Bill Clinton invokes LBJ

[babylonsister]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/21/689401.aspx

Bill Clinton invokes LBJ

From NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann


SAN ANGELO, TX -- The "solutions versus speeches" contrast being drawn by the Clinton campaign continues to sport new bells and whistles, courtesy of the candidate's No. 1 surrogate. In Texas today, former President Clinton used that theme to re-make a comparison between his wife and another veteran of the Oval Office -- a parallel that once caused controversy in the bitter days leading up to the South Carolina primary.

"I like everybody who’s run for president this year," Clinton said at rally here. "I like to listen to Senator Obama give a speech. I’m glad he’s incited so many people, excited people, and gotten them involved in politics. I mean, I value that."

But then he added, "President Johnson was not generally viewed as a great orator. But when he did great things he gave great speeches." Clinton went on to say the same of Truman's oratory.

Clinton's comments came as he continues to thump Obama for being heavy on talk and light on results. He said that "If you want the feeling of change, you're more likely to vote for somebody else. {But} if you want a change-maker, you're more likely to embrace her."

He also mentioned a New Hampshire debate -- which he called "an amazing moment" –- when Obama responded that his greatest legislative achievement was the passage of ethics reform in the Senate.

"Look, it's important," Clinton said. "Hillary voted for that bill. It's a good bill." (It's also an issue that happens to be in the news today, with elements and analysis of this morning's New York Times expose of John McCain oozing from every corner of political news cycle.)

But despite his backhanded compliment of Obama's bill, though, the former president went on to recount his wife's laundry-list response to the same question, each accomplishment garnering a louder cheer from the crowd of over 1,500 gathered to see the president's address.

[grantcart]

1. Well its getting sad now Is he so out of touch that he thinks

LBJ is still a big deal for anybody under 60

or that people remember him as a great president?

[babylonsister]

2. He was in TX; that might have a lot to do with his comments.

:shrug:

[KaptBunnyPants]

5. LBJ was a great president.

He genuinely cared about poor people and was extremely important in the Civil Rights Movement. His war on poverty halved the child poverty rate, and he had the moral character to support the Civil Rights Act even though he knew what it would mean for electoral politics in the South. The politics of our country has shifted so far to the right since then that someone like him would never be allowed to run as president now. He was an amazing President, on par with FDR for greatness, except for his sin. And even that was great.

[GodlessBiker]

3. Ain't it ironic that a war largely brought Johnson down, too.

[AnnieBW]

4. I misread this

As "Bill Clinton Invokes BJ", and wondered why he was still talking about it after 10 years.

[provis99]

6. LBJ wasn't a great orator?

Well, he's certainly one of our most quotable presidents, even if he's a little earthy, rather than ethereal.


Admittedly, he gave us this: "Being president is like being a jackass in a hailstorm. There's nothing to do but to stand there and take it. "
but he also gave us this:
"It is important that the United States remain a two-party system. I'm a fellow who likes small parties and the Republican Party can't be too small to suit me. "

and this:
"The noblest search is the search for excellence. "

this last is one of my favorites.