Did you hear that? Bill Clinton's head explodes over Obama and Vanity Fair

Well, talk about going out with class. Ex-President Bill Clinton just went off again during a campaign appearance in South Dakota. The shock waves should be rippling through Chicago and Kansas City any minute.

He was asked about that, shall we say, unflattering Todd Purdum Vanity Fair article again. Talk about smoking near a propane tank. KA-BOOM! went the former leader of the free world about Purdum, which would be expected.

"Sleazy." "Dishonest." "Slimy." "Scumbag."

And those were the nice words, as Clinton firmly gripped and refused to release the hand of the inquiring reporter, who was none other than Huffington Post's Mayhill Fowler.

Remember her? Swanky private fundraiser. San Francisco mansion. Barack Obama. Inartful remarks. Bitter small towns clinging to religion and guns.

The Vanity Fair article quotes former Clinton aides criticizing the ex-president for surrounding himself with questionable friends and behaving/speaking in a way that hurt Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Of course, Bill Clinton denies having read....

... the offending article. They all must do that. It's meant as an insult to the writer, see? Their writing is beneath reading by anyone as important as the outraged subject matter.

Even though by denouncing the article again Clinton is driving thousands more people to read it. He'll soon be getting a handwritten thank you letter from the Vanity Fair circulation director.

Ah, but this time Clinton could not resist dragging someone else into the path of his wrath. Maybe you can figure out who Clinton means "didn't do anything about it":

"It's part of the national media's attempt to nail Hillary for Obama," Clinton continued. "It's the most biased press coverage in history. It's another way of helping Obama. They had all these people standing up in this church cheering, calling Hillary a white racist, and he didn't do anything about it.

"The first day he said 'Ah, ah, ah well.' Because that's what they do -- he gets other people to slime her. So then they saw the movie they thought this is a great ad for John McCain -- maybe I better quit the church. It's all politics. It's all about the bias of the media for Obama."

Yes, it sure sounds like the Clinton and Obama camps are drawing closer together, doesn't it, and letting bygones be bygones? Bodes well for the general election campaign. Bill's over it already. Clearly.

And what a shocker that all these moves and criticisms are "all politics." Imagine. Politics. Near the end of an American presidential primary campaign. That Clinton is losing.

You can read the whole account here. And there's audio here. Then, amazingly after his rant Clinton told Fowler this whole business "didn't bother me."

Obviously. He's surely telling the truth this time.

(UPDATE: Late today Clinton aides excused their leader by saying he'd been “understandably upset" concerning "an outrageously unfair article.” However, they admitted, the language used about the magazine writer by the former president of the United States and the candidate's spouse “was inappropriate and he wishes he had not used it.”

(So forget everything you just read. Except the part about how the article didn't bother Clinton at all.)

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo: Associated Press

Comments

[Iowa Doc]

Unfortunately, in attacking the former President for his intemperate remarks during the primary, the media have failed to take into account the impact of Clinton's bypass surgery.
The neuropsychologic impairment and the deterioration of neurocognitive functions, as well as "personality changes" following bypass surgery are well-documented phenomena in the field of medicine.
This may help explain why a politician once known for being a smooth talker and for winning over crowds, now frequently sticks his foot in his mouth and becomes too easily agitated and abrasive.

[McCain Is Bush]

It is time to end the inflated rivalry. The nation is in need of direction and that direction must be different than where it has been headed for the last 8 years.

We can come together to breathe new life into our government. We need to come together and work side by side for the goals common to both democratic candidates.

It is imperative that the party leaders lead by example because their supporters will not be as willing or as able to embrace their prior opponent. We need to back off the rhetoric, tone down the attacks, and begin laying a foundation for unity in the party. This needs to be started immediately so that festering wounds can be tended to.

[sanbar216]

I totally agree with him. Hillary Clinton does not deserve the treatment she has gotten throughout this campaign from the media and from her political "friends". I don't agree with her on every position, but there isn't any one who works harder for what she believes in. Above all, her heart is in the right place. I firmly believe that she would do more to help the black community than Barrack Obama will. If the "comments" written in relation to different articles, no one seems to expect fair treatmeant from Obama, they expect special treatment. I have never heard so much racism and hate spouted off as if it is the answer to the problem instead of compounding the problem.

[Obama hates democracy]

All this bad mouthing of the most successful Democratic president in the last 65 years.

Makes it easy for me a lifelong democrat to vote for McCain.

[iamcouriousblack]

hey willie, who are "they?"

[Speedcat Hollydale]

Bill protecting Hillary or himself??

[RaferJanders]

Hey Andi, I why do you stoop to tabloid writting, I mean
repeating a story about Slicky boy and Obama racist ties
Who cares, Please Andi show some self respect these stories are just, how would you say, Not worthy of a writer of your caliber, How the top retired General, says
John McShame is lax on National Security. Now thats a
a story, and boy what a story, Mr. VeitNam Pow Collaborator vs Ex Air force General, hmm, He made General, McShame couldn't even make the Admrial's list.
I hope I knock the writters block out for you.
cheers and have a great summer

[Julie B.]

Oh dear God I'm sick of both Clintons, all the Bushes and just want to get on with a better America.

[Liz Wetzel]

BILL CLINTON HAS DONE MORE GOOD THINGS TO US PEOPLE IN AMERICA THAN WHAT VANITY FAIR HAS.

So who cares about vanity fair? Of course you have that bimbo-looking shot of Angelina Jolie, the husband-stealing ....

I wonder if how much money did VF got to disparage one of the best presidents that America has ever had.

[Michael Frisbie]

Change? What change? I see no change at all, do you? This is the same old sling dirt and mud from elbow deep politics. You old politicos that wait from election to election to do the same old crud every time make me sick to my bones. You hacks that have nothing else to do as nobody will give you ah honest job, you might as well sling is as far as you can. It must pay well,

[WOLF]

"Sleazy." "Dishonest." "Slimy." "Scumbag."

Oh...I thought you were talking about Jack Cafferty!

[trailblazer]

Iowa Doc, you need to read the article.

[Ed]

Obama needs to neutralize Clinton at this point. He should publicly offer her the VP slot before she has a chance to publicly turn it down. It's a win-win for Obama. If she accepts, they'll cruise into the White House. If she turns it down, he'll either: A) win the presidency without her, and not have to deal with Billary Clinton shenanigans, or B) he'll lose to McCain, and she'll be seen as the reason why, because she couldn't swalllow her pride and join the dream ticket. If she's blamed for an Obama loss, she'll be tarnished, if not doomed, as a presidential candidate in 2012 and beyond.

[robinia]

"..calling Hillary a white racist, and he didn't do anything about it.." It was NOT a racial slur!

Why? Well my dear Mr. Clinton, because he didn't "inhale" when he said it, therefore, it really wasn't sex..I mean a slur.

[Harry Grace]

The troubling parts of the article were the items mentioning all the women since he left office, and the quid pro quo treatment for presidential favors. WAs he a great president? Hell, yes. But you have to be myopic and naive to not see that he was going to be an 800 pound albatross if Hillary was the nominee. VF actually did the dems a favor by airing this stuff, because you know the GOP were licking their chops at cutting loose on this. Great president with great, tragic flaws. Was anyone really ready to go through this again?

[Eric]

This is exactly why Republicans win Presidential elections.

It's really sad how democrats turn on democrats. How the liberal and conservative media turns on democrats. How independants turn on democrats... Bill Clinton is the most successful democrat in 60 years, and everyone beats him do, especially after the GOP and conservative media went after him for years... for an affair.

Wake up America. Wake up democrats. Wake up Independants. This Vanity Fair article is the very reason the GOP will continue to rule...

I have a feeling that Republicans will be in the White House for another 8 years, mostly because democrats can't shut up. And I'm not talking about Bill...I'm talking about the democratic voters and the liberal media.

[Mike]

I find the attacks on the Clintons foolish from the standpoint of anything except a faux unity for the Novemeber election.

Hillary supporters have been maligned and insulted, called racists and worse, for doing no more than taking part in America's electoral process. The media has indeed shown bias but more than that, they have altered an election by meddling. It borders on being criminal.

There will be no unity, no single voice for the Democrats this years precisely becasue the media has overstepped its place and Obama has allowed his people to turn an honorable opponent into a true enemy.

[Kittihawk20]

I was struck by IowaDoc's comment on the possible effect of by pass surgery Bill Clinton's behavior. As a recent survivor of open heart surgery I can appreciate his problem. But what about the people around him? Why haven't they helped keep his foot out of his mouth? It would be a shame if his place in history were necessarily damaged by medical issues beyond his control.

[bobbiewick]

The story was sleazy and also pointless. Purdum is sleazy, but the King of Sleaze is the person who assigned this stupid, unsourced piece of lurid speculation: Graydon Carter.

Carter needs to be kidnapped by aliens and taken to another planet. Surely, he has delighted us long enough.

This story has even less credibility than the equally dumb, unsourced piece of garbage the NY Times ran on John McCain a month or so ago.

[Bob]

The Bill Clinton façade, eagerly maintained during his active presidency, is coming apart at the seams. There is a new star in town (Obama) and the formerly Clinton friendly media has thrown Bill to the wolves! How does it feel to be on the receiving end for a change Bubba?

Hillary, the Queen of Spin and a Legend in Her Own Mind!

http://klintons.com

[RElax and EnJoy]

I voted for BC twice but really, on a regular basis, the head on his shoulder gets taken over by the head on his

[Denny, Alaska]

Let's see: Bubba uses the occasion of a hit-piece to lash out at Sen. Obama (D-Carter's Second Term).

And the problem with this, is, what?

[Justice]

Can you blame his frustration? This primary has very seldom been about the issues... but fair enough, Obama needed and still needs to be vetted... And Bill is fair game, as a spouse, BUT PLEASE, this has NO journalistic value! This is more tabloid press, and has nothing to do with Hillary's candidacy.

WHAT'S CURIOUS tho is... How come some members of the Senate all of a sudden become ill after endorsing OBAMA? Is there some kind of curse happening with this man? First Ted Kennedy, and now Sen. Byrd... hmmm.

[myna]

yes, the media is in love with Obama. Disgusting, isn't it? They cannot hide their knees quivering, swooning and salivating at Obama. They are willing to throw Mrs. Clinton under the bus. Very sad state indeed! The lousiest primary ever. Shame on you, media.

[Jay]

Goodbye Clintons! And good riddance!