John Nichols: Bill Clinton Campaigns... Against Ted Kennedy

[marmar]

from The Nation:




BLOG | Posted 02/03/2008 @ 2:17pm
Bill Clinton Campaigns... Against Ted Kennedy



Do we think a certain former president might still be smarting over Ted Kennedy's decision to endorse Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton?

Bill Clinton tried hard to land the endorsement of the senator from Massachusetts for his wife. Plenty of cajoling and calling was expended in the effort during the hectic month of January. But Kennedy, offended by Bill Clinton's racially-tinged campaigning in South Carolina, finally went for his younger colleague from Illinois.

With the senator's move came much of the Kennedy clan -- including, most recently, Ethel Kennedy, the widow of the first family of liberalism's most iconic campaigner, Bobby Kennedy -- and a critical boost for Obama going into the Super Tuesday primaries.

Bill Clinton could have been gracious.

Instead, he's now slipping digs at the senior Kennedy into his remarks while campaigning before Democratic audiences in key states.

On Thursday in Arizona, the former president said, "I want you to think about this, and I have to say, this was a train wreck that was not intended. No Child Left Behind was supported by George Bush and Sen. Ted Kennedy and everybody in between. Why? Because they didn't talk to enough teachers before they did that."

No Child Left Behind -- the Bush administration's federal education initiative that mandated much new testing but offered scant new funding -- is exceptionally unpopular with teachers and other prime Democratic voting blocs.

In case anyone thought that the complaint about Kennedy was an off-hand reference, Bill Clinton voiced a similar dig on the Massachusetts senator Friday at a campaign stop in Arkansas, which will hold its primary on Tuesday. Speaking to 400 educators and students in Texarkana, the former president said No Child Left Behind exists in its current form because "the President made a deal with Senator Kennedy..."

Kennedy, long a key player on education issues in the Congress, did indeed play a role in shaping and passing No Child Left Behind.

But in a campaign season that has not been without its cynical statements, these comments by the former president stand out.

It's not just that, after trying so hard to secure Kennedy's endorsement for his wife, Clinton is now linking the senator with Bush in front of Democratic audiences.

What Bill Clinton fails to spell out on the campaign trail is that Hillary Clinton was an ally of Ted Kennedy in promoting No Child Left Behind. She voted for the No Child Left Behind Act when it passed the Senate in 2001, and has declared that, "I believe that every child should be taught by a qualified teacher and that schools should be accountable to the parents of the children they serve. That is why I supported the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 and continue to believe in the principles behind the landmark law." .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=279615

[blm]

1. And many DC Dems supported Bush on IWR because YOU ADVISED them to, Bill.

Just as you advised Tony Blair to stand with Bush on Iraq, Bill.

Brag about THAT, you vindictive, Bushloving blowhole.

[EFerrari]

3. Is the party mainstream turning on the Clintons?

I'm trying to figure out the sides in this power struggle.

[blm]

5. I think the progressive Kennedy wing of the party is while the DLCers cling like

barnacles to the SS Clinton's sinking vessel.

[EFerrari]

8. I hope they keep it up because the DLC got us exactly here. n/t

[blm]

16. Well I hope this is a suicide bombing of the entire Fascist wing of the party.

Keep talking Bill.

[flpoljunkie]

7. Thought of you when Hil said in debate, it would take another Clinton to clean up after another Bush

The media pretended they'd never heard this month's old line.

That said, as you have posted many times on DU, not only did Bill Clinton not clean up after George H. W. Bush, he swept everything under the rug. Rich for Hillary to try and peddle this ridiculous assertion. But hey, the dissembling media bought it!

[Submariner]

2. So now the DLC (Billary) are trashing the bastion of Liberalism?

That's a fine democratic Party we have there. Go F yourself Bill.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. He'll Do For Ted What He Did For Obama

Awesome. Thanks Bill!

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Bill never was a member of the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party,

and he and Teddy have been bumping heads across that divide for many years. Now, of course, the Primary season puts a little extra juice into the situation. I hope, if Hillary gets the nod, she turns out to be more liberal than Bill. In the meantime, every unjustifiable little pebble Bill throws like this one pushes me a little closer to Obama.

4 years of a Bush was more than enough, and I'm beginning to get the sense that 8 years of a Clinton is also enough. Hillary comes with a lot of baggage, at least in my eyes.

[jasmine621]

9. Uh, i believe Ted came out against them first. nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

12. Uh, I believe Teddy will win this one. nt

[gaiilonfong]

10. Bill Clinton is TRASH and has DESTROYED the Democratic Party

BEFORE and will TRY and do it again, but we WON'T LET that megalomaniac LOSER do it again.


Get rid of the ClintonSSSS

[TexasObserver]

11. Bill has become Barack's secret weapon

Never has a surrogate so thoroughly hurt his candidate.

[Tarheel_Dem]

13. I could not agree more...

If the Obama campaign were smart, they'd do a montage of all the inappropriate soundbites by Clinton surrogates, and make a two minute ad featuring Bob Johnson, Big Dog, Bill Shaheen, Andrew Cuomo and all the other buffoons with foot-in-mouth disease. That would give America a pretty good idea of the kind of divisive scorched earth politics we've come to expect from the Clintons. Not looking forward to that for the next four years.

[kickitup]

14. Somebody needs to do one and put it on youtube

Maybe somebody that's a lot more capable than I can do something like that.

[blm]

15. Yep. Kerry's and Kennedy's interviews are always civil and sharp and informative

while Bill's are spin - spin - spin and low level attacks.