If we don't think Bill is doing enough, what about Carter or Gore?

[renie408]

What has Jimmy Carter done for Obama? Or Al Gore? I guess they both support Barack Obama, but I haven't really heard anything about it. I know a lot of people are not happy with the degree or quality or something of the support that the Clintons are offering Obama, but is that historically what politicians do for each other? I don't notice anybody on the other side really doing a whole lot for McCain and I don't remember anybody really coming out swinging for Kerry. But since I LITERALLY don't remember, I am not sure if there is some kind of precedent for prior presidents to campaign for their party's candidates or not.

What is the precedent and are the Clintons within that range of support or not?

[Debi]

1. I'd prefer it if Clinton kept his mouth shut -

Carter and Gore aren't running from interview to interview still talking about how Hillary almost won the primary or blowing sunshine up McCain/Palin's asses.

[DU9598]

22. Gore in Des Moines next Saturday

Hey Debi, are you coming down? We ponied up the extra money for the reception with Gore.

[Debi]

28. No plans to darn it!

x( Don't know if I'm even going to be there Friday as planned.

I'll call you if I do.

Check your PM - explains all that's happening in my sordid life :P

[Alexander]

2. Gore and Carter don't go on TV if they have nothing nice to say about Obama.

For the record, Gore gave an incredible speech right before Obama's acceptance speech, and Carter's 84, so I can see why he might not want to be out there campaigning.

Bill should do everyone a favor and stay off TV if he can't think of something nice to say about Obama.

[renie408]

6. So he had not said anything nice about Obama? I missed him on Leno

and this morning on MTP. He didn't say ANYTHING nice about Obama on those shows? Or in his other interviews.

Well, if that is the case, I do think he is wrong for that. To go out and not say anything positive about your party's candidate is wrong.

[Alexander]

24. The nicest thing he said was "I think he'll win" while praising McCain and Palin.

A total departure from the Bill Clinton we saw at the DNC.

[TheCML]

3. Im glad Carter is being quiet.

He might do well with the base, but for the rest of the America he is still known as a failed president.

[scheming daemons]

4. Neither one of them has ever praised McCain during this campaign

That's what is so maddening about Bill.


He needs to quit praising McCain.

[renie408]

10. Bill Clinton is offering unqualified praise of McCain in interviews? That is probably

not a good idea. Now, if he is doing that "John's a great guy BUT.." thing, that is politics and not any kind of real praise.

[Drunken Irishman]

5. Well you can't compare the two.

Firstly, Carter was a failed president in the public's eye, so having him out there campaigning for Obama isn't the best option. Secondly, Carter is no Bill Clinton. Many Americans don't remember much about Carter, but they remember Bill Clinton as the last successful president. Thirdly, Obama did not beat Carter's wife in the Democratic Primary and there has never been any doubt about Carter's support.

[renie408]

16. I guess I am trying to figure out how much support past politicians

typically offer politicians currently running for office.

I hear a lot of people dissing Bill for not being supportive of Obama. I am looking for a frame of reference to determine whether or not that support is out of line with what has been done in the past.

[Drunken Irishman]

21. But Clinton is a different case than ayone else.

He's the last Democrat in the White House, he's still fairly respected by not only Americans, but most in the party and he was leading during great times. Clinton, to America, means prosperity and with him not saying positive things about Obama, yet building up McCain, it gives the perception he likes him more. Well if that's the case, to those Democrats who are wary of supporting Obama or those independents, maybe it makes McCain a somewhat more favorable option.

Carter and Gore do NOT bring that to the table, Clinton does.

[Bicoastal]

17. Thirdly, the man is EIGHTY FOUR YEARS OLD!!

How much can he do at his age?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

7. I hear Rosalynn Carter is not doing well these days.

It's said that was the reason they just walked out on stage and didn't speak at the Convention.

[Ashy Larry]

8. I think Hillary has been helpful.

I think Bill could be more supportive. Its pretty obvious he is still upset about the primaries, and that is understandable, but I want him to fake it until Nov. 5th.

[BlooInBloo]

11. Indeed. She spoke to about 1000 people in Michigan on Obama's behalf...

That's 1000 more than it would have been otherwise.

[BlooInBloo]

9. The very notion that they're comparable is silly. For all reasons stated upthread.

[renie408]

13. Gosh, you don't have an already well established opinion on the Clintons, do you?

And it wouldn't be negative, would it? And that fact would not in any way taint any opinion you have on this subject, would it?

[BlooInBloo]

14. Yup, yup, and nope.

This has been a bonus extended edition of Simple Answers To Simple Questions.

[renie408]

18. Thank you for keeping it simple. I am so stupid, I probably wouldn't

understand an involved answer. You are so sweet and generous. I have always appreciated that about you. I know that being kind is hard and for you to go so far out of your way for people here all the time is really impressive.

Thanks again!!

[BlooInBloo]

19. Always glad to be helpful.

[sandnsea]

12. Carter made his support clear all along

and said all his kids and grandkids were for Obama. No mealy-mouth wishy washiness there. Of course, he also didn't concoct a litany of lies about the primary either, so he's got nothing to correct. If Bill Clinton had kept out of it altogether, the way Gore has, then nobody would be saying anything about him.

Do you know he joined the blame the poor people brigade by saying Democrats did push Freddie and Fannie to loan to poor people, and probably shouldn't have.

I have no use for him anymore.

[EffieBlack]

15. I think that may be because they did not actively campaign against Obama

in the primaries.

The situation for Bill is entirely different so he's getting different scrutiny.

[Frumious B]

20. I think that if it's late in the game and it looks like Obama is in good shape...

...That Bill Clinton will morph into the biggest Obama supporter in the universe. Then he will try to take credit for helping him across the finish line.
As long as McCain has a chance at winning then expect him to broadly support Obama while subtly working the other side of the fence in order to avoid burning bridges with McCain should he pull it out.

[stillcool]

23. They're not on the tv circuit..

saying how wonderful John McCain and Sarah Palin are. Although I'm sure they are doing things to help the Campaign.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

25. Carter & Gore arent giving McCain a BJ every time they open their mouths.

[mtnsnake]

26. It's called selective criticism by DU at its most obvious.

There's a hate brigade here about Bill Clinton that rivals, maybe surpasses, the hatred from the Right Wing. Don't let some of these whiners kid you that they're happy with Hillary either. They're just praying that she relaxes her support for Obama just a wee bit so they can resume in their hatred of her, too.

K&R

[Captain Hilts]

29. If they did more they'd be accused of taking the light off Obama. They can't win here.

Bill Clinton is playing to the undecided middle of the roaders who voted for him. He's not trying to appeal to people already supporting Obama.

[Jennicut]

27. Gore is raising money for Obama overseas and pushing the overseas voters to cast ballots

"Gore, Paltrow raise money for Obama in London

3 days ago

LONDON (AP) — Former Vice President Al Gore and actresses Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson are raising money for Barack Obama and the Democrats overseas.

Gore joined some 100 donors Thursday at a $10,000-a-head lunch to boost Obama's candidacy.

Paltrow, married to British musician Chris Martin, lives part of the year in London.

Democrats are also canvassing in districts of London with large numbers of Americans to secure votes for Obama.

Around 300,000 Americans live in Britain, part of an estimated 6 million U.S. voters who reside overseas.

But Democrats Abroad said that only around 1 million overseas voters cast ballots in the 2004 election."


http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jGuQXwm_L-AP0QTB54AtEaq2TFvgD93DRG5G0