Clinton at State Department, Jan. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)
No political magazine reflects Beltway insider conventional wisdom more than Politico.
That convention wisdom is often incorrect. Not this time.
Politico is up with an article demonstrating the Clinton nostalgia of D.C.’s flailing Obamacrats.
The Teleprompter-in-Chief has always fancied himself a more transformative figure than the brilliant hick, Bill Clinton. The Bill-Obama rift began during the Nevada primary contest which saw Bam praising progressive bugaboo Reagan and trashing the Clinton years.
Normally, such heresy would have outraged Democrats, but the party establishment had its knives sharpened for the brilliant fighter, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Obamacrats would spend much of 2008 bashing the Clinton legacy in order to gift the nomination to the Chosen One.
Clintonism, they whined, required too much compromise. The hippie left would not cotton a return to triangulation, nevermind that Clinton-Gingrich bipartisanship on some issues produced balanced budgets, entitlement reform, and years of prosperity.
No, the Clintonistas had to be purged.
Until now.
As Obama threatens a one term disappointment, paeans to the Clintons – like the one in Politico – will continue to surface.
Politico calls for Obama to steal from the Clinton playbook by putting the national interest over the Democratic interest. The partisan Democrat establishment found Hillary unpalatable, fearing they could not control her and her supporters, just like they could not control Bill.
Does Obama, a classic machine insider politician, have the strength and independence to defy party barons? If so, he has never demonstrated it argues most of the commentary on Politico's piece:
The fact is, BHO is no Bill Clinton...Obama doesn't have the honed political instincts that will be required to turn his situation around...Look for him to bow out gracefully, announce he will not seek reelection, and clear the way for a HIllary Clinton candidacy.
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Obambi can't do what Bill Clinton had done. Bill Clinton was a governor, had executive experience, he knows how to work and cross the aisle...The wheels on Obambi training wheels come off, this man is a GONER. ~ Wadab
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Obama is not a vicious guy, but he is inexperienced and this is coming to haunt him...Clinton can't teach this inexperienced guy politics overnight. The voters knew that he was inexperienced, but he claimed he has good judgement. The minute he appointed Biden as VP and Geitner, I knew his judgement is something to be desired, and his experience is almost zero. ~ dora_rice
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People are starting to feel sorry for Obama. Leaders that people feel sorry for are not leading anyone. It was obvious before Obama was elected and is evident now that he is in office...his inexperience is a deal breaker for America. ~ Average Joe USA
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At least Hillary had a set! ~ awall269
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Obama is too much of an ideologue to even consider following in Clinton's footsteps, but he would be wise to do so. Clinton was a pragmatist, and much more moderate in his views. But I also think that Clinton had some leadership skills that Obama lacks. Consider, during the long months working on health care, how no one even knew what, exactly, Obama wanted done...I couldn't stand Clinton when he was in office, but I have often watched Obama and actually wished to have Clinton back. Conservatives didn't know back then how good they had it, comparatively speaking. ~ bookworm25
Politico got this one right. Clintonism, an amalgam of Trumanseque policy and Jacksonian politics, is the only way for Obama to save his party – and his nation. The problem is that Obama has not shown that he has either the intuitive heft or emotional intelligence to do so.
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Comments
Clintonistas don't die: we multiply!
Excellent, insightful article here, D.K.--as always!
They voted for a "brand"--a "showhorse"
But the "workhorse" would have saved their collective posteriors from the current disaster brought on by a narcissistic neophyte with metaphysical powers to part with reality's wisdom and substitute Teleprompter Sophistry for the true philosophic spirit that is the only legitimate offspring of an ethical presidency.
Obama's campaign vilified and bashed Hillary supporters whether it was using sexism or actual violence for some girls who just happened to have Hillary signs on their cars/windows! It was an ugly Axelrod campaign worthy of Rove--minus his civility of action.
Can anyone forget the juvenile antics of The Hope Candidate the day after he disastrously lost the ABC Debate when he went on stage in NC and "flip-offed" Clinton--using his midfinger to 'scratch' his cheek! His thin-resume & neophyte performance should have been a warning!
PUMAS were the disaffected Hillary supporters during the primaries who were disgusted with the caucus frauds and delegate thuggery! But, also, they comprised Independents and reasonable Republicans who wanted a president they could depend on. The PUMAS are now 50% of the Tea Baggers Phenom!
If Hillary were to have been elected President....she'd be heading the Tea Baggers' agenda and her resoluteness and hard work and tough conciliatory tactics (unlike Obama's caving in to republican hardliners and pseudo-Democracks) would have used Public Option and put Single Payer first on the table to negotiate to her goal of Universal Healthcare.
Remember how The Annointed One mocked her with phony misrepresentations of her Harry and Louise ads to diminish her plan and to mislead voters? She went on air and cried out:
"Shame on you, Barack Obama!" "Shame on You" for misrepresenting my healthcare reform!
PUMAS LIVE...and they multiply...watch out for 2010...
EXCELLENT POST, JAMAAL....good analysis
Ha. What memi said.
We didn't leave the Democratic party. The Democratic party left us.
Wow, a good enough article that some media outlet should have you on staff writing for them.
Yes Mary2, Hillary cried "shame on you BO" at Harry & Louise ads, and all they talked about was "what happened to her conciliatory tone of the last debate?","Is she schizo?" The point she made was little discussed. Nor were the ultimate implications for UHC (and the Dem party) when Democrats use memes of the Vast RW Conspiracy to destroy one of their own.
As an unrepentant PUMA I welcome the populist outrage coalescing from every corner. Tea Baggers have much in common with PUMAs, as they seem less partisan than mad as hell at all excesses of the political classes. But, they should beware their anger isn't co-opted by the Dick Armies of the world, or they invite the same manipulations that enabled our "grass roots" billion dollar presidential candidate.
Like proud PUMAa and the commenter above, Tea Baggers can now embrace and OWN that term so gleefully bandied about to mock them. I saw somewhere a comment directed at the Ogre-Man after MA: "How do those tea bags taste now, Keit
I was cut off. Should be:
"How do those tea bags taste now, Keith?"
(Obviously, but I really wanted to write that again. HAHA)
Another thing we all have in common: complete contempt for KO.
Well, the first thing you should stop doing is recycling that perverted innuendo 'tea-bagger' and realize how much you have in common with them! 'Tea-Party' candidates are going to be dominating a lot of elections around this country and the sooner you realize that all you have is name-calling and tongue-lashing to bring to the table, you will be left out of the debate for being an "IDIOT" & "DOGMATIC" and parrot for the likes of "Keith O & his MADCOW"...
How pathetic, that you would rail against real-Americans, who have been too busy working, too busy paying taxes and too busy to pay attention to politics, who finally woke up and took to the streets...They are collectively more intelligent, more informed, and more active than ANY demo-rat protester.
NEthing PBO touches is failing; Virginia, Copenhagen, Massachusetts, UHC etc...why, you ask? Because REAL Americans, not astro-turfers, not tea-baggers like your KO, but REAL people are getting tuned in, PUMAs got nothin'=L@L
Don"t you ever think that Israel is going to give up Jerusalem
to those savages the Palastinies and the Arabs you must be naive
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