From Hero to Zero -- Yet Another Reason I will Never Vote Clinton Again

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/bill-clinton-hi.html

I was once fascinated by Bill Clinton. His ability to move a crowd. His knack for making a compromise look like a win-win. His determination in the face of adversity. His ability to run as a moderate, and stand firm in it. His enigmatic charisma that seemed to either enamor or repel anyone he met.

In fact, until last year he was on my top ten list of individuals I'd like to meet and grab a cup of coffee with -- living or dead.

And then I got a taste of the real Bill Clinton. So far, the aftertaste is still sour. Today Russell Goldman reported the bitter truth:

"President Clinton told The View that had Obama chosen his wife instead of Delaware Sen. Joe Biden it would have been "the best politically," and that his wife would have likely taken the job though she didn't want it."

It's a very personal decision who should be vice president. I like Sen. Biden a lot. I think he was a good choice. [Hillary Clinton] would have been the best politically at least in the short run because of her enormous support in the country," he said.

Then came the CNN headlines on Sarah Palin," "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,'" he (Clinton) said.

Which, I found nothing wrong with, except the article ends with him saying once again that Hillary would've been the best choice.

Is that the kind of "friend" that Obama or the dems need in this hot button political season? Someone who goes on television and basically says I like your VP choice, but no cigar? And then goes on to say, "But even though you were short sighted for not lobbying harder for Hillary to be your VP, she really didn't want it anyway."

For less astute voters this may seem like a benign statement. after all Clinton prased Obama in the same article he's quoted here. However, those of us in the know can see exactly what Clinton is doing. They are distancing themselves from Obama so if he fails, they are well positioned to reclaim the mantle of Washington leadership. Why else would you publicaly discredit the choice of Biden after claiming to support the ticket?

Now mind you, this is nothing against Hillary Clinton. I have my issues with her, but her husband's behavior far outweighs anything Senator Clinton has ever done.

In a close election as this one, I have seen first hand the Clinton hubris that the Republicans warned us of all those years ago. I chided myself for being so blinded in my own support for democratic ideals that I didn't see that Bill Clinton really does have a character issue-- but it isn't loyalty--- it is arrogance.

First he sabotaged his own wife's presidential ambition with his desire to be in the spotlight making amped up racially tinged political observations when quite frankly Bill, nobody asked you. Then he and Mrs. Clinton launch insidious arguments, in the name of sexism that the only reason Obama got the nomination was because he was a man. (And although the elephant is still in the room, ladies and gentleman Obama is a Black man.) Obama was painted a an inexperienced lofty young man who arrogantly decided to run against Hillary, a confident woman --who is also for the record, a junior senator.

That set the stage for Sarah Palin even being on the planet in this election year universe. Why else would John McCain or the republicans even think of picking someone who wasn't even on the short list, and obviously, had not been properly vetted?

Finally, in true Clintonion arrogance, Bill blames it all on somebody else. It is Obama's fault. Notice how carefully he chose his words. Hillary would have been "the best politically". He avoids saying she would have been the best period, because that would be bold, even for him. But the sneaky part of this is he is questioning Obama's political judgement by saying "politically". What does the average reader get from this. Obama made a bad political choice, and even if he tried to make the good choice, Hillary would be doing "him" a favor.


All this belies the real point: Bill Clinton started this war within the party on his own like a willful child robbed of his candy. The truth is nobody lost this election for Hillary but Bill Clinton. If he had been able to keep his personal life in order, the question of Clinton fatigue very may well have been settled in 2004. If at a time when most African-American voters hadn't made their mind up about Obama Clinton had layed off the rhetoric, Hillary would've rolled Obama under a bus back to Chicago.

With all that hot blame being served up, I would be remiss not to point out the true culprits: it was us. Us who claim to support democratic ideas but supported a man who believed he was above reproach. Bill Clinton is the same person he was in 1992, 2002, and 2008. Incredibly competitive to the point of negligence. Incredibly nasty when he doesn't get his way. And downright condescending.

The most scathing piece of today's news was I mean come on-- so the VP was beneath Hillary, however for the good of the country she would prove she was a team player? Even if that were true, why would you say something like that in public weeks before an election that impacts not only the people of this country but the world?

It is the single most selfish thing I have ever seen him do, and there are a lot of moments to replay prime time in that category.

Well, why ask why if you're Bill Clinton. Who but Bill Clinton in his wonderful way could be a democratic party leader and publicly support a republican without "supporting it?"After all these years of fighting the vast right wing conspiracy I am uncomfortable with how easily he's become part of the club.

At the risk of having any more unfortunate pig references made, this all feels very Orwellian. As George Orwell's Animal Farm demonstrates, we often become the thing we fight. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which. "

As an under 30 voter, I must admit, it does make me sad. I miss the era of Clinton magic. But I cannot walk away from what he has done. When I cannot tell the tactics of the Clintons from their rivals, and that gives me pause when voting for their policies.

So Bill, if you're reading, I'm sorry we will never have that cup of coffee, but I'm sure you understand. I walk away a little more jaded, but a lot stronger.