Bill Clinton grabs the spotlight

Perhaps Bill Clinton himself will provide the coda to the flap he sparked this week when, during a speech for his wife in Iowa, he asserted that he opposed the Iraq war "from the beginning."

Perhaps he'll remind us it all depends on what the definition of "from the beginning" is.

As it is, Hillary Clinton's campaign has seen precious attention focused more on something her husband said instead of on her own campaign's message.

The former president made his comment Tuesday, and it quickly caused headaches for Camp Clinton. The initial Associated Press story said he was "showing inconsistency on an issue that has dogged his wife." The New York Times article termed the statement "more absolute than his comments before the invasion in March 2003." The Washington Post wrote that Clinton was "glossing over the more nuanced views of the war he has expressed over time."

In case anyone missed the point, the Post today reported that, according to an ex-aide to Condoleezza Rice, Clinton "was privately briefed by top White House officials about war planning in 2003 and that he told them he supported the invasion."

The New York Post, in the best tradition of tabloids, cut to the chase with this headline on its story today: BILL'S BULL ON IRAQ TRIGGERS RIDICULE.

The best -- and broadest -- perspective came from the AP's Ron Fournier, who used the remark about the Iraq war to reflect upon the "Good Bill" and the "Bad Bill."

Wrote Fournier: "As only he can do, Bill Clinton packed campaign venues across eastern Iowa and awed Democratic voters with a compelling case for his wife's candidacy. He was unscripted, in-depth and generous.

"He also was long-winded, misleading and self-absorbed," the Associated Press reporter wrote.

When Bill was the family politician seeking votes, Hillary was a key part of the package. We've gotten an obvious reminder now of how true the reverse is.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Larry from Purdue]

I specifically remember two years ago when Bill said he made a "mistake" in supporting the invasion of Iraq.

I remember thinking, funny how he and Edwards (two unemployed Democrats) found their tongue to apologize when...

Hillary could not say she made a mistake in trusting George W. Bush.

[William]

Obama said he provide Universal healthcare but all candidates know he does not. So digging dirt in other people's campaign does not help Obama.

[eNews Reference]

Bill Clinton is grabbing the spotlight for all the wrong reasons: http://enewsreference.wordpress.com/2007/11/30/bill-clinton-and-the-credibility-factor/

[Vicki]

It is admirable that Senator Clinton does not say she made a mistake in supporting the Iraq war. She saidd she made the most informed decision she could at the time based on the facts at hand. In that regard, she says if she knew then what she knows now, she wouldn't have supported the Iraq war. She could take the easy road out and apologize but it would not be what I would want of my President. She is taking the "high road."

[J]

Bill "Slick Willy" Clinton versus George "Pre-emptive Strike/Inflation/Make World Angry/9-11/No jobs/Even less jobs/Dead sons and daughters" Bush. Look at the nation then, and look at it now. Which do you prefer? I read a car sticker today that says, "God is NOT a Republican or a democrat." Next to it was a sticker that says "Bring Them Home." Practically, if Bush had spent the same amount of money on our nation and new energy as he has in trying to Imperialize the Middle Eastern countries which the Arabs hate anyways, we would not have to worry about who said what when and why. It will be a miracle if the next president can turn this all around overnight, but this madness has to stop. Whether he is lying or not, Bill's current platform is "get out of Iraq." I buy that.

[Michael Snyder]

I’m not surprised to see Bill causing Hillary a headache. Actually I’m delighted since Hillary’s headaches were no doubt instrumental in the Monica debacle. I’m just not sure which side of the score card to award the point.

[Robert Laughing]

Slick Willie, the glib-tongue groper of Non-Hellarys, has an ally...Guilliani. We saw Slick Willie's true self in his 1992 Campaign for the Party's nomination...we had more than an inkling of how duplicitous he is; today, he's saying "Trust me, and Hellary....would we ever Lie to You?" Guilliani has his trysts at taxpayer expense, and hidden by tapping various government accounts...are either Clinton or Guilliani a person you want to replace that Gomer, Bush? There is no end to political sleaze, from BOTH Parties. We, no, The WORLD, needs Bloomberg - he can thumb his nose at the FREAK FRINGES of both Left and Right, and DO what is right...would that not be refreshing? YOU can make the difference. VOTE WISELY!!!

[Tahler Thacker]

Bill Clinton has been critical of the Iraq war for a long time.

GO HILLARY! You've got my vote!

Tahler
Downtown L.A.

[L. Deshawn NH]

During the hostage crisis, Hillary immediately stopped what she was doing, cancelled an important speech at the DNC, showed her care, compassion and warmth for ALL candidates’ workers, WHAT A TRUE PROFESSIONAL CLASSY FIRST LADY AND PRESIDENT IN 2008…
For all you mothers out there, Please vote for Hillary, we have let these old men ruin out great country, let a Woman show them how it can be done without a war or back yard politics like obama is playing…

If you let a celebrity like oprah, influence your decision, SHAME on you! You will be selling out your country and your children’s health care and future. If you recently read the article that employees of HARPO prod, said she is power hungry! She would spent every penny to buy a black president and get her foot in the white house, I MOST DEFINITLY WOULD NOT want oprah making any decisions for this country, she wants in the white house anyway she can, we have seem that before. How do you think bush was elected a second time! We the American people! DO NOT have the time to teach obama/oprah how to be a politician, this great country in is need of someone who can hit the floor running in 2008, because the American people do not know all the damage BUSH/CHANEY has really done because they are liars and dishonest and should be IMPEACHED. ALL of the republicans stood back, took the money and let these two stooges almost destroy our great country, is why republicans will loose most likely every election this time around.
Clintons have already very successfully cleaned up a bush mess. WE HAVE SEEN THEY CAN DO IT!
Clinton is the Smart and only choice in 2008. Id like to see John Edwards as her VP or Bill Richardson. Obama is the only self proclaimed democrat running like a republican. Send this guy back to school, Oprahs school…

Posted By Lakeisha Deshawn Iowa

[avraam jack]

It is possible that Senator Clinton is the best candidate. However, even though many may like the policies that Senator Clinton proposes, they should also consider her record, just as Senator Clinton insists.
.
The last Clinton Administration, when faced with the fact that protection rackets where torturing people with poison and radiation, chose to avoid its responsibilities to incarcerate the criminals and to protect the citizenry.
.
Instead, they made a deal with the criminal gang stalker protection rackets to leave them alone and to consequently abandon the citizenry.
.
Do we want a President who sells out the citizenry for votes?
.
Do we want a President who sends a "crime does pay" message to society?
.
Would you vote for a President who signed nonaggression deals with the KKK or the Nazi party? Gangs that torture with poison and radiation are much like the KKK and Nazi Party.
.
We do not need a sellout President. We need a principled leader President.
.
If you are one of the few who do not know what the above refers to, do a web search for “gang stalking” to see the tip of the dirtberg. Please do it before you decide to reply to my post. Here let me make it easy for you: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22gang+stalking%22.
.

[Mark Eichenlaub]

Clinton was right the first time his administration concluded Saddam Hussein's Iraq and al Qaeda had links (http://regimeofterror.com), he should have just stuck to his original inclination.