Big Dawg Clinton says Kerry was too slow responding to SBL

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04244/370550.stm
Commented at book signing today in Pittsburgh, PA.
<snip>

While giving strong support to the Democratic presidential nominee, John F. Kerry, Clinton criticized the Massachusetts senator's response to attacks on his record in the Vietnam War as too slow.

"He's got the bit in his mouth now, but maybe he was a little late in fighting back," the former president said. "But, the other side can take you by surprise. My integrity was never questioned before I ran for president, but after I lost $40,000 in the Whitewater deal, the Republicans turned it into a $70 million investigation."

Clinton praised Kerry's position on dealing with post-war Iraq as "realistic and responsible" and said the Bush administration "rushed into Iraq and diverted resources" from the war on terrorism.

He also accused the administration of "pushing this country way too far to the right."

[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. Actually, you quoted him saying 'maybe he was a little late '

So why did you characterize it as "Big Dawg Clinton says Kerry was too slow responding to SBL" ???


I mean if this were Crossfire, how would Carville characterize it, and how would Novak characterize it?

[RamboLiberal]

3. Nitpick - hard to fit all in a headline

I think Bill was being nice - Kerry was too damn slow in responding! They had to know this was coming - heck the damn purple heart bandaids have been out May!

[Cha]

2. I can't wait until this fucking convention is over and Kerry

can start doing what he's going to do.

[PretzelWarrior]

4. big dog a little late admitting his cigar-a-thon

I love Bill Clinton is some senses....he was able to bring power back to the Democratic Party, but my GOD it's alway about him. If he's so great, he be in there offering solutions real-time to the people who NEED to hear it...not second guessing Kerry's campaign where it is public consumption.

Bill Clinton did have one thing John Kerry didn't have--Ross Perot. Let's not forget that. We got p.o.s. Nader...and Perot DEFINITELY sucked more right-leaning votes from Bush than left-leaning votes from Clinton.

So.....as glad as I am he won 2 terms...it's not like there wasn't some great triangulation going on to help him out. Kerry's gotta win straight up.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

5. Yeah his sense of political timing was impeccable on that one

play out the clock, I think is what they call that.

[RummyTheDummy]

6. Oh please

I love the cajones of the Clinton bashers on this board. Until John Kerry, Howard Dean, Wes Clark or John Edwards win two freakin presidential elections, Bill Clinton wrote the book on how to beat the Repugs. Period. End of story.

When they do it, get back to me. Hopefully it will be in November, but they haven't proved ANYTHING yet.

[PretzelWarrior]

7. you got a statue of Bill on your altar or something? CHILL

your great screen name notwithstanding, Bill CLinton most certainly doesn't meet the job description of "2nd coming of Christ" so I believe I'm entitled to say what I want to say. THink about it: Clinton's pecadillos are some of the main reasons GOP folks gained so much traction with middle america in 2000.

Bill Clinton didn't have to stretch $$$$ for general election for a whole month while his opposition could still spend on their virtually unlimited pre-convention budget.

There are a lot of differences. Kerry will win. Gore did win. so what's yor (ON EDIT: gosh darn) POINT?

[RummyTheDummy]

10. I never said he was the second coming of christ

Just that he's the only Democrat since FDR to get elected president twice.

[mondo joe]

15. Don't blame Clinton for Gore's failures.

You say "Clinton's pecadillos are some of the main reasons GOP folks gained so much traction with middle america in 2000".

But what I think you forget or else ignore is the fact that Clinton left office with a much higher approval rating than the percentage of the vote that Gore eeked by with.

It took an unprecedented conspiracy to get Clinton. And the people still understood he was doing a good job.

The losses in 2000 belong to Gore, if anyone, who distanced himself from Clinton as much as he possibly could.

[PretzelWarrior]

16. riiiiggghhttt. keep telling yourself that.

y

[mondo joe]

18. Can you refute anything I've written here?

These are matters of record:

It took an unprecedented conspiracy of wealthy conservatives, elected republicans and the full force of the unchecked federal government to get Clinton. To say nothing of the millions of dollars.

Clinton had high approval rating even post-Lewinski.

Gore distanced himself from Clinton in the campaign.

[Tom Kitten]

8. I'm sorry to have to agree....

Clinton got caught having an intern giving him blowjobs and his denial of that fact in effect ended any legacy of his he could leave for any other democrats...He denied it and that led to the impeachment and the triumph of the public high moral ground the Republicans claim as their own base...Read it and weep but it is true...Clinton has been more of a hindrance than an asset for the Democrats!

[RummyTheDummy]

9. All that's true.

What's also true is he left office with one of the highest approval ratings since they started keeping those silly statistics.

In a different world, I don't know too many people here, in their heart of hearts, who wouldn't feel more comfortable with Clinton facing * in Nov.

Kerry is our nominee and he is a fine nominee. I'm proud of him. But after watching us get sucker punched by the Repugs over and over again in the last week, I'm starting to have questions about his staff.

See this map:
www.electoral-vote.com

It's used to be a lot more blue two weeks ago.

[Kahuna]

19. Here here!!!

You said a mouthful.

[fujiyama]

11. Yep

Clinton no doubt would have won his reelection with or without Perot. It's harder to say about '92 though. Perot drew a lot of right leaning voters (but some left leaning voters as well).

Nader never drew from a broad base. His one and only effect was that of drawing left leaning voters from Gore in '00 and again now.

Kerry definetely has it tougher than Clinton ever did.

That said, I still agree with Clinton about this. There was no reason for the Kerry campaign not to have responded earlier.

[mondo joe]

12. Clinton made one huge mistake. But his political instincts...

Clinton made one huge mistake. But his political instincts in general were impeccable.

And what it took for him to get caught in that mistake was an unprecedented $80 million witchhunt with the full unchecked force of the federal government.

And even after the Lewinski he had very high approval ratings.

I think Kerry would do well to take some advice.

[RummyTheDummy]

13. That's what I should have said

Nobody in their right mind would doubt the fact Clinton has hurt us to a degree. But when it comes to running a campaign and understanding what the American people are thinking, he can't be touched. Either a candidate has it, or they don't. If they don't have it, they can still win, but they need to be surrounded by people who are bulldogs and are willing to get dirty. Clinton was his own best consultant when it came to executing a campaign.

[Cha]

14. Hope they sic Clinton on Arkansas and wherever

else.

[Kahuna]

17. GASP!!!!!!!! You mean, Big Dawg is an armchair strategist!!!!??

:wow: Say it ain't so. :eyes:

[DaveSZ]

20. He's right