Bill Clinton: Obama is brilliant, exceedingly empathetic and not getting his due

[ProSense]

Via Daily Kos

Former President Bill Clinton said Sunday that Barack Obama is doing a "better job than he’s given credit for."

Speaking in Cape Town, South Africa as part of the Fortune/Time/CNN Global Forum, Clinton said said that public perception of the president has lagged behind what he has done to benefit the country.

"He's done a better job than he's given credit for," Clinton said. "I feel very strongly about this." The former president, who, like Obama, saw his polling numbers dip dramatically during his second year in office, said that Obama is not fully "responsible" for how he is perceived, adding that a dip in approval is "not avoidable" in an economic downturn.

"Until people feel good about their own lives, they're not going to feel good about their president," Clinton said. "And there's nothing you can do about that."

"He is a brilliant, articulate and, I think, an exceedingly empathetic person," the former president said of Obama.

[BeyondGeography]

1. Who will tell the children?

[Fire1]

28. The educators in the AA community will certainly tell ours. n/t

[Uzybone]

38. +10000

[Number23]

49. You know it!

:)

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Gotta agree with the former President. Certainly there are very few

who would be in the position to more fully understand all the difficulties that President Obama is facing.

[Triana]

3. He allows BP to occupy the entire Gulf coast of the United States

after they completely destroyed the beach, water, and air down there with an ill-advised oil pipeline/well/rig and he's "not getting his due"?!

Well, I agree. But not in the way Bill Clinton would like me to agree.

[ProSense]

9. He also got BP to establish a $20 billion escrow fund to pay victims claims

among other things, and left BP's liability uncapped.

He also, mounted the largest environmental disaster cleanup effort in history.

Claiming that the President somehow allowed BP to occupy the Gulf doesn't consider the reality of the situation. For example, the President issued a moratorium on deep-water drilling that was overturned by a judge, whose actions were cheered by the people and Governor of Louisiana.

[Triana]

23. Disaster cleanup is great except BP won't allow anyone in there to clean up...

And unfortunately his moratorium was overturned by a judge who owns stock in - oil companies. That one's not Obama's fault, of course.

What IS Obama's fault though, is that ~400 new leases for offshore drilling were approved under Obama's admin just a week or so ago. Unconscionable.

http://motherjones.com/environment/2010/06/new-drilling-leases-gulf-of-mexico

And his administration helped quash environmental challenges to Gulf drilling for BP just a few weeks ago in May.

http://www.wsws.org/mobile/articles/2010/may2010/obam-m11.shtml

http://www.wsws.org/mobile/articles/2010/jun2010/spil-j02.shtml

Obama sees offshore drilling as bridge to 'cleaner energy future' (April 2010)

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/nation/obama-sees-offshore-drilling-as-bridge-to-cleaner-energy-future

Sorry but he's not blameless in this.

The escrow fund is great- good deal. BeePee's legal expenses are tax-deductable to a certain extent and taxpayers WILL END UP footing a large part of the bill for those - unless IRS tax law changes.

[mkultra]

58. yes, 35K people and 1000 ships equals "no one"

The only people yanked where the local ship operators deploying boom who started to show signs of illness. Everyone one is down there working their ass off. Maybe you shoudl volunteer if you don't think enough is being done.

[mzmolly]

12. "Allows BP to occupy the coast"? Do you think he's King or something?

:shrug:

[Triana]

24. He is the President of the US. Fl, Al, MS, LA are part of the US

and is currently occupied by BP - they will allow no media in to report to the public or cleanup crews in to clean up.

That doesn't negate the fact that the lame$tream media - even if they were there, would be unlikely to to tell the truth about what is going on. After all they lie about everything else.

A foreign company has occupied our Gulf Coast after destroying it - The PResident has the power to send military in there to block BeePee from blocking cleanup crews and media. It's OUR country, not BeePee's. He could also strongarm the Governors of those states to deploy National Guard since thus far all are refusing to do so.

As a matter of fact, our military dollars might be better spent there than in Iraq or Afghanistan on bullshit nation-building exercises.

[mzmolly]

26. The President has attempted to block some drilling on the coast, and a judge ruled

against him. The President of the US is subject to existing laws and regulations. He's not a dictator.

[polmaven]

32. Yeah, but.....

he IS Aqua Man, is he not? WHY has he not simply jumped in and put a golf ball in that there hole? Tsk!

[boppers]

40. Currently occupied?

"they will allow no media in to report to the public or cleanup crews in to clean up"?

So, why am I constantly seeing media pictures and videos of cleanup efforts?

Don't take my word for it, believe your own lying eyes:
http://www.google.com/images?q=BP%20cleanup

[mkultra]

59. Actually, the media ban is a Homeland security ban...not BP

just saying.

[Scurrilous]

4. K & R

:thumbsup:

[dflprincess]

5. Praise from the person who brought us NAFTA and the repeal of Glass-Steagall

isn't especially impressive.

[bvar22]

36. My thoughts exactly.

not to mention MFN for Communist (Slave Labor) China, the Telecommunications (Consolidation) Act 1996, DADT/DOMA, Welfare "Reform", and numerous rounds of deregulation and privatization of our Common Wealth and common responsibilities.

I DO have some compassion for The Old Dog.
His title of Best Republican President EVER is in jeopardy.


:patriot:

[Mimosa]

64. ^ LOL ^

Same thoughts here.

[golfguru]

43. Repeal of Glass Steagall was the most dastardly deed

by any president, in this case it was Clinton. That Rubin
dude from Wall Street Banking pushed it through by convincing
president Clinton.

[mkultra]

61. yeah, sorry, thats just flatly untrue.

[joe black]

53. Hanging out with Bush does'nt help either.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

55. I agree. But it seems that at least Bill's words may lend some credence to Obama's woes.

He still does have some sway with middle-of-the-world, fence-sitting "Democrats."

[mkultra]

60. Clinton is not responsible for Glass-Steagall... please read your history.

A republican controlled congress recruited enough democrats to make the repeal veto proof. Clinton was openly against it.

[dflprincess]

63. Did he veto it?

No he signed it. Actions speak louder than words and by signing it he supported it and deserves his share of the blame.

He, along with the Democratic leadership on the Hill, should have gone after any Democratic that was ready to vote to override. Instead he didn't even bother - I can't imagine Truman or Johnson giving up the fight on a bill they knew was a disaster. More likely, given Clinton's DLC background, he probably didn't much care what would happen if it passed.

[mkultra]

66. he couldnt. It was veto-proof.

It as such, a veto would be a political defeat.

[dflprincess]

68. Better to avoid a political defeat that try to avert implosion of the economy?

:shrug:

I'm constantly amazed at how powerless recent Democratic presidents seem to be. You would think they're just figureheads.

Again, I can't see Truman or Johnson rolling over and signing a bill they knew was crap and had the potential to destroy the economy. They would have hauled the leadership of the Congressional Democrats in and laid the law down to them. Of course, they both knew where the buck stopped and who, in the long run, would get the blame for bad legislation that had their signature on it. It's hard to picture either of them shrugging their shoulders and saying "It wasn't my fault, I couldn't do a thing about it."

Clinton signed it - he deserves his share of the blame.

[bvar22]

69. Well Said.

I can't believe how far some are willing to go to duck responsibility.

[Democrats_win]

6. brilliant YES! But he's no Moses!

As the Republicans led us into the wilderness of oil slicks and depressions, we needed a lot more. Even though we love Obama.

[Jennicut]

7. So Bubba likes him after all? Remember those days during the primaries.

Seems like a lifetime ago.

[vaberella]

14. BC doesn't know what he likes. n/t

[Drunken Irishman]

29. Well he does...

;)

[vaberella]

56. Besides women...

:P

[Radical Activist]

8. articulate

Is it still taboo to always use that word when talking about a smart black person?

Bill Clinton can go to hell after getting Blanche Lincoln through the primary runoff.

Supporting Lincoln was probably Obama's biggest political mistake since he became President. But I can at least understand that it may have been done to get her vote on important bills that needed 60 votes to pass and at least he backed off in the final runoff election.

But Clinton made a huge personal effort to ensure we keep a conservative Democrat who's doing nothing but destroying the party's agenda. It's just the latest example of Bill fucking over the party. Go to hell, Bill.

[maxsolomon]

10. when you're comparing this president to the previous one

"articulate" is a perfectly accurate term. also, "non-sociopath" would be appropos.

[Radical Activist]

11. "non-sociopath"

lol funny.

[xultar]

17. No it isn't taboo. From my perspective white people who bring up

articulate is racist when said by a white person toward a black person is racist.

I'm so sick of white people bringing that shit up it makes me want to go :nuke:.

We are smart enough to know when a person is being racist when they call us articulate and when they are not. We don't need knee jerk white folk telling us how to feel about it. What is racist and what isn't always so black and white.

[Radical Activist]

19. Fair enough.

Frankly, I don't care about that line. I'm just still ticked at Clinton for making sure we have a Senate that blocks or waters down most progressive legislation.

[Whisp]

34. its like calling Kagan 'bright', 'fresh', and all those stupid words I hear today...

when was a man called bright and fresh?

ugh.

I see exactly what you mean xultar.

[Whisp]

35. dupe error

[Starbucks Anarchist]

39. I'm not AA, but I think it might depend on how you say it.

Like if you sound surprised saying it, then yes, that's racist.

[xultar]

44. Exactly, it depends on who and how.

[RufusTFirefly]

13. Figures. Those liberal leftist types always stick together

:sarcasm:

[BeFree]

15. LMAO at some replies here

Beats the crap outta crying. Thanks yall. I needed a laugh.

[damntexdem]

16. He's actually correct about that.

Despite the major problems with the Obama Administration.

[treestar]

18. He forgot to say "clean"

:hide:

go Bill! He knows what he is talking about!

[xultar]

20. Black people do not need white people telling us what to get angry aboutl

[Beacool]

22. Naaah, that's VP's "Bite Me" line.

:7

[Beacool]

21. As usual, Bill can't win around here.

He got trashed for criticizing Obama during the primaries and he now gets trashed for praising him.

This place is nutty......

:crazy:

[DevonRex]

27. Well, I think that Bill has been great over the past couple of years.

So has Hillary. Some folks here just don't like Democrats very much.

[mkultra]

62. Same group of people

I love bill and always have and im an ardent Obama supporter. The people bashing clinton then where the haters here on the board. They went after both Hillary and Obama. Now the haters just go after anything Obama positive.

[Bluenorthwest]

25. I remember posts from you about Bill Clinton

He's a panderer to racists, he's a huge homophobe, you have said so many negative things about him that it is simply brethtaking to see you tout his words today. A search your name and his provides many, many very harsh words about the man you present today as a font of golden wisdom.
It is really hypocritical sort of co-opting of anything and everything.
Here is my favorite title to one of your Bill posts:
"After both Hillary, Bill pandered to the black community, Bill goes back to race-baiting."

[ProSense]

30. Bill Clinton is who he is. He also campaigned for Lincoln, which a lot of people didn't like.

Still, what does any of that have to do with his point?

[Bluenorthwest]

31. My point is not about his point but about your tactics

You have painted Clinton as everything short of a Republican in the past. Today you present him as a sage. That is what it is.

[ProSense]

33. Wait

"You have painted Clinton as everything short of a Republican in the past. Today you present him as a sage."

You think by disagreeing with some of Bill Clinton's political stances mean that he cannot say or do anything right?

Bill Clinton is not a Republican.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[johnaries]

41. THANK YOU! I give Bill credit when I think it's due, and criticize

when I think it's due. But overall I think he was a great President and that he certainly deserves more credit than criticism.

Similarly, I don't always agree with Obama. But I applaud him for all that he's accomplished and at least most of what he is trying to accomplish.

No one is perfect.

But I'm not going to criticize Obama here, because I don't want to be associated with those here who criticize Obama just to be critical and who refuse to recognize all the good that he has done and trying to do.

[Name removed]

48. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jefferson_dem]

47. Red herring.

Get a grip. One Dem President says good things about another Dem President... And this is the best you can do? Pitiful.

[VMI Dem]

42. Didn't you used to hammer this guy for the exact same shit that you defend Obama for?

[ProSense]

45. No. n/t

[Lindsey]

46. Go Pewsident Clinton. n/t

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

51. You know what's impressive

the entire Democratic caucus voting for health care reform.

[depakid]

52. LOL- that was indeed impressive...

turning exceptionally popular public policy into provisions into very unpopular and ineffective ones.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

54. It's nice to hear The Big Dog say this about our president. I wish others HERE ON DU would...

take heed and do the same. :)

[eridani]

57. He's certainly brilliant and empathetic

Unfortunately he, like all the rest of the DC crowd, is utterly clueless about the reality most of us have to deal with.

[opihimoimoi]

65. KICK n late R

[Orsino]

67. Well, of course he is. But who cares?

It won't matter, if the nation collapses despite his many talents.

The credit the president gets (or doesn't) is insignificant next to the problems three hundred million other Americans face.