Olive Branches

Since the Democratic primary contest isn't technically over, Obamaniacs really ought to stop jumping down Bill Clinton's throat over stuff like this. A plain reading of Clinton's words does not, in and of itself, imply that Barack Obama doesn't love his country, or that if Obama were the nominee the campaign would be about something other than issues. But once again, Occam's razor applies: sometimes, Bill Clinton just misspeaks or makes political miscalculations.

Comments

[weboy]

Nick, you know I love to give you a hard time... but I do think yesterday's and today's post were very well done - measured, thoughtful, not leaping to one conclusion. Thanks.

[Toast]

Given that Bill Clinton is a first-rate public speaker even when he's speaking extemporaneously, I don't think one can so easily conclude that misspeaking is the simplest explanation.

[mattsmom]

Toast, from the Daily Kos link, I don't see where Clinton mentioned any names. Couldn't he be referring to Obama and Hillary?

[ikl]

Does anyone have the context for that quote? I have a hard time interpreting it out of context.

[Oscar]

Here's the link to the video of Clinton's speech in NC. Judge for yourself.

http://news14.com/Video/video_pop.aspx?vids=64223&sid=1&rid=94

[jacqueline]

mattsmom...
i heard the full passage that clinton spoke, and he was referring to hillary and mccain, and proceeded to speak about how well the two got along.

nick

i think that bill clinton has misspoken deliberately and hurtfully during this campaign. as an elder statesman/ex-president, i have found his words divisive to the party that supported him and insulting to barack obama.
several days ago, to paraphrase....he was speaking to a group of working people, and said that he and hillary were depending on them, as all of the "wealthy democrats" were voting for obama.
this was a cruel statement. he has now tried to fractionalize the party along racial lines, socio-economic lines....and he and hillary have painted mccain as a more competent leader than barack obama.
factor that in with his comment about jesse jackson.
......the other thing that i think is unconscionable, is that both he and hillary have watched a brutal excoriation of reverend wright, and they have not come forward to defend him, even though he was their guest in the white house.
they have a moral obligation to stand up for something other than their selves.
i now feel that of all of the elders in the democratic party.... i hold bill clinton in the lowest esteem. he has now deeply tarnished his legacy and good works, in my opinion.
i forgive him, because that is simply his karma, and who he is. but he absolutely does not deserve to be co-president of this country. his behavior during this campaign has been less than patriotic. especially from an expresident.

[jacqueline]

a famous, but true, old chestnut......

"you cannot turn a sow's ear into a silk purse."

[Ron]

Bill Clinton has genius level intelligence. He doesn't say things during a campaign that have a clear subliminal message component by mistake. He clearly intended for the impression to be left that McCain and Hillary are more patriotic than Obama.

[KathyF]

The portion of his statement that bothers me is this:

"and people could actually ask themselves who is right on these issues, instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics."

In other words, we'll have two people who won't bring race and patriotism and pastors into the issue, and have two patriots instead.

[Ron]

Also the idea that there would be no "other stuff" if Clinton is the nominee is absurd especially coming from Mr. Other Stuff himself, Bill Clinton.