Anyone watch Clinton on the Daily Show?

[saracat]

He seemed depressed or tired and really annoyed that the Dems aren't fighting back. He said fighting back when you are attacked is not negative and the only way he won in 1992 was rapid response and hitting back aggressively.It seemed he was sending a message to the campaign.And he reminded everyone about the dirty tricks pulled on McCain by Bush in 2000 and said he didn't understand why McCain let him get away with it! Hmmmm.

[Joy Anne]

1. on hitting back

This is why RapidResponse is so important. We computer potatoes can do our part by writing letters to the editors and to the reporters. Start today.

[R Hickey]

2. Dems arn't fight back?

I saw it and although I agree with most of what you say, I didn't get the impression that he thought the Dems weren't fighting back.

[flamingpie2500]

3. Admitting he was a chickenhawk floored me. VERY impressed.

I thought he looked nervous--perhaps he was waiting for Stewart to throw him a curve ball. (monica)

[Bosso 63]

9. I was impressed that Stewart did not mention Monica.

Every interview with Clinton always goes back to Monica, as though that was the only thing that happened during the Clinton admin. Kudos to Jon for keeping the conversation on politics.

[masshole]

11. He DID NOT say that

What Clinton said was that unlike the hawks Bush and Cheney, and himself, who avoided going to Vietnam...Kerry volunteered.

He never referred to himself as a "Chickenhawk".

And he didn't look nervous at all to me. He looked relaxed and at ease.

[Bandit]

14. He did not admit he was a Chicken Hawk.

A Chicken Hawk is someone who supports war but won't go themselves. Clinton did not support the Vietnam War and did not wish to go. He followed legal avenues so he wouldn't have to go. He did the right thing. Cheney, Bush*, Pearle, Novak, Wolfawitz, Rice, Bolten, etc. etc. the list goes on and on were very active in their support for war. Any war and all wars but they would never go themselves. Big distinction here.

[Born Free]

37. He was very, very smooth

"I thought he looked nervous--perhaps he was waiting for Stewart to throw him a curve ball. (monica)"

We replayed it (tivo)more than once because I wanted my wife to see how steady his hands were. Usually people tend to have a little nervousness in the hands, but his hands were unbelievably steady. With Tivo and 57" you can really see the movement in the nhands etc during interviews, there was none. He didn't seem to get excited, but certainly was not nervous. He did offer good advice in that Kerry needs to fight back and not let the accusations grow.

[Catt03]

4. I think he has a short memory

With all due respect to Bill Clinton, the great politician that he is,
I don't remember him fighting back as much as he does.

I remember Hillary fighting back; and Vernon Jordan fighting back; and Madeleine Albright fighting back and MoveOn.org fighting back.

What I do remember, which was a great example, is Clinton just focusing on the job as President.

Kerry is doing just fine.

[buycitgo]

12. he was specifically fighting back during the 92 campaign

they did a fricking MOVIE on it, called the War Room

he tried fighting back a bit during the Whitewater/Filegate/Travelgate/Monicagate/Impeachment inquisitions, but realized that there was no use fighting the pugs AND corporate media

he let the ppolls do their work, basically, realizing that, after the six year shitstorm, there wasn't much he could do, but that the PEOPLE weren't buyin into the persecution

but he FOUGHT BACK hard, almost always within the same news cycle, and all observers, just about, agree that this was a KEY factor in his victory

Kerry is REALLY blowing it from this standpoint

the only thing that may save him is the growing REVULSION for the halfwit squatting in your house

getting to the point where nothing is going to save him

[LTR]

18. Much of Clinton's fighting was behind the scenes

Ever wonder how Gingrich's shutdown of the Capitol actually made Clinton look good? This was perhaps the biggest thing that killed any chance of a Republican winning the White House in 1996.

It's all in the spin. They don't call Clinton the 'master politician' for nothing.

[tom_paine]

26. Only slightly different than 2000, 1988, and 1980

Which isn't enough.

Not nearly.

ESPECIALLY considering the Corporate Media has fallen SO MUCH FARTHER STILL than any of those dates.

Which makes fighting back against Bushevik Pravda DOUBLY IMPORTANT given a Stae-Controlled Media like Commie China that we have here in the Empire, currently.

[JI7]

5. no, Clinton is upset McCain didn't fight back

and in fighting back he is referring to things like the questions on their patritism like the attacks on max cleland, mccain in 2000.

but more so he was referring to the attacks on mccain for having a colored daughter. i think she is from bangladesh, but the people attacking him said it was a black baby because with republicans in the south it helped to be against mccain.

he didn't say kerry isn't fighting back though since he is.

[Claire Beth]

6. wow...that isn't the impression I got at all....

he seemed relaxed and happy that they (we) ARE fighting back and we are now united.

[JI7]

7. right, i got same impression, he was talking about the PAST

when he talked about not fighting back, and most of it was critical of mccain for not fighting back .

[soothsayer]

8. His appearance WAS the dems fighting back

He is a good soldier, saying things that the candidates don't necessarily want to say cuz they want to continue their positive messages.

[lottie244]

10. He feels the same way that I do. Fight back. You can't make the

elephant in the room disappear by closing your eyes.

Some on this board seem to believe that to recognize and acknowledge an attack is to support the attack. The Dems risk losing if this attitude is adopted nation-wide. No challenge should go unanswered, no matter how ridiculous or how damaging the attack is. Either deny, explain, or destroy the attack. There is nothing to be gained by ignoring it.

[buycitgo]

13. EXACTLY, almost

what they MUST do is ALWAYS take any attack and TURN IT BACK ON the pugs, as just about every attack they make is based on PROJECTION

they ALWAYS accuse dems of things they're actually doing themselves, so it should be EASY to turn the tables

the best example of that I can think of off hand is the question of the 87 billion doolar vote, which Bush threatened to VETO if it included a LOAN to Iraq rather than a not strings attached grant

[Norquist Nemesis]

15. Exactly! And That's what Clinton was saying

He said when they did that to him, he thought it was a great opportunity to start the debate. And he was always masterful at doing it...which is what really drove the Republicans crazy. His responses weren't dirty muckraking campaign attacks. He explained the differences and brought thoughtful insight into why his position was better! That's the way to do it.

[Philostopher]

17. My comment to Mr. Nownow during that interview.

I wish the Kerry campaign could find somebody who was as good at developing the iron fist in the velvet glove as Clinton's '92 campaign was.

But Carville's not running this campaign, and I think he was the one who was so good at developing measured, strong responses for Clinton without having him come off like he was whining about the things they were throwing at him. I'm inclined to say the success of Clinton's original presidential campaign had to do with Carville's viciousness filtered through Clinton's good sense and good nature -- it was a winning combination.

And I'm not saying Kerry can't do this, just that it's not going to work the same way because as we all know, for better and for worse, he's not Bill Clinton. He has to take a different tack, but we all know what happens when Democrats are as vicious and dishonest as Republicans. They lose elections.

Also, in '92 at least, Clinton didn't have to deal with a polarized, incumbent-sucking media that primarily consisted of one monster bearing a Bush*-Cheney '04 sticker and a thousand heads, all begging for kisses from its wholly-owned subsidiary, 'teh wartime preznit' -- they still reported both sides. It's a much more uphill battle for Kerry, with all the media consolidation and the fact that the networks are using their news organizations to help out the military industrial complex more than they are to report news.

[JI7]

19. Clinton said Kerry is running a good campaign

in fact much of things Kerry is doing is based on advice from Clinton. they do talk to each other regularly.

[buycitgo]

22. well, what's he GONNA say in public?

that Kerry is running a Gorekakis campaign, failing to effectively answer SMEARS being tossed at him like a hailstorm?

did you see the latest, about Teresa's foundation being involved with Cuba?

gonna be a big press conference about that

and that frickin Swift Vet Book is out

watch and see how often those FREEPERs get to push their filth UNOPPOSED on TV

[JI7]

28. and most people are not freepers

and most people don't pay attention to politics as people on du do. that's the point. people on du many times want people to do things based on what they see, but they don't take into account what others see and whether the attacks on kerry are effective.

[JI7]

29. he is answering the smears

you may not like how he is doing it. but he is doing it. he doesn't have time to response ot every single lie put out by right wingers. if he did that he would never have time to talk about his own agenda and campaign among the people. he is giving people a reason to vote for him.

not everyone falls for those lies. you assume just becaue it's out there it's working.

[saracat]

30. Clinton was very clear.He said you have to hit back at every single smear.

That is what a campaign is really about." he doesn't have time to response ot every single lie put out by right wingers. if he did that he would never have time to talk about his own agenda and campaign among the people." Excuse me? That is the nature of real politics. It is not all high flown idealism,and getting your agenda out. If the opposition is destroying your credibility, and distorting your public perception ,no one is going to listen to your message.You are dead meat.If we don't "see" Kerry out their fighting back, it is exactly the same as if he isn't. That is the nature of public perception.The base won't believe the lies, but plenty of others will, particualrly with no rebuttal.Clinton was definate.To anwer back is not the same as going negative.And I still don't see it being done.Clinton went on 60 minutes.Wheres Kerry ? Out on the stump playing to thousands of people when millions need to be addressed?

[Philostopher]

24. Don't get me wrong --

I didn't say Kerry wasn't doing okay. Just saying that the Clinton-Carville partnership was unprecedented for a Democratic candidate. Seldom can you filter the kind of earthy vitriol Carville has through somebody as capable of focusing it and making it seem strong, not mean. Kerry isn't the same person, but I didn't mean to say he's not a good candidate -- just that he has to play it differently.

[buycitgo]

25. good points about Clinton/Carville

after watching the War Room, some credit goes to that little weaself Stephie

wonder why Carville doesn't participate in US elections anymore?

is it cause of the wild thing with his hideous virago of a wife?

does she pull the Lysistrata bit on him?

[michigandem2]

16. i saw it and completely agree.

he looked frustrated...he did make some great points...anytime they attack it starts a debate...hit them RIGHT back with the truth...

I just hope Kerry hears it...we gotta start bringing up the stuff that continues to be overlooked...

I like Clinton..he is a smart man...horny...but smart! LOL!

[JI7]

21. Kerry has already heard it

check out petenyc's posts.

[LTR]

20. Clinton was very much like he was on Letterman last week

Very calm, very mellow, in control.

He projects himself as the wise elder statesman that he is.

He's not dumb. He knows exactly what he's doing.

Kudos to Stewart in not being a lazy comedian (bringing up Monica). He actually got some laughs coming out of left field with "Travelgate" and "Filegate".

[buycitgo]

23. So will Clinton appear WITH Kerry?

or are the still eskeered, like little Al was, costing him the election, for fear that he'd antagonize the schwingers

real smart, Al

[LTR]

27. Kerry seems to be very open to hitching himself on to Clinton's wagon

It's the smart thing to do.

Gore blew it in 2000, first with distancing himself from Clinton, then choosing Clinton antagonist Lieberman as his running mate. This was a mistake. Clinton was still very popular.

[blue neen]

31. Stewart just NAILED IT on "Travelgate" and "Filegate"

I loved how he brought up the subject of Cheney and Halli-gate.
I think Clinton did a great job of continuing the "Thead!"

[blue neen]

32. Correction

"Thread"

[Kitka]

33. It’s moments like those that make me love Jon Stewart

He just conveys simple, exasperating facts with such innocence. Things like that make you want to shake the American people and scream “WAKE UP”.

[blue neen]

34. I can't wait to watch the repeat at 7:00

because the whole show was brilliant!

[Beaverhausen]

35. My thought the entire show was that * wouldn't have even understood

what Clinton was saying. I miss having a President with a brain.

I loved it and I loved that Jon Stewart really pretty much let him talk.

One thing I thought the big dawg was trying to tell us was that it is up to US to spread the good word about Kerry- the media won't do it.

[nomatrix]

36. I thought he looked excellent

probably from laughing at the "vet offense" segment at the start of the show. TDS, with it's simplistic genius, pointing out the obvious, swift boaters didn't serve with, never saw the wounds, etc.
Jon is so animated, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

Truly the way we wish the media would report the bogus information spewed from the right.

It is easy for President Clinton, with a photographic memory, to immediately respond to tactics used by the RW. Especially, when he actually READ the bills passed by congress.
OTOH, when Newt pops up on Hardball and throws out some off-the-cuff remark about Kerry's record dating back 10 yrs ago....that is their game. RW think tanks such as CATO, look for those diversions, to throw you off guard, lose your train of thought.

That must be responded with, "Kerry's record is a clear representation of the constitution. He has shown, throughout his life, dedication to uphold the constitution, and to protect the citizens of the United States."

"When we look at the Bush record, from the days prior to taking office, he and his administration has done everything to overturn the constitution, protect corporations, and has repeatedly left the citizens of this country in peril. It has always been about Empire, and not about service."

"Here is the oath he took, show me where he has done this."

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

[marlakay]

38. I think Clinton gave Kerry a gentle reminder

To fight but said it in such a way that it wasn't like he was superior or knew better. My husband kept saying, he is so smart. I could tell he was choosing his words and thinking as he was speaking.

[drdigi420]

39. Im glad Clinton is actively campaigning for Kerry

I think his lack of support for Gore is what made the 2000 race close enough to steal.