Bill Clinton: NH's primary didn't follow the rules

[NewHampshireDem]

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=e87c0a57-171a-43fd-b0ea-003a3b288bcc&headline=Bill+Clinton%3a+NH%27s+primary+didn%27t+follow+the+rules

Former President Bill Clinton complained yesterday that the Democratic National Committee “let New Hampshire go out of turn” in holding its leadoff primary but then punished Democrats in Michigan and Florida for holding early primaries also out of compliance with the party’s rules.

Clinton referred to New Hampshire while telling voters in Indiana that his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, is more electable in the November general election than Barack Obama and that votes in Florida and Michigan should not be disenfranchised.

<snip>

Bill Clinton, in South Bend, Ind., on Monday, said his wife “can win this race, and we have got to win. And she will win in Florida. And I must say that this new strategy of denying and disempowering and disenfranchising the voters in Florida and Michigan is, I believe, a terrible mistake. Hillary believes their votes should be counted. And I don’t know how we’re going to go to those people in the general election and say you got to vote for us even though we dumped all over you in the primary. We let New Hampshire go out of turn. They had a Democratic secretary of state. The Florida voters are totally innocent. They asked to vote on time. So for all those reasons I think she’s the most electable.”

<snip>
Republican strategist Tom Rath said Bill Clinton’s remarks could come back to haunt Hillary Clinton in the general election in New Hampshire, if she is the Democratic nominee.

He noted that New Hampshire “saved” Hillary Clinton’s campaign, and, “It’s odd that you point a finger at the place that gave you a life preserver.”

Rath also said Bill Clinton was “one of the few people I’ve ever heard to refer to Bill Gardner in partisan terms. It was really bizarre.”

Whew ... I really don't understand this. I guess even though NH went to Hillary, we're not good enough. I hate to include the last three graphs, but those were my first thoughts as I read the article: in 2004 we finally joined the rest of New England and went blue, but it's tenuous--especially since McCain is really popular there. And remember, too, that we were within a Nader's edge of going for Gore in 2000.

[madfloridian]

1. This is shameful from a former president.

They are hurting the party.

[FARAFIELD]

2. I think the Big Dog is

Gone in the head

[XemaSab]

16. Someone better check the hamburger in the White House freezer

:crazy:

[BeyondGeography]

3. How do the New Hampshire Hillarians feel about this?

Anyone?

[berni_mccoy]

15. Like she just lost NH in the GE if she is the nominee... NH voters are not party-liners

[babylonsister]

4. Is this how the big dawg is changing the subject? How silly. nt

[redqueen]

5. I can't believe he's even trying this.

He's not a dumbass, so why pretend he is just to try to score political points?

[NewHampshireDem]

6. I should have also added

That NH has 2 Dems for Reps currently, but both could be in tight races in November, as will Jeanne Shaheen, who is currently polling ahead in her Senate race. While this story isn't likely to stay on the national stage for long, I can tell you that NH cares very, very deeply about having the First in the Nation Primary, and I guarantee this story will be all over the NH media for at least the next week--and Bill's comments will be raised each time anyone discusses our primary's status.

[nomaco-10]

7. The rules don't apply to the clintons....

The caucuses aren't fair, because their voters can't get babysitters. The Florida and Michigan primaries aren't fair because they were, after all ahead, even if the other candidates abided by the rules and didn't campaign or place their names on the ballot. But, hil went down and claimed victory and now it's all obama's fault. Now, delegates aren't fair, because suddenly the popular vote and the electoral vote should be the standard.

These two defy any logic as it relates to any standards of decency and fair play that I've ever witnessed.

[MaineDem]

8. This is one of the reasons I can't support Hillary

The Clintons were always very vocal about the need for NH to be the first primary. This is a complete 180 from their original views.

This whole turn of events is very damaging to the Democratic Party and Bill's legacy with the people who have respected and supported him all these years.

I apologize to any Hillary supporters but I really feel the whole campaign has gone over the edge and she should back away with some dignity.

[bunnies]

9. She knows that if not for the "emotional moment" she wouldnt have won here.

And she knows that if she runs against McCain, she wont win here then either. The Clinton campaign already got what they want from us in NH. We kept her campaign alive. Now we can fuck off.

[Tesha]

19. I wonder if Kathy Sullivan is still giddy for Hillary? (NT)

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

10. I have to admit that I do not understand the Clinton campaign at all.

I have a huge amount of respect for Bill Clinton's ability to put the esoteric details of politics and policy into a framework that average non-politics-junkies can comprehend. And honestly, if anyone should be able to make the case that Hillary Clinton is more electable than Barack Obama, it's him. The fact that he has not done this well makes me wonder exactly what a Clinton vs. McCain general election would look like. At this point there is no way that the Clinton campaign can argue that they are winning on the merits. By just about any reasonable measure you care to use, Obama is ahead, and has been ahead for quite some time. Thus, the Clinton campaign is left making silly, confusing, contradictory arguments like this. There are some very real, legitimate reasons that could be used to claim that Obama's lead in the nominating contest will not translate into success in the general. But the Clinton campaign hasn't actually made any of those arguments. Certainly not well and certainly not convincingly. Quite honestly, statements like these just support the idea that there is a pandemic of short-term thinking going on in the Clinton campaign. One must wonder whether the same campaign that did not believe it needed a post-Super-Tuesday strategy is in any way prepared to face the general election, or anything outside of the next dozen or so news cycles. I see no long view coming from them. I see no sign of an overarching strategy to win the general election. The Clinton campaign is not projecting anything like a coherent strategy for the general. They appear to be focused on the primaries to the exclusion of everything else. And they keep shooting themselves in the foot, killing their own arguments as to why Hillary would be better than McCain. This is very bad news.

[NewHampshireDem]

11. What the Clinton Campaign said ...

Sep 1, 2007
Clinton Campaign Statement

The following is a statement by Clinton Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle.

"We believe Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina play a unique and special role in the nominating process.

And we believe the DNC’s rules and its calendar provide the necessary structure to respect and honor that role.

Thus, we will be signing the pledge to adhere to the DNC approved nominating calendar."

http://www.docstrangelove.com/2008/03/13/hillary-clinton-and-the-pledge/

Sorry, but this has just pushed me over the edge.

[bowens43]

12. bill has becoame such a freaking scum bag .....

the man is a pathetic has-been who drools over the prospect of being in the white house again.

[4themind]

13. Way to throw the state that helped hillary under the bus...-nt

[berni_mccoy]

14. Wow, they just screwed themselves out of some New England votes.

The people of NH are not party-line-voters. They are independents. Do not expect them to vote Clinton if she wins the nomination.

[XemaSab]

17. Ah, the "Insult 50 States Strategy" strikes again!

:D

[Genevieve]

18. Used to love Bill,

(was always a bit neutral on Hillary.)

They've become a ridiculous pair, kind of like caricatures.
What a legacy they're leaving.

[dsc]

20. The fact is NH did leap frog

the deal was supposed to be that Iowa went first, Nevada second, NH third and SC fourth. NH leap frogged over Nevada.

[MaineDem]

23. Because NH was always going to be the first primary

Then FL and MI moved so NH had to move. It was sanctioned by the DNC.

[Arkana]

21. Um, Bill? In case you forgot, you actually won the popular vote in NH.

Or did you forget?

[SoxFan]

22. Getting crowded under this thing, isn't it?