Bill Clinton criticizes Obama's Bain attacks, praises Romney's ‘sterling business career'

[dkf]

Former President Bill Clinton suggested in a television interview Thursday that he believes President Obama's re-election campaign should stop trashing Mitt Romney's work in the private equity industry.

In an interview with CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight," Clinton, a top Obama surrogate who is set to raise cash with the president next week, directly contradicted Democrats who have attacked Romney's business record, suggesting it does qualify him for president.

"I think he had a good business career," Clinton told guest host Harvey Weinstein, a movie mogul who is one of Obama's top fundraisers. "There's no question that in terms of getting up and going to the office and, you know, basically performing the essential functions of the office, the man who has been governor and had a sterling business career crosses the qualification threshold."

Adding that he has "friends" in the private equity business," Clinton suggested it was dangerous for Democrats to go after Romney's record at Bain Capital—adding that in private equity, "like everything else you try, you don't always succeed" in saving companies or making them more productive.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/bill-clinton-criticizes-obamas-bain-attacks-praises-romneys/story?id=16474493#.T8jeqWt5mSM

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

1. And you just love it. Don't you. nt

[Kingofalldems]

9. Now I'm convinced

[Fumesucker]

2. ...

[Nancy Waterman]

3. Why is Clinton not attacking Romney's outrageous baldfaced LIES!!!

The country is drowning in Romney's sludge and everyone complains that Obama is being critical of a vulture capitalist.
Makes me sick!

[spanone]

4. while reThugs stay on message.....

[cthulu2016]

5. I must be consistent. Fuck you, Bill.

Clinton has a brilliant style of damning the opposition with faint praise so sometimes his seemingly RW enabling remarks are actually clever stilettos.

But in this case he's just being an asshole. At best it's Cory Booker lite... and I expect more from Clinton than from a mayor.

I have no doubt that Clinton earnestly believes that the Bain strategy is a political loser, and he's the best politician I've ever seen. His opinion on the question may be valuable political advice.

But it is not valuable in public.

So fuck you Bill.

(But proud daddy props for defending your daughter's corrupt industry)

[whathehell]

7. I second that....What team does he play for, anyway?...Total jerk. n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Neo-libs of a feather....

[Arugula Latte]

8. What the Eff?

[Bluerthanblue]

10. well,

he has more than friends in the private equity business. Chelsea and her husband.


But people seem to be missing something in this- what Pres. Clinton cited as the "qualification threshold"-

"of getting up and going to the office and, you know, basically performing the essential functions of the office, the man who has been governor and had a sterling business career crosses the qualification threshold."

that's the threshold necessary for the Presidency?

[kenny blankenship]

11. I'm not an Obama fan, but

I am learning to HATE Bill Clinton.

[Zalatix]

12. More examples of Democrats eating their own.

Thanks, Billie, your wife lost in 2008 and you're hell bent on sticking the knife in and twisting it to get payback.

Well played. For which team, is anyone's guess.

[monmouth]

13. Seems the "surrogates" are the ones that should be vetted...n/t

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

14. Please stop helping, Bill - you've done enough

Clinton's words may have very well decided this election. He's heaping on praise for Romney's track record as a sterling businessman which is his greatest Achilles heel. You can bet that campaign ads from Republicans will be trumpeting this non-stop. Cory Booker is an unknown name for the majority of Americans. Bill Clinton has tremendous name recognition. I don't think we can overestimate the extremely negative impact these words will have on the campaign. If Obama has to fight both Romney and Clinton for re-election then it's going to be tough. It's hard to imagine how Bill Clinton could have done Obama more harm than by these words.

[Bake]

15. I"ve been a fan of the Big Dog, but this is just f***ed up!

Yo, Bill--you're not helping. So please shut the f**k up.

Bake

[deaniac21]

16. .

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