Posted on 07/27/2004 8:20:27 AM PDT by Vision Thing
BOSTON (AP) - Republicans readily acknowledge Bill Clinton was hard to beat - one of the reasons they relish the former president's contrast with John Kerry.
"It's going to be difficult for Kerry to wrest control of these folks from the thrall of Bill Clinton," said veteran GOP strategist Rich Galen after watching Clinton's stirring speech to the Democratic convention Monday night from the GOP war room in Boston.
Top Republicans express mixed feelings about Clinton, the 42nd president who outmaneuvered them for eight years in the 1990s.
They say they respect his political skills, dislike his policies and are relieved he can't run for president again.
"He's a tremendous politician, extremely charismatic, he makes such incredible connections with Democratic voters," said Republican National Committee spokesman Jim Dyke. "I think he set a pretty high bar tonight for Senator Kerry to make a similar connection."
Earlier in the day, Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie said he thinks a high profile for Clinton in the 2004 campaign is a good thing for Republicans.
"It's helpful really," Gillespie said.
Republicans also like to compare Clinton policies they say were more moderate and centrist than Kerry's votes in the Senate.
Galen said the former president's speech Monday night was "Clinton being Clinton for an audience that has loved Bill Clinton and wants to continue to love him. That presents a problem for John Kerry."
"Bill Clinton has clearly sent the message that this is still my party, you are still my people," Galen said. "The brighter he shines, the longer the shadow he casts. It's never been clear to me that one person can transfer their popularity to another."
You saw Carter, 25 years after leaving office..as mean and nasty as ever...NOW imagine Slick for the next 25 years...
The "thrall of Bill Clinton". I hope he said this with dripping sarcasm.
The more they run clips from Jimmah's speech, the better I like it.
It should be fun. The syphillis should slowly take over his brain. His dementia will be the stuff of comedy-writer dreams.
Welfare reform, control of House of Representatives, Contract with American, loss of majority of governorships, law license revoked...
Oh well, (sigh)
anyone here have that softward that ages photos...can we do Bill and Hillary....
I agree with Galen's use of the phrase. It's good to encourage the dems to be hot and bothered over Clinton. It keeps them limp over Kerry. So instead of sarcasm, I hope he said it with a straight face.
He may be speaking about being outmaneuvered on the presidential front.
Kerry's here at Nauticus downtown Norfolk.
Sparse crowd, lame speech. Even our leftwing Virginian-Pilot op-ed questions him regarding his non-policy policy.
Virginia is President Bush's. Mr. Bush, come on down and show that liberal, elitist, Soros-loving, socialist and his parvenue peon-contemptous wife how to do it Virginia style!
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.