Bill Clinton says he understands Palin's appeal

[Gan]

Bill Clinton said Monday he understands why Sarah Palin is popular in the heartland: because people relate to her.

"I come from Arkansas, I get why she's hot out there," Clinton said. "Why she's doing well."

Speaking to reporters before his Clinton Global Initiative meeting, the former president described Palin's appeal by adding, "People look at her, and they say, 'All those kids. Something that happens in everybody's family. I'm glad she loves her daughter and she's not ashamed of her. Glad that girl's going around with her boyfriend. Glad they're going to get married.'"

Clinton said voters would think, "I like that little Down syndrome kid. One of them lives down the street. They're wonderful children. They're wonderful people. And I like the idea that this guy does those long-distance races. Stayed in the race for 500 miles with a broken arm. My kind of guy."

Palin, the governor of Alaska, became an overnight star when Republican presidential candidate John McCain tapped her for his running mate. Her family, including her Down syndrome baby, Trig, her pregnant 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, and her husband, Todd, four-time winner of the 2,000-mile Iron Dog snowmobile race, have garnered intense media interest.

"I get this," Clinton said. "My view is ... why say, ever, anything bad about a person? Why don't we like them and celebrate them and be happy for her elevation to the ticket? And just say that she was a good choice for him and we disagree with them?"

The global initiative, a project of Clinton's foundation, will hold its four-day annual meeting in Manhattan starting Tuesday.

After that, Clinton said he will be busy campaigning for the Democratic ticket of Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008195867_apbillclintonpalin.html
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I bolded the part of Clinton's statement that I found interesting. Was that a backhanded slap towards the Obama/Biden campaign?

[Audriana]

I bet Clinton understands whats so... lets say, "Attractive", about Palin...

[Moist Happenings]

I bolded the part of Clinton's statement that I found interesting. Was that a backhanded slap towards the Obama/Biden campaign?

I think it very well could have been a backhanded slap. He's in a very actionable position still. If Obama/Biden lose then Hillary can give it another go in 4 years, but if they win, she's basically out for good, regardless if Obama would get re-elected for a second term*. So all in all, it's in Bill's best interest to see Obama/Biden out, and McCain in. However, he and his wife are still both Democrats, so they can't just openly start bashing their own candidate without garnering some manner of wrath from their own party, and ruining their own chances. It's a very fine line to walk.


* I am really hoping he doesn't get elected for a first

[Audriana]

"I get this," Clinton said. "My view is ... why say, ever, anything bad about a person? Why don't we like them and celebrate them and be happy for her elevation to the ticket? And just say that she was a good choice for him and we disagree with them?"I bolded the part of Clinton's statement that I found interesting. Was that a backhanded slap towards the Obama/Biden campaign?

Maybe you can explain to me how this is talking at all about Obama/Biden?

[Gan]

Maybe you can explain to me how this is talking at all about Obama/Biden?

You're kidding right?

Have you even been keeping up with the campaign at all?

[Moist Happenings]

Maybe you can explain to me how this is talking at all about Obama/Biden?

Since day one of the primaries Obama's campaign has done very little aside from slander the opposition, and try to direct attention away from the issues with hordes of mindless drones chanting "YES WE CAN!!"

Yes, now everyone has been dragged into the mud, and no, others have not been completely innocent of mud slinging either, but if you trace it back as far as it goes, Obama's been firing the first shots, and doing it a lot more frequently than anyone else.

During the Primaries I couldn't even get a good grasp of what Obama wanted to do besides "Change" from listening to him speak or reading articles about his speeches. I actually had to dig into policies and past votes to see what he stood for, which of course is not a bad thing, and something any voter should do anyway, but the fact that I couldn't get an idea from hearing him speak attests to the fact that he wasn't really even attempting to talk about the issues.

[Kefka]

"I get why she's hot," Clinton said.

This part is key.

[Audriana]

Since day one of the primaries Obama's campaign has done very little aside from slander the opposition, and try to direct attention away from the issues with hordes of mindless drones chanting "YES WE CAN!!"

Yes, now everyone has been dragged into the mud, and no, others have not been completely innocent of mud slinging either, but if you trace it back as far as it goes, Obama's been firing the first shots, and doing it a lot more frequently than anyone else.

During the Primaries I couldn't even get a good grasp of what Obama wanted to do besides "Change" from listening to him speak or reading articles about his speeches. I actually had to dig into policies and past votes to see what he stood for, which of course is not a bad thing, and something any voter should do anyway, but the fact that I couldn't get an idea from hearing him speak attests to the fact that he wasn't really even attempting to talk about the issues.

I saw it as Clinton bitching about mudlinging in general. Even you can't deny that both sides have been very vocal about their opponents.

Regardless of who threw the first stone or who has the most mud. Clinton's wife's campaign threw the mud, as did his own campaign in the same circumstances. I saw it as very hypocritical of Clinton to say such a blanket statment that people should stick to politics instead of mud slinging.


The bottom line is, if you're going to get elected, you can't just show voters why you're the best choice. You must also show them why your opponent isn't. It's just the way it is. You just have to monitor that you're balancing both properly, too much of one and too little of another and people (such as yourself) bitch.

[Moist Happenings]

I saw it as Clinton bitching about mudlinging in general. Even you can't deny that both sides have been very vocal about their opponents.

Regardless of who threw the first stone or who has the most mud. Clinton's wife's campaign threw the mud, as did his own campaign in the same circumstances. I saw it as very hypocritical of Clinton to say such a blanket statment that people should stick to politics instead of mud slinging.


The bottom line is, if you're going to get elected, you can't just show voters why you're the best choice. You must also show them why your opponent isn't. It's just the way it is. You just have to monitor that you're balancing both properly, too much of one and too little of another and people (such as yourself) bitch.

Oh I agree completely that both sides have been vocal. I suppose I'm just jaded on the whole system. I'm of the firm belief that advertisements and campaigning should be banned completely. There isn't a person in this country without a television or access to one. One channel. No commercials. Just the candidates stating their issues, and what they'll do for the country, and anyone interested can tune in, and cast their vote based on it.

One website. This is the list of the voted options for this candidate. This is what they voted for.

I agree that there has to be some amount of mudslinging on each side for the winner to win. It just seems that 95% of all campaigning is mudslinging these days. It should be at least 90% about the issues in my opinion, and without some sort of radical change (No, not the Obama kind), that isn't ever going to happen.

[TheRunt]

"I get why she's hot," Clinton said.

This part is key.

What I don't get is why Clinton thinks she's hot. She doesn't have cankles.

[Clove]

"I get why she's hot," Clinton said.

This part is key.Coming from Clinton, that was so full of win.

[Clove]

What I don't get is why Clinton thinks she's hot. She doesn't have cankles.Clinton only does cankles when he's too busy looking after our welfare to go pick up a hot chick. Lewinsky was a sacrifice for the nation, show a little respect!

[Mabus]

I saw it as Clinton bitching about mudlinging in general.
Maybe he is still pissed about the Obama campaign, and the media, calling him a racist?

Ya think?

I bet the meeting at Bill Clinton's office in Harlem included the words "public recognition that the words in SC were not racist", which Obama has not done.

[Danical]

I agree with Gan; this is political maneuvering.

The Clinton campaign would be doing similarly if they were in the driver's seat.

DON'T HATE THE PLAYA, HATE THE GAME.