Has Bill Clinton Endorsed Obama?

[MannyGoldstein]

I can't find a single endorsement - only a one-line statement from a representative that says he'll work to get Obama elected.

Anyone have a link to something better?

[MonkeyFunk]

1. No, and he's not going to

he's going to campaign for McCain. Is that what you want to hear?

[MannyGoldstein]

3. No, It's Certainly Not What I Want To Hear

But I would like to get this straight.

[MonkeyFunk]

24. So the other thread on which you were discussing this isn't enough?

You couldn't get the "clarification" you wanted in that thread? You had to start a new one to stir up shit.

[MannyGoldstein]

28. Nope

Not everyone reads every post on every thread, but everyone reads the headline on the top post. I wanted to double check that my understanding was correct but passing it across enough eyeballs. While The Clintons have never appealed to me, I'd really like to be wrong about what's going on here - it's hurting all Democrats.

Don't you think that it's at least a little unusual that a former Democratic president took three weeks to issue a statement that's at all supportive of the Democratic nominee? And that it's far less than a full-throated endorsement?

[MonkeyFunk]

35. No, I don't think it's unusual

He has already pledged to support him, nad he'll be a big help. He doesn't have to do it on your schedule.

It's like all the silly outrage that Hillary didn't endorse him on the schedule some here wanted. Then, a few days later, she went above and beyond what most of you expected, and will continue to do so.

[SwampG8r]

16. no one wants to hear that /nt

[beachmom]

2. Yes, there was a statement. It was several sentences long, but

it basically said he was going to support Obama in becoming the next POTUS. Maybe someone has a link handy.

[ccharles000]

4. That one-line statement was an endorsement.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. This Is An Endorsement?

More like an "I guess he's better than McCain"

From http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,181743...

Former President Clinton said through a spokesman Tuesday that he is committed to helping Barack Obama become president, his first comments in support of his wife's former rival since their primary ended three weeks ago. Former President Clinton said through a spokesman Tuesday that he is committed to helping Barack Obama become president, his first comments in support of his wife's former rival since their primary ended three weeks ago....

Bill Clinton extended an offer to help in a one-sentence statement from spokesman Matt McKenna.

"President Clinton is obviously committed to doing whatever he can and is asked to do to ensure Senator Obama is the next president of the United States," McKenna said.

[ccharles000]

9. It looks like one to me.

[SwampG8r]

17. me too

and ive been an obama man for a long time

[sourmilk]

33. What part of "he is committed to helping Barack Obama become president"

do you NOT understand?

[QC]

34. Support is not enough for some of these people: only worship will do. n/t

[papapi]

5. What you have is all I've seen . . .

a 'sort of' endorsement.

[grantcart]

7. they simply didn't want to upstage Senator Clinton and her endorsement

this is a false issue the media is hyping

I don't think we need to worry about it at DU

[hokies4ever]

20. Yeah, but listen to that Mayhill Fowler taping of Bill Clinton

and you see why there is the perception that Bill isn't exactly on board yet.

[grantcart]

37. yeah and people are falling for it all over the place

simply makes for yet another great reunification show in a week.

I am sorry but knowing Bill Clinton as we all do the idea that he would sit on the sidelines and not somehow get his two cents in during the greatest presidential election in a century (from a historical point of view).

I guarantee that once Bill is back on the team they are going to have a hard time shutting him up.lol

Bill Clinton has lived for elections like these and the idea that he could get his feelings hurt after everything that has been said about him is very funny.

[RNdaSilva]

27. Agree and logical...

there will be a second "unification" very, very soon. Just not in Unity.

[Duder]

8. Obama, Bill Clinton meeting said set

'(CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton are expected to meet in the next few days, according to the chairman of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful presidential bid.

Terry McAuliffe said the former president was angered by media reports suggesting he bore a grudge against Obama after the Illinois Democrat’s at-times bruising primary campaign against his wife and did not plan to actively support Obama in the general election.

“He was angry that these ridiculous stories were out here, and these supposed close friends of the president — none of the close friends ever got called,” McAuliffe said, referring to anonymous sources quoted in some stories. “What happens, a lot of time, is people like to pretend they’re close so they can tell the reporters that they’re close, but, you know, they’re just talking.”'

[tularetom]

10. I think it's more important to Clinton than it is to Obama

Bill made such a buffoon of himself during the primaries that the best (maybe the only) way for him to redeem himself is by enthusiastically campaigning for the party's nominee. Obviously the fact that Obama won with Bill's outright opposition puts Bill in the position of approaching irrelevance. Obama will say the right thing, as he always does, but he really doesn't need a half hearted "endorsement" from Clinton like the one Gore received in 2000, nor does he need the poor old guy out there sabotaging his platform, like Clinton did to Kerry in 2004 by speaking publicly about his support of the Iraq war at a time when Kerry was stressing his opposition.

The Democratic party has moved beyond Bill Clinton and if he does not campaign for Obama he will quickly fade into obscurity. If he supports the party he can appear as an elder statesman. I think it's totally up to him.

[MannyGoldstein]

11. It's Important For Obama, For Clinton, And For All Democrats

I agree with your assessment of Bill's behavior during the primaries. However:

1. The Clintons both seem to appeal to certain groups of Democrats that are less enthusiastic about Obama
2. A full-throated endorsement of Obama will do much to paper over Bill's meltdown during the primaries.

[DeschutesRiver]

21. He needs to endorse soon and without the need for an interpreter

Many have endorsed Obama - Richardson, Gore, Kerry, Hillary - and no one is asking if their words really were an endorsement or not. We know by the certainty of their statement from their own lips.

This is not beyond Bill's capability to do instantly, if he means to do it. I don't like him now in his later years, nor do I endorse his previous tenure in office like I used to do (he isn't the only politician of which I am not fond). But that doesn't diminish the power his words and deeds hold for others, or the worth of an unequivocable endorsement.

Or the suggestions implied by a less than certain statement of "support if asked". If he fixes it, he ought to get a pass. If he doesn't, he ought to and will fall into obscurity. I just read somewhere that Bill and Obama were going to meet, maybe it was a McAuffie statement, not sure.

[SwampG8r]

19. if he works for obama he IS an elder statesman/nt

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lisa58]

14. I just read that...

...this just gets sadder and sadder.

[goldcanyonaz]

38. Yes, it is sad when people take gossip for fact

[MonkeyFunk]

22. So, knowing full well that such threads have been locked

repeatedly, you still post the story?

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MonkeyFunk]

23. That's ALL he did?

Were you here for the 90s?

[The_Casual_Observer]

15. There is plenty of time for that yet.

[goldcanyonaz]

18. Both Hillary and Bill cut Obama a check for $2300 each and Bill is meeting with Obama soon

[Hieronymus]

25. The Telegraph ran this piece.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/2211812/Bill-Clinton-says-Barack-Obama-must-'kiss-my-ass'-for-his-support.html

[MonkeyFunk]

26. Yes

and it's been locked here repeatedly.

[JTFrog]

30. Since when is it against DU rules to link to the telegraph?

[MonkeyFunk]

36. I didn't say it was against the rules to link to the telegraph

but that particular story has been locked here repeatedly in the last day or two for being unsourced gossip from a right-wing tabloid.

[barack the house]

29. He really should of been first out the door to endorse, it is in their 's best intrests to work...

with Obama he holds the keys to cabinet postion or otherwise really.

[mtnsnake]

31. Why should he? I thought he was the best Republican president we ever had (snicker)

Only makes sense that Bill is going to be campaigning for John McCain. I heard that Bill is already writing speeches for him, playing golf with him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the two of them are going to embark on a 50 state Christian mission together.

[JTFrog]

32. Hmm, I don't think McCain looks a bit like George Sr., but I can see getting them mixed up. n/t