Posted on 12/09/2002 2:21:57 PM PST by gridlock
The Man From Might Have Been
In a way, it took Bill Clinton himself to tell his deflated fellow Democrats that the Clinton party is over. That was hardly his intended message when he spoke this week to his old colleagues at the Democratic Leadership Council, the faction that flourished for eight years under his "triangulation" strategy of stealing the electoral middle ground out from under the Republicans. Much of his speech was a recitation of accomplishments he has been tirelessly claiming for his presidency in wandering the political afterlife.
But he also revised his signature campaign message to tell them in so many words: It's homeland security, stupid. He literally wagged his finger at Democrats still stunned by the November result that leaves them in the minority wilderness in both houses of Congress.
"It was amazing they were able to make such a big deal of the homeland security bill," said Mr. Clinton, expressing open admiration of the Republicans in his post-mortem for pulling off the sort of issue hijacking that he certified as his art form.
Mr. Clinton argued that his party could have attracted more votes by attacking Republicans for stealing the security issue yet never really putting adequate resources into protecting bridges, tunnels, water supplies and the other nuts and bolts of homeland defense.
But Democrats must question whether they stayed one cycle too long with a Clinton game plan that lacked Mr. Clinton, blurring differences with tangential distinctions on big issues and counting on the Terry McAuliffe money machine to hold their own. Mr. Clinton did ably counsel them to attack the Bush administration more clearly for magically making Iraq seem a more immediate domestic threat than Al Qaeda.
Actually, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts was attempting to make just that point on the same day Mr. Clinton spoke, arguing that President Bush had deliberately elided from Al Qaeda to Iraq in his potent war-president's imagery in order to bury the nation's economic troubles as an issue. That will not happen in the next presidential campaign, vowed Senator Kerry, who was, however, not widely heard as he began his run for the nomination. Mr. Clinton was sucking up much of the day's Democratic oxygen, ultimately sending the message that the party needs a post-Clinton leader far more than it needs his advice.
BTW, it looks like The NY Times Editorial Board is ready to annoint Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts as Clintons able successor.
This is the best example I've ever seen of Clinton's political narcissism. Nothing about the merits of the issue itself, nor any discussion of how the Democrats' failure to responsibly address the security issue lost them the election. Instead, Clinton treats homeland security as merely a political ploy with no long-term meaning. What a repulsive individual.
Looks like the NY Times Editorial Board is having one of those moments when you wake up in the morning next to somebody really repulsive, and you just have to think "What have I done?!"
In this case, we can only hope it's a case of "double coyote ugly." First, they'll chew their arm off in order to escape without taking the risk of pulling out their arm, potentially waking him; and then they'll chew off the other arm to remind themselves never to do that again.
Sure sounds like slick and algore. Just wandering the halls waiting for someone to notice them. And when no one does they force themselves in front of the cameras. Anything to be noticed. Any publicity is better than being ignored and, worst of all, forgotten.
Algore is about to learn that this is not really true. If he gets in the way of the Kerry-for-President campaign, the New York Times and their ilk will turn on him, and good. He will be reduced to an even more pathetic figure than he is now.
Tipper better start stocking up on meds.
Yep. Gore is toast. The good thing is that his thickheadedness does not allow him to see it....
Kinda like.....
Sleep with dogs, wake up with fleas?
As the seats empty and the stage lights dim, Clinton finds himself frantically lecturing to an empty theater, vainly attempting to fillibuster history.
Annnnnnnnnnnd SCENE!
I'll have to make it my business to post the Saturday Op/Eds on Monday then...
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