Flashback: Clinton says of Obama "A few years ago, this guy would have been carrying our bags"

[LittleBlue]

The Clinton circle blames Obama’s decision to go negative for the subsequent nastiness of the 2008 Democratic primaries. Bill Clinton fumed that the press failed to call out Obama for running on a message of hope and change while attacking Hillary as untrustworthy. In New Hampshire, on January 7th, he made his most famous remarks of the race, calling Obama’s record on Iraq “the biggest fairy tale I’ve ever seen!” He added, “The idea that one of these campaigns is positive and the other is negative, when I know the reverse is true and I have seen it and I have been blistered by it for months, is a little tough to take.” Clinton urged Hillary’s campaign to fire back, and, when it wouldn’t, at least to his satisfaction, he did so on his own.

The result was an internecine war that the two men have struggled to overcome. In South Carolina, Obama’s campaign suggested that Clinton’s “fairy tale” comment had racial overtones. (It was read as a subtle rejection of the idea that an African-American could become President.) A few days later, in Nevada, Obama compared Bill Clinton unfavorably to Ronald Reagan. “I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that, you know, Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not,” he said. No doubt the rhetoric was partly strategic. Every Presidential candidate must distinguish himself from his party’s previous President, especially if the predecessor’s spouse is an opposing candidate. But Clinton “didn’t see it as a tactic,” Mark Halperin and John Heilemann write in “Game Change,” their account of the 2008 race. “He thought that Obama might actually believe that Reagan’s tenure had been superior to his own.”


Bill Clinton’s attacks hurt Hillary as much as they did Obama. The Times denounced Clinton’s fairy-tale comment as a “bizarre and rambling attack” and as exemplifying a campaign that was “perilously close to injecting racial tension” into the conversation. At a press conference in South Carolina the morning after Obama won the state, Bill Clinton seemed to dismiss the victory as a fluke of local demography. “Jesse Jackson won South Carolina in ’84 and ’88,” he said. “Jackson ran a good campaign. And Obama ran a good campaign here.” Tim Russert told me that, according to his sources, Bill Clinton, in an effort to secure an endorsement for Hillary from Ted Kennedy, said to Kennedy, “A few years ago, this guy would have been carrying our bags.” Clinton’s role in the campaign rattled Obama. He told ABC News in an interview that Clinton “has taken his advocacy on behalf of his wife to a level that I think is pretty troubling.”

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/09/10/lets-be-friends?currentPage=2

I posted this reference in a different thread, but it seemed many DUers never saw this quote. So I made a new thread about it.

On this historic day in Selma, let's recall how far Obama had to go, even with members of his own party.

[bigdarryl]

1. And your point is

[LittleBlue]

3. My point is written in the OP

As late as 2007, even the elite in our own party thought a black man winning the presidency was a fairy tale.

[RiverLover]

7. +1

Thanks for posting.

[pnwmom]

84. I wouldn't trust one of Tim Russert's anonymous sources on that quote. n/t

[sabrina 1]

41. Seems you missed the point. Read the OP and you will find it.

[FarPoint]

55. It's another " I hate Clinton" post...

Same right wing mentality seen here on a daily basis. Fox news style.


That's how I see it.

[hopemountain]

62. really?

i thought it was about:
"On this historic day in Selma, let's recall how far Obama had to go, even with members of his own party."

your defensive response bringing it down to a slur on hillary clinton is not doing her any favors.

[leftofcool]

66. Yes, it was a subtle slur

The statement supposedly made by Bill Clinton was debunked a long time ago.

[hopemountain]

68. will you please supply a link because i

read your other comment regarding the debunking but i am not finding anything on google. thank you.

there is not one thing "subtle" about the racial, bigoted slur. call it what it is.

[hopemountain]

74. no such thing as a "subtle" slur

as a person of color, it hurts just even reading your excuse - as if you think it's okay and not that racist. but, it is. i'm not alerting on you because i hope others will get it straight in their heads that for there is no such thing as "subtle" slur or racism. to us, it is blatant. either you intent to hurt and disrupt or you think we are all too "dense" to understand racist attacks.

[marym625]

79. debunked?

How do you debunk something he said?

I like Bill Clinton so please don't use any of the knee jerk "Clinton hate" used elsewhere in this post and everywhere on DU to anyone that thinks 'Hill' isn't the best candidate to be pushing for the nomination. I really want to know. I remember this.

[FarPoint]

73. Oh...your so funny.

[hopemountain]

76. pfffft. now i see you for what you truly are.

[FarPoint]

77. Well, since you brought it up...

Enlightenment me.

[hopemountain]

80. no.

[Stellar]

118. I would like to see a link because the African American community is still

angry with the Clinton's about a lot of shtuff that (Bill) said and no come back from Hillary. And that's not the first time Bill has made remarks that stung, and I have yet to see/hear him apologize. If anything, I've seen where Bill said something in front of the TV camera and he claim he did didn't say it. They will NEED the black community if she want's to be POTUS.

Hillary Clinton team throws racially-tinged mud at Barack Obama nonstop

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/hillary-clinton-team-throws-racially-tinged-mud-barack-obama-nonstop-article-1.340295

Black Leader in House Denounces Bill Clinton’s Remarks
By MARK LEIBOVICH APRIL 24, 2008 7:53 PM

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/black-congressman-denounces-b-clintons-remarks/comment-page-32/

Donna Brazile Hints Bill Clinton's Obama Attacks Racially Offensive

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-wilmouth/2008/01/09/donna-brazile-hints-bill-clintons-obama-attacks-racially-offensive

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4702401

There are many more links....

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

126. Yes, indeed. Non stop...Be careful how you react to them though, you may get a hide. This is DU

and if you express an opinion that accepting a GOP presidency is abhorrent, you may get a hide.

Regardless of the issue represented in this thread, DU has a problem when it comes to Hillary

[FarPoint]

128. Pitiful isn't it.

DU looks into the abyss for normalized discussion verses a Democratic theme. I hope daily that recovery and healing begins. I miss our past Democratic discussion.

[hopemountain]

61. "On this historic day in Selma, let's recall how far Obama had to go, even with members of his own

party."

but then again, you read that in the op... so much for your snide.

[leftofcool]

2. And?

[LittleBlue]

4. And what?

[leftofcool]

56. That statement by Bill Clinton was debunked by the NYT. Google it!

[bravenak]

5. I remember that. Lost respect for them. Still feel uncomfortable with the both of them.

[LittleBlue]

6. Same here

He was sometimes jokingly referred to as the first black president. Didn't realize at the time how those two really viewed African-Americans.

[bravenak]

9. My mother knew. She used to tell me what she really thought about them.

Said she like her bigots to just say it out loud. Still voted for him, just never fell for the first black president bull. I find that many black people felt a loss of love and respect for them.

[LittleBlue]

14. Your mom has a great BS detector

Even today he sounds so convincing when he speaks that I want to believe every word lol

[bravenak]

15. Her daddy was a charming fucking liar. Had separate families in the same neighborhood.

He reminded her of her dad.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. I don't believe the Clintons are racist

But that was a horrible, horrible , horrible thing to say .

When I lived in Orlando I had a buddy who was a lifeguard at the RDV Sportsplex. That's where the Magic used to train before they moved into their new arena but I suspect they still use the near Olympic size pool... My buddy used to talk to Grant Hill all the time and said he was a great swimmer. I saw lots of Magic players there... Any way he told me that he used to talk to Grant Hill about his African American art collection which I believe is one of the largest in the world...

What does this have to do with anything? Do you know who Hillary's roommate at Wellesley was? Grant Hill's mom.

[bravenak]

18. Sorry, but I do.

Hillary's camp started the emphasizing Barack Obama's middle name, questioned whether he sold drugs in his youth (he's black and smoked weed, did some drugs in college), they did enough race baiting with just the piint in the op and the drug shit and the 'HUSSEIN!' Stuff to show their true colors. They basically started birtherism. I'll look up the article where I found that to show you. Give me a minute.

[FarPoint]

60. Campaigns are excluded.....

Mud slinging during a campaign is common battle field rhetoric always forgotten and excused after the election. So, none of this counts...

[bravenak]

63. Fuck that. Race baiting during campaigns is acceptable? Fuck that shit. Not it is fucking not.

Race baiting during campaigns will get your ass called a race baiter. Barack Obama is not the only black person in America. Why should black people b expected to vote for a race baiter who thinks there is nothing wrong with that shit? Fuck us, then? Need to win? Race bait black people for votes. It doesn't matter. They don't matter. It was a campaign!!! What's next? Gay bashing for votes? Hating on Mexicans? Demonizing Arabs? Fuck that!!!!

[FarPoint]

75. Much worse has been said and done...

Always forgotten and forgiven with politics, especially campaign sludge.

[bravenak]

83. So since worse has been done, we have to forget her racism and not worry about it showing up again?

Black peopke should just take that sh from fellow dems and be expected to vote for the race baithers who don't show up to Selma? Bush Jr showed up! Where the hell was she? She might wanna prove that her race baiting will not be coming back but I see shit from her.
I don't think forgiveness needs be given without acknowlegment and apoligies for offense and trying to make up for her bullshit.

It was no regular campain sludge and Democrats never forgive and forget Republican racism so why should we forgive her? She does not care.

[marym625]

92. +1000

Tell him!

Un-fucking-believable!

[Number23]

101. One of DU's liberal "lions" has used extremely questionable racial tactics

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/ballot_box/2003/09/the_worst_of_dennis_kucinich.html

And this guy is repeatedly touted on DU as being the liberalist of the liberally liberals. Last I heard, he was a commentator for Fox News and I'm sure has some other gigs as well.

Democrats' history with using fear of black folks to appeal to whites is not that much different that conservatives. So I completely understand what you're saying and there is no doubt that what Bill said was seriously effed up and stupid but black folks have always had to hold our noses and vote for the lesser of two evils. Or maybe not even necessarily "evils" just unsavory options when it comes to race.

[bravenak]

105. Democrats and Republicans are like fraternal twins on race.

Period. Not identical but clise enough to see that they come from the same place. And I feel the same way about Kucinich, have issues with Warren voting for the Willy Horton people, and a bunch of other gripes. This is why I be like, ' don't talk about the Clinton's girl!' But I can't help myself.
The arrogance was astounding. I think I'm just out of free passes while we get ' go directly to jail!' cards.

[Number23]

109. So I'm glad that you see that as shitty as what Bill said was

The Clintons BY NO MEANS have a monopoly of stupid, crazy racist shit said and/or done by Democrats. A DUer is climbing the walls seeing the endless shitting on Clinton by people that have NOTHING to say about the fact that Warren supported Ronald FUCKING Reagan during the height of his dismissal of the AIDS crisis.

All of these people need a Master's class on diversity and inclusion. ALL of them.

[bravenak]

111. Anybody supporting Reagan at anytime is not a person who I can vote for.

I think we should find candidates and have a primary. Some people just hate her ass no matter what, some people have actual concerns. After this president who I feel like was the best ever, I'm not going to go hog on defending any other candidate. The Hillary supporters were the worst last time. If she wants to pull people together she better start talking to people. She did NOT show up to Selma or Black lives matter. Sad that Mr Katrina showed his ugly ass up and her and Bill skipped it.
As of now. I have no candidate. I ain't feeling none of them.

[Number23]

116. I'm kind of with you.

As of now. I have no candidate. I ain't feeling none of them.

I said in another thread, I like Hillary but that doesn't mean that I want her to be president.

Re: Warren, she is new to the scene and just getting her feet wet. She has some positions that I like a lot but I have to say that unequivocally, my biggest objections to Warren seem to be 1) her former full throated Republicanism WELL past an age that she should have known better and 2) the absolutely revolting calibre of some of her loudest supporters here who first used her a cudgel against President Obama and are already trying to do the same with her and Hillary. It's ridiculous and 100% counterproductive.

[bravenak]

120. I know exactly who you mean.

The revolting stuff. The people only supporting her to use her are sick. It's not all of them, but certain ones who know who they are.

[LittleBlue]

104. Agreed. Let's not forget that Obama wasn't some nobody

He was a Harvard lawyer who was a US senator. No white person in that position would have been referred to as a bellhop.

That reference is an ugly stereotype of black people forever being "the help". How the f*ck does a political campaign make that acceptable?

[bravenak]

107. He would have never pulled that shit on anybody else.

I am marveling over people saying there is nothing to it.

[marym625]

90. WHAT?

That is absolutely fucking ridiculous! True colors should never be forgotten.

Yeah, it was just campaign rhetoric that Candidate Obama said he would prosecute for war crimes. Sorry, I don't forget that nor will I forgive it not happening.

The Clintons attacked Senator Obama left, right and center, on some real bullshit stuff. That's telling.

[bravenak]

23. This was the one.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53563.html

[hopemountain]

67. great post/link

thank you. i guess hillary went to the crossroads and made the "deal" to run her campaign. tsk. tsk.

[bravenak]

69. That's how I see it. Crossed to the darkside. I try not to talk about her but I keep fucking up.

I just hate the 'you better support her, or else!', shit. She better start explaining or lose support. Her job to get my vote among others. Wish she had gone to Selma. Wonder why she di not make it. I figured she'd not show up though.

[LeftOfWest]

70. Please don't quit talking about anything

ever bravenak.

That would be a loss.

Agree with your posts here, all of them.

She should have been in Selma. Period.

[bravenak]

78. Maybe she might think about how it looks that she skips out on stuff like this.

I'll try to keep talking, but... I just have nothing good to say lately. Being diplomatic is difficult.

[marym625]

97. I don't care what she says or does now

She has done and said enough. The true Hillary is a known and she is not anything close to what I want as a candidate, never mind the President.

Too much. Just way too much.

[bravenak]

98. Dirty fighters.

I've had issues with things I feel like the President can do better or should have attempted to do even if it wasn't going to work. But, he is never a dirty fighter like that. I expect better now. No more Bush. No more Clinton. No need to be trapped into Hillary or else. We have awesome Dems who are ripe. I love Sherrod Brown, Franken, the CBC. So many awesom Dems scared to step into the race for fear of stepping on toes. I say get the toe stomping party started!!!!

[marym625]

100. Right with you kid!

It's interesting to look at all the dems that voted for the war and who is still around, vs who voted no and who is still in office. The yes vote obviously came with money. No doubt in my mind.

[bravenak]

103. Too much money.

Look who got rich quickly and who didn't. Sanders is quite poor for a Senator. Anybody making millions from speeches to big money is suspect IMO. I'm not opposed to wealth. I hate wealthy attitudes. She only has time for the money folks. I have better things to do. Like support progressive candidates in my state and smoke legal weed that fellow true progressives voted for last year. And watch the minimum wage rise in my state based on inflation like real progressives voted for. Funny that we forgot to vote en masse for the Conservative Dem. politics are strange.

[marym625]

106. Same here

I do have a problem with filthy rich. You don't become that rich without stealing in some fashion. Legalized stealing is all the rage for the filthy rich. Makes me sick.

People don't like it when the democratic party of old is compared to now. But it was George McGovern who wanted a wealth cap. No more than $500k. Can you see that flying, in any way shape or form now? Obviously, it didn't then but the man was still the party candidate in 72. He would be laughed out of office now, and he wasn't even considered that liberal.

[bravenak]

108. The party lost it's way and will not find it.

I feel like they think us little folks are stupid and unnecessary except for the votes. Pisses me off.

[marym625]

110. They're not even all that interested in the votes

How many Democrats, in office, are shouting about the suppression that Greg Palast uncovered? How many are out there helping the people who have been removed from the registration and will not be allowed to vote for the president in 2016?

Seriously, find one article about a Democrat in office, on a national level, doing a thing.

Sickening.

[bravenak]

114. I know they don't really care.

It's obvious.

[hopemountain]

71. have not seen anything about her

husband, the "other black" president attending, either.

i just don't get the "apologists" for "subtle" bigotry and racism.

[bravenak]

81. I do not understand the apologists.

If it were republicans they would be all over it. As it is they can't get them on race if she runs.

[JonLP24]

124. I don't know if they're racist

but living in a very racist state, I know a lot of people who believe & say racist things but associate, have friendly functioning relationships with black people or whoever they're racist toward. Or they may even mention while they decide to tell what their racist beliefs are will say "but Pete is cool" or even ally & support someone who is thought of has inferior in someway until they have a dispute then their skin color is a factor. A friend I briefly had the opportunity to enjoy who I met from a predominantly white circle of friends, my younger brother knew him before I did, always with the race specific jokes around his presence all based on he doesn't fit their stereotypes.

Magic Johnson -- glowing personality. Grant Hill, all-around nice guy. Never caught a whiff of anything negative whatsoever and a lot of people fell the NBA is full of thugs & rotten personalities (I'm 100% the other way, I regularly watch & enjoy the NBA and is so much more advanced the other leagues as far as liberal politics to minority hires with women in the front office & even the assistant coach of the Spurs). However, Grant Hill, from all accounts is very easy to get along with. Should have been on the All-Defense selection during his low scoring Phoenix years (Suns had 5+ players with 10+ ppg but no one over 20 ppg after Amare went to NYK).

There is also the wealth & celebrity thing, status. Come to think of it, I just remembered Bill Clinton having a blast during the All-Star game sitting next to Dikembe Mutombo. I wasn't saying the Clintons aren't racist, just associating with Black people who are very easy to get along with or seen as outliers to their prejudices doesn't disprove it. I'm not even saying that's the case, I want to be clear in what I'm trying to say which is racism isn't logical, it is really easy to show how absurd their beliefs are or why it doesn't make any sense but for someone who is racist, they doubt more, suspicious of more, basically set a bar higher than they would of other friends or associates.

I'm not talking about David Duke or a Nazi kind of racist, someone who uses racism ideology as a primary part of how they live, I mean casual, undercover racists, I sometimes wonder if some of these people even know they're racist (especially the ones that are so quick to discredit the existence of racism over something such as a police profiling even though it has mountains of evidence or complain that there are no all-white colleges or all-white shows & networks. I simply said "Friends" & pointed out there are historically black universities created because they weren't allowed to attend the top universities but they are open to everyone to enroll. Like I said, racism is not logical but I don't think racism is key part of the Clintons, they just may have subconscious prejudices or "slightly prefer" but I don't know if its either. Bill Clinton was notable for a white male national mainstream politician, he was notable for his ability to emphasize & relate with Americans of many backgrounds but he has always been a top flight communicator, far better than me. I remember over a recap of 1 casualty in I can't remember what conflict where Clinton either was very deeply personally effected by it -- showing up at the funeral or similar type of event (Military kinda has 2) or did a really good job selling it.

[OilemFirchen]

13. It was Toni Morrison who referred to him as such.

I fail to see the humor.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

17. Who can forget? And that 2 this day Hillary has yet 2 separate herself from Bill's blatantly racist comment by condemning it.

[bravenak]

19. She doesn't want to. It helps her with the white vote and that's what matters.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

20. Not so sure about that; there are plenty of white voters who are equally offended by such comments...

Hillary can have the racist vote - I still think it's a net negative.

[bravenak]

22. I think you're right. I meant the 'racist' vote. I apologize. It will be a negative.

[Lurks Often]

40. You were right the first time

I think that both Bill Clinton when he ran and Hillary Clinton, if she is the nominee, will take the black vote as a given, as if she is entitled to it.

[bravenak]

42. Yes. I feel like she thinks she is entitled to it. That disturbs me.

She has an issue where she refuses to explain herself.

[Lurks Often]

47. It's not complicated

Both parties have elements within their party that they know will never sit out a vote or vote for the other party in significant numbers.

For the Republicans it is some of the more religious groups and for the Democratic Party it is minority voters or the LGBT community. (Not that this is meant to be an all inclusive list)

Both parties believe that these respective elements within their party will show up to vote, never vote for the other party and so can be pretty much ignored unless they, primarily as individuals, are major campaign contributors and sometimes even only paid lip service even when they are major campaign contributors.

[bravenak]

48. I can see that. I knew that before when I didn't vote one time.

We lost and I was like, whatever. Mayb next time they'll care about people who look like me. After this, I think anybody who wants my vote needs to work for it. Now that I got a Black president I feel a bit picky. I want to know that the next person won't shove us backwards fo expediencies sake just like all the others before Obama. Peopl may hav their issues woth Obama but, he made me feel safer in America as a blak person. Just knowing he wasn't going to rush to willingly sell us out was comforting. I remember how Clinton's 'Welfare Reform' hurt the poor, blacks got hit hard. I felt like that was an attack aimed at people of color and the poor. I'm scared she'll 'triangulate' or tak advice from Bill and 'Welfare Reform' the poor and Seniors again like he did. Welfare reform will go down in history as some evil shit.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

49. Precisely why we shudnt pledge our blind loyalty-even if we intend 2 vote the party line- 2 avoid havin our vote taken 4 granted.

[hopemountain]

86. exactly. nt

[Skidmore]

50. Same here.

Any person who would pull some of the crap both of the Clintons have during election cycles are not to be trusted IMHO. In 08, I was really angry by the time the end of the primary season. I still am uncomfortable with Hillary.

[bravenak]

54. I was pissed too. She never denied any of it or apologized.

That shows who she really us. It was her campaign, not Bill's. I expected better of her and will not pledge blind support to anybody from here on out. I expected her to at least show up in Selma for solidarity. She missed it. Missed black lives matter. Shows up to expensive speeches and salons. Not feeling her.

[Skidmore]

59. Yep.

I was astonished that she didn't make it to Selma.

[bravenak]

64. I figured since she made it to Emily's list, she make it there too.

She makes it to speeches that pay big money, why not show up for us? Would be nice.

[Enrique]

8. "on this historic day in Selma"

yeah right.

[pampango]

10. To be fair it was Bill who said that not Hillary and I don't think Bill or Hillary are racists. n/t

[Skidmore]

53. No Democrat should be uttering the things that were said by them. Period.

Argue on issues but you do not impugn others based on race, gender, or any immutable quality.

[pnwmom]

87. That's true. But all we have is an anonymous, uncorroborated source on that. n/t

[OilemFirchen]

11. Oh my.

A candidate said something bad about another candidate in a Presidential primary. And Tim Russert told someone about something someone else might have heard. And Mark Halperin and John Heilemann... because cattle futures! Mena! MONICA!

Knock me over with a prune hamantaschen.

[wyldwolf]

12. "Tim Russert told me that, according to his sources..."

Who was one of the biggest media chearleaders of impeachment in the 90s? Tim Russert.

[Fiftyone]

35. Actually, Tim Russert may have not said it at all

Someone says that Russert says...

[wyldwolf]

38. "Someone says that Russert says..."

LOL.

Someone told me that you said that someone I know said the OP sounds like a Tabloid story.

[4now]

21. Who were Russerts sources for that inflammatory quote?

He wouldn't just pull something like that out of his ass. would he?

[wyldwolf]

24. Russert has a history of such claims against the Clintons

After falsely asserting that he was showing viewers "exactly what President Clinton said," referring to January 7 comments Bill Clinton made about Sen. Barack Obama, Tim Russert played a truncated quote from Clinton. In addition, Russert read a quote from The New York Times that truncated Hillary Clinton's statement about civil rights, omitting her reference to President Kennedy.

http://mediamatters.org/research/2008/01/13/russert-falsely-claimed-to-show-exactly-what-pr/142148

Message to Democrats - don't uncritically believe crap that the media (Russert) puts out against fellow Democrats.

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/011289.php
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/06/14/535958/-Tim-Russert-A-Good-Man-but-Biased-Journalist#

[bravenak]

25. Hillary has issues with race. You see she did not show up to Selma while Bush did.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53563.html
I have known about her issues for a long time. She never does explain them. Just expects us to ignore the crap she pulled with her race baiting bullshit last time.

[wyldwolf]

26. that's absurd. Laughable

And a prime example of why people look at the fringes and say 'o....k....'

[bravenak]

27. The fact that her supporters were the ones that sent out the birtherism email way before the right

caught on is real. Keep on laughing. It won't go away. The more the issue gets ignored and minimized, the more people talk about it. She will not get the same numbers of black voters as Obama. She ignores us.

[wyldwolf]

28. So guy with a demonstrated history of lying tells another one and you believe it. LOL.

[bravenak]

29. Who? Who is this guy? I'm talking about the link.

You can click on it to see what I'm talking about. The link I posted. Above. Her campaign was also the campaign that accused Barack Obama of selling drugs and kept emphasizing his middle name. Sarah palin got that shit from Hillary's peeps.

[wyldwolf]

30. Everyone else is talking about Russert. Might be a good idea to stay on topic

[bravenak]

32. And we are also talking about Hillary and her husband.

And their issues with racist shit. It's in the op. The op is not only about Tim Russert. He is not the only one accusing her and Bill of this stuff. Don't mind me though, since nobody cares, I'll just have to keep reminding everyone that if a Teapublican said that shit we'd be on it like a dog with a bone. Since nobody remembers, I guess it's my job to remind everybody.

[wyldwolf]

34. No, YOU were.

[bravenak]

37. I won't be alone in that.

[wyldwolf]

39. No, I suppose not.

[Major Hogwash]

112. I remember Bubba saying something along those same lines.

But, instead of saying "he would be carrying our bags", politico reported that Bubba said "A few years ago, this guy (Obama) would have been getting us coffee."

It was a quote from the book Game Change.
Link --
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0110/Teddys_anger.html

[bravenak]

113. I've heard it various ways.

I never heard a denial.

[Major Hogwash]

115. No, neither did I.

And I really thought at the time that a denial would have been forthcoming back then, right after that book first came out, if it had not been true.

[bravenak]

119. Me too.

I thought that it could not possibly be true. But then I saw how they acted and knew it was.

[Fiftyone]

31. Ryan Lizza said that (dead) Tim Russert said that Clinton said the "carrying our bags" remark

Media outlets such as the New York Post ran with the double hearsay, without even saying "allegedly" in the title.

Today, right-wingers are not the only one who pretend this is a confirmed occurrence.

Symptoms of Clinton Derangement Syndrome include lack of skepticism: http://nypost.com/2012/09/03/bill-clinton-made-insensitive-race-jab-about-obama-in-2008/

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

51. Don't remember Bill denying it. Or did he?

[dsc]

57. so that is our standard now?

[pnwmom]

89. Are Bill and Hillary supposed to answer each and every false rumor about them?

No matter how unsubstantiated?

[pnwmom]

88. Wow. I hadn't heard the Ryan Lizza part of the chain. So this is even

more sketchy.

[Hekate]

33. "an internecine war that the two men have struggled to overcome" That's the key...

HAVE STRUGGLED TO OVERCOME.

That indicates that THEY are not still mired in the campaign of 2008, unlike so many here. One person at least has risen far above it, by appointing his opponent to Secretary of State.

Is it just barely possible there is a lesson here for the rest of us?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. Res ipsa loquitur

[Hekate]

43. Excellent catch. I do remember Bill pretty much saving Obama's bacon in 2012...

Amazing how many here are so willing to twist history and twist the truth.

But we are all, all honorable Democrats.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

45. This board is getting really ugly and will get uglier...

Doesn't bother me. I follow my own moral compass.

[NaturalHigh]

44. Has it EVER been verified that President Clinton said this?

I find it very hard to believe.

[Hekate]

46. Don't think it has, but it sure smears like fine peanut butter doesn't it? nt

[emulatorloo]

52. Which is all that matters to some DU'ers.

[pnwmom]

91. It's just an anonymous quote, a few steps removed.

And it certainly sounds apocryphal.

[NaturalHigh]

94. I expect to read it a few thousand times in the next two years.

[Historic NY]

58. So why not say Bill Clinton, what are you trying to imply????

"this dog won't hunt".

[politicman]

65. my take on the context of that quote...

I don't like the Clintons but on this quote I don't see the racial angle that every one else sees.

The way I see the context of this quote, is that Bill didn't view Obama carrying his bags because of the colour of Obama's skin, more so likely that Bill said it in a context of, here is a young democrat who is challenging our power in the party when a couple of years ago he would be the equivalent of a volunteer who would carry our bags for us.

I firmly believe that Bill Clinton looked at Obama not through the prism of colour of skin, but more through the prism of a young democrat rising through the ranks to challenge their power in the party when only a few years ago he would have been someone with no power in the party, someone who would have been in the lower rung of the party and be consigned to carrying the party leader's bags.

[bravenak]

72. Why would a forty something year old senator be carrying his bags?

That doesn't even make sense except in the context of race. They did other race baiting stuff during that time that shows it was a pattern of race baiting. That was just a snapshot.
Accusing Obama of being a drug dealer (her campaing surrogates did that). Getting birtherism to go nation wide (her supporters did that). Saying his middle name in a loud hysterical manner? Her dampaing did that way way way before Sarah Palin was even in the race.

[politicman]

82. Because he Bills view, Obama had risen up the ladder of party power so quickly when Bill didn't..

think that Obama had put in the hard yards that Bill views himself as having out in over the decades.

I am not defending the other stuff that they did, I am just pointing out that my take on that quote was more a context of a new democrat who had no power in the party suddenly being able to challenge the Clinton's power over the party.

I look at it in the same context that I think a CEO would say it, basically that a new employee who would have had only enough power to be able to carry the CEO's bags around, suddenly climbs up the ladder to challenge the power of the CEO and his hold on a company.

Again, I want to empathise that I do not care for the Clinton's, but I firmly believe that for this one quote, it was said in the context of the holding of power in the party.

Does that make it right, heck no.
But IMO, the context of that quote was Bill relaying to Kennedy that a couple of years ago the only power Obama would have had in the party would be to carry the party leader's bags around, sort of an attempt from Bill to tell Kennedy that Obama hadn't done all the hard yards in the party that Bill views himself as having done.

[bravenak]

85. I disagree.

[politicman]

95. We shall agree to disagree then

Like I said, I don't like the Clintons.
I have made up my mind already that if Hillary is the nominee I will not vote for her, most likely stay home on election day.

I came to this decision not because I think the Clintons are racists, because I don't for one second believe that. I have come to this decision because I firmly believe that the Clintons are just the latest attempt from the 1% to completely seize control of the country, and I will not endorse this any longer with my vote.

[bravenak]

96. Thanks for the discussion, tho.

Very reasonable.

[politicman]

99. back at ya :)

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

127. If it were not for my AfAm friends here and elsewhere, I wonder if I would even know about the

race baiting back in 2007 by the Clintons.

I remember hearing about it a little but swept under the rug it was I think.

I have said it many times, all white americans are racist, we just have to pick the ones that are aware of it and want to change.

Your position is earned and valued and informed, I respect your position, always.

[bravenak]

130. This is why I need to not talk about the Clintons.

I always go there. I never forgot any of the stuff they did. I took it personal from the Clintons in a way I never take it personally from the gop.

[Major Hogwash]

131. See Post #118.

This shit wasn't made up.
Many of us never forgot what the Clintons said about Obama.
Many of us were shocked by what they said about Obama.
Many of us were hurt by what they said about Obama.

[Oilwellian]

117. Speaking of snapshots, here's another

Remember this gem of a moment? I point it out especially on this day. Perhaps it's why she and Bill didn't bother to appear in Selma.

[bravenak]

121. Wow. I need to watch that a few times.

No credit to Dr King. It wasn't real until Lyndon.

[Oilwellian]

129. The Clintons became very bitter and turned ugly toward the end of the primary

There were many comments made by both Hillary and Bill, that offered a peek behind their facade. For me, this was one of Hillary's more egregious moments. I was also horrified when she and Bill began pumping up McCain after they knew Hillary couldn't win. Disgusting.

The Clintons are stale and corrupt. We can do so much better.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

93. Yeah, that would certainly win an endorsement for Hillary from Ted.

Bill: A few years ago, this guy would have been carrying our bags.

Ted: Why would you say that to me?

Bill: To secure your endorsement for Hillary, of course.

Ted: You do realize that four years from now, a guy at the New Yorker is going to write that some sources are reported to have heard from somebody and then told Tim Russert (who will have been dead for four years at that point, as I will have been dead three years at that point myself) that you said that, don't you?

Bill: Sure.

Ted: Well, you've certainly secured my endorsement all right. For Obama.

-------
Except for the fact that Ted did endorse Obama, the foregoing is meant to be believed only by folks who are eager to stand in line to buy a lottery ticket to be eligible to buy a bridge in Selma that sources say sources are reported to be selling, this weekend only.

[bluestateguy]

102. What is the point of this?

Dredging up old dogfights from a primary 7 years ago.

[Beausoir]

122. Be sure to drink your Ovaltine....

[JonLP24]

123. Its really amazing the things they said publicly

to oppose a candidate who is roughly the same but a improvement in some ways but a downgrade in others policy-wise speaking. That hope & change really threatened them, he should have kept the triangulaters, the Republicans, the former oil & bank board members, and others out of his cabinet. His inexperience showed when he started listening to them.

[OilemFirchen]

125. Urrrrrrp.

Flashback: Clinton says of Obama "Just a few years ago, Obama would have been serving their coffee."

Pardon me.