Bill: "Barack Obama Is The Man For This Job"
As Hillary did last night, Bill hits the key point at the very start: There should be no doubt whatsoever that he's 100 percent behind Barack Obama.
Bill makes the point by revisiting Hillary's successful speech last night.
"Last night, Hillary told us in no uncertain terms that she is going to do everything she can to elect Barack Obama."
After a pause: "That makes two of us."
Bill then does again what Hillary did last night: Try to corral the passions unleashed by Hillary's candidacy and swing them behind Obama, by bringing up the now-emotionally-charged 18-million number.
"Actually, that makes 18 million of us," Bill said. "Because like Hillary, I want all of you who supported her to vote for Barack Obama in November."
Bill then comes through where he needed to: Offering a full-throated endorsement of Obama's readiness to do the job he did.
"Everything I learned in my eight years as president, and in the work I have done since in America and across the globe, have convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job."
Bill is the man. He has made me proud :)
August 27, 2008 9:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Power of our Example than the Example of our Power! Great great line!
August 27, 2008 9:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perfect!!!!
August 27, 2008 9:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great sound byte.
August 27, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
It was a great line and it was so true.
Thank you President Bill Clinton. You outdid Madame Hillary Clinton. Hat tips to both of you.
Eat it rethugs.
August 27, 2008 9:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent line. But even more so in this election where the republican candidate is thrusting out his chest promising more wars.
August 27, 2008 9:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
sound bite that will last a life time, or at least for the next few weeks.
Video: McCain “Americans Won’t Pick Lettuce for $50/hr”
August 27, 2008 10:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good job, Bill! Very impressed.
August 27, 2008 9:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Finally, Katrina is mentioned. Good one, Bill.
August 27, 2008 9:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
THIS is the Bubba we all know and love.
Welcome back Bill!
August 27, 2008 9:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I haven't seen this Bill Clinton in years.
August 27, 2008 9:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
oh this part of the speech about the effect of the Republican policies in full bloom under Bush is amazingly good.
August 27, 2008 9:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love the way he's trashing the Republicans.
August 27, 2008 9:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
"The third time it's not the charm". Good closer.
August 27, 2008 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess this wasn't 15 minutes but hell it is so so good. He is tying obama to himself! Go Bill!!!!!
August 27, 2008 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
In fairness, he received a 3.5 minute ovation before being allowed to talk. Without that he kept it to ~22 minutes.
A terrific speech, by my count he hit on everything that everyone said he "needed" to say.
August 27, 2008 9:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn! He's good!
I guess I had forgotten just how great he can be.
August 27, 2008 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
What matter is not what Bill said, but what Maureen Dowd will say he meant.
August 27, 2008 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
The man still got it! Bill, you nailed it!
August 27, 2008 9:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was AWESOME.
August 27, 2008 9:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill, great job..
August 27, 2008 9:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill was awesome.
I LOVED when he associated McCain with extremism. That was fanTASTIC!
August 27, 2008 9:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perfect. McCain = Too Extreme.
August 27, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's still got it.
August 27, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
That just earned Senator Clinton $10 for her campaign fund.
Well done, President.
August 27, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
if they can get him to keep to the point I say--send that man on the trail.
August 27, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Loved it.
The best line was the one about the world being more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power!
Classic!!!
August 27, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was a zing!!!!!!!!!!
August 27, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
We were hustled again - 8 minutes? BWaaaahahah - way to lower expectations and then blow them right the fuck out of the water!!!!
Woo Hoo!
August 27, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yess. I can hear all day to that man speaking.
August 27, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
The applause before Bill even started speaking was 4 minutes long. Wow... Wonderful.
August 27, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill used the word incarnate when describing Obama. This will be one of talking points.
August 27, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Talk about hitting it out of the park.
August 27, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now, i am back in Bill's corner. Lets go people of hope.
August 27, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amazing Bill.
"Voters! Do not reward the GOP for Failure!" (paraphrased...)
August 27, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lets go win this damm election as Bill command
August 27, 2008 9:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill Clinton just earn Hillary Clinton $50 tonight
August 27, 2008 9:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
It feels good to be a democrat today.
First African American to be nominated.
Bill's great speech and superb endorsement!!!
It's building up!!!
August 27, 2008 9:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Innit awesome?
It's been a dark fucking 8 years - all this shine - all this hope - I don't know what to do with it - I'm going to get maudlin if I'm not careful.
O my god - John Kerry said it - torture - O god, thank you so mcuh =
now I'm really crying - -
August 27, 2008 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain lost the election tonight. Or rather, Obama WON the election..it's his to lose.
What's ironic is that the bar for Obama's speech tomorrow night has been raised so high!
August 27, 2008 9:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill really got on a roll. He got better and better. I'd forgotten ow good he can be. I saw him campaign for Kerry in Santa Fe, New Mexico four years ago. If he can do that for Obama, we're golden.
August 27, 2008 9:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
WILSON!
August 27, 2008 9:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
It was all classic. Bill was the towering Democratic Elder Statesman tonight.
August 27, 2008 9:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. Oh, man. That was.. wow. Wow.
Wow.
August 27, 2008 9:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
In hindsight, those arguing the Hillary should have made the CIC argument were completely off-base. She, unlike Bill, has never been CIC. Bill can make the argument from a position of knowledge that even John McCain can't challenge.
August 27, 2008 9:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Although it would be funnier than all hell if W went to bat for McCain's CiC creds. LOL
August 27, 2008 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep.
Biden now has a couple of extremely hard acts to follow.
August 27, 2008 9:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was amazing. I'm not a huge fan of Bill, but that couldn't have been any better. He hit every substantive and major ideological point to hit.
The most effective speech of the whole convention so far.
August 27, 2008 9:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why John Kerry after Clinton?
August 27, 2008 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where was this version of John Kerry in 2004?
Maybe feeling that one must atone for a past failure brings out the best in an individual.
August 27, 2008 9:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK, Kerry's speech is good.
"The myth of the maverick..."
"Before he debates Obama, John McCain should finish the debate with himself."
Good stuff.
August 27, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought the case that the last 8 years being the first time we've ever seen the full implementation of the Republican philosophy was brilliant. So many great lines. The applause at the beginning was just cathartic.
On the 2 great questions of our age, John McCain embraces the radical philosophy of his party. I can't remember the exact quote, but it was perfect.
August 27, 2008 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree completely. I am not sure why the standard Democratic response has focused on just John McCain and George Bush, when the real problem is a Republican establishment that is controlled by adherents to an extreme philosophy. After all, we're not choosing just one President, but an entire Executive Branch.
August 27, 2008 9:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Totally. He gave the Obama campaign alot of gifts. He framed a few things perfectly that they really need to take advantage of. I forgot how Bill Clinton could lay things out -- I think alot of us have. Obama could really learn alot from Bill about boiling down nuance into soundbites that maintain the intelligence and the impact. Let's hope Bill helps him do that.
August 27, 2008 9:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did anyone hear the band at the convention play "Addicted to Love" after Clinton spoke? What was up with that?
August 27, 2008 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I heard U2's "Beautiful Day", didn't hear Palmer's anthem.
August 27, 2008 9:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Funny, like the "full throated" references.
August 27, 2008 9:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
It was a cover of U2 "Beautiful Day" I think...
August 27, 2008 9:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, first a terrible cover of "Beautiful Day," followed by a just as terrible cover of "Addicted To Love," which could be seen as an unfortunate choice of anthem for Bill.
August 27, 2008 9:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I loved that line too!!!
August 27, 2008 9:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm watching the live video feed from the DNC, which is kind of nice without the talking heads telling me what I just saw and heard. Anyway...
When they cut to commercial, the band struck up the last tune I would have picked to follow Bill at the podium at the DNC lovefest... Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love."
August 27, 2008 9:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Candidate McCain against Senator McCain. "before McCain debates Obama, McCain should finish the debate with Senator McCain" John Kerry
August 27, 2008 9:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who took over John Kerry's body?
August 27, 2008 9:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kerry is on FIYAH!!
August 27, 2008 9:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bravo Bubba!"The Power of Our Example, Not the Example of Our Power" Nice to have the Clinton's back in the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party. Now, Donate/Canvass/Talk with Undecided/Pester Republicans! Yes We Can!
August 27, 2008 9:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good for Kerry for bringing up John McCain's cozying up to Karl Rove and his henchmen.
August 27, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love Bill's speech. It was like the ole Bill was back.
August 27, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
KERRY FREAKING CALLED OUT MCCAIN FOR ROVIAN TACTICS. ... Kerry, that was AWESOME.
August 27, 2008 9:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, can't join in the love fest. Bill was much too deferential to McCain's POW-POW-POW status and his "mavericky-ness." It's high time we started deriding these as irrelevancies.
Slightly off-topic, at least Kerry's now delivering a smack-down on McCain.
August 27, 2008 9:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Disagree. He framed the debate in both a way that works and, more importantly (and sadly), in a way the media will let it be framed. He might be honorable, he might be an American hero, but on the questions that matter most RIGHT NOW, he's wrong. He laid it out and if Democrats don't pick it up and frame it out that way, we've missed a huge opportunity.
August 27, 2008 9:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kerry is killin' too! He even used his famous "for it before against it" beautifully to hit McCain.
August 27, 2008 9:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
BIG DOG hits it out of the park.
Tying himself to Obama was genius.
August 27, 2008 9:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where was this John Kerry hiding?
August 27, 2008 9:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kerry is going after McCain SO HARD. ...Holy shit. Kerry, where were you four years ago?
August 27, 2008 9:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was a Kerry that shouldve shown up four years ago....oh well....Obama time.
August 27, 2008 9:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
"How pathetic to suggest" ...OH. MY. GOD. John Kerry, what the fuck happened?! You OWN, man!
August 27, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope this speech gets excerpted and replayed extensively.
Kerry's showing us how to go after McCain's blatant hypocrisy.
August 27, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where the fyck was this guy four years ago?
August 27, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Never thought I'd say this, but Kerry's kicking ass tonight.
August 27, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Go John Kerry, go!
I remember saying this after Gore, but it's still true. If we had seen this Kerry in 2004, right now he would be accepting his renomination for his second term.
August 27, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
"NO ONE can question Barack Obama's patriotism!"
-John Kerry
August 27, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
O wow - this is so amazing - this multi-colored American family - it finally looks like us - wow.
August 27, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill IS the man, and Hillary was always warmed over tapioca by comparison. I'd agree '100 percent' with Greg's "As Hillary did last night, Bill hits the key point at the very start: There should be no doubt whatsoever that he's 100 percent behind Barack Obama." if I could replace "As" with "Unlike what". Bill Clinton worked to undo the damage his wife did to the at-that-time-likely nominee by calling McCain more ready. As always, he was fantastically successful. She did not even try.
Let's begin to remember this remarkable man on his own terms now, and put his wife's disastrous attempt to hijack his legacy behind us.
August 27, 2008 9:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama's uncle! Holy shit!... This just keeps getting better and better!!
August 27, 2008 9:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Holy shit - that flag thing was Lincolnesque!
August 27, 2008 9:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
...This is, in a way, depressing. Depressing that the country didn't elect this man.
August 27, 2008 9:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kerry for Sec. of State
August 27, 2008 9:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now that Biden's out of the running... YES!
August 27, 2008 9:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. History has its own ways. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. Things happen for a reason.
August 27, 2008 9:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
O - I love that idea
August 27, 2008 10:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
MSNBC has Chris Matthews blabbing away about his "small town racists" hobby horse. Yawn.
August 27, 2008 9:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do yourself a favor and turn on C-Span or PBS.
August 27, 2008 9:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
S-SPAN dude. Only way to watch.
August 27, 2008 9:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
errr...C-SPAN even.
August 27, 2008 9:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've been flipping around to see what the MSM bigwigs think is important content.
I've got TiVO & am recording C-SPAN, por supuesto.
August 27, 2008 9:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://gallery1.demconvention.com/?gclid=COv2maaqr5UCFQ60Hgodp3skjw
live feed from the DNC, no commentary, no commercials.
August 27, 2008 9:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
msnbc too. live. and no fucking talking pinheads.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22886841#22886841
August 27, 2008 10:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Barack's great-uncle, Charlie Payne is sitting next to Michelle Obama!!!
August 27, 2008 9:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
God, I love this version of John Kerry. I would go to war for this guy right now.
We've got a great party. We just have to get out our own way sometimes.
August 27, 2008 9:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
This convention coverage has been the worst. I'm glad I cut away from the talking heads to see Kerry's speech. It rocked!!!!!
August 27, 2008 9:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Me too.
I enjoy the poltical banter, but not at the expense of hearing a noteworty speaker.
August 27, 2008 9:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Watch CNN, they are showing MORE speeches. John Kerry introduced Charlie Payne to America.
August 27, 2008 9:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, everyone should be watching the live feed on msnbc.com or cnn.com. No talking heads, just the speeches. It's really nice.
August 27, 2008 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Finally. Is CNN getting the message? Let's see.
CNN = STFU!
August 27, 2008 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill IS the man, and Hillary was always warmed over tapioca by comparison. I'd agree '100 percent' with Greg's "As Hillary did last night, Bill hits the key point at the very start: There should be no doubt whatsoever that he's 100 percent behind Barack Obama." if I could replace "As" with "Unlike what". Bill Clinton worked to undo the damage his wife did to the at-that-time-likely nominee by calling McCain more ready. As always, he was fantastically successful. She did not even try.
Let's begin to remember this remarkable man on his own terms now, and put his wife's disastrous attempt to hijack his legacy behind us.
August 27, 2008 9:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh look, it's the new Dem split, who caused Clinton Tarnishing now that Barack's in the clear, Bill or Hill?
August 27, 2008 9:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree, with some reservations.
Well, at the very least, I thought Bill's endorsement was more "full-throated" (as the saying goes nowadays) than Hillary's.
Most particulary, he dealt with the Commander-In-Chief issue brilliantly, and demolished the "inexperience" notion.
August 27, 2008 9:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
And Bill was the right man do it. Not Hillary. Both the Clintons have earned their respect as party elders now.
And Obama should pivot from Bill's points about how the democrats governed, including Clinton, and how the rethugs mismanaged. Now that the primaries are over, he should wisely recall the good times under the last democrat president and compare it to chimp's disaster.
August 27, 2008 10:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
It feels like now we are not only right (as always) but have a spine and brass knuckles. WooHoooo!
August 27, 2008 9:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought Kerry was great! I was waiting for that milquetoast approach I saw too much of 4 years ago. This was a new guy, with new botox. But at least his lips could still move and moved well.
August 27, 2008 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is the Bill Clinton we used to know. If the Clintons had done this when the race ended, Obama would be 20 or 30 points up.
And because John Kerry just finished his speech, the best of his career, I will say had this been the Kerry we saw in 2004, he'd be running for re-election.
August 27, 2008 9:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm on C-Span tonight, and do yourselves a favor. This is just awesome - it's just great on C-Span.
August 27, 2008 10:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great speech that went a long way toward defining McCain succinctly, which Obama seemed to be struggling to do.
August 27, 2008 10:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was wrong about Bill. He shed the petulance and delivered a fantastic speech. Could not have been better.
Great job, Big Dawg.
I am chomping on crow today.
August 28, 2008 9:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Kerry gave the best speech of the night, better than Biden or Bill. If he had given a speech like that 4 years ago, he would have won.
Unfortunately, unless you were watching C-Span, like I have done throughout the convention, you probably didn't see it! Damn!
August 28, 2008 9:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
He's amazing. MP3 highlights are up here.
August 28, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink