Mitt Romney Uses Bill Clinton against Obama
Published in Le Figaro
(France) on 20 May 2012
by Véronique Saint-Geours (link to original)
Trying to use Bill Clinton against Obama, Mitt Romney wanted to appear strong, but instead he made a political blunder. It took place in Iowa during a speech on the national debt. And this was not the first time that the Republican candidate has attacked the former president, trying to drive a wedge between him and Obama. Does he want to test the Democratic "blue" blood of Clinton? Or play in the big leagues by attacking a former president who is seen as a heavyweight on the campaign trail now more than ever? The Washington Post called it "like poking a sleeping bear." Either way, it's too much for Romney. Clinton's response could prove beyond Romney’s means.
This is, indeed, stirring the pot. But the alleged offenses seem minimal. Bill Clinton criticized Barack Obama for focusing on problems and not solutions, as well as not being transparent or bipartisan enough. There may be some truth to this, but it would mean tackling Bill Clinton, a political force and 100 percent Democrat, and his strong, positive image among Americans ...
Of course, Romney's strategy seeks to recover a shifting electorate that does not always vote Democrat, but that favored Clinton versus Dole in 1996, Hillary over Obama in 2008 and then helped Obama to eventually win against McCain. Within this group there are businesspeople, moderates with social ideals and Blue Dogs, but also blue collars known as anti-elitist Jacksonians.
As noted by the Washington Post, which mocks Romney, it's often forgotten that there are several facts illustrating Bill Clinton's real loyalty to Obama.
1 - It's difficult to be more blue than the "blue"-blood Democrat Bill. No one in the country believes for a second that his Democratic faith is not exclusive. This doesn't prevent him from maintaining the image of a former president interested in national concerns and involved in public service projects, such as the reconstruction of Haiti or AIDS support programs in Africa.
2 - While Bill staunchly supported Hillary for her candidacy in 2008, he has now sided unambiguously with Obama and has repeatedly backed him with force. He increased his speeches during the difficult midterm elections of 2010 and supported Obama's compromise policy with Republicans after the lost elections in the House. And if certain initiatives, like his book, “Back to Work,” might seem like an instruction manual to revive the American economy, it was also a Democrat manifesto and a tool for the party. We also saw the reelection campaign video in which Clinton speaks in a very personal and positive manner on Obama's decision to eliminate bin Laden. Should we see in the words of Mitt Romney, renewed rumors from Ed Klein's book "The Amateur," where Bill Clinton — supposed to have treated Obama as an amateur — would see a 2012 ticket bearing Hillary’s name? Undoubtedly, and so what? All of this seems childish and unworthy of Obama's challenger.
3 - What is more predictable is Clinton's reaction toward Romney. This has already begun. The former president has, with his gentle voice, challenged Romney's budget plan before putting Romney himself into play by invoking a friend who will vote Republican to speak again of the famous "Etch A Sketch" quote by an adviser to the future Republican candidate — a kind of "erase everything and start over for the campaign in November." Bill Clinton is not finished reminding all voters that Romney has no convictions and is ready to pull out all the stops before Nov. 6.
This is, indeed, stirring the pot. But the alleged offenses seem minimal. Bill Clinton criticized Barack Obama for focusing on problems and not solutions, as well as not being transparent or bipartisan enough. There may be some truth to this, but it would mean tackling Bill Clinton, a political force and 100 percent Democrat, and his strong, positive image among Americans ...
Of course, Romney's strategy seeks to recover a shifting electorate that does not always vote Democrat, but that favored Clinton versus Dole in 1996, Hillary over Obama in 2008 and then helped Obama to eventually win against McCain. Within this group there are businesspeople, moderates with social ideals and Blue Dogs, but also blue collars known as anti-elitist Jacksonians.
As noted by the Washington Post, which mocks Romney, it's often forgotten that there are several facts illustrating Bill Clinton's real loyalty to Obama.
1 - It's difficult to be more blue than the "blue"-blood Democrat Bill. No one in the country believes for a second that his Democratic faith is not exclusive. This doesn't prevent him from maintaining the image of a former president interested in national concerns and involved in public service projects, such as the reconstruction of Haiti or AIDS support programs in Africa.
2 - While Bill staunchly supported Hillary for her candidacy in 2008, he has now sided unambiguously with Obama and has repeatedly backed him with force. He increased his speeches during the difficult midterm elections of 2010 and supported Obama's compromise policy with Republicans after the lost elections in the House. And if certain initiatives, like his book, “Back to Work,” might seem like an instruction manual to revive the American economy, it was also a Democrat manifesto and a tool for the party. We also saw the reelection campaign video in which Clinton speaks in a very personal and positive manner on Obama's decision to eliminate bin Laden. Should we see in the words of Mitt Romney, renewed rumors from Ed Klein's book "The Amateur," where Bill Clinton — supposed to have treated Obama as an amateur — would see a 2012 ticket bearing Hillary’s name? Undoubtedly, and so what? All of this seems childish and unworthy of Obama's challenger.
3 - What is more predictable is Clinton's reaction toward Romney. This has already begun. The former president has, with his gentle voice, challenged Romney's budget plan before putting Romney himself into play by invoking a friend who will vote Republican to speak again of the famous "Etch A Sketch" quote by an adviser to the future Republican candidate — a kind of "erase everything and start over for the campaign in November." Bill Clinton is not finished reminding all voters that Romney has no convictions and is ready to pull out all the stops before Nov. 6.