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Bill Clinton Balks At Publicly Endorsing Obama

Posted by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief in Politics.
Jun 22nd, 2008 | Comments

A Reuters reporter notes that former President Bill Clinton has not only not yet endorsed Democratic presumptive nominee Sen. Barack Obama but, when given a chance to do so, pointedly balked — an unspoken but clear stance contradicting his wife Senator Hillary Clinton’s public calls for party unity:

The former first lady endorsed Obama, urged her supporters to rally behind him and is scheduled to campaign with him later this week.

But her husband has not publicly endorsed the presumptive Democratic nominee to succeed President George W. Bush. Asked by journalists when he might do so, Clinton smiled and shook hands with spectators without acknowledging he heard the question.

That would have been a no-brainer for most politicos. Just say “in a week” or “within the near future I’ll have a statement.’

But by not answering and moving on Bill Clinton has likely made party unity among the Demmies tougher– or at least it will take longer. While his wife has publicly suspended her campaign and endorsed Obama and plans to campaign with the Illinois Senator next week, Bill Clinton has basically sent a message that he isn’t ready to endorse him yet. And — whether he meant for it or not — it’ll be a message for many Hillary Clinton supporters or Hillary Clinton supporters who cannot stand Obama.

Even worse: at the same appearance he made it clear he was unenthusiastic about one of Obama’s proposals — yet another sign that will be taken that Bill Clinton is not truly behind Obama as the front runner (and the more paranoid will say it’s a sign that Mr. Clinton won’t do much to help Obama win because he’s harboring hopes of a Hillary Clinton candidacy in 2012):

Former President Bill Clinton offered faint praise for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s energy policy on Sunday, saying he preferred it to that of Republican rival John McCain.

“I think we’ll get better national policy next year,” Clinton told the U.S. Conference of Mayors in a speech centered on improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gases.

It was the former president’s first public appearance since his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, ended her presidential campaign on June 7, after Obama emerged as the Democratic candidate in the November election.

If he keeps this up, Bill Clinton won’t be making many public appearances at public events run by the Obama campaign.

Bill Clinton is again proving that, unlike the Bill Clinton of the 90s who might be emotional but knew how to use it in his and his causes’ interest, the 2008 Bill Clinton is a loose cannon seemingly more focused on personal grudges and power than the larger issue of party unity and helping Democrats as a party regain power and capture the White House.

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StockBoySF

Hillary and Bill. What a pair- good cop and bad cop.

T-Steel

As Charlie Brown of the Peanuts Gang says:

My stomach hurts...

This is like high school all over again. Yuck!

Jazz

LOL @ T_Steel!

Good one!

runasim

I think the commentary about Bill Clinton is more high-school level, or grade school level, rather, than anything he does or says.
I'm shocked that 'red-faced' wasn't squeezed into the narrative somehow..

Consider that he was painted as being detrimental to Hillary's campaign.
Why is it so outrageous that he would be hesitant about further involvement in the election campaign?
Consider, that if he had said otherwise, the same people pouncing on him now, would be equally ready to pounce on him if he did the opposite: "Oh, no, Bill is going to wreck Obama's campaign!".

Did I say grade school? Make that kindergarden playground level.

joegandelman

RATS! I forgot to stick in "red-faced." In fact, this is a very legitimate point to raise.

You will be hard pressed to find in recent American history (like, probably the past 100 years) a former President who has descended to the level of political operative working against a candidate in a primary season as Bill Clinton. That is a fact.

It is also a fact that once a party's presumptive nominee is established, the party bigwigs rally around him. Perhaps Bill Clinton wanted to see Al Gore do the endorsement first. His behavior is NOT the polished, slick political behavior he displayed in the 1990s. The name "Slick Willy" was used in a disparaging way by his enemies in the 90s, but in fact it was a compliment. He had proven himself to be politically nimble -- perhaps the best political talent at that point in his generation.

Most but not all pundits say he WAS detrimental to her campaign and some polls suggested as such. There is a difference between not campaigning for Obama and passing up a chance to utter a few words to reporters to at least go through the motion of party unity. If he went out there and campaigned like the Bill Clinton of old he wouldn't have the same image problems. But you can just see it in the Reuters piece: he comes across as still angry and still "bitter" and not thinking of the party. It is truly had to believe this is the person who was once hailed for having so many well-honed political skills. I and others WILL add red-faced because so many news accounts talk about him being-red faced when he's angry -- which has been quite frequently in recent months..

vwcat

Bill Clinton is proving that yet again he is so self obsessed he thinks everything is about him.
What a baby.
not just because Obama beat him and his wife but, because Obama took the party away from the Clintons after 20 years and now controls it. So, big baby Bill has to pout.
Concidering how Bill has proven to have absolutely no coattails, I doubt many will worry if he doesn't get out on the trail. Besides, from his performance this past year, this lose cannon does not need to be stumping for Obama.
It is time for people to stop worrying about the Clintons. their era is over and it's now a new time.

Acaha

I think there is no way Bill Clinton can win in this situation. You seem to be conveniently forgetting that Senator Obama's campaign painted Bill Clinton as a racist. Obama denigrated and attempted to diminish the accomplishments of The Clinton administration for his own ends. Not to mention that his wife is clearly the stronger candidate, winning all the big states save Illinois, all the battleground states and the majority of the Democratic base, and has the electoral map in her pocket -- yet she was denied the nod by Super Delegates.

Senator Obama's tactics towards the Clintons go beyond mere politics -- this was character assassination. Is anyone really going to say with a straight face that one of the most successful Presidents we have ever had, after he and his wife were treated like this, should then be jumping up and down for joy to campaign for this man?

runasim

Joe,
Your recitation of arbitrarily selected 'facts' is an exercise in retracing the same picture drawn by the MSM and blogs months ago. The result is that he has been painted into a corner where he can do no right.

You (the collective you) create the charaters, assign roles, paint the scenery and, oh yes, you write the play. Then you shut the door on any re-writes.

I could, with the same characters, write a very different play. (Of course, you would never read it.) I can tell you this, though, in my play, the characters would be human beings, with flaws and talents, good impulses and bad, and they would be acting on a stage they can't control, because other actors and events engineered by others also have roles..

The cardboard one-dimensonal characters we are offered seriously distort individuals, politics and life in general by the simple mechanism of lowering observatons and discourse to the lowest possible intellectual bar.

Why there exists the presumption that people can't, or shouldn't ,handle complexity and , contradiction, good mixed with bad, I've never understood. I only know that it makes us all dumber and more judgmental about what we don't fully understand.

mlhradio

And the self-diminishment of Bill Clinton continues. Sigh.

I think one of the biggest surprises (for me) out of this election is how Bill Clinton has managed to destroy his own reputation so thoroughly. If someone a year ago has said that Bill Clinton would be transformed from a trusted Democratic leader into a national laughingstock, I wouldn't have believe them in a million years. Showing once again reality is far stranger than fiction.

kd1234

I wouldn't endorse Obama if I were him. Obama's entire candidacy was centered around destryoing Bill Clinton's legacy and making the economically prosperous 90s out to be some sort of a failure. He should be begging for the President's FORGIVENESS!!!!!!!

lindac

I agree with kd123. Obama set out to destroy Bill Clinton's legacy since Obama had nothing to offer himself. That campaign tactic more than just upset a few long time democrats. Obama also attempted to diminish Hillary Clinton's contributions as representing our country as "simply having tea" trumpeting about his own foreign policy expertise while attending grade school in Indonesia..Talk about bamboozled.

TeresaInSnow2

Yes, call Bill Clinton a racist then expect him to campaign for you. And when he doesn't? He's a loose canon.

Do you suppose it's because no matter what he says or does he can't win? And maybe if he can't win, no matter what, he might as well do what he wants to do?

yael

Bill Clinton would be a traitor to his party if he did support such a dangerous fraud. He is one of the few in a position not to be strong armed. I am impressed and proud of him. A prince among thieves... Lest we forget the Rules and Bylaws Committee.

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