Bill Clinton Asks for a Second Chance

[WillyT]

<snip>

The morning after his wife, Hillary, was routed in three state contests by Sen. Barack Obama in their dead-heat battle for the Democratic nomination, former President Bill Clinton made his case for her before a packed Sunday service at one of the largest black churches in Washington, D.C.

But first he offered an apology of sorts for racially tinged comments he made about Obama and his candidacy that have triggered a backlash in the black community and among many other Democrats.

Clinton invoked his "worship of a God of second chances" in pronouncing himself glad to be at the House of Praise, which claims nearly 15,000 members. His invocation of second chances echoed comments he made early last week at black churches in California, where he campaigned for his wife before that state's Super Tuesday primary, which she won.

Clinton had been criticized for asserting that Obama's characterization of his position on the Iraq war is a "fairy tale" and for comparing Obama's resounding victory in South Carolina to failed presidential candidate Jesse Jackson's wins there in the '80s. He has softened his tone on the trail considerably since, and a few days ago, he told an NBC reporter in Maine that he has learned he can promote his wife but that she has to defend herself.

His mini-mea culpa on Sunday, which came two days before voters in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland will go to the polls and just hours before his wife's campaign manager stepped down, was politely received. He did get a warm initial standing ovation after church leader Bishop Glen Staples, a longtime Baptist minister, introduced Clinton as "one of the greatest—if not the greatest—presidents."

Staples didn't mention candidate Hillary, but ticked off a list of Clinton administration accomplishments that he said helped the black community, including job creation that contributed to lowering African-American unemployment more than 6 percent.

<snip>

Link: http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/02/11/bill-clinton-asks-for-a-second-chance.html

:shrug:

[Lerkfish]

1. I'll say it: bi-zarre.

especially considering how everyone kept claiming the remarks were NOT racially tinged.

I'm glad, sort of, that he's apologizing, but I also realize if the racial remarks had WORKED we'd be having no apologies.

[jkshaw]

9. And the pundits were saying that his

attacks HAD worked, remember?

[Lerkfish]

24. I would say the pundits were wrong, either way, we got no apologies until

AFTER she lost a lot of states.

[HeraldSquare212]

2. "My first strategy failed, please let me try again." nt

[Kahuna]

21. Yeah. Now I'll just use hispanics to drive a wedge...There's more of

them anyway... :banghead:

[bigdarryl]

3. Bill i love you BUT its time for a change no more BUSH CLINTON

[Tellurian]

12. Nah, I'm afraid of electing a "Cult Leader"..

Historically, they've all come to NO-GOOD.

I'll take my chances on the Clintons!

http://www.taylormarsh.com/images2/hillaryclinton_wideweb__470x308,02.jpg

[polpilot]

4. 'worship of a God of second chances'?

3rd chances, 4th chances, 5th chances...

[JVS]

25. In my denomination, we call it forgiveness. But maybe Bill isn't fond of that term.

[Dogmudgeon]

5. You can't beat the narrative

If the Press says you did it, then you did it.

This is why we're suspicious of the Press -- unless they are telling us what we want to hear.

--p!

[Political Heretic]

6. That's just weird.

I don't really know what to say about it.

[Debi]

7. How many second chances does one guy get? n/t

[Tatiana]

8. I forgive him. I know it's just because he wants to win.

If only our Congressional Dems had half the drive....

[DJ13]

10. Cue the tears

Bill's used them himself in the past when he needed sympathy.

[Tatiana]

11. I forgive him. I know it's just because he wants to win.

If only our Congressional Dems had half the drive....

[WillyT]

13. You Said That... You Said That...

You Ok???

:shrug:

[Tatiana]

17. Yeah. There's a little part of me that feels sorry for him.

Just a little.

Obama will still, God-willing, pull out the victory. And Hillary will have a lot of time to think about how she conducted her first presidential campaign.

[WillyT]

18. True...

:hi:

[XemaSab]

14. I think Bill's spent too much time sleeping on the sofa

to only be on his SECOND chance. :P

[ShortnFiery]

15. ...

Very wry. ;) :hi:

[thevoiceofreason]

16. I'd say it's about a seventh chance

[Kahuna]

19. If he stops, Hillary or someone else will carry on. Tucker quoted her as

saying, Obama won Louisiana because he's black. So there. And since Lanny Davis didn't dispute it, she must have really said it.

[my3boyz]

20. Bill Clinton can

kiss my butt! I'm an African American woman that has defended Bill Clinton til the end. I was FURIOUS at the Republicans for always trying to find something on him. I was furious when they impeached him for something that happened in his personal life (should have remained between him and Hillary..if she wants to accept that behaviour than so be it). I overlooked his lie about Lewinsky (even thought I knew he was lying while wagging that finger) because I still thought it was a personal matter. HOWEVER, it ticked me off when he ABSOLUTELY LIED about Barack and then ends with (I'm not lying..I'm telling the truth!) when he absolutely knew he was lying. I don't know why he could not have continued on as he did pre-Iowa. I had absolutely NO PROBLEM with him comparing Barack and his wife. I had no problem with him saying that she would be a better president. THAT IS HIS WIFE...HE BETTER FIGHT FOR HER!! Especially, for the way she has stuck by him. However, he stepped WAY OVER THE LINE when he started lying about Barack and putting out racial codes.

[WillyT]

22. Couldn't Have Said It Better !!! - Exactly !!!

:yourock:

[Iktomiwicasa]

23. You tell em! eom