How Bush Treated Clinton and how Obama should handle Bush

[samplegirl]

George W. Bush's first day of retirement from electoral politics will look just like his days as a politician. Upon leaving Washington on Inauguration Day, the former president's first stop will be at a rally in his childhood hometown of Midland, Texas. As unnatural as a Bush rally may seem these bleak days, the plan ensures that news coverage of Barack Obama's triumphal arrival will include at least a few clips of his predecessor addressing a joyous crowd.

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Officially, the event is being dubbed a "welcome-home event" meant to bookend a send-off gathering held in the same spot eight years and three days earlier. But the real parallel is with another rally, one that took place even as the 43rd president's 2001 inaugural parade was preparing to head up Pennsylvania Avenue. After watching Bush get sworn in, Bill Clinton headed to Andrews Air Force Base, where a crowd of supporters had gathered to cheer him. "So you see that sign there that says 'Please don't go'?," an exultant Clinton asked after listing his presidential accomplishments one last time. "I left the White House--but I'm still here."


The Bush administration knew it, which is one reason that--despite the new president's inaugural address "commitment to principle with a concern for civility"--his presidential staff kept trashing Clinton as if it were still campaign season. Within days, stories leaked about Clintonites swiping White House silverware on their way out the door. The accounts turned out to be mainly untrue. Of course, no one noticed the clarification, since Clinton's non-vandalistic exit behavior gobbled up the headlines. Still, the Andrews rally and the stolen-stemware stories underlined the terms of that succession: There'd be no grace from the new guy, and no deference from the old.

http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=6219f067-c21a-45f3-b3a0-6cb6e17f0eb4

[Captain Hilts]

1. GWB started lying about the Clinton Admin from Day One - "Vandalism" that was never photographed. nt

[blm]

2. 'Clintons trashed WH' lie stayed strong for 8 mths making it harder for ALL Dems

as Clintons let Bushies get away with their game - no fight from them. Clintons showed TOO MUCH DEFERENCE to Bush over the last 8years as they publicly sided with him on his terrorism and Iraq war decisions, especially Bill's vigorous defense of Bush on those issues during his summer2004 booktour.

Clintons were curiously ABSENT of criticism of Bush and his policies - they only FIGHT when they campaign for themselves - not for Democratic policies and not for the good of the American people.