I have to wonder if the current lack of opposition to Hillary, in spite of the obvious lack of enthusiasm for her, isn’t part of a “payoff” for taking a dive in 08 against Obie.
With all that was/is suspect about Obie, the Clinton dirt machine should have made hamburger out of him early on had they afforded him equal treatment to what they dished out to all other opposition. I’ve never believed that the Clinton’s kid glove treatment of Obozo was due to squeamishness on their part. There’s more to that story that we’ll never hear.
Several FReepers have postulated that the Chicago Mob had a trump card on the Clintons: Arkancides.
That lead to the mutually assured destruction pact.
But you’re correct, without that, the Clintons would have used their legendary private detective squad (Palladino & Sutherland) to blow Baraq’s bogus life story up completely.