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Bill Clinton On The Mistake Hillary Won't Make Again
MTV/VH1 ^ | Jan. 06, 2008 | by Michelle Rabinowitz, with additional reporting by Tim Kash

Posted on 01/06/2008 9:47:32 PM PST by jdm

BRENTWOOD, New Hampshire — In an exclusive interview with MTV News here, former president Bill Clinton admitted Senator Hillary Clinton and her campaign made a mistake in underestimating the youth vote in Iowa — where Barack Obama won the Democratic caucus last week — but said the same thing won't happen in New Hampshire.

"I think historically young people have not voted in the Iowa caucus because they are from other states," the former president told MTV News on Saturday night. "This time we had a lot of students who did come back and I think, frankly, thousands and thousands of them came back from Illinois to support Senator Obama, and they had a very aggressive outreach. And we haven't made that mistake here; we've reached out to young people here and I think we just have to keep trying."

And she'll need to keep trying to court the crucial youth vote until the citizens of New Hampshire vote on Tuesday: While polls on Saturday showed similar numbers for Clinton and rival Barack Obama, a CNN/WMUR poll on Sunday (January 6) found Obama opening up a wide lead — approximately 10 points at press time.

Even though most of the young voters who turned out in Iowa caucused for his wife's rival, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton is still thrilled that so many young people stood up to be counted, and he thinks he knows why.

"I think they know they have a big stake in this," he said. "I think they want us to address climate change. I think they want America to be respected and supported in the world again and I think they really didn't like the feeling they've had for the last seven years and they want their future to be brighter. I don't think it is very complicated."

Clinton has been on the campaign trail in New Hampshire for his wife, showing up at events across the state with and without her. Hillary Clinton was preparing for a debate when we caught up with the former president. He made a prepared speech to an over-capacity crowd of a few hundred Hillary supporters, fans of Bill and curious onlookers before answering questions and signing autographs for almost an hour.

"I love these town hall meetings," he said with a smile that hinted back to the former glory of his own days on the trail — but then said he wouldn't want to do it all over again.

"Not at all! I'm just happy to help her. I had my eight years and I did the best I could and I'm very grateful. And if people elect her I'll do whatever I can to help her. But she is the best candidate for president I have ever had the chance to vote for both because of the variety of things she's done to help people in their lives and the good she's done and the experience she's had. She's very well suited for this moment in time, so it is fun for me to be campaigning for her."

"I think historically young people have not voted in the Iowa caucus because they are from other states," the former president told MTV News on Saturday night. "This time we had a lot of students who did come back and I think, frankly, thousands and thousands of them came back from Illinois to support Senator Obama, and they had a very aggressive outreach. And we haven't made that mistake here; we've reached out to young people here and I think we just have to keep trying."

And she'll need to keep trying to court the crucial youth vote until the citizens of New Hampshire vote on Tuesday: While polls on Saturday showed similar numbers for Clinton and rival Barack Obama, a CNN/WMUR poll on Sunday (January 6) found Obama opening up a wide lead — approximately 10 points at press time.

Even though most of the young voters who turned out in Iowa caucused for his wife's rival, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton is still thrilled that so many young people stood up to be counted, and he thinks he knows why.

"I think they know they have a big stake in this," he said. "I think they want us to address climate change. I think they want America to be respected and supported in the world again and I think they really didn't like the feeling they've had for the last seven years and they want their future to be brighter. I don't think it is very complicated."

Clinton has been on the campaign trail in New Hampshire for his wife, showing up at events across the state with and without her. Hillary Clinton was preparing for a debate when we caught up with the former president. He made a prepared speech to an over-capacity crowd of a few hundred Hillary supporters, fans of Bill and curious onlookers before answering questions and signing autographs for almost an hour.

"I love these town hall meetings," he said with a smile that hinted back to the former glory of his own days on the trail — but then said he wouldn't want to do it all over again.

"Not at all! I'm just happy to help her. I had my eight years and I did the best I could and I'm very grateful. And if people elect her I'll do whatever I can to help her. But she is the best candidate for president I have ever had the chance to vote for both because of the variety of things she's done to help people in their lives and the good she's done and the experience she's had. She's very well suited for this moment in time, so it is fun for me to be campaigning for her."


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: billclinton; hillaryclinton; mtv
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1 posted on 01/06/2008 9:47:34 PM PST by jdm
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To: jdm

If Barak Hussien wins NH he better have very good body guards to keep from being Arkencided. He’s a dead man walking.


2 posted on 01/06/2008 9:54:52 PM PST by lp boonie (Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement)
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To: jdm

C’mon kiddies! Vote for Granny Hill!


3 posted on 01/06/2008 9:56:07 PM PST by Mygirlsmom (If a Dem wins in 08 look for CHANGE. Get a metal detector, the $ between the cushions won't go far)
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To: jdm

The news isn’t about the youth vote, it’s about the fact that 67% of Iowans didn’t vote for her. Working up to her usual 50% disapproval rate would be a major move up for her. Name the category—she lost in all of them, not just the out-of-state college kids.


4 posted on 01/06/2008 9:57:08 PM PST by MHT
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To: lp boonie

What? Getting caught...


5 posted on 01/06/2008 9:58:55 PM PST by ThomasThomas ( _/|\_)
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To: jdm

Couldn’t be sHrilary’s fault.

Just too many danged young people hanging around in Iowa, of all places.


6 posted on 01/06/2008 9:58:59 PM PST by Edit35
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To: Mygirlsmom

Is Barak the only candidate under 60?


7 posted on 01/06/2008 10:01:44 PM PST by Palladin (Romney: "I was for abortion before I was against abortion.")
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To: jdm
[. . .”This time we had a lot of students who did come back and I think, frankly, thousands and thousands of them came back from Illinois to support Senator Obama, and they had a very aggressive outreach. . .”]

In sounds like in a subtle way Clinton is saying some of Obama’s caucus voters may have been Illinois residents.

8 posted on 01/06/2008 10:03:10 PM PST by Brad from Tennessee ("A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.")
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To: Rock&RollRepublican
Just too many danged young people hanging around in Iowa, of all places.

And the nerve of them, voting for Obama after all Bill CLinton did to teach them about oral sex when they were young'ins.

9 posted on 01/06/2008 10:07:57 PM PST by Mygirlsmom (If a Dem wins in 08 look for CHANGE. Get a metal detector, the $ between the cushions won't go far)
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To: MurryMom
"I think they know they have a big stake in this," he said. "I think they want us to address climate change. I think they want America to be respected and supported in the world again and I think they really didn't like the feeling they've had for the last seven years and they want their future to be brighter. I don't think it is very complicated."

"I love these town hall meetings," he said with a smile.

"Not at all! I'm just happy to help her. I had my eight years and I did the best I could and I'm very grateful. And if people elect her I'll do whatever I can to help her. But she is the best candidate for president I have ever had the chance to vote for both because of the variety of things she's done to help people in their lives and the good she's done and the experience she's had. She's very well suited for this moment in time, so it is fun for me to be campaigning for her."

It's all about Hillary...

10 posted on 01/06/2008 10:12:16 PM PST by Libloather (Hillary donors find their way to the cover of Time. And the very next day they're doing it...)
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To: Libloather
Interesting how many times he says I while talking about hillary. Can’t wait to see the last of both of them.
11 posted on 01/06/2008 10:18:09 PM PST by Irish Eyes
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To: jdm

Not surprised he’d rather show up without Hillary


12 posted on 01/06/2008 10:20:58 PM PST by bigbob (2)
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To: Libloather
she is the best candidate for president I have ever had the chance to vote for

So why didn't she run instead of him first time around?

13 posted on 01/06/2008 10:22:57 PM PST by razorback-bert (Remember that amateurs built the Ark while professionals built the Titanic.)
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To: jdm
I think historically young people have not voted in the Iowa caucus because they are from other states,

What in the world is Slick talking about? Is he implying the all of the college students have gone off to Illinois to go to college and therefore have been Obammized?

14 posted on 01/06/2008 10:27:32 PM PST by notpoliticallycorewrecked (Get the U.S. out of the U.N. and get the U.N. out of the U.S.)
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To: Rock&RollRepublican

Never a Clinton’s fault, ever!


15 posted on 01/06/2008 10:30:53 PM PST by Atchafalaya
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To: jdm
because of the variety of things she's done to help people in their lives and the good she's done

Like what, exactly ?

16 posted on 01/06/2008 10:38:45 PM PST by 1066AD
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To: Palladin

Edwards is under 60. Kucinich is, I think, about 11.


17 posted on 01/06/2008 11:20:01 PM PST by doug from upland (Stopping Hillary should be a FreeRepublic Manhattan Project)
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To: Brad from Tennessee

I read that, and considered that as a subtle accusation as well, but then I thought he may mean that Iowans who left the state for Illinois’ colleges returned for the cauci.

Then there is the problem of actually believing that if HRC “reached out” to “young people” that they would instantly and uniformly respond positively. Her problems aren’t solved by delegating more people to “youth outreach” — but if she wants to think that, fine.


18 posted on 01/06/2008 11:52:05 PM PST by bajabaja
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To: bajabaja
"...I read that, and considered that as a subtle accusation as well, but then I thought he may mean that Iowans who left the state for Illinois’ colleges returned for the cauci..."

It's even more subtle than that: it's a call for Massachusetts students to drive north an hour to vote in New Hampshire. (NH has same-day voter registration).

19 posted on 01/07/2008 12:38:36 AM PST by Does so (...against all enemies, DOMESTIC and foreign...)
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To: bajabaja
“. . . but then I thought he may mean that Iowans who left the state for Illinois’ colleges returned for the cauci.”

That’s what he said. But Edwards beat Hillary too and Bill didn’t mention Iowa residents returning from North Carolina colleges.

I read today on another post that the Clintons are filling out the crowds at their events in New Hampshire with Hillary partisans from Massachusetts and New York.

20 posted on 01/07/2008 12:41:42 AM PST by Brad from Tennessee ("A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.")
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