Leading Democrats To Bill Clinton: Pipe Down

Newsweek ^

[Sub-Driver]

Leading Democrats To Bill Clinton: Pipe Down By Jonathan Alter NEWSWEEK Updated: 1:43 PM ET Jan 19, 2008

Prominent Democrats are upset with the aggressive role that Bill Clinton is playing in the 2008 campaign, a role they believe is inappropriate for a former president and the titular head of the Democratic Party. In recent weeks, Sen. Edward Kennedy and Rep. Rahm Emanuel, both currently neutral in the Democratic contest, have told their old friend heatedly on the phone that he needs to change his tone and stop attacking Sen. Barack Obama, according to two sources familiar with the conversations who asked for anonymity because of their sensitive nature. Clinton, Kennedy and Emanuel all declined to comment.

On balance, aides to both Bill and Hillary still see Bill as a huge net plus in fund-raising, attracting large crowds and providing a megaphone to raise doubts about Obama—even if some of those doubts are distortions. But there's concern that in hatcheting the Illinois senator and losing his temper with the news media (last week he thrashed a San Francisco TV reporter for asking about a lawsuit filed by Clinton-backing teachers union members to limit the number of Nevada caucuses), Clinton is drawing down his political capital and harming his role as a global statesman. "This is excruciating," says a member of the Clintons' circle, who asked for anonymity. "But the stakes couldn't be higher. It's worth it to tarnish himself a bit now to win the presidency."

During a December taping with PBS's Charlie Rose, a frustrated Clinton called Obama "a roll of the dice," as aides tried to end the interview.

[Free Vulcan]

Maybe Kennedy will get his mafia to take Bill out to shut him up, then Hill then take Kennedy out in retaliation.

That’d be one hell of a twofer.

[TomGuy]

Ole BJ ain’t gonna quieten down.

He’s doing what he does best: politick’in and campaign’in.

He is back in his element.

He just has to be careful not to make the race about him.

[relictele]

Sorry “prominent Democrats” but it’s still Billy Jeff’s show.

You have a wax figure (Pelosi) and Droopy Dog (Reid) and they are providing precious little in the way of leadership so it defaults back to ol’ Crooked Finger.

[Keith]

He will now that they kneecapped Obama in NV. She will cruise in FL (He doesn’t care about SC, they won’t win it in Nov. anyway) and finish wiping the floor with Obama in a Super Tuesday Tsunami.

NOW Clinton will tone it down and they will simply ignore Obama and do nothing but badmouth Bush and those evil right-wing extremist Republicans. You watch.

[awakened]

What you say is perfectly true — but it cannot be ignored that this could not be happening without the express “permission” of this country. They are where they are in power, privilege, control, influence, and government because we as Americans put them there. And for that, we will all pay as we have been. Although we as conservatives are not directly responsible, we are indeed part of a larger mass of people who have allowed this country to be apathetic and dependent and screaming about our “rights.” When people get away with treason by way of a very sad and dangerous misinterpretation of the first amendment, it’s time for us to wake up. All of us.

[ken21]

if hillary wins,

bill’s out

and it’ll be a les white house.

[TCats]

Bingo. You hit the strategy right on the head.

Hillary is inevitable and tonight’s results lead me to believe she wins in Nov. What a total disaster and I lay a large part of the agony for both Clintons on Both Bushs. What a duopoly!

[umgud]

former president and the titular head of the Democratic Party

Titular head? Id there a joke in there somewhere?

[OESY]

Remember Bill, this is your reelection, your redemption, your legacy--a time to reverse all those bad things that people said and did to you. With JFK's encouragement, you sought high political office because it makes you a babe magnet. Too bad you married impulsively and prematurely, but that's history. Old Willard led you down the wrong path, and now you're stuck.

But, look at the brighter side, you've got your "open marriage" arrangement with her--so there's nothing else to do but stay out there in the public eye. You need to be seen, to be engaged, to present yourself front and center. (Sorry about the military analogy, but this is WAR.) No one can tell an ex-president how to behave. Where's your self-esteem, man? You owe it to Willard.

Remember one other piece of advice: If she doesn't win, it is because you f*cked up, sat on your duff, didn't do squat for her, said the wrong thing, put your foot in your mouth, came off as too aggressive or, alternatively, dumber than shinola, and you will hear about it for an eternity. (Hint: Look for the note attached to the flying lamp as it sails by.) She won't be busy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or traveling around the world. She'll have oodles of time to teach you a few lessons. So get out there and fight! Obama deserves to go down! And you're just the guy to do it. We're counting on you. Besides, Willard needs company.

.

[WoofDog123]

“What you say is perfectly true — but it cannot be ignored that this could not be happening without the express “permission” of this country.”

This is fair and true.

I would add that what is unusual here is that while traditionally a 2-term president walks away from the game upon leaving office, having no further possible options, and thus has never had the possibility of a reason to try to keep control of his party and do something later....obviously the Clintons found a way, and have enough support in the Media to not be laughed out of town for the sheer audacity of their plan. The media, a megacorporate elite which doesn’t give a damn what sheeple think, has been complicit in this from the start. I candidly do not believe those entities are subject to market forces in any way in the planning and timing of their political propaganda efforts.

We all will pay, one way or another, but the fact this is even happening at all represents a dangerous concentration of power in our political system. (We have the prospect of the Clintons directly controlling the DNC for *24 years* if Hillary gets 2 terms, and even if she loses they might be able to keep control of the party).

[rod1]

Bubba not being Bubba is about as likely to happen as a Kennedy deciding it is not prudent to drive.

[BerryDingle]

And the circus sideshow continues.

[COBOL2Java]

Yep. Hillary has a special industrial-strength testicle lock box for Obama just waiting to be put into service. As soon as the hermetical seal has been vacuum-packed, Hillary will announce she’s picked Barry to be her Veep.

[WoofDog123]

” but it cannot be ignored that this could not be happening without the express “permission” of this country.”

Actually I would amend my previous comment - this could not happen without the express permission of the Major media, meaning GE, Viacom, Time-Warner, Disney, and the major print conglomerates including Gannett, NYT. While some are losing market share, it seems they just don’t give a damn and they are going to force their political agenda down our throats regardless of what it costs them.

I found a money-quote from 1993’ish regarding the Clinton Healthcare plan on FR recently which summed up the Media coordinated efforts to direct society -

“Senator Rockefeller also suggested news organizations “are anxious and willing to receive guidance [from the Clinton Administration] on how to time and shape their [news] coverage.””

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1955546/posts

I realize Murdoch has done very well with Fox news, but at the same time I do not believe the media are subject to market forces in terms of the type of control and coordination of the big picture that they exercise.

[ProfoundMan]

That is a frightening “Dr Phil” moment for the sinkmeister. Well written... You should email that to him and anyone else who will listen.

Expand that into at least one editorial for print. You’ve just said everything Dick Morris would say in a late night bar on the campaign trail (after the contract was signed, of course).

Bravo. Scary, but “bravo”!

[awakened]

You clearly have a terrific grasp of this absurd situation, but let me suggest that the media, too, could not be in business without our money and support. They can’t sell it if we don’t buy it. And cumulatively we have bought it all from Fox to CNN to MSNBC to the NYT.... Air time is expensive. When you stop and realize that even Howard Stern has his followers who are willing to pay for his air time, it is an easy jump to accept that the media is getting away with all its manipulations and biases because we let them stay in business. The media wouldn’t exist without its listeners/watchers and if we stopped buying the garbage they sell, politically or otherwise, they’d either be out of business or would have to give up manipulating and start reporting.

[awakened]

You clearly have a terrific grasp of this absurd situation, but let me suggest that the media, too, could not be in business without our money and support. They can’t sell it if we don’t buy it. And cumulatively we have bought it all from Fox to CNN to MSNBC to the NYT.... Air time is expensive. When you stop and realize that even Howard Stern has his followers who are willing to pay for his air time, it is an easy jump to accept that the media is getting away with all its manipulations and biases because we let them stay in business. The media wouldn’t exist without its listeners/watchers and if we stopped buying the garbage they sell, politically or otherwise, they’d either be out of business or would have to give up manipulating and start reporting.

[awakened]

Sorry for the double post — hit it twice by mistake.

[Brad from Tennessee]

The news media have been licking their chops lately at the prospect of Republicans becoming hopelessly fragmented as the primaries end. But a scenario they don’t relish is blacks and progressives splitting away from the Democrat Party as Hillary and her minions attack Obama. Hillary can win the nomination without blacks and extremists but she can’t win in November if they decide to boycott the election or vote Obama by write-in.

[Vigilanteman]

Telling Bill to pipe down is like telling a dog not to pee on fire hydrants. Won’t happen. It just isn’t in their nature.