Bill Clinton rips left in Arkansas race

[Perky]

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Former President Bill Clinton returned to his home state Friday to help a beleaguered ally and delivered a broadside against some of the most powerful interests in the Democratic Party. Using unusually vivid language to describe the threat against Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Clinton urged the voters who nurtured his career to resist outside forces bent on making an example out of the two-term Democratic incumbent.

He pounded the podium with Lincoln at his side, warning that national liberal and labor groups wanted to make her a “poster child” in the June 8 Senate run-off to send a message about what happens to Democrats who don’t toe the party line. “This is about using you and manipulating your votes to terrify members of Congress and members of the Senate,” Clinton said in the gym of a small historically black college here.

Clinton didn’t mention Lt. Gov. Bill Halter’s name – the lieutenant governor worked in the former president’s administration – or single out any specific liberal groups. But he didn’t need to.

Halter, who held the incumbent to under 50 percent in the May 18 primary election, has been the beneficiary of millions of dollars in advertising from liberal groups and unions angry with Lincoln over her hesitance to support labor organizing legislation and ties to the business community.

It’s a clash that pits the ascendant forces of the progressive left against a centrist Southern Democrat cut from Clinton’s own Democratic Leadership Council mold, a proxy fight that the former president and longtime Arkansas governor sought to underscore by noting that Lincoln’s “opponent is not her opponent.”

The tension between the two competing models surfaced early Friday, even before Clinton took to the stage, when the AFL-CIO lobbed a pre-emptive strike. "Bill Clinton and Blanche Lincoln took us in the wrong direction when they supported NAFTA," said spokesman Eddie Vale in an email to reporters. "They sent thousands of Arkansas jobs to Mexico and Canada, and yet they’re still bragging about their support of the job-killing deal. When it comes to protecting and creating jobs in Arkansas, they just don’t get it."

---Snip---
"If you want somebody to channel your anger, don't vote for her," Clinton said. "If you want somebody to get up and go to work and change your life for the better, you should vote for her."

There is more.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37936.html#ixzz0pHO6lDQp

[The Magistrate]

1. Be That As it May, Sir: Ms. Lincoln Needs To Lose....

And for exactly the reason Mr. Clinton complains of: 'pour encourager les autres....'

[IndianaGreen]

24. Precisely!

Blanche Lincoln has earned the privilege of being rejected by the voters in her own party.

Bill is doing here the same thing he did for Rahm in PA, trying to save a POS from defeat.

[Zavulon]

55. Good call.

I liked it better when only Republicans showed that sort of loyalty to worthless pieces if shit.

[DJ13]

2. DLC to the day he dies

And he doesnt understand that the left recognizes that as just another way of saying corporate conservative.

Which is precisely why Lincoln is being targeted.

[jody]

3. Big Dog knows how to get Democrats elected. n/t

[DJ13]

6. Most of those are barely Democrats

They would have been Republicans back when Nixon was President.

[TheKentuckian]

27. Pretty damned conservative ones too

[kristopher]

17. That isn't the record...

He lost the Congress, remember?

[IndianaGreen]

25. As President, Big Dog did not have any coat tails.

And Blanche Lincoln is a DLC puke.

[Moochy]

41. If so why is he supporting this corporatist stooge?

Just curious, is this know-how anything like what the White House used to get Specter elected? Let's hope so!

[socialist_n_TN]

49. Big Dog knows how to get Dems elected IN THE 90s

We don't know if he knows how to get Dems elected today. I think he's using 90s strategies 15 or 20 years too late. He's fighting the LAST war not this one.

[awoke_in_2003]

51. he knows how to get

people who call themselves democrats elected.

[jonnyblitz]

57. Hillary may beg to differ. nt

[madfloridian]

4. That is exactly what it is about....sending a message. It's about damn time.

“This is about using you and manipulating your votes to terrify members of Congress and members of the Senate"

He calls it "manipulation", I call it a primary where people make the choice...not the party leaders.

Sending a little more to Halter.

[IndianaGreen]

68. Democratic Establishment loaths the rank-and-file

How dare they go against our wishes, they say to each other at their Beltway socials.

[polichick]

75. Yep - THIS is change I can believe in, grassroots kicking ass! nt

[OHdem10]

5. Please President Clinton, just as the Some Conservatives on the

right in a fit of desperation say the Military will get aids
if Gays are admitted to Military, attacking the Left should
be beneath you. Your true Conservatism is showing.

[dflprincess]

21. Typical DLC and "New Democrat" thinking

They don't need the Left but if things go badly this November or in 2012 it will be the Left's fault.

Clinton and anyone who thinks like him should work on taking the Republican party - where they really belong - back from the crazies and give the Democratic party go back to representing the interests of the working and middle classes.

[IndianaGreen]

45. New Democrats should meet the same fate as New Labour

They both brought untold economic pain with jobs being outsourced, social programs being cut, increased infringement of civil liberties, and a handful of wars to boot.

Bill Clinton is a war criminal! The bombing of the Belgrade power station in the middle of winter, together with bombing the TV station, were war crimes.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. With all due respect, Mr. Clinton, go to fucking hell! Thank you and good night! n/t

[jberryhill]

8. Easy there, Bill

I know where you are coming from, but it's a new generation.

[Cha]

9. Does Pres Clinton really want to

go against the Unions who are endorsing Halter for excellent reasons?

[Moochy]

40. Are you familiar with the term Neo-Liberal and what it means?

:eyes:

[1776Forever]

10. "Democratic Leadership Council mold" - I used to respect Pres. Clinton, sadly not so much now.

I think when he passed the NAFTA and the Communication Act of 1996 I saw he had changed his spots. I don't think he is "one of us" now.

If you aren't familiar with these read on:

The Great Surprise – The Telecommunications Act of 1996
by Dave Bradley

http://www.blogforiowa.com/blog/_archives/2010/5/18/4531316.html

....The Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the Act) was the first major overhaul of the Telecommunications Act in 62 years. Much had changed since 1934, including things like deregulation in the telephone industry, satellite and cable television and the soon to grow internet and cell phone industry. No doubt it was time to look into policy again.

And so, using the same arguments that we had heard before with passage of NAFTA only a couple years before the Act passed with only 5 dissenting votes in the Senate and 16 dissenting votes in the House.

Much like NAFTA this bill was supposed to encourage competition, open up the airwaves and cable media and create an opportunities for greater competition in the telephonic communications field.

When NAFTA was being discussed, a few lone voices warned of how American jobs would be sent to Mexico. “That great sucking sound you hear is American jobs going to Mexico,” as Ross Perot stated it. Sadly Perot was right and the promises of “competition raising standards of living throughout North America,” as backers promised, turned out to be nothing but ephemeral statements.

Just like NAFTA, the Act of 1996 backer’s promises turned out to be nothing but air. Those few who fought passage, claiming the Act would lead to mass media consolidations, were surprised by how quickly consolidation happened. Within just a few years, radio stations, over the air TV stations, cable TV stations and telephone companies were eaten up by the larger, richer companies in a feeding frenzy that resembled a cow falling in the Amazon River stocked with piranha.

Probably the most flagrant example was the growth of Clear Channel Communications. Clear Channel (CC) was a small radio company in 1995. Set loose by the Act of 1996, within a couple years CC owned over 500 station throughout the country. CC also got into businesses that went well with radio, such as concert tours, outdoor media and radio syndication companies such as Premiere Radio.

:hide:

[olegramps]

46. I would certainly include the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act.

The Democrats made a compromise with the devil when the traded limited red-lining for repeal of Glass-Steagall. When the market crashed, Clinton held that the repeal that he signed prevented even a more catastrophic collapse. He is a full fledged member of the neo-liberals who are nothing more than lapdogs of their corporate masters. These so-called neo-liberals only concern about the working class is when they need the unions' votes and contributions.

What is desperately needed is the formation of a Working Class Party that supports workers' rights and will fight for fair taxes, job protection, universal health care and inheritance taxes that confiscate the trillions that have been robbed from them by the wealthy. Workers will have to come to the realization that their interests are not being represented and until they wakeup to the fact their future in the garbage can.

[1776Forever]

50. Thank you for the post! n/t

[olegramps]

61. I still remember Clinton smiling and being surrounded by Republicans as he signed the bill.

My brother, who was a professor with extensive knowledge of 1930's era legislation, called me and predicted that it would result in a massive meltdown of the economy even more serious than the Savings and Loan collapse. He said they were recreating exactly the same situation that had brought on the depression.

[Robeson]

11. That's really a shame...

...I really hope Halter beats that tool.

[Arkana]

12. Sorry, Bill.

Blanche Lincoln's a tool and needs to fucking GO.

[HatTrick]

13. Sudden urge to give some money to the Bill Halter

After reading that I have a sudden urge to give some money to the Bill Halter campaign.

[PassingFair]

48. Do. It. n/t

[Chef Eric]

72. Me too. Welcome to DU, HatTrick. nt

[bvar22]

14. No longer the Big Dog.

Now just an Old Dog

anOld Dog who is being left behind on the porch by a new generation of Democrats who will no longer tolerate their elected reps selling them out to BIG MONEY.

an Old Dog whose undisputed title of "Best Republican President Ever" is now in jeopardy.

[hulka38]

15. Bill is adding some finishing strokes to the canvas he began working on in '92.

If you don't recognize what you are seeing, it's because you're afraid to look. The current Democratic Party is beholden to corporations. The Democratic Party's goal is to outplay the Republicans for corporate cash all the while appearing to stick up for the little guy. The party will not make the structural reforms needed to keep what's left of the American dream from being snuffed out. The people at the top win regardless of which party has the upper hand at the moment. The only remedy is to tear the game down. Getting Blanche outta there will mark the start of the demolition.

[ShortnFiery]

19. Exactly! We have reached *the dark age* of American Politics.

The only accomplishment by putting another party's establishment in charge of Congress is the color of their jerseys. :(

http://www.counterpunch.org/kuzminski08182004.html

The minority status of the Democratic Party was disguised by its lingering control of Congress (until 1994) and the fluke election (thanks to Ross Perot) of Bill Clinton. Social activists and progressives of various sorts remained the party's base, even as party leaders, embodied in the Democratic Leadership Council, sensing the limited electoral appeal of the progressive agenda, steadily drifted to the right. Their failure to rearticulate a compelling vision of social justice and democracy sealed the party's fate. Conservative attacks on 'big government,' and their promotion of 'deregulation' not only of much of the economy but of campaign financing, solidified the corruption of the political process. As early as the Carter years, conservatives captured the leadership of the Democratic as well as the Republican parties, and created the two-party, right-wing duopoly which now confronts us.

The right-wing duopoly is now virtually impervious to challenge, as the careers of figures as diverse as Ralph Nader, Pat Buchanan, Howard Dean, and Denis Kucinich demonstrate. Kerry's right-wing campaign for president, echoing the exploitative domestic and aggressive foreign policies of Bush, confirms the end of meaningful political discourse in the United States. There are simply no remaining effective instruments of political action available to the restless masses, who are probably a majority of the country, and most of whom, as a result, no longer participate in the political process at all.

In a dark age, it is the responsibility of those who care about things like political freedom and democracy to struggle to ensure that those values somehow survive and are transmitted to future generations, even if they can no longer play an effective public role, much as the monks of the middle ages preserved the learning of antiquity for a better day. That day will come, but likely not in our time.

[AtomicKitten]

16. Lincoln bragged about killing the public option. Eff her. nt

[CTLawGuy]

32. agreed

she was instrumental in killing the public option, and the "left" such as it exists in Arkansas, has every right to hold Lincoln accountable for that.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

54. ditto.

I'd like to see the last of her and all the Blue Dogs.

And Bill has no leftover political capital with me. His legislative chickens have come home to roost and pooped over all of us.

[mitchum]

18. Lap Dawg

[dflprincess]

20. "This is about using you and manipulating your votes to terrify members of Congress

and members of the Senate,”

As opposed to what, using us and manipulating our votes to support candidates who will vote for corporate interests over ours?

It's called democracy, Bill - read up on it.

[Enrique]

37. +1

:thumbsup:

[Catherina]

22. The jig is up Bill. That dog don't hunt no more. Go away n/t

[Bryn]

23. Thanks, but no thanks, Bill

I am not angry at Lincoln...just disgusted. She's no good. Killed public option & is known as the corportion whore. She's not one of us. She belongs with the repugs and teabaggers.

Oh, by the way...I am off to vote for that hot guy named Bill Halter. Can't wait!!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

60. I'm with you - the only thing the Big Dog knows how to do is lick his own balls. His return . . .

to the limelight will only muck things up. The guy just needs to go away. Not sure why Obama would tap this guy to do anything - everyone knows Bill is all about Bill.

[David Zephyr]

26. Bill, you're endorsing backfired in Virginia and in California.

Go Halter.

[TheKentuckian]

28. Fuck you very much, Bill. Go Halter (though he's one of yer boys too)

[rury]

66. Exactly...

I used to like Bill and think he was kind of cool.
I have disliked him now for a long time.
Some reasons:

NAFTA
Welfare "Reform"
Three strikes law
Friendship with the Bush Crime Family
Dissing then-Sen. Barack Obama with racist undertones in the run-up to the South Carolina primary
Still getting digs in at President Obama subtly when he can
Massive de-regulation during his presidency
Constant, indiscriminate womanizing

[Prism]

29. Liberals and Progressives get it from both ends

When Congress, especially the Senate, do their centrist, corporate-friendly dance, we're told if we don't like it we should elect more progressives in primaries. We can only pass reforms with the Senate we have, ya know.

When we attempt to pick more progressive candidates in primaries, the party establishment freaks out and does everything in its power to stop us.

Anyone else get the feeling the Democratic Party leadership kind of likes their right of center centrism?

[old mark]

30. He worked hard here in PA for Specter, too. I like it when the big machine politicians

lose to the little guys...I hope we can keep this trend going.


mark

[FlyByNight]

31. More DLC Kool-Aid being served by Bill

With due respect to Pres. NAFTA, he should keep his mouth closed. As we all know, turning off your left base is the best way to win elections. Lincoln is a sellout and cares only for her "career", not her constituents.

It's because of Halter's primary challenge that could explain Lincoln's left-ish turn regarding the Senate version of the financial reform bill.

And quite frankly, Clinton's and Obama's recent political endorsements haven't worked out too well either. Arlen Specter? Really?! The only thing the DLC likes more than votes is money.

How are Rahm and Mr. Salazar working out for you Mr. President?

[cornermouse]

33. I still like Bill Cinton.

That said. My vote is my own. I would never vote for someone simply because they were endorsed by someone I liked.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

34. Bill Clinton defending corporate Dems???

I am shockedddd!!!!!!1 I guess it takes one to know one.

[Jennicut]

35. The liberal left is pretty tired of having DLC type corporate Dems

not doing anything for them. I hope Halter wins. Bill is behind the times.

[Bluenorthwest]

36. I used to like Bill

Now he is such a self parody.

[jonnyblitz]

43. several "behind the scenes" books i read about the last

election pretty much implied he assisted in fucking up Hillary's campaign and that HE was the main reason many establishment DEMS were leery about wanting Hillary as the one. THey considered him a major liability apparently.

[rury]

67. That's easy to believe

I think Bill Clinton is so damned selfish that he did not want ANY Democrat to be elected president for as long as he lives.
That way he would always be the head of the party as the most recent Democratic president.
His ego is unbelievable, and I cannot stand him for that.
He seemed to be trying really hard to pit the Obama supporters against the PUMAS.
That way the Democrats would have been far to divided to prevent a McCain victory.
Bill Clinton is just sickeningly egocentric.

[Enrique]

38. go Bill Halter

go away Blanche Lincoln.

[Moochy]

39. Maybe Clinton can ask Rahm to ask Halter if he wants an unpaid job

:evilgrin:

[1776Forever]

52. Oh that was deep! But True! n/t

[boppers]

59. LOL. Well played!

:evilgrin:

[NorthCarolina]

42. Typical DLC New Dem attitude towards the Left.

I could care less what this hemorrhoid has to say.

[otohara]

44. Ugh Bill - Your Horns Are Showing

one ugly message.

[PassingFair]

47. Inspirational!

Just sent another $20.00 to MoveOn to support Halter.

What the hell, I got paid on Friday...

[butterfly77]

53. I would vote for Halter..

just as I would Sestak even though I didn't like the choices..

[Sebastian Doyle]

56. Well, at least he didn't

...call us "fucking retards" like his lapdog Rahm does.

Seriously Bill, go the fuck away already and go golfing with your best friend or something. :evilfrown:

[Raine]

58. Bill your time is passed, you're irrelevant

shut up and go away! :mad:

[depakid]

62. "He pounded the podium"

I guess in his old age Bill forgot what he heard in law school:

"When you can't pound the facts, pound the law- when you can't pound the law- pound the table."

:rofl:

[Beacool]

63. Bill is only returning a favor.

The question should be which one is more electable in November, Halter or Lincoln? Which one polls better against the Republican?

;)

[Moosepoop]

64. Yup. Even Halter's camp says so.

Halter’s campaign avoided criticizing Clinton and declined to address his central argument.

“We respect that the president is honoring a commitment he made quite some time ago before Bill Halter entered the race,” said Garry Hoffmann, a Halter spokesman.

Clinton didn't volunteer for this, Lincoln had to ask him to do it.

Clinton's appearance, which Lincoln said she requested, may represent the embattled incumbent's last chance to revive her campaign and save her career.

I thought the wording in Clinton's speech almost sounded like an endorsement of Halter, if read the right way. Could just be me on that one.

[Beacool]

65. Thanks, you get it.

While so many around here are always so eager to jump at the chance to trash Bill.

;)

[IndianaGreen]

69. Halter has more class than the Blanche and her Bill

[iamthebandfanman]

74. oh well that makes it okay then!

gosh im glad you cleared that up!


</sarcasm>

[JNelson6563]

70. He has shown he'll say anything in a primary

And I do mean anything.

Julie

[saltpoint]

71. For those of us who were never Clinton Democrats to begin with,

the Big Dog's remarks confirm our misgivings.

I hope Bill Halter wins that nomination.

[polichick]

73. Nice try Big Dog, but forget it! nt