Bill Clinton Says Media Favored Obama Over Hillary Clinton During 2008 Primary (VIDEO)

During an interview that aired on Fox News on Tuesday night, Bill Clinton signaled his belief that the media favored then-candidate Barack Obama over his wife, Hillary Clinton, during the 2008 primary campaign.

When asked if he believes there was a disparity in how the big name Democrats were covered by the press, Clinton responded, "Oh, I think yes."

Pressed for his take on why the media covered his wife in such a manner during the last presidential election cycle, he said, "I'm not going there" and added, "She's the Secretary of State. Nothing I say can be helpful on this. ... And so, you know, they always like what's new. And they always like a conflict. And they always like a story. But nothing I can say will contribute to anything good happening in America."

During the appearance, Clinton also weighed in on the race for the Republican presidential nomination. After working with Newt Gingrich when the candidate served as House Speaker, the former president said, "I respect his ability to think and do." He continued, "And I eventually hammered out a really productive relationship with him. I don't disrespect anybody who works with me in good faith. I think he was way more political than I would have been. He's defended what he calls 'scorched earth politics' and I certainly was the beneficiary of it."

Clinton signaled his intention to vote for President Obama in next year's general election. He declined to say, however, whether he would stand behind Gingrich or GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney if he were voting in New Hampshire's 2012 primary.

"I am not gonna get in that Republican primary," he explained. "I also like Huntsman, you know, and if I voted for him I'd be on the 1 percent, but he arguably has the most consistently conservative economic record of anyone running."

Comments

[Cor]

03:06 PM on 12/27/2011

I do not completely agree with Clinton, however the republicans have waged a major war against women every since they got control of the house. You say jobs, they say a bort ion. You say health care, they say a bort ion. They are trying to defund any and all organizations that are involved with the health of women and children. This is more disturbing to me than their ridiculous fiscal policies. Conservative men have always wanted to control the lives of women, but I believe the scale has increased dramatically. I also believe that conservatives felt that if they didi not get these issues to go their way now, they never will. It may be their last chance to maintain their control of women and minorities. They are however doomed.

[timpoleman]

01:30 PM on 12/27/2011

Look at all the Libby/dems that have buyers remorse with Obama! Thank God he will be gone by this time next year!!!

[Cor]

03:06 PM on 12/27/2011

In your wildest dreams :)

[Stringer32]

03:39 PM on 12/24/2011

Clinton is the ultimate fraud who talks a good game but when you examine his record it comes up lacking. Take away the roaring economy (built on the now defunct tech bubble) and many of the problems the country is facing now can be laid at the feet of the laws passed with him and the republican controlled congress through the 90s.

[l78lancer]

12:46 AM on 12/23/2011

When asked the questions Bill has to answer to a degree. I do tire of the press attempting to relitigate the matter.

[didyouseethat]

03:33 PM on 12/22/2011

Clinton disagreed with Obama on Solindra, Boles Simpson, Health Care, Corporate Tax Rates. Clinton, the Iconic Democratic President of recent history, would have done things differently. Those differences would not only improve the overall health of the United States, but would almost guarantee Obama a second term. Yet, the smartest guy in the room rejects all of those policies. Clinton also stated that he enjoyed his negotiations with Newt, two intellectual heavyweights, debating and negotiating the topic of the day. Obama is an intellectual lightweight and understands that an intellectual debate with Republican Leaders is a losing proposition. He does not possess the skill set necessary to debate those issues and therefore avoids the negotiation because he knows he will be exposed as the Poser in Chief.

[Insightful]

09:40 AM on 12/24/2011

Unfortunately, Obama is a complete fraud and let us remember his allegiance to Rev. Wright which had to be swept under the rug as soon as his backers saw it emerging. As soon as he stepped into the White House the banks were given trillions of dollars, credit card rates were raised to the skies and people were getting trampled on in every way. He sat by for over 2 years and squandered millions on his circus vacations. Bill Clinton has nothing in common with Barack Obama. Most of us have gone downhill with this mystery man at the helm.

[Stringer32]

03:41 PM on 12/24/2011

No Insightful it is you that are a "complete fraud". You revisionist history is not fooling anyone

[Junaid Noori]

02:44 PM on 12/22/2011

Both Hilary and Obama are conservatives by the standards of politics in any other country but the US.

One voted for the war in Iraq, and the other voted to increase troops in Afghanistan.

Birds of a feather.

[JimK2]

07:35 PM on 12/22/2011

Hillary Clinton Floor Speech A.U.M.F. Use of Force Vote
October 10, 2002

While there is no perfect approach to this thorny dilemma, and while people of good faith and high intelligence can reach diametrically opposed conclusions, I believe the best course is to go to the UN for a strong resolution that scraps the 1998 restrictions on inspections and calls for complete, unlimited inspections with cooperation expected and demanded from Iraq.

Even though the resolution before the Senate is not as strong as I would like in requiring the diplomatic route first and placing highest priority on a simple, clear requirement for unlimited inspections, I will take the President at his word that he will try hard to pass a UN resolution and will seek to avoid war, if at all possible.

Barack Obama 26 October 2002: "I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power. He has repeatedly defied UN resolutions, thwarted UN inspection teams, developed chemical and biological weapons, and coveted nuclear capacity". He"s a bad guy. The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him.

Hillary was PRO U.N., Bush was Pro War, Obama was PRO doing nothing
http://aumf.awardspace.com/

[Junaid Noori]

08:33 PM on 12/22/2011

Reading is good for you:

http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/11/29/195654.shtml

Also, you should update yourself on Hilary's stances on sanctions that have brutalized its people, military aid to Israel which kills innocent Gazans, support for Israel's war in Lebanon, support for indefinite military presence in Afghanistan, etc.

She also happens to be Obama's Secretary of State, in case you forgot.

[marecek]

02:00 PM on 12/22/2011

Billary gots its rear end handed to it on a platter and it is still unable to come to terms with the fact. Poor babies.

[jimspy]

12:00 PM on 12/22/2011

"Long-Time Washington Insider, Long Expected To Be Next Democratic Nominee, Runs Tight Campaign" = not news.

"African-American Newcomer's Meteoric Rise Could Upset Former First Lady's Status as 'Ordained Nominee'" = news.

[brt929]

02:33 PM on 12/22/2011

So true.  I have said this over and over.  Every other candidate- Biden, Richardson, Edwards, Kucinich, and there were a couple of others, were all totally ignored by the media because they wanted to concentrate on the first black candidate vs. the first female candidate.

None of the others even had a chance.

[beawild]

03:58 PM on 12/22/2011

The liberal media fell in love with Obama the candidate. Lack of experience and nothing much to show other than the ability to give a good speech didn't seem to matter an iota to these intellectual midgets.

His 3 main demographics were those making over 150K, AA and the youth.

[jimspy]

09:01 AM on 12/23/2011

Thank goodness it's working out for all of us.

[Imani Burrell]

11:52 AM on 12/22/2011

The truth is usually the hardest pill to swallow. And while Mr. Obama's race played an important role in the decision for whom to nominate as our democratic presidental candidate, the fact that Hilary is a woman proved to be the hurdle.

Just as it is in our daily lives, the greatest expression of prejudice and oppression [in this country and around the world] is, has, and looks like always will be, gender.

On a side note, I'm glad Hillary didn't win and have to deal with the unbelievable agenda Mr. Obama has tackled... I'm very satisfied with the progress he's made to date.

[brt929]

02:36 PM on 12/22/2011

No it wasn't a hurdle.  She didn't play up being a woman at all, so it didn't make for an interesting headline.  She played it safe, she was afraid to go there.

But you are absolutely right about gender.  The Republicans have absolutely no respect for women.

[timpoleman]

01:26 PM on 12/27/2011

How do you go from the media and the Democrats not nominating Hillary to the Republicans having no respect for woman? Nice try at spin, though it's not working, you just sound really really stupid!!

[SecularJoe]

02:38 PM on 12/22/2011

"My group is discriminated against more than your group" is tiring.

Obama was a fresh face who was against the Iraq War, gave more inspiring speeches, and the press liked him because he was a more interesting story than "the person we all knew would get the nomination is getting the nomination." He just beat her.

"Americans are more prejudicial against women than blacks" is just an ignorant thing to say. One liberal to another, try to rise above identity politics. It's old, tired, and divisive.

[beawild]

04:07 PM on 12/22/2011

Oh, yeah?

"Someone should take her to a room and only he should come out". Keith Olbermann on Hillary.

"The reason why she's a senator and a presidential candidate is because her husband messed around". Chris Matthews.

"The Clinton campaign is pimping Chelsea". David Shuster. Never mind that almost every adult child of a candidate was campaigning for his/her dad.

How about the various comments about her "cankles", age, weight, "shrill" voice and let's not forget that her laughter was a "cackle".

The media sexist? Nope, it was only in our imaginations.

BTW, did anyone in the Democratic party condemn the sexism of the media? Nope, not a one. Pelosi only said something after her guy had safely been nominated.

A pox on the media and the Democratic party's leadership!!!!!!!!!

[JoeMomma]

11:28 AM on 12/22/2011

We all know why the media sided with Obama too. Because he ultimately turned out to be a lot more conservative than we were led to believe. We all knew about Hillary, and that is why the Democratic party is in shambles today. Even with 8 years of Bush they can't pick a winner.

[Sock No 4]

12:15 PM on 12/22/2011

lol

[deltalady]

12:59 PM on 12/22/2011

Because of gender bias....and the fact (my belief) that the bigs all knew Obama would be a pushover and very easy to buy. After all, Mr. GE himself ended up as Obama's job czar...and we all know how much GE loves to create American jobs overseas.

[brt929]

02:40 PM on 12/22/2011

It wasn't gender bias that drove the media.  It was the story and the headline.  Wasn't Obama a more compelling story than Hillary?  Of course he was.  He was the long shot candidate, and everything about him was great for selling newspapers and magazines.

[jackjon]

11:26 AM on 12/22/2011

The media favored Gore, the media favored Kerry, looked what happened. The media cannot elect a president.

[deltalady]

01:02 PM on 12/22/2011

After 8 years of Bush/Cheney, haven't we learned that the Supreme Court, as well as the media, can help elect and keep in office anyone they wish to.

[JimK2]

08:35 PM on 12/22/2011

The media sat on their collective hands and would not lift a finger to defend Al Gore from the "he a serial liar" attacks,

[gwinegarden]

11:22 AM on 12/22/2011

The grapes remain sour.

[JoeMomma]

11:22 AM on 12/22/2011

Anyone paying attention knew how badly the media was pulling for Obama over Hillary. The media always picks the finalists. Look at their treatment of Huntsman and Paul. Same thing. The problem is 99 out of 100 Americans are too stupid to figure it out.

[Kilgarvan]

11:20 AM on 12/22/2011

Bill Clinton is always more generous to the other side than he is to his fellow Democrats. Clinton was, as Maddow said, the best Democratic president the Republicans ever had. He seethes with resentment against Obama who ran a better race and damns him with feint praise. He is ever the child (a bright one, to be sure) who needs constant stroking (literally and figuratively). And people bond with him because of his "warmth" while they do not with the disciplined, mature equally intelligent Obama.

[bobbythompson3333]

11:14 AM on 12/22/2011

I love it when Clinton takes a dig at Obama...it's gotts infuriate pbo but he has to keep his mouth shut because it's Clinton - fun to watch

[Sock No 4]

12:16 PM on 12/22/2011

hehe