Bill Clinton lavishes praise on McCain

[Nambe]

Source: CNN

Bill Clinton has long pointed out he has enjoyed a good relationship with John McCain, but for a moment the former president almost sounded like a surrogate for the Republican presidential nominee Thursday morning. ...

... Clinton's praise of McCain also came days after he told CNN's Larry King Live he was looking forward to campaigning on behalf of Barack Obama, but was not planning on "dumping" on McCain.

"When most people in his party were thinking that global warming was overstated and maybe even a myth … he decided to look into it," he told King.

"I just don't believe that getting up here and hyperventilating about Gov. Palin, or Sen. McCain for that matter, is a productive use of a former president's time and is not a vote-getter," he said, adding later he was an admirer of McCain even though the two disagree on several issues.

McCain burnished his maverick credentials largely during the Clinton administration, when he sided with Democrats on several key issues including campaign finance reform. Clinton has long expressed admiration for the Arizona senator, even during the primary season earlier this year when he said McCain and his wife are "very close." McCain did however voter to impeach Clinton however. ...

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/25/bill-clinton-lavishes-praise-on-mccain/

[louis-t]

1. He needs to stop that.

Now.

[FLAprogressive]

2. Sour grapes still?! nt

[TwilightGardener]

3. But Chelsea's still a dog, a product of Janet Reno and Hillary. OK, Bill.

[avaistheone1]

22. Now that was uncalled for.

I have never dissed Bill Clinton on this board before, but he is becoming such an ass as he kisses up to McCain.

[TwilightGardener]

25. I didn't say it, McCain did. But doesn't stop Bill from loving Johnny Mac.

[TankLV]

57. I re-read what you said and now I understand where you're comming from...

[LisaM]

4. Yawn.

How much of DU's bandwidth has been wasted on this non-story today?

[amdezurik]

33. so much hate lavished on Bill

for his not being a total asshole and trashing Mclame. Oh the faux outrage is a mighty wind...

[Scout]

60. well you just helped waste a little bit of it

:eyes:

"yawn" right, you're so bored you had to bother to post about it, and kick the thread

:rofl:

[pklaz96]

5. Is there some way we can prohibit mention of Bill and ...

his ambiguous comments and remarks.
I was once one of his faithful followers and admirers.
No more.
I think it would be best if we did not have to read and then try to disparage or explain his motives.

[bowens43]

12. You don't have to read anything posted here.

whether to read or not is your choice.

[JuniperLea]

6. Does no one recognize a concern troll when they see one??? eom

[olddad56]

7. Where the hell was Loraina Bobbitt when we needed her.

[1monster]

8. Bill Clinton was on John Stewart's show the other night. He was a breath of fresh air.

My husband, who has been threatening NOT to vote this year because he can't stand McCain and is leary of Obama, has changed his mind and is ready to vote for Obama because Bill Clinton is campaigning for him.

Says my husband, if Obama is willing to listen to and take advice from Bill Clinton, then there is more to him than I thought.

The people on DU who constantly put B. Clinton down are doing no service to Obama, because there are many, many people out here in the real world who see his intelligence and remember that in the nineties, under Clinton, we were prosperous and respected around the world.

Also, the same people remember that Bill Clinton does not speak evil of others... He's had that done to him and his wife all to often and has never been one to stoop to that level.

Just remember, there are Dems (some Repubs, too) out there who will vote for Obama, but not enthusiatically, and could just as easily stay home. There are many more like my husband who will go to the polls and vote for Obama if only just because Bill Clinton has endorsed him.

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. ...

:thumbsup:

[jamesatemple]

13. My! My! A voice of reason!

That's a sane, respectful point-of-view, 1monster. The shame is that it is so rare that it appears out of place. So many folks have become what we used to protest ~ disrespectful, petty, mean, unfeeling, etc.

I have disagreed with some of former President Clinton's policies and still do so on some aspects of NAFTA. Yet, in spite of his shortcomings, he comes across as a decent man in his dealings with others. He disagrees with McCain's policy positions without making personal attacks on the man. Far too many of our good DU'ers disagree with that respectful approach. Perhaps, after the election, President Obama will start us on the road to gentility again.

The American dream of a viable, enviable middleclass has been all but destroyed over the past eight years. It is no wonder that so many good Democrats have begun lashing out at all Republicans, calling them names, gritching at those among us who treat them kindly. I hope that there is a time in our near future where we can disagree with others yet treat them with dignity ~ the way that Bill Clinton chooses to do.

[1monster]

23. Thank you! And welcome to DU!

[saracat]

14. Thank you! Thumbs up from me too! Beautifully said.

[dflprincess]

20. And there are those of us who are not impressed

if Obama is taking advice from DLC types including Clinton. Better Obama listen to Bernie Sanders or Russ Feingold - then I'd believe he really wants to change things. Don't underestimate how many on the left are fed up. But I think most of us - no matter how much we'd like to skip the presidential race or vote for a third party - will vote for Obama because we're grown up enough to recognize what a disaster McCain would be for the country we care about.

[1monster]

24. Certainly grown up enough to insult anyone who isn't totally enamored of

Obama by insinuating that he/she a child?

One can recognize the disaster of McCain and still not believe in the miracle of Obama. The problems that beset this country are not going to be solved by one man. Whatever your feelings about B. Clinton, he is very intelligent, and well educated in what is going on in this country and the world. And he has the experience in government to be a great asset to Obama. If Obama recognizing that is what it takes to convicne people to vote for Obama, who are you to dis him?

I agree that we have to do our best to make sure that McCain does not win (or steal) the election.

And the best way to do that is not to dis people who can help that endevor just because some of those people happen to believe in that old saw about not saying anything about others if you can't say something good.

The deomonization of opponents is so out of the neocon republican handbook.

It doesn't belong in our party.

The demonization of fellow Democrats, even if they DLC, and especially if they are Bill Clinton is nonproductive at best, and highly destructive at just middling.

[dflprincess]

30. I'm not the one who said that I (or others) would stay home

unless they thought Clinton was campaigning for Obama. And yes, I think someone who would do that is being childish.

Read my post again. I am not nor have I ever been enamoured of Obama and hardly believe he's going to work any miracles. I'll be voting this November with very low expectations but at least the worse thing that can happen to me is that I have the chance of being happily surprised by Obama should he move to the left after being elected (and I truly, truly hope that in a couple years I'll be begging his supporters to forgive me for every doubting).

I was never enamoured of Clinton either. He may have a "D" after his name, but Republican lite is still Repbulican. Having DLC types campaigning for or advising Obama doesn't thrill me, but it doesn't make me say I'll stay home and not vote becasue Obama doesn't have enough of the people I agree with working for him.

I do not expect perfection from a candidate - but it would be nice to have one who was more like Sanders, Feingold or Boxer running for president.

[Pastiche423]

36. Many of us are also grown up enough

to recognize that Obama's following the advise of the DLC is turning many on the left away.

[olddad56]

21. when he was on Letterman the other night....

you would have thought he was campaigning for McCain.

He is turning into a scumbag and I used to think he was great. He must be getting his blow jobs from Joe Leiberman now.

[Royal Oak Rog]

34. The best reaction was

from Chris Rock he was just appalled how little he mentioned Obama. The Clinton's are power hungry fools, so hungry for power they let no one get in their way.

[heliarc]

27. I think there are some things that Bill Clinton could learn...

from Obama.

[1monster]

29. Probably, there are. It is a rare human being who doesn't have something to teach, and an even

rarer human being who doesn't have something to learn.

[PeaceNikki]

40. .

:thumbsup:

It was a great interview.

[onehandle]

48. DUers know little about Bill Clinton or politics in general.

No reality here whatsoever.

Bill kicked ass on TDS!

[Scout]

59. I caught that show, it was great!

I don't get to see it very often, but I'm so glad i was channel surfing just then and stopped and watched the whole thing.

I thought Jon Stewart and Bill Clinton did a great job.

[radfringe]

10. ya know, every day a little bit more of the respect I had

for bill disappears.... today, there is none left

[klook]

11. Obama officially nominated; Bill Clinton delivers hearty endorsement

Maybe you missed this:

August 28, 2008
BY DAVID SALTONSTALL
DAILY NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
DENVER - Former President Bill Clinton buried the past Wednesday night and exhorted Democrats to imagine a bold new future - with Barack Obama as President of the United States.

As Obama made history by becoming the first African-American nominee of a major party, Clinton put aside his lingering primary-season grievances with a rousing endorsement that brought the crowd to its feet over and over - interrupting him 40 times with applause.
more - http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/08/27/2008-08-27_obama_officially_nominated_bill_clinton_.html

And how come you chose not to quote this part of the CNN article? "Clinton has also been effusive in his praise for Obama in recent days, telling CBS earlier this week the Illinois senator is better-suited than McCain to bring the country out of the economic crisis."

[cstanleytech]

15. As he said though

"I just don't believe that getting up here and hyperventilating about Gov. Palin, or Sen. McCain for that matter, is a productive use of a former president's time and is not a vote-getter,"
so some of you need to deal with it and get over it.

[niceypoo]

16. Obama has said pretty much the same things....

...on the same subjects. The outrage over Clinton's statements is phony and largely from regressives who refuse to get past the primaries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9Jtl51aWb0">Obama praises McCain on climate change

He also http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/377173_obama30.html">praised Palin:

"Her selection is yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics," their statement said. "While we obviously have differences over how best to lead this country forward, Gov. Palin is an admirable person and will add a compelling new voice to this campaign."

Obama has also called McCain a, 'hero.'

Bill Clinton's statements pretty much mirror those of Obama. The people who freak out about them are intentionally taking them out of context because of personal animosity.

[Spiffarino]

17. Clinton has a job to do for Obama

His job is to soften up the moderates and "lite" conservatives who supported Hillary and who would otherwise vote for McSame. Insulting them is the wrong approach.

Let Bill do his job and try not to judge him too harshly just yet. This could play out very well in places like Ohio, Florida and maybe other states like Indiana and West Virginia.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[peace13]

19. The fact that Bill does this to Obama refreshes and energizes me!

Bill must think that there is a chance that Obama will not carry out the Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Bush doctrine toward One World Order. You go Bill because if you *hit on Obama now he will have reason to turn his back on you when he sleeps in Monica's and your bed. Enough already!

[ryanmuegge]

26. Yeah, Bill's probably afraid Obama won't bomb asprin factories and commit other war crimes.

[heliarc]

28. Ooo... snappp

don't forget "allow media consolidation and finance deregulation...." Bill Clinton didn't veto that stuff... look where we are now.

[xchrom]

42. lots of dems didn't stand in opposition to it either.

it goes up and down and side to side in the dem party.

we have to deal with it.

[JonLP24]

58. You mean the El Shifa Pharmaceutical plant

Richard Clarke who warned Bush of 9/11 attacks ahead of time has said "To this day, there are people who believe that facility was not related to a terrorist organization, or to chemical weapons, or to weapons of mass destruction. Those people are wrong".

The information provided to Clinton and the UN(which approved the attack) was that synthetic phosphorous compounds were found outside the plant.

[walnutpie]

31. I see Clinton as more of

a statesman, who is attempting to elevate the debate above and beyond the typical partisan rancor that has engulfed this election.

[Pastiche423]

38. Clinton lost his "statemenship" a long time ago

[fla nocount]

44. President Carter is a Statesman. n/t

[Township75]

32. This is nothing to be concerned with.

BC said before that you don't have to find something wrong with the person you are not voting for. Here, he is just being consistent with what he said.

Bill Clinton will play an important role in electing Obama and in the Obama presidency.

[EFerrari]

35. Get out of the way, Bill. n/t

[Zorra]

37. WTF is he doing? n/t

[ClarkUSA]

39. Hillary + Bill = Plausible Deniability for Hillary 2012

Their motto: "Clintons First"

[rayofreason]

55. Bingo! n/t

[sendero]

41. Gee Bill...

... haven't you done enough damage?

Would you please Shut The Fuck Up??

[glinda]

43. DUMP HIM

I was so sick of seeing him hob knobbing with Bush Sr. anyways. Bill is now looking like a bastard to me. Sorry but I have now lost all respect for him. Two faced selfish jerk.

[stlsaxman]

45. Fuck Bill Clinton. Period.

[hollowdweller]

46. Jimmy Carter

Has given a far better endorsement than Bill has. But of course Carter is from the Democratic Wing of the Democratic party.

It was a different time of course but if you look at the way he governed Clinton was much closer to what the Republicans SAY they are for eliminating welfare, more cops, cutting the deficit. Clinton of course actually delivered on the republican promises. It's no wonder he more closely identifies with McCain than Obama who is pretty much the good old fashioned populist Democrat.

[RainDog]

47. but he could "get up there and vent" about Obama just fine in the primaries

the more I hear from Bill Clinton, the more I detest him.

[diamidue]

49. He also had advice/praise for Todd Palin

I mean, why does he need to give advice to the Palins? Why should he be advising Sarah Palin's husband to make sure his wife is not made "to look weak"? Heck, I WANT her to look as weak as she is.



"Former President Bill Clinton has some words of wisdom for Todd Palin, the husband of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin: “Give support,” but don’t “make her look weak.”

"...Clinton said, “I think the trick is, if you're a husband and the woman is in the role, the political role, traditionally identified by — with men, the trick is to give support that is unambiguous and clear and to also be there with advice privately, but to do it in a way that doesn't, in a funny way, make her look weak.”

The former president said Alaska’s “first dude” is doing “just fine” since being thrust into the national spotlight in late August".

[bobthedrummer]

50. There is a powerful RW political machine inside The Democratic Party-they are not "centrists"

This machine was formed in the early 1980's and despises the traditional Democratic voter base.

The Clintons and former members of the Clinton administration are a huge part of this RW political machine inside The Democratic Party.

I voted for Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996. This year's primary battles caused me to take a serious look into the history of the membership and supporters of this RW political machine.

Below are a trio of links that reflect the truth of what I found.

"Know Your DLC: Current DLC Leadership Team and other DLC links"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5396391

"Gray Money" (from the staff of the Ozark Gazette)
http://whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/MENA/gray_money.html

"Inconvenient truths about the New Democrats, the Third Way, Democratic Leadership Council, etc."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2973191

[bobthedrummer]

51. a lavish kick

:dem: :dem: :dem: :dem:

[Poseidan]

52. xyz

If Bill supports him, Republicans will oppose him.

I don't know how anyone could support McClane... I mean, why vote for a fictional character?

[coolhandlulu]

53. Don't know if this has been suggested, but I've been thinking

that maybe their is something a little more orchestrated about Bill's "love" for McCain. Think about it...Bill supporting Hillary in the primaries was seen by many as hurtful to her bid for the White House. Could it be that he is attempting to hurt McCain's chances by being so positive towards him?

[IndianaGreen]

54. Bill, go to the Bahamas, get yourself a couple of whores, and STFU until after the elections

Can't Hillary control this man?

[rayofreason]

56. "Can't Hillary control this man?"

Two thoughts come to mind:

1. Who can?

2. How do you know she is not?

[bobthedrummer]

61. qui bono? kick.

[Royal Oak Rog]

62. Years from now when you show bad sportsmanship

you'll be called a "Clinton"!

[daggahead]

63. No, no! This is good! Repubs hate Clinton.

This association could help McCain lose credibility!

[Royal Oak Rog]

64. Sorry, but that's insane

The republicans hate Pellozi, but if she endorsed McCain that would be a good thing?

[daggahead]

65. But you have to understand ...

Republicans are insane ...

[Royal Oak Rog]

66. On second thought that's brilliant

I don't know, but does Bill have to such a flaming ahole? I'm not gonna accuse Hill at least she has her dirty work done for her....still can't we all just get along? This puts Bill right off my Supreme Court list if I'm Obama.

[Name removed]

67. Deleted message

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