by Rick Pearson
PHILADELPHIA -- At some point, Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign just has to wonder if the work of her husband, once one of the most formidable campaigners the country has ever seen, has done more to hurt her than help her.
Former President Bill Clinton previously acknowledged that his wife had told him not to try to talk any more about her embellished story of landing "under sniper fire" during a trip to Bosnia after Bill Clinton embellished his defense by saying wrongly that she told her tale only once and that it happened when she was tired.
On Tuesday, primary day in Pennsylvania, Bill Clinton was once again proving to be a political problem for his wife -- this time for denying he had made controversial remarks the day before to a Philadelphia radio station, even though the tape exists containing his comments.
Clinton appeared on WHYY radio in Philadelphia on Monday and was told some African-American supporters of his wife had defected to rival Sen. Barack Obama's camp after the former president made remarks comparing Obama's victory in South Carolina to a previous bid by Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Critics contended Bill Clinton was trying to diminish Obama's victory by comparing it to the longshot bid of Jackson and raising the issue of race in the process.
But Clinton told WHYY that it was the Obama campaign that raised the issue of race by criticizing his remarks.
"I think that they played the race card on me. And we now know, from memos from the campaign and everything that they planned to do it all along," Bill Clinton told the Philadelphia radio station.
He said he was merely "stating a fact and it's still a fact" about South Carolina and that his comment was "used out of context and twisted for political purposes" by Obama's campaign.
The former president, apparently believing his radio interview to be over, then could be heard telling a companion, "I don't think I should take any (expletive) on that from anybody, do you?"
On Tuesday, as he was shaking hands on a rope line, Bill Clinton admonished a reporter with a finger-waving criticism when asked about his radio station comments blaming the Obama campaign for raising the racial issue in South Carolina, according to video at the MSNBC.com web site.
"No, no, no. That's not what I said," the former president said. "You always follow me around and play these little games and I'm not going to play your games today.
"You have mischaracterized it to get another cheap story to divert the American people from the real urgent issues before us. And I choose not to play your game today,'' the former president said. "Have a nice day.''
Bill Clinton did add that, in his South Carolina comments, he was merely pointing out "that I complimented them both and that Jesse Jackson took no offense to that. I called (Jackson) myself. I said, 'Did you find that offensive?' and he said, 'No.'"
• 
• 
• 
• 
Comments
So grateful for this Democratic race! Finally old and new voters get to see the antics that their 'Party' will go through in order to satisfy a white woman seeking more power than she already has. The rest of the world be 'damned' in The Clintons view.
Posted by: MissV | April 23, 2008 8:21 AM
Obama played the race card first. It began in New Hampshire when Hillary stated a fact about LBJ signing the civil rights bill. Then they trashed Bill for the 'fairytale' comment about him being 'anti-war' (Psst. Don't tell Mike and the Moveon.org idiots that Obama keeps voting for the war!)
Mike was busy chasing Roger Moore (to great effect when Bill was busy DOING good things that actually helped this place a lot--while Mike was PUSHING RALPH NADER---YES MIKE WE STILL BLAME YOU FOR LOSING US THE ELECTION AGAINST BUSH. STAY THE BLANK OUT OF IT THIS TIME).
Obama supporter who thinks it is okay for a candidate or his operation to AVOID any media member, to threaten any journalist or blogger, or that it’s okay to REMOVE a journalist the messiah points out from the press pool (go to the link here and read the account of the McClatchey journalist at the Obama/Daily Show event: http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/04/on_the_daily_show_with_jon_ste.html#comments)
needs to really think about what kind of president such a person would be.
Hilary takes the blows. And keeps on going.
No need for a sausage eating photo op—she just deals with things.
Angellight/Julie Mack, Matt, John E—and any other seemingly paid blogger for Obama HQ—just hold tight a minute.
ASK yourself why your potential employer or heart throb or whatever the heck he is for you:
Needs and has the support of the white male over 30 controlled mass media right now?
Why is CBS letting him get away right now with dodging the debate AGREED TO LONG AGO?
Could there be questions about the water MSNBC/GE nuke power plant builder is carrying for the “Senator” who got 300 G from Exelon after watering down a nuke reg bill in IL, voted for Dick Cheney’s 2005 Energy bill with 29 new nukes:
Look how they distorted the fingering of Hilary episode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTJs0VRJLO8
The above is the original 43 second plus IN ORDER and with the VOLUME UP as Obama mentions Hilary and fingers her.
When you open below, you’ll see a clip of MSNBC you can roll on.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200804180010
MSNBC took it OUT OF ORDER and potted down the volume of Obama mentioning Hilary—didn’t even leave the nat sound up on background but also had the anchor speaking over it. She LIED and says it “took a while to get to” the flip off. THEY ARE DISTORTING THE ORDER OF THE TAPE.
And then Jon Stewart, whom I normally respect, carried Obama’s dirty water last night, running the MSNBC version of the tape.
Was there a promise that Obama would be a regular on the show and help Comedy Central’s ratings if Jon aired the distorted version? And allowed Barack to call people calling this a finger flip ‘paranoid’?
It speaks to statesmanship.
Another White boy who doesn’t get it? Michael Moore—who gave a diatribe about Hilary yesterday. Apparently he missed Hillary painting Petreus into a corner a few weeks ago—now the Bushies must bring to Congress any possible peace plan.
Brilliant!
And ignored by the mainstream white male media and the white male comedy and don’t get me started on the left establishment.
The ultra-left was run by a bunch of sexist piggies who were quite happy to let the women clean up and club house—and the women who stuck with them were more than happy to do just that. They deferred getting degrees, for the most part. And they are the opposite of Hillary.
So why didn’t Michael Moore berate Michelle over the man who the U of C system let die—similar to the examples deftly depicted in Sicko? Cuz he’s part of the “I know best” wing of the ultra left.
The American media hasn’t covered how U of C hospital let a guy die.. Here’s a link to an article which does—and it’s openly biased with its use of adjectives—but the facts itself seem solid.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=517824&in_page_id=1879
So, all the koolaid drinking bloggers take note: If you’re paid to harass us on the blogs; if the guy is censoring journalists now—what will he do to journalism and free speech while in the White House?
Posted by: Moore = Oprah? | April 23, 2008 8:43 AM
Once again Bill Clinton LIED. Plain and simple, as he has been spinning for weeks... claiming he never said (nor sneered) what we all saw in SC.
Now he lies about his lies. No, no one pulled the Caucasian Card on him. He pulled the race card and got caught.
Not only did his wife Hillary LIE about Bosnia four times in prepared remarks (perhaps her speech-writers were also sleep deprived?), but Bill LIED to try and justify Hillary's LIES.
And the press? "Critics contend..." or "Clinton apparently..." Good God. Can you not call a lie a lie?
Outright lies are far more damaging and far more telling of one's character than poor choice of words. I can only imagine the headlines and endless soundbyte loops if Dr. Wright or Michelle Obama were caught in a Clinton-type "misstatement."
Posted by: Earl | April 23, 2008 9:04 AM
Bill Clinton is showing just how much of a fool he is and always has been. Only a fool could have gotten tripped up in something like Monica gate. What's noteworthy is that Black Americans had come to grips with how much support they gave to this fool and countered with a resounding rejection of his wife, who is course correcting herself to a path similar to his.
Posted by: GW | April 23, 2008 9:09 AM
That man has a problem, very possibly Alzheimer's. Will Hillary stand by him this time?
Posted by: Kit S. | April 23, 2008 9:49 AM
Go Bill--I think he's right on. I cannot believe how unfairly Hillary has been treated when she's spent her entire adult life doing public service. You don't have to like everything about her but my goodness, she is a public servant and an extremely intelligent one at that! I think Bill Clinton is an asset to anyone's campaign. He's a really smart guy and a gifted speaker! GO HILLARY 2008!
Posted by: jean | April 23, 2008 10:09 AM