A truly extraordinary thing happened Sunday morning on ABC's "This Week": the panel and the host seemed to agree that former President Bill Clinton's antics on the campaign trail are hurting Hillary's chances of winning the Democrat presidential nomination.
Maybe even more surprising, the editor of the ultra-leftwing publication "The Nation," Katrina vanden Heuvel, quoted someone close to the Clinton campaign as having said, "People are looking at him like a little league dad who's having these temper tantrums in every state."
Making matters worse, George Will referred to the former president as "an Olympic-class whiner," while host George Stephanopoulos said, "Some people are concerned about this, even inside the Party," and fretted, "I have no indication at all though that President Clinton's going to stop."
I kid you not.
Without further ado, and for your entertainment pleasure, here's a partial transcript of this truly delicious panel segment (video available here, relevant section begins at minute 7:25):
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, HOST: We're also seeing something, this is truly unique in American history, I guess we can say that just about every week in this presidential campaign. Three big weeks of primaries, in each one now we've seen Bill Clinton, former President of the United States, play basically attack dog-in-chief. Before Iowa, he goes on "Charlie Rose" and says that Barack Obama isn't ready. Before New Hampshire, he goes and talks about the fairytale of his positions on Iraq. He was out there this week attacking the caucuses, pouncing on this Reagan statement. Some people are concerned about this, even inside the Party. I have no indication at all though that President Clinton's going to stop.
GEORGE WILL, ABC: No. It's a metabolic urge on his part. He's an Olympic-class whiner, and he was whining about everything in Las Vegas as far as I can tell. But, it might work.
STEPHANOPOULOS: It is working, right?
KATRINA VANDEN HEUVEL, EDITOR "THE NATION": I'm not sure it's working.
MATTHEW DOWD, ABC: I think the interesting thing about Bill Clinton that he's, he's a much better politician on behalf of himself than he is on behalf of anybody else. He speaks, and he has a great ear, a great political sense about himself and where he wants to go. He doesn't have a great sense or a great ear...
VANDEN HEUVEL: He's hurting Hillary Clinton. You've seen...
DOWD: Yeah, I agree with that.
VANDEN HEUVEL: He's having a meltdown in every state, and he is so over-invested in her candidacy. When she said in New Hampshire, "I have found my own voice," she was talking about more than just the politics of it. I spoke to someone close to the campaign, who said, "Bill Clinton, people are looking at him like a little league dad who's having these temper tantrums in every state. He has to be sent far away for he reinforces it's a referendum on the Clinton presidency, the dynasty problem."
STEPHANOPOULOS: And I agree. I know there are people in the campaign saying the same thing. I know there are people pulling their hair out. I know there are senators pulling their hair out. On the other hand, on the other hand, I don't think that President Clinton believes he is hurting, and if you look at the results, someone's out there and got to do it. They're playing a good cop/bad cop, and it is getting a lot of negatives out there on Obama.
CHRYSTIA FREELAND, FINANCIAL TIMES: I think that's right, and I think that at a high-altitude level, it feels like it shouldn't work. It feels like it should reinforce the dynastic concerns, which really should be one of the key issues with Hillary Clinton's candidacy. But, when it comes to what voters think and how they're actually responding, it's hard to find evidence that it's been counterproductive.
DOWD: Well, it's, you know, you can win and still do dumb things, as we've all seen campaigns that have done dumb things and won. I don't think it's helpful to her. I think the best thing that she can do is stand alone. I think the problem is that she's got to stand alone, have her voice, which I think that moment when she said "I've got my voice" had much more to do with politics, it had to do with personal, it had to do with a lot of things. I think the best thing they can do is he sort of take a step back, go off the stage, and let her stand on her own.
VANDEN HEUVEL: I hear they exiled him to the Canadian border on the eve of the New Hampshire primary it may have triggered a few points for her.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
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I hope like crazy that he
January 20, 2008 - 13:58 ET by motherbeltI hope like crazy that he keeps it up. He is reminding everyone of everything from the 90's that we thought we had said "Good riddance!" to....
Just typical whining coming
January 20, 2008 - 14:06 ET by FishFace222Just typical whining coming from a dem party that is full of people that feel they are victims of something or someone.
His
January 20, 2008 - 14:06 ET by BlazerHis royal-purple-snit-fit-ness is p.o.'ed he can't do the one thing he doesn't even do, make us all love her. I look for Billy boy to have an arterial meltdown before all this is over with. He want's back in the Whitehouse bad and it ain't even funny..........oh wait, yes it is!
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
WAIF CHRYSTIA FREELAND
January 20, 2008 - 14:14 ET by Lame CherryOk so as I was writing songs this morning, I needed something pretty and that waifish Freeland babe is a nice thing to ponder as one deals with the Clinton's going into meltdown.
I view if Georgie Steph is hamming Bill that that book is out to sink Bill as Bill is sinking Hillary. Steph one has to remember was joined at the VD hip to the Clinton's and the last thing he wants is sex tapes coming out and people asking him and ABC, "Did Bill make sex tapes with Monica too that you know about?"
I will repeat that Bill Clinton is not this stupid. He is the most brilliant liar and fake tantrums at Chris Wallace in a controlled environment ever. If Bill is being butch in public, it means that Hillary has butch sex tapes on her which will ruin her come July 4.
The easiest remedy is for the Clinton's to toss the race in a sort of statistical party sharing tie and just about when Obama thinks he has it all won..........well in will prance Patrick Fitzgerald with "new" evidence that the Obama real estate swindle guy has come up with new and telling evidence.
As Scooter Libby had no evidence on him, it can be anything this guy is told to make up..........and Newsbusters should check on this Obama compadre crook as I doubt he "just showed up" writing checks out to Obama, but someone in the cartel sent him as the self destruct mode if Obama started winning too much.
Sort of like Larry Craig toe tapping his way into infamy in that little set up by the Democrat/cartel ring.
Oh well back to Waif Freeland, it sure makes blogging here more pleasant having a babe in the picture and not some Maddy Albright vampira scowling at one.
I look for the Clinton's to say something in.........bigotry as they move into the super elections as they tried being human in Iowa, tried being a weak girl in New Hampshire, tried being racist for South Carolina and tried being crooks in Nevada..........bigotry would probably be a good choice. Perhaps something about "those idiot Christians like astro turf as much as the naughty folks".
The Clintons will do something stupid again as they are planning to loose this to save face.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
-
January 20, 2008 - 14:23 ET by dahliatraversEven Stephanopoulos agrees? Wow. If Bill Clinton weren't such a horrible person, I'd almost feel sorry for him.
He must go home at night, listen to her insecurities, lectures and complaining and then go out the next day and do this kind of thing as a way of minimizing what he has to hear the next night.
Go home at night?
January 20, 2008 - 16:10 ET by dervishAre you talking about the same person?
-
January 20, 2008 - 16:19 ET by dahliatravers... uh ... yes.
Possibly too much of an assumption?
Nah --
January 20, 2008 - 16:24 ET by dervishI just wonder if even Billary themselves remember the last time they spent the night in the same room.
Exile on Vain Street
January 20, 2008 - 14:28 ET by Jack BauerThat has to be the unintended joke of the day.
Or maybe an "in" joke the shlubs aren't supposed to get. (You know like everyone in the Beltway media knew about his "activities" as President, but didn't think the people had a right to know!)
Especially if you believe the rumors about him and his girlfriend, Canadian MP Belinda Stronach. Oh, who just happens to be a billionaire.
Anyone know the distance from the border to Ottowa?
Driving Directions
January 20, 2008 - 14:39 ET by heldmyw248 Miles. 4.5 Hours.
http://maps.google.c...
held -- yes but by
January 20, 2008 - 21:14 ET by Jack Bauerheld -- yes but by chopper... if you'll pardon the smutty innuendo!
I think..
January 20, 2008 - 14:36 ET by heldmyw...we're seeing the early stages of "Carter Syndrome", wherein a discredited ex-Prez, seeing a glimmer of hope for improving the perception of his horrible legacy will do anything, say anything and be anything in the hope of getting out of the manure and coming up roses.
Case in Point: Jimmah Cahtah and his prediliction for terrorists, dictators, and other global disreputables.
Like him, Clenis figures that one more time, center stage in the White House, and he'll be able to rewrite the sordid past, or at least, overshadow it a bit.
Hillary is a vehicle for him. A means to a personal end.
She probably knows this, too.
Don't bother, Bill! You'll always be "Slick Willy" to us, and your flag will always be a stained blue dress.
If it doesn't work out, you can always hook up with Jimmah and go Lewinsky some tin-pot dictators somewhere.
The Clinton's are now
January 20, 2008 - 14:47 ET by BlazerThe Clinton's are now victim's of the vast-left-wing-conpiracy and the dirty tactic's they so gainfully employed through the year's and now even thier own shill's are turning on them. Time to employ the wine and food taster's as schadenfruede turn's to bite King Herod and Queen Herodias on thier collective keester's.
Turnabout is fair play and now it seem's the villified Clinton machine has turned into one of those bad robot's that have turned against thier creator's.
The anger were seeing from the Clinton's is the bully getting his a$$ handed to him by the ones he picked on and extorted for too long.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
More than whining
January 20, 2008 - 15:14 ET by celatorAnother way to view the current "naughty boy" behavior of the knuckledragger known as Billy Clinton, is that there are several disturbing levels to his curent acting out.
I see a growing occurance of hectoring and harassment of those who challenge him or whom he percieves as challenging him. His current acting out is laced with more political "them vs us--paranoia than the Clintons usually spout, even for political purposes.
I noticed a disturbing change in Billy about four years ago when I was in Cologne Germany and caught him being interviewed on a German television show. The answers he gave to questions posed to him by the German host were so bizarre and nasty that I thought there was something lost in the translations of English to German and back to English (for Clinton's sake--obviously he doesn't speak German.) He was red-faced and bugged-eyed even then, and was dressed in a disheveled manner, (he's usually a fairly snappy dresser). He looked like he hasn't slept in a week. It was quite a sight.
Even the MSM, not known for in depth insight on much of anything, seems befuddled by Billy's behavior. There is something amiss with Billy, something very deep that is going on in his head which doesn't look healthy. Certainly, it's not helping Hillary (and that's good, of course).
Liberal's Basic Rule For Discourse: I don't care if you agree with my premises, but I demand that you agree with my conclusions.
I agree, something's going
January 20, 2008 - 16:27 ET by motherbeltI agree, something's going on. Here's what I think it is. He is torn over his wife's candidacy and is having a horrible time dealing with it. (RJ and I both think he doesn't really want her to win.) On the one hand, he sees her getting elected as an extension of himself, and his vindication. On the other hand, he knows that he is now relegated to "second-class" status, and a man with his ego (in spite of all his talk about Hillary being so much smarter than he is) cannot easily tolerate that. And I think it's eating him up. He snaps at everyone else because he can't snap at his wife, and he really doesn't want to face what the real problem is.
How's that? As I tell my friends, my opinion is free, and worth every penny. LOL.
Added: And I disagree with the panel. I don't think it's helping her. I think it's going to make people wonder if she's capable on her own. And as one columnist said, if he really is involved, how will the White House decisions be affected by the recurrent strains in their marriage?
I thought for a while
January 20, 2008 - 16:28 ET by dervishthat there might be something medically wrong with him. But after watching him in action this week, I've come to the conclusion that he's just an @-hole who no longer has to try to convince people otherwise...
Well he should. Should she
January 20, 2008 - 16:33 ET by motherbeltWell he should. Should she win even the nomination, nevermind the office, he's going to have to be held to a higher standard.
And I disagree with the panel. I don't think it will help her in the long run. He may be "cute" now as her defender, but he wears on one pretty quickly. And people will start to wonder: Gee, if she's the President, do we really want a "first spouse" out there pushing policy? His wife certainly won't, since it will make her look weak. And will he be out there whining and insulting people any time one of her pet projects hits a snag in Congress?
"And will he be out there
January 20, 2008 - 16:39 ET by dervish"And will he be out there whining and insulting people any time one of her pet projects hits a snag in Congress?"
That was a rhetorical question, right?
His dealing with the press is maybe like his last-minute amnesty-for-cash-athon when he was leaving office: he doesn't care what you think, because he doesn't have to care. And you're right, it should hurt Hillster; whether it ultimately will, I dunno.
Could be.
January 20, 2008 - 16:37 ET by celatorCase closed. ;+}
Liberal's Basic Rule For Discourse: I don't care if you agree with my premises, but I demand that you agree with my conclusions.
Hillary's role
January 20, 2008 - 16:36 ET by celatorI also believe that Billy is deeply conflicted about Hillary's candidacy. As you know, he has made some very odd statements re her results in Iowa (she might lose etc). Now that's weird. I hadn't thought about his displacement of his anger/frustration/angst re her candidacy onto "anyone but Hillary", but you may have it exactly right. In an odd way, she has him exactly where she wants him, but is paying a heavy price for the honor. ;+} He's clearly tormented about something that goes very deep into who he really is as a person. He doesn't strike me as one who has confronted his inner demons, and it's showing.
Hey! Your opinion is worth a lot!!
Liberal's Basic Rule For Discourse: I don't care if you agree with my premises, but I demand that you agree with my conclusions.
Bill never had the gravitas
January 20, 2008 - 17:52 ET by EdhenryBill never had the gravitas to be a statesmen. If he had some, based on principled behavior while in office, he could come in on as needed basis, at critical times and really help. He works the crowd and media as if he is a campaign flunky, or worse, like Rahm Emanuel.
In short, she looks manipulative & inept. While Bill displays his true common colors.
If this was a republican couple, the press would hammer them for what they are: manipulative, socialist, antagonistic, vain baby killers, with the candidate unfit for the White House and bad for America. But the press will, with malice aforethought, prop up any liberal willing to pull the US down to a second rate socialist country.
They are a pair of petty,
January 20, 2008 - 18:07 ET by motherbeltThey are a pair of petty, power-hungry politicians and if Republicans, would be portrayed as such, I agree. Their abortion stance wouldn't matter.
And I disagree with your final point...liberals have standards, you know...they would make us a first-rate socialist country. ;-)
Well, so far, they've only
January 20, 2008 - 18:02 ET by ckc1227Well, so far, they've only lost one state, so I'm not sure how much he is hurting her. She will likely lose SC though, but not because of Bill's whining, it's because of Bill's(and Hillary's) skin color.
Are you saying that South
January 20, 2008 - 18:08 ET by motherbeltAre you saying that South Carolinians might turn their back on the FIRST black President????
I think he's just burned
January 20, 2008 - 20:56 ET by MidAmericaI think he's just burned out. He's done too many years of national campaigning and service already. Now he's in his sixties and can get all the money and adulation he wants just by speaking. Could be he's losing his temper more frequently because he really dosen't want to be doing this anymore.
old man promises
January 20, 2008 - 21:21 ET by docbHe is doing this because he needs the adulation and he OWES her. She enabaled him to continue his philandering if she gets her shot at the presidency. Great example for their child =don't you think...PITIFULL
The nation deserves not a dynastic U-Turn but a CHANGE..from Bush-clinton-Bush-clinton.
found the voice?
January 20, 2008 - 21:09 ET by docbHillary may have found 'a' voice but she lost her soul long ago. She has changed her message 'voice' 15 times...do we need someone who has no core to provide concrete direction in these tumultous times? Not driven by polls, as in the herd mentality, but core values. It was the republican congress that passed the Civil Rights Bill- LBJ only signed it--and MLK paid with blood, sweat and his life to get it there.
Bill seems to be melting into a very old whinner.She is just riding on his back.
Sad Sad Sad.
We deserve better.
That whole segment seemed
January 21, 2008 - 05:17 ET by SchnikeysThat whole segment seemed to have treated the Democratic candidates as the favorite sons and daughters while turning a harsher eye toward the Republicans.
But Bill and Hillary are digging their own political graves.