Is there a reservoir of untapped, displaced anger at Bill Clinton for his past transgressions?

[rudy23]

It reminds me of the way Bush's base got angry over Harriet Miers. They held their tongue on so many issues, but for some reason, the Miers nomination was the straw that broke the camel's back. Once it did, then they started piling on their criticism like an avalanche. Their complaining snowballed once it became "safe" to do so, and they saw that their misery had plenty of company.

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like I've defended Bill Clinton so many times over the last 10 years that if he makes one more Rovian attack this campaign, the floodgates will open up. The levee's really about to break here--there's a lot of anger at Clinton that I've really just buried all this time, and it never really went away completely. I'm starting to realize this over the course of these primaries.

I'm wondering if this is my personal take, or if anyone else is seeing the same sort of thing taking place. I see it in others, but that could just be me projecting my feelings onto others. Any thoughts?

[eagleswing963]

1. I tend to agree.

And it is not you rudy23

This campaign is coming down to which jerk to elect sadly!

Personally I liked Bill when he was in charge, warts and all. I was not out of work anytime during his 8 years.

Under Bush, I was out of work 27 months!!!

But I am sick of defending him. His wife is an adult. Time to let her stand or fall!

[jgraz]

2. I don't think it's untapped or displaced

And it has nothing to do with past "transgressions" (assuming you're talking about his one famous "transgression").

This has been the Clintons' SOP since I first encountered them in 1992. Back then it was Jerry Brown who was the victim of their lies and it was Hillary who was playing the role of dishonest attack dog.

They were able to pull it off in 92, mostly because Bill was the candidate and Jerry Brown doesn't have the most "user-friendly" personality.

I doubt it's going to work in their favor again. This time, the target is waaay more charismatic than their candidate.

[hedgehog]

4. I have to admit, I've been unhappy with Bill Clinton since 1992

when he knocked off several candidates I preferred.

[hedgehog]

3. You can't possibly mean tht you're tired of having serious discussions

of the war in Iraq, global warming, health policy, jobs policy, trade policy, college costs etc sidetracked into a defense of Clinton's right to privacywhen he wanted to have oral sex?

[tularetom]

5. Clinton was an OK president overall

and I did well financially during his term. He never was the embodiment of political courage. But the main reason I liked him was that all the nutcases became livid at the mention of his name. Now he seems to go out of his way to suck up to the same people that spent years trashing him. And he seems to be more vigorous in attacking other Dems than in striking back at the people who still hate his guts. To me he's a spineless p***y and not worthy of my support anymore.

[MethuenProgressive]

6. Lots of people on DU hate Hillary because Bill cheated on her.

They mention Monica more often than NAFTA.

[livetohike]

7. I'm afraid that if Hillary is the nominee we will be reminded

by the MSM of everything that transpired regarding Monica Lewinsky....

I was disappointed in Bill Clinton when all that news came to light. I can remember how proud I was when he was elected to the first time. A baby boomer like me gets to the White House. There was a lot of hope that things would change for the better. I think he did many good things in office.

Maybe I am angry that he screwed up everything for Gore back then.

[rudy23]

17. That's where most of my anger is coming from

His ego has done an enormous amount of damage, to Gore's campaign, to Kerry's campaign, and now to Obama's political future as a viable spokesman for the party, should he not get the nomination.

NAFTA, the Telecom Act of '96, school uniforms, the war on drugs---it's all piling up, and suddenly it's not so easy to defend these positions anymore.

[ShortnFiery]

8. Yes, If Bill Clinton, when caught with the DNA evidence had "the grace" to resign

we would be enjoying "President Gore" right now and looking forward to ANOTHER Democrat being elected to The Presidency of the United States of America. :shrug:

I'm sickened at The Clintons sense of entitlement that translates into "sheer arrogance."

Bottom Line: I'm just tired of The Clintons holding onto power. Their time has come and GONE.

Don't go away angry Big Dog, but do please GO AWAY?!? :(

[David Zephyr]

12. ShortnFiery, this is a very valid point that I've made to. He should have resigned.

In our fury to defend Bill against the right-wing zealots, a bigger truth was ignored: Bill embarrassed himself, his wife and the office he holds.

He should have had the grace to resign and, if he had, Al Gore would still be president today.

I wrote an OP here called the "Butterfly Effects of a Blowjob" years ago. It's more relevant today than ever before with 4,000 soldiers dead in Iraq.

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. Resign for a blowjob? Don't be silly. The world would have laughed.

You might want to remember that the blowjob came after YEARS of persecution on the trumped up Whitewater crap.

Monica was at the bottom of my list of things that disappointed me about Clinton. it doesn't even register.

[OHdem10]

9. Even the GOP is smart enough to realize this stuff is not

going to help them. Sure people like Hannity but remember Hannity
supporters would never vote for a Democrat anyway.

I saw a program where serious Republicans realize this is not
their best approach.

[Hart2008]

10. I don't think the pary is aware of all of his Transgressions, and they aren't all sexual.

At the convention in '88, Clinton delivered a key note address that was closer to a filibuster. He just went on, and on, and on, until he was booed off the stage. (The cheers were only when he finished.) It wasn't the kind of speech that was given to help the nominee. Dukakis. That kind of performance only hurt the party, but it did put the national spotlight on Bill Clinton, and he wanted that for as long as possible.

The Clinton's helped sabotage the campaign Dem front runner in '88, Gary Hart.

Roger Morris, a former NSC advisor to LBJ and who resigned from the job in protest of Nixon's invasion of Cambodia, (Not Dick Morris, the Republican consultant Bill hired to "triangulate",) documents this in his book Partners In Power on pages 433-434.

It happened after Bill flunked his interview to become Hart's V.P. Hart said Clinton, "doesn't believe in anything". (Quote from Falling Up, by Ray Strothers, a political consultant who worked for both Hart and Clinton.)

No one from the '88 Hart campaign has disputed what Morris wrote. Seeing Bush, Sr., and Clinton paling around hasn't done anything to change anyone's mind. Bill Clinton is on better terms with the Bushes than he is with the Carters.

That should tell you all you need to know about what a good Democrat he is.

How far did the Clinton's go in sabotaging Hart in '88?

One Hart supporter has gone so far as to question whether the infamous Monkey Business photo and the anonymous phone calls to the Miami Herald by a self-described female "liberal Democrat" came from the Clinton camp via James Carville:
http://hometown.aol.com/__121b_0afLNI7qbUQwMYpMM0GvravCWeXG2JfkJDi+7Hre1vo=

:mad:

[David Zephyr]

11. You make a very valid observation. There is untapped resentment for having had to defend his blowjob

Bill Clinton lied to his staff. He sent them out everyday to defend him knowing all along that he was lying to them and setting them up to be embarrassed if the truth about his sordid behavior with an intern was revealed.

I defended him both before the revelation of his blow job and after the revelation.

But watching him now getting red-faced and twisting (lying) Barack's words is simply too much.

He is really beginning to make me sick.

[JackORoses]

13. yes, Bill has really never answered for many of his transgressions

did he ever admit to lying directly to the American public?
did he ever explain Marc Rich?
did he ever admit that his near impeachment likely cost Gore the 2000 election?

No. He hasn't.

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. Define 'transgressions'.

I don't give a crap about Monica. I don't care if he parses the definition of 'is'.

NAFTA - that's a transgression of Democratic principles.
Welfare reform - that's a transgression of Democratic principles.
War on Drugs - ditto
DOMA - ditto
DADT - ditto

These were the things I was unhappy about when he was in office. Still unhappy about them.

[awaysidetraveler]

16. Yeah, I think we're all angry about the lies. Bill and Hillary undermined the democratic party.

And they did it by lying.

[OzarkDem]

18. Only among freepers

Who have always been jealous of the awesome power of the Clenis.

[Hart2008]

19. Spoken like a true child of the darkness, who knows not a real Democratic Congress.

With a real Speaker of the House who isn't afraid to confront a Republican President and uphold the Constitution.