by Frank James
If a politician wants to score points with the public, it never hurts to beat up on the media, something which President Clinton, a politician with few equals, knows and demonstrated yesterday when he got gnarly with Jessica Yellin of CNN.
Yellin asked Clinton a legitmate question. If the former Democratic Party state chair likens the tactics used by a former president of his own party to those once used by Lee Atwater, one of the most fearsome Republican political strategists, that certainly needs a response from the accused.
Surely, if CNN had just reported the comments of Dick Harpootlian, the former South Carolina party chair, without offering Clinton a chance to repond, that would not only have violated journalistic ethics but it would have no doubt angered the former president, and justifiably so,
So this was clearly a case where Yellin was damned either way.
Meanwhile, Clinton produced really great video, which is never a bad thing for a news outfit. So she was damned and blessed at the same time.
It actually looked like Clinton was enjoying the chance to take it to the reporters. When it seemed like he was going to break off the diatribe, he got revved up again and back in the reporters' faces. He seemed to relish a similar tongue-lashing he gave a California TV reporter before the Nevada caucuses.
Maybe reporters are actually scratching an itch he's had since he left the White House and the arena of the presidency with all of its public battles and contest of wills. Maybe using reporters as punching bags is good for stress relief.
It certainly appears that way. If so, no doubt we'll keep doing him the favor since it works for us too.
• 
• 
• 
Comments
There was nothing unique about Atwater's tactics. Carville used them well as is clinton. It's not a Republican thing.
Posted by: MJ | January 24, 2008 11:30 AM
OK, why is it that everytime anyone in the press mentions Bill Clinton, they laud his political abilities? Sure, he was a great politician. He was, as you say, "a politician with few equals."
But, can't you say that about all Presidents? Whatever else you can say about them, all of them managed to get themselves elected to the Presidency (except for Ford, who was appointed). Granted, not all of them have been popular, but popularity is not a criteria for being a great politician.
You media people should stop slobbering all over Clinton.
Posted by: Pubert | January 24, 2008 11:59 AM
These accusations need to be substantiated. Clinton said they heard these stories of repression stories from hundreds of people.
We must have the state and federal attorneys generals investigate them.
These are not idol statements, we need the truth!
Posted by: Sid | January 24, 2008 12:09 PM
IF nominated, no one will unite republicans better than hilLIARy
IF elected, no one will divide Americans more than hilLIARy
make no mistake about it, the clintons did NOT plan to go negative this early in the campaign
the clintons are VERY desperate
they had NO idea that Obama could possibly do this well
THE CLINTONS ARE SCARED
very scared
so scared they are showing their true colors early
their plan was to save negative campaigning for the republicans and then say two wrongs make a right
BUT OBAMA HAS DONE SO WELL, THEY CANNOT STICK WITH THEIR ORIGINAL PLAN OR THEY WILL SURELY LOSE - SO THEY GO WITH THEIR UNETHICAL ATTACK TACTICS - MUCH SOONER THAN PLANNED
always remember - whatever hilLIARy accuses Obama of, she is guilty of
it's an attack the attacker strategy that has helped the clintons come back before
the problem for them now is they CANNOT BEAT OBAMA unless they go negative
THE PROOF OF SUCH CLINTON DESPERATION; the clintons carry out these attacks knowing full well that doing so will further alienate the clintons in the general election IF hilLIARy gets the nomination and it will practically make them lame ducks from day one even IF they lie well enough to win the general election - but the clintons who are already reviled, truly have no choice - they cannot possibly beat obama without beating up on obama
guess what ?? people are realizing that hilLIARy is not only far from inevitable but now they are realizing she is a very, very bad choice for anyone who cares about changing this country in a positive direction
but the clintons do not care about their country as much as themselves
MEET THE CLINTONS - THE NEGATIVE-CAMPAIGNING NARCISSISTIC NEPOTISTS
from a true independent
Posted by: tom | January 24, 2008 12:14 PM
No one can get the Republicans to babble and hyper ventilate more than Hillary. Any unravel show the "life long democrats" and "independents" for what they really are Republicans.
Posted by: tom's mom | January 24, 2008 1:38 PM
What's Bill complaining about? The Clintons and campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle have been perfectly open about following the Lee Atwater-Karl Rove model. This from last August:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/14/AR2007081401722.html
Posted by: Tom J | January 24, 2008 1:43 PM
And no one seems to be better at getting Bill and Hillary steamed up than Obama.
Remember Hillary's tea party?
And now, the Reagan flap?
Posted by: Kiku | January 25, 2008 5:03 AM