Posted on 12/20/2011 4:50:22 AM PST by Libloather
Bill Clinton's lessons for Obama
By Julian Zelizer, CNN Contributor
updated 5:05 PM EST, Mon December 19, 2011
**SNIP**
The first is that President Clinton was very successful at counteracting Republicans when they attacked. One of President Obama's great frustrations has been the "messaging wars." He has frequently been frustrated by how the GOP portrays him to the public and defines his policies in unfavorable ways.
Clinton didn't let the GOP do that easily. When Republicans painted the president as left of center early in his term, he responded by aggressively highlighting his centrist credentials, lowering the deficit in 1993 and reforming welfare in 1996. Although he accepted their terms of debate, unlike when President Obama has done the same, he was able to follow through on that co-optation by strengthening his party's standing.
When House Republicans shut down the government over spending, Clinton helped convince the public that they were extremists, forcing Republicans to backtrack.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
The premier liar teaching a second class liar how to lie more better.
The difference is, the Kenyan Usurper has no “centrist credentials”, and isn’t interested in acquiring any.
He going all-in on his failing socialist bets, and anyone who dares to raise any doubts must be a racist bigot.
At least Clinton understood practical politics; with Obama, there’s no compromise possible because Hussein isn’t interested in any.
"For god's sake, GET IT DRY CLEANED!!!!!"
The nerve of those Republicans, defining Obama as an evil, racist, anti-Semitic, anti-American communist with no talent, no knowledge, no ability, and no patriotism! In reality, Obama is as educated and patriotic as the CNN journalists who gush over his awesomeness.
Typical CNN propaganda.
1) Look at the historical tables for the budget submitted by Clinton in February, 1995. This budget was his first to be submitted after the Gingrich-led take-over of the House of Representatives. Note that the projected deficits run about $200 billion.
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy96/pdf/bud96h.pdf
Now, yes, the budget deficit decreased from its 1992 high of $290 million, but that’s because the Resolution Trust Corporation (remember it?) was cleaning up the Savings & Loan debacle. The budget deficit was going to decrease in any event as the RTC shifted from buying bad loans to selling off the properties.
b) Welfare reform - a Clinton initiative? Come on! The Republican Congress kept passing welfare reform measures and Clinton kept vetoing them until Dick Morris convinced him that any more vetoes would doom his re-election.
It’s rather amazing how welfare reform has become a signature acheivement of the Clinton administration. The fact remains that it was enacted despite Clinton’s opposition.
The key lesson Clinton could give Obama is- have a Conservative Republican Congress drag you kicking and screaming to Welfare Reform and a Balanced Budget.
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