What is Lawrence O'Donnell's problem with Bill Clinton?

[UCLA02]

LO slammed Clinton on his show tonight. What gives? I watch the show about 3x/week and have not before noticed the contempt and sarcasm with which LO addressed at Clinton tonight.

[gateley]

1. Was he slamming Clinton generally or kvetching about

certain policies?

[UCLA02]

2. Sure...

I know some dems who had political and moral objections after the Clinton Administration, but any clue on O'Donnell's specific gripe? I know O'Donnell worked in the Senate for some time, and certainly would be considered an insider, but the sarcasm and contempt tonight was like none I'd seen from him when referring to a Democrat or liberal.

[UCLA02]

3. Sorry, didn't read your post w/subject line...

He was very sarcastic about Clinton when speaking with Howard Fineman about Clinton's desire to be in the spotlight and just say things that will get him attention. Clinton supposedly said some less-than-insulting things about Michelle Bachmann and O'Donnell's tone and words against Clinton were quite contemptuous.

Just curious. ;-)

[gateley]

11. Oh -- I don't recall hearing him diss Clinton previously.

Maybe he thinks all Dems should pile on Bachmann (I'd have to agree!). He can be sarcastic and contemptuous about anything/anyone. Thanks for clarifying -- I was just curious, too. :7

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. A lot of people who aren't conservative have a problem with Bill Clinton.

Haven't you noticed? O'Donnell calls himself a socialist; Clinton is a neo-Reaganite free trade advocate who pushed through welfare reform and NAFTA, who intensified the so-called "War on Drugs" (with the result that there were more Americans in prison at the end of his term than before it began), and I can go on and on with this. Honestly, find me anyone who is a genuine leftist who likes or admires Bill Clinton. (I haven't met many. People blinded to his faults by Democratic partisanship may, but that's something else.)

[Shagbark Hickory]

5. That's right. We "libs" aren't all one big happy family.

[dsc]

13. O'Donnell would have to look in several mirrors on the drug issue

He worked for one of the biggest drug warriors of them all in Moynihan. I think, frankly, he has Moynihan's contempt for Clinton but that it would be over the drug war is absurd.

[DURHAM D]

6. I have always assumed it was because Lawrence -

wanted a job he didn't get in the Clinton W.H. or campaign. Same with Tweety.

I like Lawrence but would never hire him. He is not a team player because he is a hot head, is very arrogant, and would not work well with others. However, I think he is great at what he is currently doing. Hope he stays put. We need him there.

[UTUSN]

7. This Wiki quote challenges what I thought about him, too:

"From 1989 to 1995, he was a key legislative aide to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.<3> From 1989 to 1991, he served as senior advisor to Moynihan. From 1992 to 1993, he was staff director of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, then chaired by Senator Moynihan. And then from 1993 to 1995, he was staff director of the United States Senate Committee on Finance, once again under Senator Moynihan’s chairmanship. He thus led the staff of the Senate's tax-writing committee during the consideration of President Bill Clinton's first budget, which Congress enacted in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993."


From the beginning, I thoroughly liked his Lib-ness and his fighting spirit, but (from the beginning) there was also, I thought, some of his disagreements on social programs, and I hear somewhere that he was a key staffer for MOYNIHAN who was supposedly anti-Dem social programs. But this Wiki quote above says he was also key to CLINTON's welfare reform, so?!1

And back in the day the word was that The West Wing was supposed to be about CLINTON and making CLINTON look good.

To me, he's as near 100% great as a Lib voice as there is. So how is he both a Socialist and behind CLINTON's welfare reform?


The absolutely GREAT parts are his detestation of Ahhhhnuld and his confrontations with wingnuts on the Scabs circus.

[TomClash]

8. Clinton said he is not surprised Bachmann is popular

Because she's "personable."

[unkachuck]

9. are you referring to poppy bushs' best friend and confidant, President Clinton?....n/t

[Maccagirl]

10. I'm pretty certain that the Bush/Clinton "lovefest" is one-sided.

You know Bill's fatal flaw of wanting to be liked at any cost.

[Odin2005]

12. Clinton is a RW douchebag.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. He thinks Clinton is a publicity hound.

Which, I guess, he is.