WJC on ‘The View’
22 September 2008 3:41 pm by Taylor Marsh
TAYLOR MARSH
Waiting for my plane, I thought I’d check in to say a couple of things about WJC’s performance on “The View,” which you can see for yourself above. As regular readers know, I’m a supporter of WJC. He knew how to win, dig in and push back hard, but also compromise when needed. But today, I’ve got a bone to pick with Bill.
All Democrats have to quit blowing smoke towards John McCain’s political sails. Obama has not closed the deal by any stretch, so everyone needs to be on the same page carving out a case against McCain continually. That includes Bill, who has evidently lost his taste for the jugular. Okay, then stay out of it completely. Via The New York Times:
Today on “The View,” where the audience was probably more diverse than the hall in Denver, Mr. Clinton was more restrained. He said Mr. Obama would win but went on to say, “I genuinely like both of them, I genuinely — I think that we make a terrible mistake believing that we have to find something wrong with the people we can’t vote for.” He added: “If it had not been for John McCain, I’m not sure I could have normalized relations with Vietnam. I was an opponent of the Vietnam War, he spent five and a half years in a prison camp.” Mr. McCain’s support made it “a lot easier” for Mr. Clinton to act, he said.
This is maddening.
It’s short-sided.
The analysis is also beside the point, which is to win the election. Nothing else matters and making a case for McCain’s goodness won’t help Obama win.
Besides, if Democrats don’t quit giving McCain room we will not win this election. That WJC is trumpeting non-partisanship is infuriating, not to mention less than helpful, especially in the middle of a financial implosion caused by deregulation, which McCain championed until it got inconvenient, with a veep choice about as prepared to deal with the crisis as Carrot Top.
You don’t have to run down McCain, but we do have to tie Bush’s incompetence to him, with a side of stupid for McCain’s comments on firing Cox, with Keating 5 for dessert, which helps remind people McCain hasn’t always been Mr. Clean. It has the added potential bonus of ticking McCain off when it’s mentioned that just might reveal his cantankerous side, which isn’t pretty.
Partisanship wins elections. Ask Karl Rove.
Shorter: nice guys finish last.
Consider this an open thread. I’m on a plane this evening.
TM NOTE: Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting is this week, though I won’t be covering it. I’ve been on the road for a month. Hopefully I’ll make it next year.
