Hillary being driven to not quit by others, not her own drive.The "Billification" of Senator Clinton

[Boz]

Presidential campaign.

Dubbed the "Billification" of Sen. Clinton's campaign by some insiders, Mr. Clinton has become something of a strategist-in-chief in recent weeks. He has been pushing for harder and sharper attacks on Sen. Obama.

Mr. Clinton's appearances are designed to boost Sen. Clinton's appeal with working-class and so-called "Bubba" voters, older white men who are likely to sympathize with Democratic economic policies but supported Ronald Reagan and other Republicans

This past Monday, in Greensburg, Pa., so few people showed up for his appearance that the organizers unloaded the entire high school to fill up the gymnasium. The students, thrilled to be allowed to bring in their cellphones to take Mr. Clinton's photograph, talked among themselves during most of Mr. Clinton's remarks.

Mr. Clinton has placed several of his own aides at headquarters, including his former lawyer and a bevy of strategists. Known as a bad loser, Mr. Clinton privately buttresses his wife's drive to push on, telling her, according to aides: "We're not quitters."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120917154479246575.html

[thunder rising]

1. I'm confused, which Clinton is in the race? The female one right?

[Adelante]

4. One Obama vs. Two Clintons

It's been this way since NH.

[splat]

13. You're writing off Michelle?

[Exilednight]

39. Michelle is not pretending to run for office. n/t

[roguevalley]

40. if she can't say no to staff when their heads are up their butts, what

will she do to this country? not good.

[Skidmore]

2. Those two deserve each other.

[Frank Booth]

18. They couldn't live without each other. They feed off one another. It's a symbiotic relationship.

[lisa58]

3. I don't mean to be over-dramatic but...

...he pushes her by telling her "we're not quitters"?

Does that sound at all abusive to anyone else?

He really doesn't respect her, does he?

[cliffordu]

5. Nope - He doesn't - and you notice he sabotages her on occasion...

I think the only reason she is still in it is for his third term.

Expect him to get REALLY nasty when she drops out.

[Skidmore]

6. Kick and I wish I could recommend your post because I've

thought this more than once.

[cliffordu]

8. Aw, shucks, thanks!!

:toast:

[lisa58]

11. Nasty to her?

[cliffordu]

24. Overtly nasty to everyone, more subtly to her....maybe

blame her for not hitting Obama hard enough...some shit like that. He won't take ANY responsibility for any of it.

[lisa58]

28. Okay...so here are my questions....

Does Hillary want out of the campaign?

Does she know it's over and is Bill pushing this to the breaking point?

Is she so used to "his shadow" that she doesn't know how to stand up to him?

She has a career - he doesn't - this feels really ugly to me.

[Kittycat]

22. Yes, and concerns me to think what he would do if she DID make a decision

without consulting him first - or getting his approval? Would he openly admonish her, undermine her - or call up the alternate party, and cancel the deal or something?

[rainbow4321]

34. Not the first time I have heard the word sabotage..

I've used it before myself after hearing some of his soundbites. Almost like he resents having to be out trying to stump for her, so in return he makes some of the comments we have all heard and go afterwards "what the hell was he thinking" and "is he losing it"?

[Kittycat]

14. He cheats on her - that says it all about respect, IMO.

But yeah - that too is a problem.

[lisa58]

17. very true...

...this is getting horribly twisted.

[cbayer]

26. You might want to read the article.

He respects her a great deal and it shows in the article.

-snip-

The former president says he's in uncharted territory. "Being the spouse is more difficult than when I was the candidate," he says in a brief interview. "When you're running, you're out there driving every day. But when you're the spouse, you feel more protective. It's much harder."



-snip-

Mr. Clinton promises something he says is even better. "For this time in our history, I believe that Hillary will be a better president than I was," he told the Asheboro crowd.

-snip-

[lisa58]

30. I did read it....

...and I do understand that he wants to be supportive and wants her to continue her campaign and that he is basically taking over in order to accompish that.

I don't want to make more of this than there is, which is why I said I don't want to sound over-dramatic, but the phrase "we're not quitters" makes me uncomfortable. Long term relationships have patterns of behaviour and I just wonder if Hillary felt she was done and wanted to get on with her career as a senator or governor of NY and drop this thing and Bill was imposing the "we're not quitters" remark because he's not ready to drop it.

I'm probably making too much of this, it just struck me funny.

[cbayer]

33. They have a really fascinating relationship.

This article is well worth the read.

http://www.slate.com/id/2188751/

When he says they are not quitters, I believe he is speaking for both of them. The title of this OP is really misleading.

[lisa58]

35. You may be right....

...thanks

[grassfed]

7. she's in the driver's seat, don't shift the blame

[thunder rising]

10. With his foot on the pedal and nobody giving a shit about the route. Just so long as they get there

[frogcycle]

9. murdoch alert

[Kittycat]

15. Didn't he endorse her? Or donate and hold a fundraisher for her?

[SwampG8r]

37. you mean this fundraiser?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12762092/

[anonymous171]

12. Problem: Bill could only pull the kind of shit he pulled b/c he was very likeable

Hillary is not likeable. She's warm, but not charming.

[Cha]

16. "We not quitters"..."we'll go

on until we drive a stake through the heart of the Democratic Party".



"A new day a new bilary strategy for hijacking the nomination." buzzflash

[SwampG8r]

38. i love the little signs in the left corner

"save the donkey"
"stop giving them money"

[charlie]

19. Once again, it's not her doing

It never is. Stuff just happens to Good Citizen Hillary.

[lisa58]

20. I get your point, but...

...does Hillary want out - does she know it's over and Bill is pressing her to continue?

[charlie]

27. I've never seen an instance, an indication

that Bill has ever had the upper hand over Hillary. Have you? There was a notorious episode when both were young pups when she lashed out full bore against Bill's political opponent in front of TV cameras, causing a media flap and some embarassment to Bill. When Bill got shellacked by the midterm Congressional rout, it was Hillary who brought in Morris and Penn to save his bacon. She's at least as willfull and driven as he is.

[lisa58]

29. Yes, but it has always been about Bill...

...now the dynamic has changed. Just because she has worked her ass off to further Bill's career doesn't mean he wouldn't sabotage hers.

See what I mean?

[charlie]

31. Sure, I see what you mean

and I certainly don't find it implausible. He's high maintenance and narcissistic. It's the notion that he can compel her to do something she isn't already committed to that I don't buy. Egging her on for his own purposes, possible. Playing Svengali to a Hillary whose inclination is to quit, I can't see it.

[lisa58]

32. You're probably right...

...it's just that "we're not quitters" comment is bothering me.

[Hamlette]

21. he wants to destroy her so prove he was no cad in having affairs

so he'll be able to say "do you blame me? She's such a witch anyone would have looked elsewhere for love."

[cbayer]

23. The article you are referencing is a very balanced piece which highlights

both the pluses and minuses Bill Clinton brings to the campaign. You have excerpted the minuses to post here, but the article is really much more fair than that.

[Life Long Dem]

25. Right. And everything she says isn't from her own mouth.

Yep...un huh.

[KaptBunnyPants]

36. Bill and Hill feed off of each other, she's not some little flower.

I'm sure Bill didn't tell her anything she wasn't already thinking.