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| Bill Clinton, political saboteur |
| 2008-02-12 |
| I thought at the time that Bill Clinton’s comments comparing Obama to Jesse Jackson were tacky and self-defeating, but I hadn’t really given them much more thought than that. But this guy made some interesting points. Bill Clinton has mastered southern politics all his life, the activist said. He knows all the buzz words, he knows all the code words, he knows where you do and don’t tread. Clinton, the activist said, has been on the right side of racial politics his entire political career. No one that savvy slips up the way Clinton did. It had to have been a calculated move. And because it was a calculated move, it was a deeply cynical, baldly race-driven move. Clinton, the activist said, was signaling to white voters that Obama isn’t his own man. . . . The thing is, Bill Clinton is incredibly savvy. He may be the most talented politician of my lifetime. The Jesse Jackson comments were uncharacteristically sloppy. What in the world made him utter them? So here’s a crazy theory that occurred to me the other day, and that gets more plausible the more I think about it: Clinton’s comments were calculated, but they may have been more sinister than even the activist I met knows. Clinton–perhaps subconsciously–was sabotaging his wife’s campaign. . . . Yeah, I know. Clinton is supposed to be the male face of feminism. Certainly a progressive, forward-thinking fella’ like him wouldn’t undermine his wife’s ambition because of some Neanderthal urge to stay at the head of his pack, would he? But what’s really all that feminist about Bill Clinton? Certainly not the way he’s treated women on an individual basis over the course of his career. This is a guy who routinely uses women for his own sexual amusement, then tosses them under a bus when they become a problem. Gloria Steinem famously wrote during the impeachment imbroglio that Clinton gets a “free pass” on sexual harassment because of all he’s done to keep abortion safe and legal. But Clinton was a late convert to abortion rights (he was pro-life for much of his career), and rather conveniently switched at about the time it became politically expedient to be pro-choice. And let’s face it, for a guy with Clinton’s urges (and inability to control them), there’s certainly something self-serving about “all he’s done to keep abortion safe and legal.” . . . |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #7 So why would Clinton do it? Well, maybe he doesnÂ’t want his wife to be president. 1. Maybe people give too much credit for being bright? 2. Maybe Bill is really anti-women and racist? 3. Maybe he doesn't want to bake cookies and stand by his woman? 4. Maybe he is afraid he will be emasculated by his wife if she gets elected. 5. Maybe he is a self-aggrandizing, sociopathic publicity whore? 6. Maybe he is afraid that his presidency and legacy (whatever it is) will be overshadowed by Hillary's presidency. Personally, I think of Slick Willie's legacy as the BJ, his serial infidelities, the impeachment, his lying to Congress and the American people, and his failure to address a growing islamic menace. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2008-02-12 21:26 |
| #6 or at least prepare a bag of ice to put on it after he's done |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-02-12 16:46 |
| #5 Clinton is supposed to be the male face of feminism. If that's the case, I'd suggest all you ladies out there buy guns. Or at least pepper spray... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-02-12 16:28 |
| #4 I don't think Bill is sabotaging Hillary. In fact I think he desparately is trying to execute an end-around on the 22nd amendment. |
| Posted by: mhw 2008-02-12 16:00 |
| #3 Bill Clinton's reminder, paraphrasing here, .... that civil rights activist, Jesse Jackson also won South Carolina in 1984 and 1988, before crashing and burning on Super Tuesday was obvioously canned and stratigized prior to release. The halmark of a good scoundrel and lier is... from time to time he must respond with unmistakable credibility. What other "black candidate" could Clinton compare the South Carolina race to? Calculated yes, racist or untrue.... not in my opinion. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-02-12 09:15 |
| #2 I called this a while back. He's sabotaging all right, and quite consciously. It isn't about feminism though, it's about himself. Can't let Hillary out-shine him. |
| Posted by: Spot 2008-02-12 08:30 |
| #1 I've had this same thought. I think if Hillery gets to be prez it will reduce his achievement in his own self image. She will then be his equal and he dont want that. |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2008-02-12 06:47 |