"Follow Olympia"? Please tell me Bill Clinton was joking

[Dr Robert]

When former President Bill Clinton walked into the Capitol this afternoon for luncheon with Senate Democrats, he pushed a healthcare proposal championed by Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe. But based on the context of his comments he was probably more joking and courteous, than serious.

"I'm gonna tell them Olympia is right. They ought to follow Olympia," he said with a big grin as he walked away. Snowe's proposal would allow a public option to be "triggered" in states only if private companies failed to offer affordable insurance plans.

As was written in First Thoughts this morning, Clinton has strong ties to the Senate centrists who could very well decide the fate of the health-care bill in the Senate. Clinton was governor when Ben Nelson served as governor of Nebraska; Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor just happen to represent Clinton’s home state of Arkansas; and Clinton and Joe Lieberman used to be very close personally and ideologically -- before the Lewinsky scandal. During the 2008 campaign, Clinton seemed to find his stride campaigning in red America -- in places that are similar politically to Arkansas, Nebraska, Indiana, etc. Clinton's at his best when he's giving others political advice, and he excels at framing an argument better than just about anyone on the political stage.

Clinton had just passed the metal detector at what's called the Senate's "carriage entrance." After Clinton's staff told him he didn't have to walk through the metal detector, he spotted Snowe.

Snowe and Clinton have a long history both inside and outside of Washington. Snowe is the wife of former Maine Gov. John McKernan. Clinton and McKernan crossed paths during their tenures as governors. Snowe and Hillary Clinton crossed paths as governor's wives and later as senators.
Clinton shook Snowe's hand, and there was some faint talk of healthcare as well as his upcoming meeting with Democrats. But after a minute or so, I asked Clinton what his message would be for the Democratic caucus. With his classic smile and laugh, he said simply, "Ask them, 'When I get finished?' "
Before he walked away, he shook Snowe's hand a final time. "I'm gonna tell them Olympia is right," he said. "They ought to follow Olympia."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/11/10/2123931.aspx

Just what the Hell is Bill Clinton up to?

Please tell me this is just some shit reporting from Chuck Todd's crew.
He was just telling people to follow her through the metal detector, right?

[IndianaGreen]

1. Perhaps he wants to get into Snowe's pants

She sure needs something, but not at our expense!

[ProSense]

2. He's trying to protect Lieberman.

How else does one interpret that statement?

He campaigned his heart out for Lieberman.

[IndianaGreen]

3. I rather swap Joe Lieberman for Avigdor Lieberman

They are both hateful racists, but Avigdor has personality.

[Dr Robert]

5. doesn't Israel have National Healthcare?

[IndianaGreen]

7. Yes, and Israel also has LGBTs serving openly in the military

[Dr Robert]

10. how can Lieberman oppose Single Payer then? If its good enough for Israel, why is it bad for the US?

What a hypocritical bastard!

(ps Its good that we can sometimes agree on something, IG. Lieberman is a piece of trash.)

[burning rain]

16. The topic is healthcare, & Bubba's involvement in the issue,....

and yet some people still can't resist reaching for the Liberman-Jew-Israel stuff. Revealing, isn't it?

[IndianaGreen]

23. The only thing revealing is your paranoia

and I was not the one that first mentioned Lieberman, who would be considered a traitor in any political party, including those in other countries.

[Dr Robert]

4. God damn Joe Lieberman!

[ej510]

6. Well he is a conservative democrat in the blue dog mode.

[itsrobert]

8. Probably joking...

From the article:

"But based on the context of his comments he was probably more joking and courteous, than serious."

[Dr Robert]

12. You can't ever trust the shit that comes out of FirstRead. They consistently spin Anti-Obama.

Bill needs to tell them to put up a :sarcasm: tag

[high density]

9. Snowe's most recent talk has been completely against a public option

I don't think she's even for her own trigger proposal anymore.

[tblue]

11. And I had high hopes for this gathering. Stick to your day job, Bill.

[TwilightZone]

13. "based on the context of his comments he was probably more joking and courteous, than serious."

It's right there in the article.

[Aramchek]

14. the point is that this is the kind of controversy that Chuck Todd spins out of nothing

what an ultimate dufus!

[WCGreen]

17. come on, if Todd didn't spin shit, he would actually have to do some reporting...

[Aramchek]

18. he should shave. most of the real news gets stuck in his goatee

[TwilightZone]

19. Yes, he does seem to do that rather often.

I try to ignore him whenever possible, which ends up being most of the time.

[burning rain]

15. Nothing senators like more than being stroked.

He'd just spoken with Snowe, so he may well have been doing just that.

[rvablue]

20. +1! Exactly! n/t

[euphoria12leo]

21. I'm sick of hearing about Olympia Snowe

However, she really should get her act together (no trigger) because the teabaggers are lurking and they're coming after her.


:banghead:

[Beacool]

22. Bill was joking.

It even says so in the article.

Geez...........

:eyes: