obama will follow it. It's not in his nature. I'm prepared for some watered-down reform with some sort of co-op and everyone required to buy insurance, which the insurers will love: 50 million new paying customers with sham competition.

[Da-king]

Finally someone who reads my posts Good old Bill telling the truth as usual. the republicans are as irrelevant as it gets, its too bad some democrats don't get the message.

[timbonotes]

I really want to see a GOP filibuster. I f**king dare them! That would be their final downfall.

[Whitley2009]

I can't wait. Let them start with Jim DeMint who can explain how poor people will need his tax credits and vouchers. Let them filibuster and show their true colors. Obama and Biden will prevail.

[RevBookburn]

Fantastic advice from Clinton. He should know. After burying his face in Gingrich/ GOP carcass (especially signing "welfare reform"), Clinton got the Republican reward: full-blown witch-hunt and crucifixion.

Please take his wise advice Mr. President. The Republicans can continue to soil their diapers. Meanwhile, it's time for the rest of us to reverse as much of their damage as possible.

[pencilpusher]

We already HAD a TRIGGER for Health Care reform and a Public Option. I pulled the trigger when I voted for Barack Obama. So did a majority of the nation. We don't need more triggers. We need health care reform with a public option to force private health care providers to do what's right or go out of business.