Bill Clinton on the View
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Dem convention finally gets rolling on day 3
OMG WTF! Obama makes a surprise appearance? NO WAY!?…
Of course he was going to make an appearance, silly. But with the way the convention has rolled out so far, it was easy to see how the Dems might have missed the opportunity.
With the presumptive Democratic nominee appearing on the same convention stage as the rest of the doyen Democrats, Sen. Barack Obama capped the third night of the festivities with a surprise walk-on appearance and off-the-cuff plaudits of his fellow Democrats.
With Sen. John Kerry, former President Bill Clinton, and Vice Presidential nominee Joe Biden all lauding Obama and tearing into McCain, the Democrats finally began showing their teeth.
If Kerry and spoken at the 2004 presidential debates the way he spoke last night, he could very well have been president. And if there were any lingering doubts of the Clintons’ commitment to Obama, the speech given by the last Democratic president put those doubts to rest. The rift between the Clinton’s and Obama might not be totally healed, but the commitment to victory has been sealed.
And what of the keynote?
Starting out his acceptance speech slow and sappy, it felt like Biden thanked the entire universe before lethargically tossing platitudes of American goodness, raising his voice only when urged by applause from the convention-goers. Ten minutes into the speech the person sitting next to me turned and asked, “Why do you like Joe Biden again?” With the first half of the speech lackluster at best, I was beginning to have doubts myself.
Since the start of this blog last May, I’ve believed that Biden’s foreign policy credentials, Washington experience, blunt speaking style, and personal integrity (hokey, I know) made him the best Democrat to best the Republicans this election. With all the candidates virtually the same in policy preferences, he appeared to be the best choice to carry a majority of independents and enough Republicans. Needless to say I was pleased when Obama chose him as his running mate. But halfway through his vice presidential nomination speech, I was starting to sweat.
Then the red meat.
After describing John McCain as his friend (who doesn’t?), Biden launched his attack, something he’ll need to ramp up and perfect in the next couple months.
Sen. Joe Biden’s acceptance speech
“John McCain was wrong and Barack Obama was right” chanted Biden during his acceptance speech, a simple and hardly memorable line, but it worked for Biden. That simple and hardly memorable line has in many ways defined the Democratic convention, and Biden’s speech was a microcosm. As I noted previously the Obama-Clinton drama has been the real highlight of the convention, the rest has been a yawn and a stretch. With a slow build up, peaking strongly, then capped with a unique ending (Obama’s appearance), Biden’s speech reflects the entire 2008 Democratic convention: Starting slow, peaking on the third night with red meat, and ending uniquely with Obama speaking in an outdoor stadium.
Love the Dems, but God I’m bored to tears.
Which leads to the question of my next post:
How can the techieset Democratic convention ever, feel so dated?
Stay tuned.
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Dem Convention Posts:
Clinton to Dems: Keep Going
Late night impressions of day 2 of the 2008 Democratic convention
“Grand slam” said MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann at the conclusion of Hillary Clinton’s keynote speech. After a sleepy first convention day, the Democrats finally hit their stride at the end of day two, with Sen. Hillary Clinton’s grand slam of an endorsement for the man who edged her out in the primary. But before her historic keynote, the day started out much as the day before, with sluggish speeches and too many visuals of dancing Democrats in sporting funny hats.
Three major speeches caught my attention.
The first was by former Virginia governor Mark Warner. It was easy to imagine this man being a contender for the Democratic nomination. While robotic at first, his speech exhibited passion and punch, with short sentences that were easy on the ears and laced with vigor. MSNBC commentators noted that Warner’s speaking slot was moved up due to his reluctance to attack John McCain. Obviously Warner was acutely aware of his own political future, and the opportunities afforded the keynote address (See: Obama, 2004 keynote address). That he used his time to talk about good ideas transcending party is discouraging at best, playing it safe, too safe to be exciting in the foreseeable future. We’ll see where he’s at in eight years.
The most entertaining and fun speech was delivered by Montana governor Brian Schweitzer, cheerfully rolling his round body back and forth as he bashed presumptive Republican nominee Sen John McCain, calling for each state’s delegation to literally and figuratively “stand up!” Which they did, cheering and smiling. Who know a mountain man could be so jolly? As Schweitzer concluded, former president Clinton could be seen mouthing the words “He was good.” And he was. Hopefully we’ll see more of Schweitzer in the future — and not only because his name scores 27 points in Scrabble.
And then the grand slam. Wearing bright orange to contrast the soft blue background, the longest applause of the convention serenaded the longest lasting Democratic primary candidate, Sen. Hillary Clinton. Poised, passionate, and perfectly pitched, Clinton’s speech exceeded all of the considerable expectations placed upon it. “Clinton Delivers…and Then Some” headlined Huffington Post. With a parity of grace and strength, Clinton wove a passionate tale of her life, civil right’s movements, and Democratic values, tying them neatly together in a narrative endorsing Barack Obama.
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Hillary Clinton’s keynote address
“Nothing but the fate of our nation and the future of our children depend on it,” she said, highlighting the serious nature of this presidential election.
A few notable phrases:
“No way, no how, no McCain”
“She greeted me with her bald head with my name painted on it”
“sisterhood of traveling pantsuits”
“My mother was born before women could vote. But in this election my daughter got to vote for her mother for president. This is the story of America. Of women and men who defy the odds and never give up,”
She also again noted how many Americans are invisible to the current administration.
“Grand slam” said Keith Olbermann immediately following her remarks, “I don’t know how it could have been better.” Fox News pundits sure could, as they seized upon the speech’s coattails to deride Clinton for not “fully” embracing Obama, stating that she didn’t say he was ready for the presidency, and that he would make the best president. But why the hell should she? Clearly she thinks she would make the best president, all the presidential candidates do. What Clinton did with her speech was help unify the Democratic party by embracing the extent of her honest support for Obama, without lies, without stretching the truth. “Were you in this campaign just for me?” she asked the audience.
But that wasn’t all. Clinton also delivered the convention’s most searing attacks upon John McCain, something only hinted at with the Democratic convention already half over.
Clinton’s message: Unite behind the party, push forward with the weight of history behind us, for nothing but the future of our country and our children depends on it. — Moving words from a powerful persona.
Curious how now, with former president Bill Clinton and presumptive vice presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden both speaking tonight, that the convention feels like it has already reached its apex. Sure we’ll watch the next two days, but I can’t help but feel like the convention is already winding down, and with only passing mentions of McCain, and few new reasons to vote for Obama.
We’ll see tonight how our nation’s ‘first black president’ speaks about our nation’s first black president. And don’t be surprised if Biden exposes his fangs (someone has to).
Don’t let us down, doyen Dems! There’s only two quarters left, and America is still waiting to be fired up.
Images: cnn.com, huffingtonpost.com
Dem Convention Posts:
The media is freaking out because the ‘bitter’ and ‘angry’ former president will talk to the Dem nominee. LOL.
Are the Clintons keeping a secret list of who betrayed them for Obama? Nope, but the media is.
For Obama fans, severing the Democratic cornerstones can’t come soon enough. New puppy fever reigns.
“Hillary Clinton is the toughest human being in the world. The whole world.”
-Tucker Carlson on the Tim Russert Show
“Chill out, we’re gonna win this election”
-Former president Bill Clinton, stumping for his wife on Sunday
Justice William Jefferson Clinton?
Douglas Kmiec of Pepperdine School of Law has a new suggestion for what to do with ‘first gentleman’ Bill Clinton should his wife ascend to the presidency: Supreme Court Justice.
Tossing out the idea in Saturday’s Wall Street Journal, Kmiec wrote that the “ubiquitous presence of the former president on the campaign prompts a question: What will Hillary do with Bill if she is elected?”
One might ask, is it legal? Could a former president be nominated for the Supreme Court? Sure, as Jonathan Alder explained in the National Review,
Before dismissing the possibility of Justice William Jefferson Clinton, it is worth recalling a bit of history — most notably, the history of another former president who landed on the Supreme Court, William Howard Taft. Taft would come to love his fellow justices and the court so much that he later described them as his ideals “that typify on earth what we shall meet hereafter in heaven under a just God.”
That seems a little strong for Bill Clinton, but Taft and Mr. Clinton are not without their similarities. For example, both started out in life as law professors — Taft at the University of Cincinnati and Mr. Clinton at the University of Arkansas. Mr. Clinton also shares with Taft a warm, gregarious personality that is well received at home and abroad.
It is noteworthy however that Taft had a profoundly more extensive legal career than Clinton before being elected president. Taft also never had his law license suspended.
Even with these differences, Clinton was a law professor, state Attorney general, Governor, and President of the United States. Tough act to follow. And it is unlikely the former president would be satisfied with many other roles save that of UN Secretary General, of which the UN has an accepted practice of not allowing nationals of permanent members of the Security Council, including the United States.
Even with his insurmountable resume’, Matthew J. Franck notes that
Clinton is less qualified for the Supreme Court than was Harriet Miers, and his nomination would be far more controversial than hers was. This kind of firestorm Hillary would not need. But maybe that’s just what Douglas Kmiec had in mind with this mischievous suggestion!
Alder’s piece counters these potentially negative points by listing the positives.
In short, a seat on the Supreme Court solves Sen. Clinton’s dilemma of what to do with her husband if she becomes president. It keeps Bill formally out of the White House and structurally out of the executive branch. And lest that dampen Mr. Clinton’s interest, he might be reassured by Taft’s practice of continuing to advise the president on the substance of legislation and to lobby to sustain various presidential vetoes.
The roll of the former president offers up interesting questions and a conundrum. How much of President Clinton’s gravity accounts for Senator Clinton’s presidential support? If elected, how would the role of a first gentleman differ from a first lady? What would the roll of a former president be as spouse to a current president? And the conundrum: What would be the roll of Bill Clinton in particular?
These questions are part of what attract and repel voters to Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Like experienced critters we’re attracted to the light but are wise enough to feel wary of it (no critters were harmed in the writing of this post). The unknown often elicits fear and uncertainty.
Still it is an intriguing idea, and one of the cleverest solutions to the ‘Clinton conundrum’ yet.
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Clinton: I waited, Obama should too
Discussing the 2008 presidential election with Charlie Rose, former president Bill Clinton articulated his views on senatorial whippersnapper Barack Obama while touting his wife’s candidacy. Clinton compared his own timing for a presidential run with Obama’s, suggesting the fresh-faced senator is too green to be president.
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Bill Clinton on Barack Obama
Clinton may be right about Obama. While nominating the first woman or black candidate is historical and exciting in its ramifications, given the last six years of Republican leadership, the current array of ignorant Republican presidential candidates and the expected replacement of Supreme Justices by the next president, electing a Democrat in the White House has become imperative.
That begins with the nominating process, and we need to choose a winner.
Even with Sen. Hillary Clinton’s endorsement by the Des Moines Register, she still has a ceiling on her popularity, is incredibly divisive, could rally Republican opposition and has the extra hurdle of breaking ground as the first woman president.
Obama’s youth (compared to the other candidates, not, for example, JFK), his inexperience, and his race all present glaring opportunities of attack from a strong Republican nominee. Just look at Harold Ford’s failed Tennessee Senate run against Caucasian Bob Corker, who used what many have called a racist ad against young Ford.
Thought America was beyond such low levels of scum campaigning? Not the Republicans.
Even with these front runner weaknesses clearly the Democratic presidential field has pizazz.
A new CNN poll shows former Senator John Edwards bests all the Republican front runners, most likely due to name recognition from the 2004 election and his populist message.
Sen. Joe Biden is the shadow candidate in Iowa who clearly has the best foreign policy experience (Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf called him before President Bush when declaring Marshal Law: who else can boast that type of leverage?), and his plan for Iraq has basically been backed by the known universe. If you want a strong Democrat in the general election, this guy’s got weight.
Gov. Bill Richardson’s ‘no residual troops in Iraq’ message has earned him support in the early States as well, but his debate performances have been lackluster, his answers meandering and sometimes questionable. He also has a penchant for making lists for each answer by counting on his fingers which is quite distracting, though perhaps it’s just me. But he’s certainly got the presidential resume’.
Chris Dodd… There’s nothing wrong with Chris Dodd. Everything he suggests would improve America and he always has a polished, well thought out answer to each question. He would be a wonderful president. He just seems to be missing a sparkle the other candidates have; like a beautiful poem verbalized in monotone, his message isn’t sinking in.
While Dennis Kucinich could potentially do more to improve our civilization than any other candidate, people just don’t take him seriously. Perhaps it is the shape of his ears or his far-left leanings. He’s got the fire in the belly and is right on the issues, but his cry just seems to be in the wrong key to resonate.
Mike Gravel has been a godsend this campaign cycle. With strange videos that touch the latent artist in all of us, his Young Men and Women video remains the one of most powerful this election cycle. However, with his guest appearance as Santa Claus on Red State Update, it should be apparent now to even his most blind supporters that even he has given up.
So is the former president correct in suggesting Obama would be a risk? Perhaps, but Obama certainly is connecting with the residents of Iowa.
Even so, with a strong field of Democratic presidential hopefuls, the party shouldn’t get carried away with itself. Democrats would be wise to focus their energies on the clear winners: Joe Biden or John Edwards.
We’ve lost enough elections. All the candidates will make you proud. Vote for a winner.
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More 2008 Election, Politics, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, John Edwards
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“How dare you”
Stumping for his wife at a campaign fundraiser in Minneapolis, former president Bill Clinton made the news recently for his blunt admonishment of 9/11 Truthers who were shouting during his speech.
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News coverage of the event
The statements made by the protesters addressed concern over the following topics:
A longer video of the event was released on the activist We Are Change website. Those who do not publicly protest and have only seen protesters on television might find this longer version interesting.
Filmed by the protesters themselves, during one split screen scene the first-person camera angle elicits a feeling as if the audience members–disgruntled by the outbursts–are looking back directly at you the viewer, as if you are the protester. Very ‘Being John Malkovich‘.
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‘We Are Change’ video of the event
Self-described anti-globalization and anti-privatization activists, the We Are Change website admits they don’t have all the answers:
“We are CHANGE. We are about education, motivation and activation. We do not know all of the answers, but we seek to redefine and reinvigorate the distribution of information. We recognize that the world does not function through a left/right paradigm, but a top/down hierarchy that threatens to destroy free society as we know it. As students of history we recognize the perils of continued globalization and it’s deceptive philosophy. Privatization does not equal progress.”
The heckling appears to have achieved mixed results. While some, like this website, have chosen to note the purpose of the protests, the former president is a master of public speaking and succinctly slapped them down. “How dare you” resonated much louder than the random topics blurted out in protest, as news coverage of the event demonstrated.
But right or wrong, answers or no answers, We Are Change certainly spread their message. Just like their website said they would.
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