Report: Bill Will Forcefully Attest To Obama's Commander-In-Chief Readiness
Clinton aides start leaking details to the Associated Press about Bill's big speech tonight, promising that Bill will unequivocally argue that Obama is ready to assume the job he did for eight years:
Former President Clinton, setting aside his own criticism and ambivalence, planned a full-throated endorsement Wednesday of Barack Obama as a leader ready to confront any challenge....Clinton aides said that in his prime-time speech the former president would argue forcefully that Obama is prepared for the domestic, foreign and national security challenges that will arise in the coming years.
If this proves true, it means that the task of vouching for Obama's commander-in-chief readiness -- which Hillary didn't directly vouch for, as Republicans pointed out -- has been granted to Bill. Hillary, after all, had questioned Obama's national security preparedness in a high-profile way, making it harder for her to offer a strong endorsement of it yesterday.
Bill, by contrast, was not as directly vocal on this subject during the primary. So he's less hamstrung from making the case now. And since he was president himself, he's uniquely qualified to discuss what the job entails and vouch for Obama's preparedness for it.
One other tidbit:
The wide-ranging, roughly eight-minute speech also focused on Democrats' policy achievements, including Clinton's own.
Clinton's task tonight will be to argue convincingly that Obama is well positioned to pick up where the last Democratic president left off, without appearing to be flacking his own accomplishments too aggressively. It's been widely reported that Bill feels that his achievements were given short shrift by Obama, so observers will be scrutinizing every syllable that comes out of Bill's mouth for signs that he's trying to reopen the discussion over his own presidency.
I really expected this - the Clintons are big people, finally, and I think they know that this is how big people act and it's a very public situation. Thank god - it really was hurting me to see Bill walking around on his own legacy during the primary. I hated to see the Clintons hurting themselves.
If he's as good tonight as I think he will be - it will have been a magnificent two days for the Clintons.
August 27, 2008 8:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've said all along that they aren't stupid people. They both know what they need to do. If, indeed, Bill is upset that his standing in the African American community has been diminished (by his own actions), he knows this is his best last chance to make amends. He will be great ... not for Obama, but for himself. Either way.
August 27, 2008 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Clintons are "Big People" - BIG ON THEMSELVES!! Did you actually listen to what Shillery had to say the other night at the DNC. It was all about HER, it wasn't about Barack HUSSEIN Obama. The Demoncratic party cannot even support itself... too funny.
Barack HUSSEIN Obama's wife looked as if she was holding back a turd from crowning with that no teeth showing under bite smile during Shillery's diatribe. She was well aware that Shillery was upstaging her husband B HUSSEIN O, and was holding back her rage.
If I were lobotomized and became a Democrat, I would have voted for Hillary over B HUSSEIN O, because she has substance, not much, but more than B HUSSEIN O.
August 28, 2008 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who better to determine CIC material than a former CIC?
August 27, 2008 8:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Looking forward to it!
August 27, 2008 8:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
8 minutes? No way Bill Clinton is capable of completing a speech in that amount of time.
August 27, 2008 8:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd be surprised if he keeps it under 18 minutes.
August 27, 2008 8:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL! That's the first thing that went through my mind, too!
August 27, 2008 8:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I came into the comments specifically to suggest they'd dropped a zero. Bless his heart.
August 27, 2008 8:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
On the other hand, if we can keep Joe Biden and Bill Clinton under ten minutes each, on the same night, there is nothing our party cannot accomplish!
August 27, 2008 8:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!
August 27, 2008 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
You party seemingly cannot accomplish a thing - look at the current Democrat controlled Congress, which hasn't done anything and is imploding on themselves.
Heck they cannot even put in any extra Over Time to work on serious issues.
Great party - so great that Congress has the lowest approval rating EVER... yeah EVER. Even lower than Bush's rating.
Too bad, so sad. The Democrat Party was something about 30 years ago, now it's just filled with losers, panderers and morons who want to tax the heck out of the middle class and turn the country over to UN.
Wait, wait, I'm sorry I almost forgot, Bill Clinton prevented the drilling of oil on our own lands when he was CIC and he also gave the Chinese top secret information. I guess your party can accomplish something - shameful things, but its something.
August 28, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
on tv they said it would run well over his expected speaking time.
Video: Keith Vs. Chris Another Awkward MSNBC Moment
August 27, 2008 8:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
More than the straggling few diehard PUMA leftovers, I hope this convention brings Bill Clinton around.
What a tremendous asset it would be to deploy him and Hillary around the country to campaign for Obama.
August 27, 2008 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's what the party big guys kept saying last night - Bill will be on the trail - we will see that.
I was skeptical - d'oh - the media had a lot to do with that. They hammered so relentlessly on this idea of a problem with the Clintons that it seeped into my synapses - dammit!
I'm not skeptical anymore. Hillary did an amazing job of campaigning for Obama for Espanola, I have heard. She was awesome.
August 27, 2008 8:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope they're both into it enough to be sincere, highly visible and constant advocates from here on out.
The economic comparison between the past two administrations are a powerful argument for a Democratic president, enough to sway racists, even.
August 27, 2008 8:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
They will be. Say what you will, the Clintons do not do half measures.
August 27, 2008 8:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup. I hope team Obama has the sense to use them.
August 27, 2008 8:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh thank God. The best way for Bill to save his legacy is for him to help Obama win. I can't wait for his speech.
August 27, 2008 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Bill Clinton will come through. When Hillary said she is a proud supporter of Barack Obama, Bill was one of the first people to stand up and applaud.
BTW, Harry Reid's speech was pretty good. Too bad it was delivered by a somnambulist.
"old doc McCain..." Heh.
August 27, 2008 8:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
"setting aside his own criticism and ambivalence"
Huh?
August 27, 2008 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've heard it described that Clinton is going to "pass the torch" in his speech.
(How did Harry Reid ever get elected?)
August 27, 2008 8:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was asking myself the same thing. What an idiot.
August 27, 2008 8:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
The reason he was elected, I understood at the time, is because he knows and understands the Congressional Rules of Procedure better than anyone else in Congress.
August 27, 2008 8:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
He just struck me as the stereotypical math professor. I was waiting for him to say, "Buehler...Buehler...Buehler..."
August 27, 2008 11:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wide-ranging, eight minutes and Bill Clinton do not compute.
August 27, 2008 8:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
But his speeches don't feel as long as they are. Some speeches seem like watching the movie Waterworld in slow motion. Bill keeps us interested. (yeah yeah--personal opinion)
August 27, 2008 8:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I take it you didn't see his speech at the 1988 convention....
August 27, 2008 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's now or never. If things go well with Obama's Presidency, Democrats may win more seats in the house in the Senate and get those magic 2/3rd numbers they want, if McCain wins, and does well, or the country continues to perform poorly, Republicans may have time to point the blame at the Democrats in charge in Congress and any chance of controlling both the legislative and executive branch could be pushed out another decade. The Clinton's realize this I'm sure and I'd bet were reminded of this like eleventy-billion times.
August 27, 2008 8:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rip em Big Dog!
August 27, 2008 8:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why do Democrats feel the need to constantly say, "John McCain isn't a bad man, but..." or "John McCain is a war hero, but..." or "John McCain is an honorable man, but..."
JUST DON'T SAY IT! I swear, if there's one thing that pisses me off more than anything else that Obama and the Democrats are doing, it's the constant praise of McCain before the rebukes and negative points.
There is no reason you can't just state the problems and issues with John McCain without mentioning anything positive. You don't have to be negative to show McCain is a negative guy and a total idiot.
August 27, 2008 8:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, unrelated note to the thread. Was watching Evan Bayh's speech. I liked it decently enough until he went, "John McCain isn't a bad man, but..." ...Ugh. Let me just say: I cannot wait for Biden's speech. I heard on NPR that he's going to rip McCain a new one.
August 27, 2008 8:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
What we need is a reprise of the "Daisy" ad. It would receive 100X the free publicity that Hillary's "3 am" received.
August 27, 2008 8:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I couldn't agree more, Obama's "respect" for McCain is by now well established.
McCain is a dangerous, mentally unstable, warmongering liar and should be portrayed as such.
August 27, 2008 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Barack HUSSEIN Obama is an inexperienced competent dolt with terrorist ties, and a socialist objective and should be portrayed as such.
August 28, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Chrono, they don't need to please the people who are already voting for him. They need to talk to the people who could still go either way.
August 27, 2008 8:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I get that, NCSteve. My point is that you don't have to constantly praise your opponent, paint him as honorable, call him a hero, say he's a good man, and expect THAT message to not ALSO get drilled into the heads of the voters.
Obama does not need to out-and-out praise McCain in order to show his respect. He just need to civilly and respectfully show his disagreements and differences with McCain.
All I'm saying is, if you simply took the "John McCain is a respected war hero, but..." out of the speech, NO ONE would give a shit, and it would focus the message on McCain's problems, issues, and differences.
August 27, 2008 8:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll try to be more specific - it's an ancient rhetorical device.
And there is a real and very much appreciated protocol for members of Congress in how they treat each other publicly.
We need that protocol.
August 27, 2008 8:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
We need comity to govern.
This campaign is and should be a partisan affair.
August 27, 2008 8:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I get it, Tena. I'm the first person to praise Obama for "reaching across the lines" and being civil, respectful, etc.
Here's my issue: McCain goes directly on the attack against Obama, and never speaks a word of praise for Obama. Never. I get that Obama should not lower himself to that level, and I am not asking him to. I am simply asking him to omit blatant praise, not add blatant rebukes and negativity.
The result? People hear the message that McCain is not good for this country, but without the leading sentence that he's a great guy. If I were an undecided voter, my first question would be, "how could such a great, honorable, respectable war hero be so bad for our country?"
August 27, 2008 9:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him...and Cassius is a good man..."
roughly - very roughly - ;)
August 27, 2008 8:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
In a nutshell.
August 27, 2008 8:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
So are they all, all honorable men.
August 27, 2008 8:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Told you it was rough - and it gets rougher all the time.
;)
August 27, 2008 8:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
All of Chaucer's characters, even the Pardoner, are quite "worthy."
It seems Obama bends over backwards to praise McCain. It might not stick out so much if a bit more red meat followed.
August 27, 2008 9:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds like McCain/Bush is in the crosshairs tonight.
Is it just me, or is this shaping up nicely?
August 27, 2008 8:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Bill Clinton had kept his damned pants on George Bush would never have been president. Clinton's achievements were reversed and then some when he gave Bush, Rove, Cheney et al the window of opportunity they needed to wrest power and wreck the country.
Sorry for the negativity. It just bothers me no end that Bill Clinton is getting this recognition.
August 27, 2008 8:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
A silly thought occurred to me. If Clinton's speech comes in at the allotted 10 min., will that be interpreted as a sign that his support is tepid?
August 27, 2008 8:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not silly at all - the answer is YES - I was thinking that myself about 10 minutes ago and then I started dancing -
August 27, 2008 9:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know who is responsible for the sound track for this convention but it has really rocked.
I bet like everything the Repugs' convention don't rock. :)
August 27, 2008 8:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
All of the good artists hate neocons.
August 27, 2008 9:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Boston told Mike Huckabee to stop using their song, More Than A Feeling".
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/02/boston-rocker-t.html
Tom Sholz openly told Huckabee he would never endorse him. It was great.
August 27, 2008 9:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Big Dawg looks awesome.
And may I just say that Michelle Obama is going to be a very chic First Lady. Man does she dress well.
August 27, 2008 9:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was a huge Bill Clinton fan, before he started pissin all over the in the primaries. I remember he being treated has a rock star when I was backing packing and he was paying a presidential visit to northern India.
I don't expect him to campaign vigorously or unconditional for Obama. Atleast he can redeem some of his legacy, throw his unequivocal support and join forces with his wife in giving steam for the democratic run for the presidency.
Bill it's your time to rise again. It's in your court.
August 27, 2008 9:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Missed u in the other thread, kash. I'm well. Good to see you too. I took a break from here. Focused mostly on my own blog.
How have u been? When do you come home (your in CA now, right)?
August 27, 2008 9:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
if that ovation is not the encouragement to give a huge pro Obama speech I do not know what is!
August 27, 2008 9:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jesus - he started slow and I was nervous, but now he's just woweeeee!
August 27, 2008 9:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uh, Clinton hustled us - Again.
8 minutes? BWAAAAAHAHAHAHahahahahaha - way to lower expectations and then blow em out of the water.
Damn, we're getting smarter.
August 27, 2008 9:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can't wait to hear Bush's counter speech in St Paul.
"Need some wood?"
August 27, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink