In his stump speeches, Obama frequently credits Clinton-era policies for the strong economy in the ’90s, arguing the country fared well under Clinton because he “understood what it takes for this economy.” “Nobody has a better grasp and understanding of the issues than this man,” Obama said at a June fundraiser in New York. – Clinton stars in new Obama ad
DON’T LOOK NOW, but the presidential election of 2012 has a shadow candidate standing in the background sending The Message the current occupant of the White House simply can’t. What a difference four years makes.
As Mitt Romney prepares to make his case amid the Todd Akin furor, Pres. Obama has enlisted the ultimate Democratic economic weapon to rebut the Republican lines, because after four years Barack Obama still doesn’t have the economic patter down himself. Without Clinton’s voice and a record that backs his message up, because Pres. Obama hasn’t been able to turn around what he inherited and what he faced from Republicans, let alone articulate a Democratic economic message that sings, it’s up to William Jefferson Clinton to do the job he can’t.
When Barack Obama was campaigning for the presidency he invoked Ronald Reagan in ways that never included equal laudatory comments about Bill Clinton. That omission is now in history’s rear view mirror.
The neoliberal father of Barack Obama, whom liberals like me loved even if his policies weren’t progressive, Bill Clinton showed a way out after 12 years of humiliating defeats at the hands of Reagan and his disciples. After Carter, Mondale and Dukakis, winning was all. It was a different era, before new-media, social media and activism made the smallest groups visible via YouTube. Long before the fall out that came after the 20th century fell off, back in the 90s the middle class soared and spent like it was never going to end. We had no idea what a drunken Republican on an economic bender could do. George W. Bush educated us quickly and we’re still hungover from it and so is Pres. Obama.
The luck of William Jefferson Clinton is that he was at the right place at the right time in history and had the brains to bend the economic winds of the times to the country’s great benefit and his, which leaves the Clinton economic era something Americans remember fondly as the good old days. That Mr. Clinton himself long ago admitted his mistakes in aiding the banking and housing mafias that caused the financial upheaval is proof even our smartest politicians didn’t consider the corrupting nature of power when bankrolled.
What has been forgotten since Roosevelt is remarkable.
But long before Pres. Clinton became the Democrat Barack Obama couldn’t win without, not only did candidate Obama invoke Reagan…
“I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that, you know, Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not.”
…but he also learned that the policies of deregulation that started in the ’80s under Ronald Reagan has led us to where we are today, which require fighting back against.
In my book, the chapter entitled “Blaming Bill,” I quote Rep. Barney Frank’s piece on what Obama is admitting he’s facing today, which eloquently stated what now Pres. Obama has come to finally learn.
This brings me to my particular concern with Senator Obama’s vehement disassociation of himself and those he seeks to represent from “the fights of the nineties.” I am very proud of many of the fights I engaged in in the nineties, as well as the eighties and before. Senator Obama also bemoans the “same bitter partisanship” of that period and appears to me to be again somewhat critical of those of us who he believes to have been engaged in it.
I agree that it would have been better not to have had to fight over some of the issues that occupied us in the nineties. But there would have been only one way to avoid them — and that would have been to give up. More importantly, the only way I can think of to avoid “refighting the same fights we had in the 1990′s”, to quote Senator Obama, is to let our opponents win these fights without a struggle.
Barack Obama was untried, untested and inexperienced when he landed in the White House. Four years has made him appreciate, not only what partisan warfare can block, but also what a fellow Democratic president overcame to conquer.
“It only works if there’s a strong middle class.” – Pres. Bill Clinton
And therein lies the rub, because neither Democrats nor Republicans today have provided a blue print for bringing back the middle class, which depends on blue collar jobs that provide a living wage, not just a minimum wage, to quote one of the fiercest critics of Pres. Obama, Tavis Smiley.
There are few Democrats today that represent what could actually bring the middle class back; one is Sherrod Brown, the other is Elizabeth Warren. Unfortunately, not even with the help of Bernie Sanders is there a large enough coalition in Congress to battle the bankrolled Wall Street politicians that hold all the power in Washington, where the president now has to be the spokesperson for the moneyed class or lose his White House privileges.
Who let the Big Dog out!!!!!
That should come with music.
My favorite fantasy is that the country goes to the polls and writes in Bill Clinton.
Wouldn’t that be a kick? And what if he WON?
I don’t know how that would hold under the Constitution since a President is limited to two terms but does that mean two consecutive terms? Ok all of you Constitutional scholars – what say you?
But, as they are fond of saying in the MSM, wouldn’t that “send a message”? LOL
As a Democrat and Liberal Democrat, needless to say I am not enamoured of Pres Obama.
He has done somethings well such as the auto bailout, restructurng Student Loan program getting OBL, to name three. But their are other things such as the weakest DOJ in memory for failing to prosecute wrong doing in the financial crisis, too late in the game regarding voter suppression amongst others. But the one thing that really pisses me off other than still being in Afghanistan and the length of time in Iraq is his absolute failure in really reviving the economy. He has towed a republican agenda of cutting taxes and not enough stimulus. He has ignored Krugman, Baker, Roubini, Stiglitz and others who have been right all along and whose policy prescriptions were never given a chance.
The topper has always been his praise of Reagan and G.H.W. Bush. That really ticks me off- it’s their policies that have been the failure of the past 30 yrs. You rarely if ever hear him talk about FDR, Truman, Kennedy or Johnson for all the good they did. That really steams me.
I know its early in the game but a decent reasonable sounding Republican candidate with a non-crazy Republican party without the Tea Party crazies would probably be mopping the floor with Pres Obama.
Pres Obama is in this jam because he failed to be a Democrat in their truest tradition and instead chose to govern like a moderate conservative Republican. Had he chosen to govern as a true Democrat and lead as one he could be winning in a walk.
I know its early in the game but a decent reasonable sounding Republican candidate with a non-crazy Republican party without the Tea Party crazies would probably be mopping the floor with Pres Obama.
I’ve heard that from so many people I have lost count.
But I also believe no one should be counting out Romney just yet.
Well there is the fact that a ” a decent reasonable sounding Republican candidate with a non-crazy Republican party without the Tea Party crazies” could never, NEVER, N-E-V-E-R win a repugnantklan/teabagger/UBERChristian primary….NEVER.
secularh – My older brother was one of those people & they drove him out of politics during the Reagan era.
@ Liberal Joe:
As a Democrat and a Liberal, if you have not yet read it, you will thoroughly enjoy an article entitled “Compromising Positions” by Thomas Frank in the Sept issue of Harper’s Magazine.
Ramsgate,
Thanks for the heads up. I’ll check it out/
I am not counting Romney out simply because I don’t trust what the GOP is going to do on election day with dirty tricks.
As to the article you have written re Bill Clinton. It is absolutely on the mark and all I have to do is think back to 2008 when I was screaming that Obama was channeling Reagan and I couldn’t figure out why a Dem would do that. What happened to our Dem heroes?
Clinton may have made some mistakes and he was a rascal but he knew how to connect with the people. I for one never had it so good as I did during his administration. I have never had it as good during any Repub administration; matter of fact, I lost income during the Reagan and Bush (both Bush years) and I’m suffering along with many other Americans during the Obama administration. I blame Obama for his failures simply because he should have realized being partisan sometimes is necessary if you want to get something you believe in done. Unfortunately, President Obama does not have the kind of compass required for making things better for the people who needed him to do so.
Oh, that word, “rascal,” it’s just so descriptive, but rarely utilized.
It was a word we used quite often when I was young so long ago.
Rascal is being kind.
slut would be a better word.
LOL. Republicans just can’t stand that he was successful and Bush was a massive failure.
OMGAWD who isn’t even there!!!! You mean Big Dawg actually…gasp….ENJOYED SEX AND DID IT OFTEN?!!!!!!!!
Prude much?
The land has paid dearly for Mr. Obama’s partiality for Ronald Reagan.
Bill Clinton: the most interesting man in the world.
Never been a big fan of his, but I think that’s a label that fits him. He’s someone you can’t help paying attention to.
Perfect, TPAZ.
The Democratic big guns are being wheeled into place. And the Republicans are putting on their Red Coats, standing up and jeering at the electorate. The Repugs are the perfect storm of hubris and stupidity. That may trump the left’s uselessness.
Yep. The GOP is going full on crazy right now. It’s symbolic that a hurricane is headed right to Tampa when the convention is occurring.
I wish that ad was a little more convincing. I guess if you’re in the position of Obama you have to do whatever you can and call out all the big dogs to try to help you but the problem once again remains why has Obama not done what was needed in the four years that he has. The problem is that Obama has given us Republican economics and has done everything Geither has told him to do.
Look, the issues are the War on Women and Voter Supression. The economy and Mr. Obama’s record are off the table, and the voters don’t care about that kind of minutiae anyway.
The reason no one is focusing on the economy is because Romney wants a return of the disastrous Bush economics. So since Romney has nothing to offer in the area of economics and neither does Obama, this is why we are here talking about other things.
I can’t wait until September 5th when Bill gives his speech at the convention. I can’t wait to hear him eloquently but simply tell the Republicans in his own way to “fcuk off” and to stop using his name and Hillary’s name as sledge hammer’s to beat Obama over the head. What the Republicans are doing to Obama in their hatred of him, they did the same to Bill and Hillary and worse because they impeached Bill and accused Hillary of murder and both of drug running. Now all of a sudden, these ratfcukkers do a 180. So, I’m looking forward to listening to Bill give ‘em hell!
I am not counting Romney out simply because I don’t trust what the GOP is going to do on election day with dirty tricks.
Neither am I. And, for the same reason as you. And, they are being blatent about it now. Absolutely no shame on their part. The Southern strategy is alive and well (or sick) in these Dis-United States.
As to the article you have written re Bill Clinton. It is absolutely on the mark and all I have to do is think back to 2008 when I was screaming that Obama was channeling Reagan and I couldn’t figure out why a Dem would do that. What happened to our Dem heroes?
Strongly second this.
Clinton may have made some mistakes and he was a rascal but he knew how to connect with the people. I for one never had it so good as I did during his administration. I have never had it as good during any Repub administration; matter of fact, I lost income during the Reagan and Bush (both Bush years) and I’m suffering along with many other Americans during the Obama administration. I blame Obama for his failures simply because he should have realized being partisan sometimes is necessary if you want to get something you believe in done. Unfortunately, President Obama does not have the kind of compass required for making things better for the people who needed him to do so.
So, well said, and true!
Perfect word to describe Bill Clinton, “rascal”, Jane Austen. He has a charm that most women find irresistible even gay women like me and others I know in my own social circle (straight and gay). Also, if Hillary Clinton found it in her heart and mind to forgive him, it’s their marriage and no one has the right to interfere in it and as in any marriage, no one knows all that goes on in it.
I reserve the word “slut” for Johnny Edwards and Newtie. Yuck to bad garbage.
Oh please, New Deal, the Democrats are just as shameless or worse with their dirty politics.
I don’t hear any of you condemning Joe Biden for his stupidity the other day. Or maybe Taylor did and I just missed it. I mean come on, talking with that ridiculous accent and saying the blacks were going to be put back in chains.
Shameless.
cjoblak, there is NO equivalency here not when it comes to dirty politics, the GOP wrote the book on that one. The Dems don’t have in it them for the most part to do dirty not like the GOP. If I recall, one president was impeached because of it and will never be free of the name “tricky Dick”.
And, all of those operatives who mastered the dirty play in politics starting with Segretti during the Nixon administration who was the boss of the current master of dirty politics, Karl Rove who also learned at the knee of Lee Atwater during George H.W. Bush’s term.
Joe Biden has a big mouth but he speaks his mind and speaks what he feels is the truth. That’s having a big mouth and being a loose cannon. But, it’s not playing dirty politics. Also, that word “chained” can be interpreted in more than one way having nothing to do with slavery or race. But, I can see how it can be interpreted the way you and others have. It’s not that difficult.
I have criticized Biden for his role during the Anita Hill hearing and I’ll never forget the shite he pulled during that time which in effect made Hill look like the guilty party.
But, for all of that, he’s not a dirty player in politics. And, there is no Democratic equivalency with the kind of stuff done by the GOP. Liberals don’t have the stomach for it. Now, were there some in the Dem party who may have pulled a Rove here and there, perhaps, nothing is ever absolute but in general the conservatives have it over the liberals hands down in this type of politics.
Just so you know, Mr. Nixon was neve impeached. Only Mr. Clinton and Mr. Johnson hold that honor – both Democrats.
This is so profoundly ignorant an argument on so many levels that I probably shouldn’t bother, but anyway:
- Nixon was going to be impeached. He only escaped impeachment by resigning and awaiting the get out of jail free card his hand-picked successor gave him.
- Johnson was a Republican when he was impeached. He, though, like Clinton, was impeached by a Republican Congress for petty reasons having more to do with power and profit than with anything like principle. So in that regard, at least, they’re the same.
- When there are only two data points to consider, and when those two data points are separated by generations, I think any generalization is foolish.
“Oh please, New Deal, the Democrats are just as shameless or worse with their dirty politics.”
Do you live in one of the states with medical mary jane? cause if you say that with a straight face you be trippin!
“I don’t hear any of you condemning Joe Biden for his stupidity the other day. Or maybe Taylor did and I just missed it. I mean come on, talking with that ridiculous accent and saying the blacks were going to be put back in chains.
Shameless.”
Nice racist touch assuming he was talking to “Blacks” it was a mixed audience and what he said was nothing. Or are you SERIOUSLY going to try to equate Bidens comment with the Birthers and outright racist mob in the repugnantklan/teabagger mob?!
But of course……..if the candidate himself has zero credibility with the electorate on economics, a surrogate is certainly a logical move. I concede Clinton is a good campaigner, but he comes with one obstacle and one encumbrance….the obstacle is he is trying to sell the electorate on a “plan”, but the plan is a blank sheet of paper. Voters not present on this blog remember how well the blank sheet of paper candidate worked out 3 1/2 years ago. The encumbrance is you give Clinton the microphone on economics and you are not always going to get the liberal/Krugman lines recited verbatim.
Further, the consensus choice for political analyst of the year has said right here on these very pages that there are very few undecideds. Gallup daily tracking does the math…..in mid-April there were 8% not picking either the incumbent or the challenger……in mid-August, despite 4 non-stop months’ worth of the exceptional articulation from the left’s best and brightest, the same 8% remains. If 2-3% are dedicated third party voters, can you at all justify to a rational human being they have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for Clinton to woo them to Obama? Hardly, they are obviously predisposed against the known incumbent and seeing if the challenger brings something different. Romney may not ultimately get them, but it makes no sense to think they will let Clinton talk them into falling for Obama again.
Speaking of deus ex-machinae, how do you guys think the increasingly bleak unemployment picture along with another installment of budget deadline/debt ratings headlines are likely to play in the coming months……it’s that time again, you know.
Finally, this is a belated response to Taylor Marsh’s favorite purveyor of puerile discourse………..apparently GAWD has decided to spare the repugnantklan/teabagger/UBERChristians his hurricane wrath, but instead send it on an intensifying track straight towards New Orleans once again. Should be interesting to measure how well Obama handles his Katrina right before the televised coverage of the DNConvention.
The problem is that Romney is trying to win by default. You have one person with no plan and another person with a bad plan and that’s why the numbers are not moving. Romney is offering the same thing they did in Europe which made things only worse.
“Speaking of deus ex-machinae, how do you guys think the increasingly bleak unemployment picture along with another installment of budget deadline/debt ratings headlines are likely to play in the coming months……it’s that time again, you know.”
According to the democrats, it won’t have any bearing at all. it’s all about Todd Akin’s blunder, and Obama’s definition of rape.
Gee, it’s so amazing to me what our President decides to call a press conference about. Just another reason to vote for Romney.
Yes, yes it will be. hatemongering and wars against the basic rights of vast swaths of the citizenry are kinda important…OOPS I forgot…not to repugnantklan/teabagging/UBERChristian values voters.
I don’t think you understand that Todd Akin is exhibit number one on how crazy the GOP has become. What Akin said is mainstream GOP policy these days. And the reason Romney can’t break 45% is because nobody likes what he is selling. There’s 45% of the country that is going to vote against Obama but he can’t seem to get anybody to vote FOR him.
Well just checked the latest tracking data and it looks like GAWD still has about a 25% chance of punishing the repugnantklan/teabagger/UBERChristians for being to easy on Gays, Women and Blacks. Then maybe GAWD wants to smack ol Bobbt Jindal around some for not being UBERChristian enough?
I believe that Obama’s so-called love of Reagan was more of a “kiss my butt Clinton Democrats” than actual Reagan love. He fancied himself a trailblazer and didn’t want to be in the “Shadow of Clinton”. So in 2008, he just said “f–k it” and went all out on Hillary Clinton to establish the OBAMA BRAND. It was part business and part personal. But you can’t overlook that he is a black dude. And Obama was caught up in the historic moment as well. He was going to GET THERE DAMMIT AND THAT’S IT! But that was 2008…. (and yes I’m channeling some of The Hillary Effect)
2012 is just a mess. Historic moments over. The Great Correction keeps on correcting and leaving the middle class and the poor in it’s wake. The OBAMA BRAND been shot up but Obama’s no quitter. He knows that he’s in a bind. And being the intellectual that he is, he went to Ol’ Bill for some old school Clinton Democrat help. I ain’t mad at him. Obama’s straight “gangsta” (not in the violent Mafia way) when it comes to campaigning so he went to his “toolbox” for Billy Boy. We’ll see how it plays out but a good move nevertheless.
Ya know, Obama’s in the wrong business. POTUS doesn’t suit him. He’s more of a Technology CEO that could do what the late Steve Jobs did in selling the iPhone. Except Obama would be all ruthlessly smooth about it with a smile. And besides, we all know CEOs run the world so he would get a power rush too.
Stein/Honkala ’12!
…and the channeling is appreciated, T-Steel.
There are enough CEOs already who work by creating cults of personality around themselves and lack any real ability to run an organization effectively. Most corporations are doing pretty well these days, but I still wouldn’t wish another guy like Obama on them. Heck, they finally got Romney to fail upward.