Those bad, bad, bad Republicans
When it comes to twisting an error on the part of the Democrats into wrongdoing on the part of Republicans, former President Clinton remains the master.
Dean Barnett does a masterful job of dissecting this bit of spin by the former President.
Actually, much of the blame for the debased state of our modern politics rightly lies at Clinton’s feet. When ordinary people dream of being president, they don’t harbor visions of enacting a micro-agenda that focuses on minutiae like school uniforms, midnight basketball and drive-through deliveries (which Clinton often incorrectly labeled “drive-by deliveries”, a term that made absolutely no sense). For a purely political creature like Bill Clinton, it was all about having power. Doing something or anything with that power was a side thought.
In the YouTube above, Clinton conflates the attacks on General David Petraeus with the former POTUS’ fanciful reminisces of political attacks on John Kerry and Max Cleland. Normally, I question Bill Clinton’s sincerity any time his lips are moving, but in this clip he shows that little flash of indignant anger that indicates you’re getting a glimpse at the man’s core.
Of course he would see no difference between a couple of office-seekers and a man who is leading 160,000 American soldiers in combat. Everything for this man has always been about politics. The notion of a figure who transcends politics probably makes as much sense to Bill Clinton as the idea of a man who transcends gravity.
Who would have thought that when it comes to the former President, it’s all about politics?
Written by Sue
Guss Says:
September 28th, 2007 at 8:24 amVisit Guss
This blog is starting to sound more and more Like HRP.
Dean Barnet is nothing more than a right-wing hack and I would expect nothing more from him than to spin it for the right-wing. Like it or not what Clinton said was and is true. Republicans have selective outrage.
Sue Says:
September 28th, 2007 at 8:37 amVisit Sue
You know Guss, you obviously do not care for what I find to be news or for that matter how I write. That is fine but please do not compare me to other individuals at other sites. I do not write for HRP nor do I pass judgment on what is written there.
If you believe the Swift Boat Veterans were telling nothing more than lies about John Kerry then show me the proof of that statement.
The Republicans had nothing whatsoever to do with the Moveon.org ad being placed. For a former President to make these statements just for political gain is ridiculous.
~J~ Says:
September 28th, 2007 at 8:37 amVisit ~J~
When John Kerry refuses to release his DD214 (his release papers from the Navy) and we know they were altered by the Carter administration (do a google check) it seems proper for people who served with him to say he didn’t do what he claims he did. We know for certain he wasn’t in Cambodia at any Christmastime, so that’s a falsehood. We know from reports of others with him at the time one of his purple hearts was for getting hit in the rump with rice and he was initially refused that purple heart. We know after 3 purple hearts a person was able to get out of Viet Nam and no one can corroborate any real injuries to him other than scratches.
This is not questioning his patriotism but his truthfulness.
Now, if you want to question his prior patriotism you can watch the videos of him talking to congress and telling them we were treating people like we were Ghengis Khan. That may have been true in select instances but not in the long run.
Cleland happened to reach for a grenade and got three limbs blown off in the process. He was questioned for not voting to authorize action in Iraq. Some will say now he was right, but at the time it wasn’t popular. NO ONE questioned anyone’s patriotism. It’s a red herring put up by the Democrats and has managed to stick, but I defy you to find one instance where a national republican called any national democrat unpatriotic in so many words.
As for HRP, we are not HRP and you seem to be obsessed with it. We are not full of snark and we verify our stories before putting them up. If you don’t like the content you don’t have to read, now do you?
Shirley Says:
September 28th, 2007 at 11:01 amVisit Shirley
what’s HRP?
Sue Says:
September 28th, 2007 at 11:12 amVisit Sue
Shirley:
HRP is another blog.
We make a practice here of not comparing ourselves to others as each individual blog or writer has their own way of expressing themselves. There have been some excellent articles at HRP and I hope that others who might visit here do not get the impression that we make a practice of bad mouthing others endeavors.
Thanks for asking though and I am so glad that you continue to visit us here at J’s. Have a great weekend.
Shirley Says:
September 28th, 2007 at 11:44 amVisit Shirley
thanks
Sue Says:
September 28th, 2007 at 2:19 pmVisit Sue
Shirley:
You’re welcome.