Bill Clinton is using his title to push folks around for Hillary

[RiverStone]

<snip>

Bill Clinton's charm offensive won his wife the endorsement of Iowa's Des Moines Register. The New York Times learned that the three top female decision makers at the Register were lobbied aggressively by Bill - on the phone, in person, and at a dinner party. Hillary had bombed in her editorial board interview (her staff asked for a do-over), but the paper endorsed her anyway - which probably saved her in Iowa.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/12/27/edwards_may_be_closer_than_he_appears/

I've always had great admiration for Bill Clinton the president; however, I'm losing respect for Bill Clinton as an ex-president and heavy duty hitter for Hillary. Wielding his influence to pressure an editorial board to go against their first inclination is bullshit. How many other spouses of Dem candidates pressure newspaper boards to change their tune?

I can appreciate any caring wife or husband advocating for their partner, yet if feels as if Bill is campaigning as much for himself as Hillary. In fact, using his "title" to shove people around feels like nothing more than a power play. What other spouse of a candidate would be granted such access? Or influence? It just does not feel right.

Of the 3 Dem front runners, Edwards and Obama strike me as wanting to win to serve the people. The Clintons strike me as wanting to win to serve themselves...a heaping stack of power. I want a president, not a dynasty.

[Selatius]

1. The Des Moines Register is a paper of no consequence. This is the same paper that...

allowed Alan Keyes to the Repub debate but excluded Dennis Kucinich from the Dem debate. Alan Keyes has even less organization on the ground than Kucinich.

[Bitwit1234]

2. Oh -- what in the hell is Oprah doing for Obama I guess if it is for HIM it is OK

[MonkeyFunk]

3. Where does that snippet

claim he used his title to "push people around"? It said he used his charm.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. yup. nt

[aikoaiko]

4. 'charm' does not equal 'wielding his influence to pressure'

And she did much to help him -- remember how she helped with the Genifer Flowers incident.

[durrrty libby]

5. Cry me a River and too bad you don't know the meaning of dynasty

Bill better do everything possible to help get Hillary elected. I expect nothing less

than an all out effort :nopity:

[dkf]

6. The Clintons' have learned how to play dirty

they are part of the problem now.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. using charm is just like using torture. nt

[NNN0LHI]

19. Yea I want a nice clean candidate who can't win jack shit

The Rethugs would really like that I betcha.

Don

[Angela Shelley]

7. If any of us had CHARM, we would use it too

Good for him, he´s using his talents, skills, abilities and CHARM to get other people to do what he wants them to do. HOW HUMAN OF HIM!

[Missy M]

10. Why does everyone believe everything they read...

this guy is giving his opinion and I didn't see him giving his sources. Take it with a grain of salt.

[Marrah_G]

11. The nastiness continues.

I can't wait until the primaries are over.

[RiverStone]

20. It will continue...

The Edwards camp is critical of Obama's tactics - the Obama camp is critical of Clinton's tactics - and many here will be pitching mud at Clinton until the primaries are over. I think that's called Democracy.

Obviously, I'm not a fan of Hillary and I see her as trying to maintain the status quo more than any other candidate. Though the operative word in all this is "over". When the primaries are over I'll be supporting the Dem candidate, and even if it is Hillary - when the nominee is named in Denver next August, ANY further criticism of Hillary will end.

But for now, I will do all I can to remind folks she is rethug-lite. And I think Bill's motives are very transparent. IMO, Edwards probably is the most electable across parties, demographic regions, and socio-economic groups.

[deacon]

12. The clintons want right leaning independents and moderate republicans if they can get them.

It's not about anything but winning and elitism. No sale. Not interested.

[Annces]

13. And you had respect for Kucinich

but you lost that too. Who is next?

[RiverStone]

21. No, I've never lost respect for Dennis...

I'm sure there are other Dem candidates who may not have your primary vote - but for whom you still hold a great deal of respect. Dennis lost my support in the primaries, but never my admiration for the man. I think Edwards is the most electable across all regions of the country and among blue dog Dems and independents. He will surprise folks in Iowa. He has a realistic chance to WIN.

I can't fathom how some folks don't see Hillary as rethug-lite; but that's what the primaries are for - to fight it out. It's called Democracy.

[Perry Logan]

14. I get it. Anyone who campaigns against Obama is A Bad Person.

[MethuenProgressive]

15. "charm offensive" = "using his title to push folks around" in HillHateWorld?

What silly things these people type.

[durrrty libby]

18. We never have to visit freep-world. It comes here on an hourly basis

:boring:

[NNN0LHI]

16. Oh that naughty, naughty boy Bill

Is Larry Craig posting at DU now?

Don

[WilliamPitt]

17. Oy vey.

[undeterred]

22. I like Bill Clinton, but enough of him already.

Its not that he doesn't have the "right" to do this, but if people like me who really like him are sick of seeing him on the campaign trail, I can only imagine that a lot of other people are too.