Is This The Bill Clinton Show?

[Seneca]

Is This The Bill Clinton Show?

(AP) After watching from the sidelines for months, former Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor was lured into action by presidential candidate Wesley Clark — with a nudge from former President Clinton.

"The president knows General Clark better than I know General Clark, and I just asked what he thought," Kantor recalled. "He said, 'I have a tremendous regard for him.'"

And with that, Kantor joined Clark's campaign as a senior adviser.

By action and association, Mr. Clinton has had a major impact on Clark's first bid for elective office, causing some Democrats to wonder whether the former president's pledge of impartiality may be giving way to his loyalty toward a fellow Arkansan.

There is no proof that Mr. Clinton is pulling the strings in Clark's campaign — indeed, most Democrats say they doubt the former president would be so bold.

More: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/19/politics/main574320.shtml

[joeybee12]

1. I think he's involved--that's my opinion

And I don't need no stinkin' proof!

Bill lives and breathes politics--he had to get involved somehow since Al wouldn't let him in 2000.

[LearnedHand]

2. Isn't this a good thing?

:freak:

[clar]

5. No.

It's way paternalistic for Bill to be deciding the direction o the party. I don't want to be saved by Bill, and I don't think he should either overtly or covertly support any one indidividual at this point. It stinks.

[Pepperbelly]

7. I don't think that ...

Bill Clinton relinquished his right to speech, his right to vote or his right to offer advice if someone wants it. I can't see his support extending much beyond that until the party decides who to nominate.

[JNelson6563]

3. I think he is too

and nothing would help mobilize the right against a Clark candidacy like the mantra "he's Clinton's (whatever)".

Julie

[Tatiana]

8. Is that a bad thing?

Despite his failings, I believe Clinton remained a popular figure regardless of the right's vitriolic hatred of him. In fact, I'd wager Clinton would have won a third term if he was eligible to run.

[Eloriel]

9. It's a VERY bad thing

First, he probably oughtn't to be giving tacit endorsements at this point.

But more importantly -- and I "got it" when I learned Clark had ties to Jackson Stephens -- he's trying to "rescue" the Democratic Party from an enthusiastic take over by The People. TPTB, and that includes the DLC, the DNC (ruled by the DLC), and Clinton simply can't stand the idea of The People taking their party and their country back.

Can't control a man who isn't bought and paid for. Can't control a man who reports only to The People who elected him. Can't keep secrets you want kept. Can't keep your own power to run things behind the scenes. Can't keep control over all those corporate benefactors either, if The People are the ones who are really running things. Nope. Very, very dangerous to TPTB.

Clinton has been falling in my estimation for months and months now. This move seals his fate with me. He may not recognize the extent to which he has become an enemy of the people and REAL democracy, but that's what he has become.

Eloriel

[Pepperbelly]

14. Well, he is not alone so ...

perhaps he shouldn't lose any sleep over it tonight in Kosovo.

[tlb]

18. I have less eloquently made the same point in other threads

and made no friends from so doing, but it seems SO obvious this is the Clinton's and their circle once again putting their interests above the party's. I believe they will succeed in this too and still pay little or no price.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

19. Your indignation is based in the assumption that Dean is the only

man 'of the people'. And ironically I would have to say Clinton, (the man from Hope, the man with an office in Harlem) is most definitely 'of the people'.

[NNN0LHI]

11. "I'd wager Clinton would have won a third term if he was eligible to run"

I would not bet against you.

Don

[Upfront]

6. Clintonis backing Clark.

No doubt about it. Lots of Clinton people around Clark, no accident.

[Catch22Dem]

4. I think there's a difference between

"pulling the strings" and giving the Clark campaign a little encouragement.

[otohara]

10. Clinton's + DLC = Wesley Clark

there you have it

[Pepperbelly]

13. Do you somehow think ...

yourself imbued with some magical power that allows your to transmorph reality simply by proclaiming some absurd forula you dreamed up?

Man, there you have it, huh?

[yellowdog]

15. Could be.

http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/09/1646486.php

This is a link to an article claiming that Al From and Bruce Reed, our favorite DLC trolls, have a lot to do with Clark's candidacy.

[NNN0LHI]

12. Clinton's + DLC = Big Money

Can't beat Bush without Big Money. That is a fact of life we will have to live with.

Don

[Norton]

16. CLINTON ROCKED!!!

Made the right wing look like idiots for eight years +. How can any true liberal forget so soon??? I'd vote for him and/or his wife tomorrow if they could/would run!!!

[BlackWidow]

17. I don't think it's fair to put the heat on Clinton for this

Clark is getting into the game late. We need to pick the best possible candidate to run against the Shrub. So this will give Clark a little extra attention. So what? In this time of economic disaster, it might be a good thing for people to remember how great life was under the Clinton Adminstration.