Posted on 01/04/2016 5:25:07 PM PST by jazusamo
Bill Clinton came off the sidelines of the presidential campaign on Monday, displaying a cautious, controlled style as he sought to aid his wife, Hillary Clinton, in her battle for the Democratic nomination.
Making his first solo appearance of the election cycle in Nashua, N.H., he chose his words carefully, refusing to take the bait from Republican front-runner Donald Trump, who last week began invoking the former president's "abuse" of women.
That approach carried over into brief rope-line interviews with ABC's Cecilia Vega and MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell. Asked by Mitchell how he felt about the attacks from Trump, Bill Clinton swiped away the question with his hand. "How I feel is only relevant once they pick a nominee," he said.
"We're trying to win a primary. We're trying to do that first."
Clinton insiders say they had always expected Republicans to bring up Bill Clinton's past, as one New Hampshire legislator did on Sunday while shouting questions at Hillary Clinton during an appearance in the state.
But staunch allies of the Clintons think the subject, and Bill Clinton's presence on the trail, will ultimately work in their favor.
"Bring it on," one longtime Clinton associate said of Trump's attacks. "Bill Clinton is still the best there is in politics today."
Another longtime ally who is close with both Clintons said the former president's history with women is "being brought up more for purely Republican base activation purposes, so [it] is likely something on the short-term horizon.
"I don't think it has any broader impact on the general electorate or on the Democratic side, and in fact were it to continue to be pressed by Republicans, could backfire, as indeed it did in 1998," the ally said, referring to the impeachment push related to the 42nd president's affair with Monica Lewinsky.
In turning the other cheek, Bill Clinton is seemingly taking a different tack than in the 2008 campaign, when his at times huffy statements on the trail muddied his wife's message and caused unwanted headlines.
Most famously, he came under fire for bringing up Jesse Jackson's successful Democratic primary wins in South Carolina, a reference some believed was intended to diminish then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's victory there and inject race into the contest. Hillary Clinton later apologized for those remarks.
Despite that history, the longtime ally said Bill Clinton's return to the spotlight is "a net plus" for Hillary Clinton in her fight against 2016 rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
"He adds value not only because he is an inspiring and motivating speaker -- not to mention a great fundraiser -- but also is a reminder of a presidency that is widely seen as successful," the ally said. "He's truly a surrogate in chief."
Republicans see things differently, and were quick Monday to highlight headlines from the last year when the former president took heat for his public statements and family foundation.
"If his gaffe-filled 2015 is any indicator, Bill Clinton has lost a few miles an hour off his fastball," said Jeff Bechdel, the communications director for America Rising.
"In 2016, he's less a 'secret weapon' on the campaign trail and closer to a walking liability. ... Bill Clinton reinforces all the negative attributes voters assign to Secretary Clinton: unethical, dishonest and untrustworthy."
While Clinton World sees the former president as a net positive, his favorability rating sunk briefly underwater in a March 2008 Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, leading to questions about his effectiveness as a surrogate.
The longtime ally said the key for Bill Clinton is to embrace his secondary role in the campaign by avoiding off-the-cuff interviews and limiting question-and-answer sessions.
"The candidates need to do Q and A; their surrogates, even former presidents, don't need to. They're not the ones running."
The ally said that's where the problems began for Hillary Clinton in 2008. While Bill Clinton did a couple of rope-line interviews on Monday in New Hampshire, it should have less impact now than it did then.
"She doesn't face as strong an intra-party battle, so any 'off-script' moments this early in the year, should they occur, are likely to have much less electoral impact than they did in 2008," the ally said.
In the speech on Monday morning, the former president meandered but kept his remarks relatively brief -- just under 30 minutes, barely a warm-up for a politician who likes to run long.
"I do not believe in my lifetime anybody has run for this job at a moment of great importance who is better qualified by experience, knowledge and temperament," he said.
"Almost everybody goes into the White House with the best of intentions. Whether they succeed or not depends on whether their instincts, their experience, their knowledge, and their psychological makeup fits the time."
Lauded as the "explainer-in-chief" for his 2012 Democratic National Convention speech for Obama, he highlighted Hillary Clinton's achievements as he sought to push back against Republican challenges of her record. He lauded the former secretary of State and former senator's work on Iran sanctions, an arms treaty with Russia, and helping treat HIV and AIDS in Africa as he called her "the best chance to have the most rapid movement to more broadly shared prosperity."
"Most everybody tries to do what they say they would do when they are running ... but you also have to take seriously whether they have any chance at doing what they are say they are going to do and have a record of doing it," Bill Clinton said before praising his wife's social justice work in the early part of her career.
"She could have gone to work at a big law firm, get a fancy clerkship; she took a job at the Children's Defense Fund," he added.
"She hadn't been elected to anything, but everything she touched, she made better."
Jeff Bechdel said it well; short, to the point and true.
Bill loves the limelight. But he’s also got to know if he screws up during the campaign for Hillary, his remaining life with her will be even worse (if that’s even possible).
He’s arthritic, tired, perverted old @ss that knows if he says one word... ONE SOLITARY word against Trump he’s going to get stomped on to the point of his pathetic demise....
Hey, Bill, just leave quietly... because if you don’t the American people are going to know about how you and your POS wife ripped us off while she was SOS....
I think you’re too smart to engage in Trump... but go ahead make his day and try...
You’re wife and her handlers are such morons... At least you understood, why do we fight a guy who is not even the nominee....?
Smart.. so go back and crawl into your hole....your decrepid... Bill Cosby democrat pervert hole...and enjoy your memories...
YOu people are the past...I don’t care at this point who we elect, but I cannot believe that people will vote for you and your pathetic wife to be president...on a par with Washington, and Lincoln and REagan and Truman.. etc.
You people are scum pure unadulterated scum....
“Bill Clinton is still the best there is in politics today.”
Gee, I dunno about that. On the golf course with Barry he looked like a frail, albino Dementor.
Of course his mind is still as sharp as a marble.
Sounds to me like Bill doesn’t want the past or current “bimbo eruptions” to be in the news everyday. I look for him to do a few events then quietly move aside in order to avoid this subject. Trump has eliminated Hiallary’s use of the I’m the little woman card. Hilarious.
They showed some young women at the campaign event standing behind Slick Willy, their faces told the story, bored out of their minds and one of them called Clinton a “Womanizer” its hard to find good help these days, even for 15 bucks an hour Hitlary can’t seem to find people who are willing to sit at these lame events and pretend to give a damn
Saw Bill...I think he’s lost his charisma....and should go home to his rocking chair and Hillary should bake him some cookies and get his slippers. ;-)
But staunch allies of the Clintons think the subject, and Bill Clinton’s presence on the trail, will ultimately work in their favor.
*****************************************************
Not withstanding the fact that every other candidate he has tried to “help” has failed miserably.
Bill and Hillary have lived separate lives for a long time now. From all appearances and evidence, theirs has been a marriage of convenience from the very start.
Amen.
Bill and Hillary Clinton are the penicillin-resistant syphilis of our political system.
Right on...Bill is a has-been and Hillary knows it deep down but she’s desperately in need of help, Bill ain’t gonna help her.
Just flying by on her broom she is.
Bet every woman in America thought what mother would have their daughters that close to him?
Pray America wakes
An excellent way of putting it and so true.
Saw a few clips of Bill this evening...he looked very old, almost doddering...Not sure he’s long for this earth? Also, not sure this will appeal to the Millennials...Trump is making them all aware of BJ’s perversions...poor Hildy!
You're going no where!
He is three months younger than I, he makes me look good, if he gets into the race I would love to be Trump.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
