A story about Lincoln that bears on the Clinton motivation factor...

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

Every time I hear snide MSM speculation about the Clintons subliminal motivations (want to seem to help Obama but not too much, etc.) I am reminded of my favorite Lincoln story.

The Union had nothing but set-backs for the first years of the war and Lincoln was constantly exasperated with the timidity of his generals.

One general was making a lot of trouble running around telling people that he would be a better president and that Lincoln should be deposed. Hearing of these seditious remarks, Lincoln had the disloyal general recalled to the White House.

Lincoln said, "I am informed that you aspire to be a tyrant. One prerequisite for any general aspiring to become a tyrant is a string of glorious military victories."

And he sent the guy back into the field.

The point being that mind-reading and motivations are interesting but results are more interesting. Bill Clinton campaigning with Obama in Ohio will materially advance the chance of Obama being elected. It really doesn't matter whether Bill's motivation is wanting Obama to win, or to make Bill look better, or to firm up Hillary's reputation, or to get some sandwich they only make in eastern Ohio.

The bottom line is that it helps the broader cause.

(I like Bill and Hillary a lot. This post is not meant to equate the disloyal general and the Clintons. My answer to "What do the Clintons really want?" is that having lost, they now want to be seen by the Party and history as the real reason Obama won in 2008. That is the most ego-soothing course of action, and also predicated on a good outcome for everybody. Licoln knew that the smartest way to employ ambitious people is to align their self-interest with your own self-interest. Who gets the credit is beside the point.)

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. .