A Clinton flip-flop on vice president talk
By DAN ROSS
November 5th, 2009
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Back in January, former President Bill Clinton came to Napa to promote his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton’s run for the Democratic presidential nomination. During his speech he was very clear that any talk about a vice president was not only premature but detrimental to her campaign.
Remember, this was done at a time when Hillary was leading in the polls and the delegate count.
Now that Hillary is behind Barack Obama in the delegate count, Bill and Hillary are trying to drum up support for Obama taking the second chair to Hillary as her vice president.
Welcome to campaign double-speak, when the message takes a 180 degree turn because a campaign -- and the candidate’s message -- is struggling.
Here's the former President's direct quote from his January speech at the Napa Valley Opera House as he spoke about who Hillary's vice president should be.
"I believe there are iron laws of political combat, and when you are fighting for your life, if you think about something that is going to happen after the election is over you are wasting time, dividing your energy and risking your enterprise."
Last weekend in Mississippi, however, Bill goes directly against his “iron laws of political combat,” by taking directly about how strong a Hillary-Barack ticket would be against John McCain and (enter name of your choosing here).
As the Associated Press stated Monday, “Clinton and her husband, the former president, had suggested recently that a Clinton-Obama ticket would be popular and formidable against Republican Sen. John McCain in November.”
Mr. (former) President, why did you decide your iron laws are now unreliable?
Check out the video I shot and posted at napavalleyregister.com -- it is the on the home page -- and go to 24 seconds left in the video to listen as Bill explains why any talk about a vice president is a mistake.
Well Bill, sounds like you and Hillary are pushing a mistake because you are running out of legitimate ways to win the nomination. Why are you risking your enterprise, dividing your energy and wasting time?
Could it be that iron laws of political combat only apply when you or your candidate is ahead, and once you are behind there are no rules any more, just panic, personal attacks and flip-flops instead?
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JimClark wrote on Mar 12, 2008 5:22 AM:
jwk wrote on Mar 12, 2008 7:09 AM:
kevin wrote on Mar 12, 2008 8:07 AM:
musikluvr wrote on Mar 12, 2008 11:55 AM:
Dan Ross wrote on Mar 12, 2008 12:00 PM:
No fuss at all, just pointing out that Bill Clinton was adamant that any talk about a vice president was flat out wrong. Funny then to hear him push the idea vigorously. A skilled campaigner like him going back on his "iron laws," is something I found amusing, and something others were giving him a free pass on. I don't tend to give out too many free passes. "
funnyme wrote on Mar 13, 2008 5:30 AM:
In the"people" world, if you don't do your job the way you promised you would -or told to do- you get fired and you don't get hired again a few years later. Your bosses will remember your chaaracter and what you did or didn't do for them. "
JimClark wrote on Mar 14, 2008 5:24 AM:
This upcoming election in November has caused an important test of the American Mind. Is there any candidate worthy of occupying OUR White House? The same White House fouled and demeaned by Clinton (Blythe) 1? It can be argued that Bush 1 & 2 may have been off the mark. Clintonism did not necessarily come from the 1960s. Each of them have an agenda. Now it is Hillary’s turn.
All too many of our legislators commit treason when they swear to protect, preserve & defend The Constitution of The United States of America. Why? They have no respect or understand of the law of our land. karl marx had no participation in our Constitution. Yet socio-communism has infected our culture and our society. “Education” has ignored American History. As parents, you all need to study American history. The Federalist, Thomas Paine, de Toqueville and all so many others will be an inspiration..
Thomas Jefferson gave us “The American Mind”. I would rather see it as our course of direction as opposed to what it has become. "
Hear Ye wrote on Mar 14, 2008 12:08 PM:
reader wrote on Mar 15, 2008 2:00 PM:
Obama would be a great VP because that would give him time to become truly known, build his attack stamina, and put all of this fear mongoring about his name behind him. He will make a fantastic future president but, not yet. As they say, he is not vetted or tested. Therefore, he is the ticket to a McCain presidentcy and you can bet your bottom dollar the republicans know this and are behind his surging popularity, 100%. The republicans are soooo afraid of having to go up against Clinton. So, Clinton-hating democrates, whose side are you really on? "
JimClark wrote on Mar 17, 2008 3:28 PM:
These two people are a two person Jim Jones in Guiana. I’m more into Gatoraide than Kool Aid myself. What is wrong with you people?
There may not be an honest politician on earth; does that mean you have to vote the epitome of dishonest politician? "
funnyme wrote on Mar 20, 2008 8:02 PM:
glenroy wrote on Mar 20, 2008 10:27 PM:
Reader...when it comes to winning elections based on bogus innuendos, dirty tricks and outright voter fraud Democrats wrote the book! Kennedy won 1960 Precedential election after stealing Illinois, West Virginia and Texas through organized Democrat Party voter fraud funded by his father’s wealth. Indeed, the Democrat Party was founded on slanderous fraud, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison intentionally undermined the Washington Presidency while they held Cabinet positions in his Administration leaking ‘forged documents’ to newspaper they owned slandering Washington as a British Stooge...these two patriots perfected the art of forked tongue freedom for slaves, as long they aren’t our slaves. You ought to learn a little about your own party history, my former party after I took some objective time to learn, before you make such wildly unfounded claims . Do you even realize the wealth that has been accumulated by your party’s current leadership? The primary difference between your party and the Republican party is that Democrat’s gain their wealth at the tax payer expense and the majority of wealthy Republicans, although fewer than Democrats by a wide margin, did it the old fashion way, they earned it by owning small businesses. Harry Reid’s wealth, on the other-hand was ‘earned’ through his connection to his political office primarily bogus land deals... like Obama, whose developer buddy who is now fighting felony counts. How about the KKK, white Americans have suffered dearly for this Democrat Party fraternity. How about the Kennedy’s... Ted’s should have been in prison years ago for manslaughter, his family fortune was created through alliances with mobs to corner the ‘Spirts’ market...they’ve sent their billion dollar empire off shore to avoid taxes. You take away government jobs and special interest political nonprofits and what’s left of the Democrat Party?
"
JimClark wrote on Mar 24, 2008 11:19 AM:
nightwatchman wrote on Mar 25, 2008 11:25 AM:
JimClark wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:27 PM:
Normbc9 wrote on Mar 26, 2008 7:04 AM: