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Bill Clinton steals Hillary's limelight
Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | Jan. 07, 2008 | By Toby Harnden in Amherst, New Hampshire

Posted on 01/06/2008 5:36:14 PM PST by jdm

Bill Clinton's new brief was to make the case for his wife Hillary as a woman of action and experience "who gets things done".

But he could not stop himself drifting back to his years in the White House and the glory days of his 1992 campaign. The more he talks, the greater the danger is that he harms Mrs Clinton's chances by focusing on the past when voters are looking for change and highlighting his star power compared to her own plodding style.

Seven years after he handed over the presidency to George W. Bush, Mr Clinton can still make a persuasive case. He is now more bleary-eyed old sage, however, than the fresh-faced "Comeback Kid" of four elections ago when he fought back in the New Hampshire primary and went on to victory.

The veteran warrior was still able to take some shots at his wife's nemesis Barack Obama, suggesting he was incapable of delivering on his lofty rhetoric. "Do you want a feeling of change or do you want the fact of change?" he asked the crowd. "Do you want words that sound good or action that changes your life for the better?"

He knew though that Mr Obama had just drawn a wildly enthusiastic crowd of more than 2,500 in Nashua while Mrs Clinton's rally in Penacook at the same time had drawn just 800. About 500 were crammed into a school gymnasium for Mr Clinton's event.

As he waxed nostalgic about his time in the White House, it was almost as if Mr Clinton sensed that the political dream he and his wife had shared for perhaps a decade of her returning to his old stamping ground was slipping away.

"Just think what it's like to be president," he mused. "They play a song every time you walk in the room - 'Hail to the Chief'. I was completely lost for three weeks after I left the White House. Nobody ever played a song any more.

"Washington DC is the second most congested city in America. But the president never waits in traffic. He just slips along in that bullet-proof limo. You live in America's best public housing. No commute to the most famous office in the world and your airplane is so cool they make movies about it."

The podium at Souhegan High School was decorated with a huge "Hillary for President" sign. Above it, in an unfortunate juxtaposition, was a large girls' soccer banner declaring: "Runner-up".

Even when he made a point about the former First Lady's dedication and staying power, she was merely a footnote in an anecdote about himself.

"I remember at the end of my campaign 15 years ago," he said "I gave a speech in Dover when I lost my normal constraints and started talking in the foreign language of my native land Arkansas. I said that if you elected me I would be with you until the last dog died.

"That's the kind of speech I gave when I was tired. I tell you that because that's the kind of person she is. She will be with you until the end."

Several of those watching indicated they believed that New Hampshire could well be the end for Mrs Clinton. Scott Rabiet, 45, a museum exhibits designer, had seen Mr Obama before the Bill Clinton event day and had been struck by the contrast.

"What I heard at the Obama event was an articulate vision for where this country ought to go," he said. "What I saw here was an articulate set of policy proposals....Obama does it for me. Hillary makes a great senator."

The contrast between Mrs Clinton and her husband also worked against the former First Lady, he added. "Hillary suffers by comparison. The guy's a natural. Hillary's not. That's obvious."

Dave Callahan, 49, a jewellery importer, said he respected Mrs Clinton's experience but worried about the legacy of the partisan warfare of the 1990s. "The big bad side of it is Hillary's just one more Clinton battle and all the baggage that brings."


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: billclinton; hillaryclinton; limelight; nh2008
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The more he talks, the greater the danger is that he harms Mrs Clinton's chances by focusing on the past.

Good!

1 posted on 01/06/2008 5:36:15 PM PST by jdm
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To: jdm

I think Bill secretly does not want to be first guy! He is not stupid when it comes to politics. He is sandbagging his old lady!


2 posted on 01/06/2008 5:38:19 PM PST by Anti-Bubba182
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To: jdm

Exactly! What’s the problem here? Steal away Bill...


3 posted on 01/06/2008 5:38:23 PM PST by tips up
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To: jdm

those two deserve each other.


4 posted on 01/06/2008 5:38:47 PM PST by the invisib1e hand (whose spirit is hillary channelling these days?)
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To: jdm
said he respected Mrs Clinton's experience

What?

5 posted on 01/06/2008 5:40:26 PM PST by ShadowDancer ("To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.")
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To: jdm

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for Tuesday.

I want to see Hillary become a punchline by November.


6 posted on 01/06/2008 5:42:02 PM PST by sinanju
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To: jdm
"Bill Clinton steals Hillary's limelight"

The editors could have saved some ink (or electrons) by just saying:
Bill Clinton steals.

7 posted on 01/06/2008 5:42:09 PM PST by LegendHasIt
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To: jdm
for his wife Hillary as a woman of action and experience "who gets things done".

Um Bill, I don't think you should mention that cause Hillary was part of an obstructionist Senate that got NOTHING done in 2007.

8 posted on 01/06/2008 5:42:25 PM PST by John123 ("What good fortune for the governments that the people do not think" -- Adolf Hitler)
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To: jdm
"Just think what it's like to be president," he mused. "They play a song every time you walk in the room - 'Hail to the Chief'. I was completely lost for three weeks after I left the White House. Nobody ever played a song any more. "Washington DC is the second most congested city in America. But the president never waits in traffic. He just slips along in that bullet-proof limo. You live in America's best public housing. No commute to the most famous office in the world and your airplane is so cool they make movies about it."

What a self-important, pompous, vacuous twit.

9 posted on 01/06/2008 5:42:39 PM PST by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Anti-Bubba182
She degrades people like no one I know. I'm sure the deal is: Travel package with expense account to any country in the world and the house in New York.

Let's face it. He doesn't need her, never did and she knows it.

10 posted on 01/06/2008 5:44:03 PM PST by Sacajaweau ("The Cracker" will be renamed "The Crapper")
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To: jdm
Nobody ever played a song any more.

Here's one for you slick willy:

(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)

(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.) What you say?

(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)

(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)

11 posted on 01/06/2008 5:44:34 PM PST by Graybeard58 ( Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: jdm
Bill Clinton steals Hillary's limelight

Years back I heard a description of Bill Clinton as being like the moon. With his personality, he has no light of his own, he must find the brightest light available and reflect it back.

12 posted on 01/06/2008 5:45:16 PM PST by infidel29 (I'm pulling for Fred... The 6 of us just don't have a loud enough voice to "b" Duncan Hunter "ttt")
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To: jdm
"Just think what it's like to be president," he mused. "They play a song every time you walk in the room - 'Hail to the Chief'. I was completely lost for three weeks after I left the White House. Nobody ever played a song any more.

I get what he is saying. However, this should be be voiced only to his closest friends on rare occasions. This baring of his pathetic soul is emblematic of the 90s.

13 posted on 01/06/2008 5:46:31 PM PST by outofstyle (My Ride's Here)
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To: Izzy Dunne

They just don’t get it. HE is a big part of what we all want a CHANGE from !!!


14 posted on 01/06/2008 5:47:40 PM PST by Pikachu_Dad
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To: John123
for his wife Hillary as a woman of action and experience "who gets things done".

They had 8 years in the White House, just what was it they got done during that time again? Sound of crickets chirping.

15 posted on 01/06/2008 5:49:39 PM PST by Pikachu_Dad
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To: jdm

The guy has lost his marbles. He must have OD’d on Viagra.


16 posted on 01/06/2008 5:52:51 PM PST by Cobra64 (www.BulletBras.net)
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To: jdm
Image hosted by Photobucket.com Vote For Monica's Boyfriend's Wife!!!
17 posted on 01/06/2008 5:54:02 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
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To: Pikachu_Dad
Sound of crickets chirping.

Crickets chirp here. However, they will shout about how great the 90s were. It does not matter that they were riding a tech bubble and squandering the post cold war "peace dividend."

18 posted on 01/06/2008 5:55:18 PM PST by outofstyle (My Ride's Here)
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To: Izzy Dunne

Thank God he left. Hopefully the people in this country aren’t stupid enough to vote Mrs. Bill Clinton into office!


19 posted on 01/06/2008 5:56:41 PM PST by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
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To: jdm
I still remember the first time I remember seeing the clintons on TV. hillary was talking about how his indiscretions didn’t matter. They, as a couple, creeped me out. They still do.
20 posted on 01/06/2008 5:57:24 PM PST by Ditter
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