Opinion: President Bush, once removed, offers kudos to Obama & Clinton

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Like many of the Democrats who so revile him, President Bush today took note of the conclusion of the party’s presidential nomination race. Also like many Democrats, two candidates were still on the Republican’s mind.

During the morning’s daily ‘gaggle’ with reporters at the White House, Bush Press Secretary Dana Perino said that through her, the president was passing along his congratulations to Barack Obama for securing enough delegate commitments to lay claim to his party’s nomination.

‘Sen. Obama came a long way in becoming his party’s nominee. And his historic achievement reflects the fact that our country has come a long way,’ Perino said of the success of the first African American to head a major party’s presidential ticket.

But Bush, through his surrogate, also gave a nod to the contest’s runner-up, the not-quite-ready-to-concede Hillary Clinton. The president, Perino said, congratulated her for waging a ‘spirited campaign.’

Reporters, who included The Times’ James Gerstenzang, wondered whether Bush at some point might offer his kind words directly to the two Democrats, via a telephone call.

Not likely, Perino suggested. She noted that eight years ago, after he had locked down the GOP nomination, no such good wishes were forthcoming from then-President Bill Clinton.

-- Don Frederick