So, Who Did Clinton Endorse with Hugs at the Harken "Steak Fry?" Bets?

[KoKo]

Who's DLC? Clinton is DLC? Which candidate did Clinton Hug?

Now, you have to remember that Kerry, Gephardt, Edwards(was in the process of leaving), left this big Iowa Event.........

SO........WHO WAS LEFT OF OUR DEM CANDIDATES?? Kucinich, Moseley-Braun, Dean and Graham.

BUT!......... WHO WAS BEHIND CLINTON AS HE SPOKE HIS MAGNIFICENT "DEMS FOR THE NEW CENTURY SPEECH," in the C-Span Camera........WHO? It was BOB GRAHAM......whom CLINTON ......Hugged!

A camera view showed DEAN SMILING AND APPLAUDING!......and Moseley-Braun was supportive of EVERYONE (which is good)...........but..........

BOB GRAHAM was the TOTAL FOCUS OF THE "C-Span Camera...."

AND.........even more telling.....unemotional HUBBY of MINE said CLINTON from a "Male Power Perspective" Clinton gave better references to both Howard Dean and Bob Graham than the other candidates.......Dean would save him in a "Heart Attack" and Bob Graham was a Great Govenor of FLA he'd known for 25 years....and he Hugged Him!

So, our Dem Candidates who "Ducked out.....for whatever reason...." Missed out on the SPEECH OF CENTURY......but did that mean they didn't want the "Taint or Whiff of Monica having to do with CLINTON?" So, Clinton is left with Moseley-Braun, Kucinich and Dean and Graham...........

So.......my take of this is that Clinton gave THE MOST SUPPORT TO GRAHAM?

So......Go FIGURE?????????? :shrug:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

1. i thought the same thing...graham

[jburton]

2. Bill Plugged Dean & Graham

I noticed that.

Dean on health care in Vt

Also went on about working with fellow Southern Gov Graham.

[Demobrat]

3. I felt kind of sorry for Graham

standing right behind Clinton, on camera the whole time. The poor guy couldn't relax for a minute. I noticed that Clinton spoke the longest, and gave the most specific praise to Dean. Aside from the joke about Dean saving him if he had a heart attack (when they were working together as governors), he mentioned that no governor did better on health care than Dean. But he was complimentary to everyone. His bit about the Repukes finally helping a minority was awesome. I'm so glad he finally came right out and said it.

[aquart]

4. Which minority? Billionaires?

Some of us don't have cable, you know.

[Demobrat]

5. It was in reference to the election.

He talked about how happy he was during the election to see the Republicans finally living up to their BS (paraphrasing, of course) about helping a minority, the minority being the people who voted for Bush. It was awesome, sarcasm at it's finest.

[Sophree]

11. And the 14th Amendment

Equal Protection Amendment, which the Felonious Five used, but only applied to B*shie. Clinton is brilliant- I love his humor.

[TheDonkey]

7. SCOTUS supported the minority in Florida (Bush voters)

Graham is probably one of the most conservative members in the Dem. field, I'm not shocked Clinton would like him.

But I think the hug was mostly due to Clinton's friendship with him as a southern Governor.

[TacticalPeek]

33. It should up at c-span's site soon.

Very much worth checking out.

[KoKo]

6. Actually I had a different take on Graham behind Clinton...he seemed to be

very natural.....moved by the "talking points" in Clinton's MAGNIFICENT CALL TO ARMS FOR DEMS, speech....and really was very good and sensitive....about it.

Whatever......I hear what you say and I'm just saying...(not being a Graham Partisan.....) that Graham seemed to really be "in gear" with Clinton's Speech.

This was a BIG SURPRISE TO ME! I've always ignored Graham......found him well........creepy...repug-type...but there's Clinton with Graham in the background.....

Maybe what we see isn't alwayswhat "really is?" Maybe as much as we try......the media still manipulates those of us who try to stay away from it?

Why did Kerry, Edwards, Gephardt......Cut Out on staying to hear Clinton speak......

Was it because he's "Fleas" to them? Old Expression: "You lie down with dogs, you end up with fleas."

So, Clinton has Monica Fleas.......and some Dems "cut out."

I don't know.........that bothered me an awful lot........:shrug:

[TheDonkey]

10. For those who left...

I'm sure it was probably because they just wanted to get moving. These people have busy schedules and probably wanted to move it out of there as fast as they could.

[Woodstock]

22. 1/2 hour won't make or break anything

It would have been nice to see them all standing behind him.

[ISUGRADIA]

43. What other event, pray tell, could they need to get to

that would have 5000 Democratic activists and likely caucus voters that day? Gephardt had a previously scheduled event that he had to get to in Missouri. I don't know what the other two excuses were.

[SharonAnn]

47. Well, we had the Truman Day Dinner in Knoxville, TN and

over 1,000 people.

Tennessee's primary is now February 10th and our early voting starts on January 21st.

Is that early enough?

[mlawson]

12. Why did Kerry, Edwards and Gep cut out on the REAL president's speech?

I figure: Kerry thinks he has the nomination sewn up (or it has been promised to him by the DNC); Edwards thinks he will have VP, and Gephardt figures he will be passed by. Actually, I don't know why they left, it seemed silly and discourteous to me.

No, I don't think that they were afraid of 'fleas' -- they saw what happened to Gore in 2000, partly because he avoided Big Dog.

And I do not think that Clinton meant to publicly endorse anyone. But behind the scenes, he knows what is going to happen next year; it's already being planned out at the DNC. The fix will be in soon.

[Sophree]

14. It bothers me, too.

And Edwards is my guy. Dean and Graham are the ones out in California supporting Davis, too. They are both showing guts and more importantly, loyalty. I wonder if the Big Dog is giving them advice.

[Demobrat]

17. I'm not saying he didn't handle it great. He did.

Except for his stance on gay marriage, I like Graham.

[lindashaw]

23. The Monica thing has always turned me off, too. But after Bush's...

corruption and Arnold's public sex life, Clinton doesn't seem so bad. Hmmm.

[EeJay]

26. Not Edwards

You certainly can't claim that Edwards has a problem with Clinton. He's the only candidate who even mentioned him today in his remarks. And he said, in no uncertain terms, that he was sick and tired of Democrats running away from Clinton. Hardly an indication that he doesn't want to be near him.

I don't think we can read too much into his absence. He probably just had another event to attend and had to leave. Kerry and Gephardt were probably in the same boat.

[dansolo]

46. That was the same thinking that led to the loss in 2000

The only reason that Joe Lieberman was picked as VP was to try and "innoculate" Gore from the Monica scandal and distance him from Clinton. That was the biggest mistake that they made in that campaign. And it also seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. The only reason that Joe has been given a platform to continue to trash the Democratic ideals was because of his high profile status from being Gore's VP.

[Starpass]

8. ahhh, I think if Clark was there, he would have kissed him

..because this is the guy he and Hil are grooming. Bill is a great politician. Howard better watch for the dagger that should be coming for his back in just a few days.

[Demobrat]

15. I don't think there was really any pointed preference given to anyone.

At least nothing anybody who wasn't hanging on every word hoping for a clue (like me) would notice.

[clar]

28. And this is precisely what troubles

me about Clark, I'm beginning to sense a big DLC/Clinton push, a sort of ABBD. Whether it's because they don't think Dean can win (and that meme is losing potency) or because a candidate with a strong independant grassroots, who owes nothing to party insiders, is a threat to them, I don't know. I suspect you're correct about the knife in Howard's back, but couldn't you have found a less tasteless way to say it?

[loudnclear]

9. Will it be shown again?

Where, when? Can we access it on the net?

[robbedvoter]

16. C-Span - now!

[mourningdove92]

13. I didn't really thing he endorsed any individual candidate.

He was complimentary to all. The hug to Graham did not seem to me to be anything really special.

He reminded us to stick together. I liked the story he told about "The Democrats want to fall in love and the Repugs just fall in line", reminding us that to win in 2004, we have to support the Democratic candidate, whoever he/she is.

What was so very great for me, after 3 years of watching Dubya stumble, bumble and mispronounce everything, read from notes and a teleprompter and STILL mangage to screw up,

watching the Big Dawg give such a wonderful speech. No notes, no teleprompter. Just a great and inspiring speech.

[Evanstondem]

19. He said more about the candidates who stayed around.

He made nice statements about the candidates who stayed for his speech -- Graham's record as a governor, campaigning with Moseley-Braun in 1992, Dean's record on health care; I forget what he said about Kucinich. His comments on those who spoke and left were much briefer.

[Vadem]

24. He said about Kucinich that DK was a boy mayor in Cleveland

when he (Big Dawg)was a boy governor in Arkansas! He was complimentary to all of them, I think!

[blm]

18. He seemed warm with all of them. I liked how he was with Kucinich

the best. Knowing Clinton, he would NEVER tip his hand to who he supported.

Marian Wright Edelman is as closeasthis to the Clintons. So is head of the Million Moms.

[JohnKleeb]

27. how was he with Kucinich

I am so yearning for a DK victory.

[Rhiannon12866]

45. He referred to Kucinich as the ``boy mayor,'' indicating that they

had started in politics together, but I guess you have seen this by now. He also appreciated that Kucinich was one of the ones who remained for his speech. I know that Kerry left and, I think, Edwards. He thought that Dean had left, but then spotted him. Clinton was very enthusiastic over the calibre of the candidates, but, then, this was probably the reason that he was there. I thought everyone did well and the crowd was extremely enthusiastic.:shrug:

[John_H]

20. Could it be that TBD knew Graham best and that

he had Graham had helped him quite a bit when he was Gov??? Remember folks, the DLC conspiracy bit is perpetuated by one percenters who must have the DLC look like the face of the Dem party so that one percenters can look like a viable alternative instead of the wingnuts they are.

[KoKo]

21. You have a point, John H....still Graham was only one on podium...Dem Cand

idates didn't seem to want to be seen with him......but Dean gave him a huge smile and was in the audience.

If they run away from Clinton as Gore did....does it work? I understand why Gore had to.....Monica was fresh in American's minds......but comparing Clinton to that "Idiot" in the White House......how could ANYONE run away from hi.

On the other hand, Clinton is a "larger than life" figure in politics.......he might overwhelm those who are running so it might be a "political advisor" judgement.....not to be seen being too chummy with Clinton.......

Well...I can't blame them on one hand......Clinton is hard to compete with....they need to do their own campaigns and be who THEY are.......Clinton is just a "former president" at this point.....No power.....and the scandal dogs him..
:-( It's so sad......just the loss of giant "brain power," there.......

[Vadem]

25. Dean was on the podium, too, with Graham and Kuchinich and

Carol Mosely Braun.

[clar]

29. I don't want to offend you

but every post of yours contains a string of elipses. It detracts from what you're trying to say. Posting in all caps is like yelling. Posting with constant elipses is sort of spacy, like every thought trails off. (Or at least that's my opinion.)

[KoKo]

30. I am very spacy....and I yell alot......when my thoughts aren't trailing!

LOL's ;-)'s Peace........

[TacticalPeek]

32. Hey, the dots worked ok for Herb Caen.

And your earlier ALL CAPS BLAST about the c-span Clinton speech saved a listless Saturday for me.

Thanks for pulling my coattail to this great speech, by the way.

[BeachBuckeye]

41. ANY candidate who spurns the Clinton magic

is a plain fool. All things considered a Clinton endorsement is worth its weight in gold.

[GBD4]

31. My take on it

Even as the staunch Graham supporter I am, I really don't think President Clinton was hinting at any extra support for Graham over the others. I find this thread sort of silly, personally. The other Dems likely did not leave pre-Clinton speech because "they didn't want to be seen with him" that's a silly reason, I am sure there were scheduling conflicts or something. Graham was on camera the whole time because he happened to be standing slightly to the left of Clinton, Moseley Braun was the same distance away from Clinton but on Clinton's right, and the camera angle just happened to not pick her up as it did Graham. Obviously, Graham and Clinton--both Southern governors--relate to each other more than Clinton and the others, but Clinton has been speaking with many of the Dems in the running. So my opinion is no, Clinton was not showing any special support for Graham--or any of the other Dems, for that matter.

on edit: actually, Graham was on Clinton's right, but the screen's left side, just wanted to clarify :)

[PurityOfEssence]

34. I liked the line about Quisling Joe...

As Clinton was ticking off the names of the candidates, saying nice things about each and quipping as he went, he said that he'd known Joe Lieberman since 1970.

Party solidarity, ain't it a bitch?

[Rhiannon12866]

35. He also called Gephardt, who was not there ``a great man.''

I thought all the candidates were good and Clinton was brilliant, as always. He did say nice things about Graham, who I like more and more everytime I hear him speak. I thought Clinton was brilliant. It's understandable that he would heap more praise on those candidates he knows better and considers friends. I know very well who is running and the omission I noticed was that Clinton mentioned Gephardt and Lieberman, who also were absent, but neglected to even mention Sharpton...:shrug:

[w4rma]

36. Lots of photos from the Steak Fry and a pic of Dean and Clinton at podium

http://photos.deanforamerica.com/gallery/23633/3/808578

and more photos are here:
http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/001449.html#more

[Rhiannon12866]

37. Thank you! This is great!

I felt so good watching and hearing these great speakers; I just love being able to see them again! Thanks!:D

:kick:

[KoKo]

44. Nice photo's! Media RPTS: It rained all day until Clinton Gave his Speech!

MSNBC Reporter said that.......I was yelling to hubbie who was cooking dinner when I heard it!

It rains all day until Clinton speaks......Much funny "irony" in that....but glad that a reporter picked up on it! :D

[seaglass]

38. Hmmm, I don't give much credence to hugs as an

endorsement.

I did think Clinton's remarks about alternative energy sources and the creation of new jobs reiterated exactly what Kerry has been saying in his argument against ANWR and a speech he has made to the League of Conservation Voters back in 2001.

Are any of the Dems currently running more associated with this issue than Kerry? I'm not trying to put any of the other candidates down but this is a pet issue of both Kerry and his wife Teresa.
It also garnered a lot of applause.

[dusty64]

39. Graham needs a boost

to his campaign, he has a lot of important things to say. In the end though, I doubt he'll win and hope he holds onto his Senate seat.

[KoKo]

40. Agree! Why isn't Graham getting some kind of traction?

:shrug:

[mlawson]

42. I am totally PISSED at the three who left (wussed out)!!!!

It was RUDE as F---, and they should be ashamed of themselves!!! It would only have required that they take thirty more minutes out of their busy, busy schedules. I suppose that Kerry and Edwards are certain that they will be the ticket, and they don't need Big Dog anymore. Wrong! This time next year they will be begging Him to help them.

The media whores, of course, used this incident to say that 'Clinton is still so stained', blah blah blah.....

[yellowdawgdem]

48. harken steak fry

I also noticed that Graham was directly behind Clinton, and thought it seemed a bit embarrassing for some reason. Maybe he should've moved farther away from the podium at that point. But then, maybe it did give Graham a boost in some way. I also saw Graham on cspan tonight, in a red and white candy cane tie, and thought he did really well answering questions, and being humorous. As far as some candidates leaving early, it is difficult to figure that one out. I mean, they should've given this event as much time as needed. I'm thinking that possibly Dean and Graham are both huge Clinton fans, and wanted to hear his speech. I was also thinking that when Clinton said that bit about how if Dean were president, he could help him if he had a heart attack- that maybe that was more of a put-down. But maybe not, and probably these are just friendly gestures from Clinton, who is a friendly kind of a guy. He did say at the beginning of his speech, that Clark and Hillary were the two stars, in his opinion, maybe that meant something. Guess we'll just have to wait a little longer, and see how things flesh out.

[Rhiannon12866]

49. Graham is not my first choice and I believe he has a limited following

but I have had a couple of revelations regarding him recently. First, did you know that he is related to the Washington Post Grahams, as in Katherine Graham, of Woodward/Bernstein-Watergate fame? I did not and was surprised. Also, I have seen more of the man and have been listening. He has been really speaking out against Bush*, against the war in Iraq and many other transgressions of the current administration. I no longer dismiss him as an also ran.:shrug:

[FlashHarry]

50. That's HARKIN

Harkin: Good
Harken: Bad

Harkin: Progressive Democratic senator from Iowa
Harken: Shady energy company run by Bush and investigated by the SEC.

[Rhiannon12866]

52. Thanks for the definitions!

I did know this, but it would not do for anyone to confuse the two!:-)

[JHB]

51. He endorsed "Getting in line"

I didn't see him obviously endorese anybody, and without something obvious you might as well read tea leaves or "kremlin watch" to claim it for one or another.

What he was load and clear on was that once the final pick is made, everyone should line up to support that one, because those slim margins can make all the difference.