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Bill Clinton: 'I never had a nickel until I left the White House'...
News Dot Yahoooo Dot Com ^ | 1 hour, 59 minutes ago | By MIKE GLOVER

Posted on 09/14/2003 6:53:07 AM PDT by ConservativeMan55

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Presidential Elections - AP
Clinton Rally Delights Iowa Democrats
1 hour, 59 minutes ago

By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Former President Clinton (news - web sites) touted a field of Democratic contenders he said was the strongest in decade, and launched a spirited assault on a Bush administration he said governs through "ideology, enemies and attacks."

Photo
AP Photo

 

"The last election was tight as a tick," Clinton told a party rally Saturday. "That election was not a mandate for radical change, but that was what we got."

Clinton brought thousands of activists huddled on a rain-soaked field to life, repeatedly by assaulting Bush. He ripped into Bush's tax cut and handling of foreign policy and joked he was now the beneficiary of tax cuts for the wealthy.

"Don't tell me about class warfare," Clinton said. "I'm all for wealth and business. I just think we all ought to go up together."

The former president told activists that he has become rich since leaving the White House, largely based on a big book contract: "I never had a nickel until I left the White House.

The tax cuts Bush pushed were a prime target.

"What's the sacrifice that's being asked of people who make more than $1 million a year?" Clinton asked. "It's the energy they have to expend opening the envelopes containing their tax cuts."

Clinton spoke after seven of the Democratic presidential contenders on hand praised him.

He said Bush was given great opportunities but has largely fumbled them. "Instead of uniting the world, we alienated it," he said. "Instead of uniting the country, he alienated it."

While some have warned that the field of nine Democratic candidates will have a tough time ousting Bush, Clinton dismissed those worries.

"I like this field, and I'm tired of people saying that this field can't beat an incumbent president," he said. "This is the best field of candidates we have had in decades."

Clinton urged the candidates to hammer home their differences with Bush, differences he said haven't penetrated with most voters.

"The American people, not 5 percent of them know they gave me a tax cut and then kicked children out of after-school programs," said Clinton. "They are not putting those things together. All we have to do is make it clear what our differences are."

The exchanges came at Sen. Tom Harkin (news, bio, voting record)'s annual steak fry Saturday at Indianola, 20 miles south of Des Moines.

Republican National Committee (news - web sites) spokesman David James said Clinton's presence "clearly overshadowed a weak field of candidates."

He said Clinton campaigned for several candidates who lost in the last election, adding; "With that kind of track record we hope to see him on the campaign trail early and often."

The campaign's early, and surprise, front-runner, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (news - web sites) said he would welcome Clinton's help in campaigning should he win the nomination.

 

Clinton is "a larger-than-life figure," Dean said. When you look at what's happened to the country economically since then, Clinton looks pretty good."

In 2000, presidential nominee Al Gore (news - web sites) and his running mate, current candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman (news - web sites) of Connecticut, rarely mentioned the retiring president.

At the rally, Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt (news - web sites) decided not to make a speech but mingled briefly with activists.

"Bill Clinton (news - web sites) was a great president for the economy," said Gephardt, who said he would eagerly campaign with Clinton if he gets the nomination. "Absolutely, he's going to help me beat George Bush," said Gephardt.

Sen. John Edwards (news, bio, voting record) of North Carolina said Clinton campaigned for him in 1998 when he entered the Senate. "I stood with Clinton, and it worked," he said. "He led the greatest period of economic expansion in history and we ought to be proud of him."

Another candidate, Sen. Bob Graham (news, bio, voting record) of Florida, praised Clinton's political intuition and skills, which he said he would welcome as part of his campaign.

"Aren't we proud to have Bill Clinton as an American and a Democrat," said Graham

Former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun made a gender-based pitch. "We are all in the same boat and a woman can guide this ship of state," she said.

Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich (news, bio, voting record) made the case for his single-payer health insurance plan, saying: "We are paying for universal health care, we're just not getting it."

In Saturday's opening speech, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (news, bio, voting record) compared the 1990s Clinton economy with today's and said he is looking to restore Clintonian ideas, which he said still resonate with the voters.

Kerry said middle-class taxpayers benefited by Clinton's focus on working Americans. "With George Bush in the White House, the middle class has been forgotten all over again," Kerry said.

He said he speaks often with Clinton: "He's available to everybody. I like the advice I get."


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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Washington; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: biscuit; clinton; loser; trash; unclebill; unclesaddam
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To: Congressman Billybob
But I don't mean to be too critical.

Oh please be critical. I like it. I like it. There's not enough criticism in the world to do justice to Billy Jeff and his entourage.

21 posted on 09/14/2003 7:28:53 AM PDT by auboy (France… the world's leading exporter of arrogance - Democrats… their #1 customer)
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To: ConservativeMan55
"I never had a nickel until I left the White House..."

Presidential salary minus cost of BJ's equals: BROKE!!!

22 posted on 09/14/2003 7:31:08 AM PDT by rickmichaels
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To: ConservativeMan55
Impeached former president Clinton today at the Harkin Steak Fry in Iowa had this to say about terrorism:

"We believe in standing up against terror and WMD but in a world where you can't kill all your enemies, you have to make a world with more friends and fewer terrorists. We cannot grow strong in the world if we grow weaker and more divided at home."

23 posted on 09/14/2003 7:33:26 AM PDT by Peach (The Clintons have pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: boxerblues
To Clinton, the White House might as well have been a double wide with a dish.
24 posted on 09/14/2003 7:38:28 AM PDT by Thebaddog (Fetch this!)
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To: ConservativeMan55
"just think we all ought to go up together."

Same statement Ron Brown made shortly before the unfortunate plane crash and bullet in his head.
25 posted on 09/14/2003 7:41:55 AM PDT by Jumpmaster
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To: ConservativeMan55
Some media type should point out to him that he doesn't HAVE to accept his tax cut. The IRS is more than willing to accept his portion of it or anyone elses for that matter. This is the easiest way to win the tax argument with anyone. Stops 'em cold each time, every time.
26 posted on 09/14/2003 7:51:43 AM PDT by somemoreequalthanothers
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To: Jumpmaster
You know, every time this POS opens his mouth I think that we've finally seen the bottom of his behavior. Every time I'm proven wrong. If there's two (no, three) people on this earth that really - I mean really - need to be taking a subsurface nap in some remote (and unkown) place, it's them.
27 posted on 09/14/2003 7:51:57 AM PDT by 11B3 (Two choices: Republican or Communist. You know it's true.)
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To: ConservativeMan55
I watched and I sure didn't see thousands there.

Clinton looks sick. Instead of writing his book, did this man have plastic surgery? His neck sure looks like it. That kind of sunken look you have in the neck. Maybe he had lypo. Maybe a disease. He just doesn't look well.
28 posted on 09/14/2003 8:03:09 AM PDT by freekitty
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To: ConservativeMan55
"I never had a nickel until I left the White House."
"I never had sex with that woman... Ms. Lewinsky"

He should know by now not to start off a lie with those same three words.
29 posted on 09/14/2003 8:08:20 AM PDT by LibertyAndJusticeForAll
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To: ConservativeMan55
The "Clinton Method" is to accuse your political opponents of doing the very things that you yourself are engaging in. It preempts your opponent or provokes him into saying in effect "yeah, you're another one."

Therefore, if you want a perfect description of the Clinton Administration, re-read the article & substitute the name "Clinton" anywhere that you see the name "Bush".

30 posted on 09/14/2003 8:11:04 AM PDT by Tallguy (Just taking life with a grain of salt....oh, and a slice of lime and a shot of tequila...)
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To: Congressman Billybob
I never had a nickel until...

When Arkansas governor, Clinton often touted his $35,000 salary as being the lowest in the nation. What he FAILED to say is that he had an UNLIMITED expense account. Poor boy.

31 posted on 09/14/2003 8:20:48 AM PDT by Carolinamom
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To: Carolinamom
The Rodham Hoods: Stole from the public to give to themselves.
32 posted on 09/14/2003 8:22:33 AM PDT by mewzilla
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To: Tallguy
Clinton is the original shoeshine guy.

"I'm so tired.

I'm so sore

Aint gonna do it for a nickel no more.

33 posted on 09/14/2003 8:22:34 AM PDT by Lauratealeaf (God bless our troops and their Commander in Chief, President George W. Bush)
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To: ConservativeMan55
I was boorn a poooo black child
34 posted on 09/14/2003 8:22:44 AM PDT by taxcontrol (People are entitled to their opinion - no matter how wrong it is.)
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To: ConservativeMan55
Clinton says W fails to unite the country, and all the while telling everyone how rich he is.
35 posted on 09/14/2003 8:28:30 AM PDT by ditto h
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To: ConservativeMan55
Sen. John Edwards (news, bio, voting record) of North Carolina said Clinton campaigned for him in 1998 when he entered the Senate. "I stood with Clinton, and it worked,". . .

Just for the record, Gephardt, Kerry and Edwards left the field before Klinton took the stage. The Des Moines Register and the Washington Post also failed to mention this little detail.

36 posted on 09/14/2003 8:30:35 AM PDT by leadpenny
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To: ConservativeMan55
I think he's refering to money he could get his hands on legaly and in onshore accounts.
37 posted on 09/14/2003 8:33:11 AM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult ("Read Hillary's hips. I never had sex with that woman.")
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To: Thebaddog
How did he come up with the $20,000 a year tuition for Chelsea's stay at Sidwell Friends not to mention the $40,000s a year that Stanford requires? Did he apply for financial aid?
38 posted on 09/14/2003 8:35:17 AM PDT by CaptainK
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To: ConservativeMan55
Bill Clinton: 'I never had a nickel until I left the White House'...

Because you never had a JOB!

39 posted on 09/14/2003 8:40:06 AM PDT by montag813
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To: Hillarys Gate Cult
Bill Clinton: 'I never had a nickel until I left the White House'...

The problem with this quote is that the reporter obviously wrote it down wrong. It should be written 'I never had a Nickel until I left the White House', as in I never had sex with an intern with the surname Nickel until he left the White House.

40 posted on 09/14/2003 8:56:21 AM PDT by cschroe
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