Bill Clinton Blasts Olbermann For Politicizing Health Care Clinics

[Me.]

Clinton Blasts Olbermann For Politicizing Health Care Event, Refuses To Attend

“I really wanted him to come,” she said. “So I made my pitch.”

She also said she planned to meet with Arkansas Lt. Governor Bill Halter, who had been instrumental in finding a venue for the event.

Clinton responded that Olbermann was politicizing the clinic, and that it wasn’t helpful for Olbermann to do that. He said he did not feel he could show up now, because the event had turned political.

Eve said that Halter had been very helpful, and that the event was not political. She said that Halter’s intercession had been key in getting the Convention center to give the clinics space.

Clinton replied that the event was becoming political, and that it was clear what was happening: a primary of Blanche Lincoln.”…cont…

“Clinton told Eve that Lincoln has done a great job as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. He felt that the most important thing for Lincoln’s reelection, was for President Obama to be able to go into the State of the Union address with a “win” on health care behind him and to focus on jobs and the economy.”…cont…

http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/11/20/president-clinton-chides-olbermann-for-making-arkansas-free-clinic-political/

[ananda]

1. Lord.

Who's Clinton in hock to?

I support Olbermann one hundred percent.

[nc4bo]

51. I need to second your Lord and toss in a JHC for added flavor.

:wtf: is wrong with Clinton? What planet is HE living on and whose interests DOES he actually represent?

[Sebastian Doyle]

52. Well, if a picture is worth 1000 words.....

[nc4bo]

81. Sickening. nt

[Hubert Flottz]

87. Clinton did more than anyone in the country...

to get W into the Oval Office...

[mod mom]

112. .

[tsuki]

2. Oh, I'm sorry. I did not know that health care had become a

partisan political issue. Thanks for pointing that out, Big Dawg.

[athenasatanjesus]

19. Clearly it only became a political issue thanks to olbermann nt

[me b zola]

66. Yeah, I'm sure they're checking the people's voter registration cards

:eyes:

I'd wager that the thousand or so people who stood in line to receive medical care are grateful that this event was held. If not for Olbermann, the event wouldn't have happened.

[Johonny]

27. :)

made my day. I guess Clinton isn't a Yankee fan or something. Really that's the dumbest thing I've heard Clinton say... ever. Really I think the political statement these clinics make is "Clinton and congress failed the American people 15 years ago and look at the consequences".

[fishcreek]

3. Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter ...

may or may show up either??? Guess I can see his point.


http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/11/20/president-clinton-chides-olbermann-for-making-arkansas-free-clinic-political/


.........Earlier this week, Bill Halter appeared on Countdown, with guest host Lawrence O’Donnell, who asked if he was planning a primary challenge of Lincoln. Halter did not foreclose the option, but said he “didn’t want to focus on politics or my political future” at the expense of the free medical clinic event.



http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002351/


Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter: Countdown free clinics show need for health reform, public option
Posted Nov 18, 2009, 7:26 PM PT by Jed Lewison • First broadcast: Nov 18, 2009

Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter discusses Countdown’s free health clinics with Lawrence O’Donnell, saying the health clinics demonstrate the need for health care reform with a public option. Asked about challenging incumebent Democrat Sen. Blanche Lincoln who is up for re-election in 2010 and has wavered on health care reform, Halter left the door open, saying he appreciated the interest in his candidacy but didn’t want to politicize the health reform events.

Watch:

[Catshrink]

4. Health care is politics today

You think the Big Dawg would realize that.

[blm]

34. He does. He's running his own political games, as usual. This time the target is Keith

on the surface, but, it's always the issues important to Dem left he works to undermine.

[MagickMuffin]

5. Let me see if I can understand what Bill's saying:

HCR is being reformed through Congress. Congress IS deciding what to legislate regarding Health-care. Yet, Olbermann is the one helping thousands of citizens without Health-care the opportunity to seek medical treatment, and Keith is politicizing it. Funny I thought that Congress and the Insurance Industrial Complex were the ones politicizing it. Glad Bill has set the record straight.

Congress GOOD, Keith BAD...Got it :shrug:

[derby378]

76. I think you pretty much covered it

Let's not forget that Bill Clinton, beloved though he may be, is still DLC.

[high density]

6. In other words he's worried for Blanche Lincoln

Blaming Olbermann is just a convenient excuse to bow out of the event. Of course health care is currently a political issue and it's absurd of Clinton to assert otherwise.

[Dennis Donovan]

10. Lincoln is a centrist-right Dem just like Big Dog...

Birds of a feather moult together...

[tavalon]

79. Big Blue Dog, unfortunately

[HughMoran]

20. right, Blanche is the problem

It's easy to scapegoat the media, but he's admitting that she's weak on this issue - which is quite telling in itself.

[Raineyb]

39. And as she couldn't be bothered to show as she claims to know the issue

(which is obvious she doesn't based on her ignorant ass covering comments) It seems all the more sad how all those people in her state can't get health care yet she dicks around negotiating for goodies for the rest of her state.

It also makes it painfully obvious that she doesn't give a damn about large numbers of people in her state.

But Olbermann is the problem? :crazy:

If Former President clinton can't say something helpful (and knowing where is politics lie he can't anyway) then he should stfu.

[G_j]

29. +1

[Me.]

32. Thanks

The unrecces are out in force today

[G_j]

50. weekend warriors nt

[glowing]

7. Doesn't Bill Clinton realize that Keith Olberman was the one person on t.v. who

gave mouth to what was actually happening during the Bush misadministration? Not even the big Dawg interfered.. he just continued rounds of Golf with Pappy. I think Bill is a little out of touch with reality. If he doesn't want to go to something that only is taking place because of the donations asked for by Olberman on his show.. (and did he even watch the hour long special comment that was dedicated to health care and the issues with his mother and father now?).. Politicize a big fuck you asshole.

[Berry Cool]

8. I am not sure of which reason why he would do this stupid thing makes the most sense

but I really don't believe he's doing it just to keep the free clinics from looking "Bill Clinton endorsed" and thus tainting them with the poison of his name in the minds of SOME people.

Nah, I suspect it's both political and personal. As in, Bill doesn't like being told by the likes of Keith Olbermann that he isn't far enough left. He doesn't like the reminder, in his own home state no less, of his own failure to pass HCR. And, perhaps not least, he STILL holds it against KO for saying the things he said about Hillary when she was running for president--even though not a word of them was factually false, none of it was sexist (sorry, PUMAs) and when it came to his opinions, he was entitled to them.

It's quite possible that the Big Dog still blames KO for his wife not winning the nomination. And THAT might be the real reason he's so pissed off and saying stupid things like "KO has made the clinics political." DUH. They're SUPPOSED to be political. And without him and the staffer who thought them up in the first place, a lot of people would be missing out on even a cursory visit with a doctor in the near future.

KO put his money where his mouth is. Where's Bill's?

[Beacool]

36. Oh, please!!!!

I stopped watching MSNBC the night that KO delivered a 9 minute diatribe against Hillary for something Ferraro had said. Many did too.

He is a self important windbag, the mirror opposite of his archenemy, Bill O'Reilly.

He may have done good with the health clinic, but why should Bill be obligated to attend? Besides, Bill and his foundation do more good in one day for thousands of people worldwide than KO will ever do in his lifetime.

How does KO like the "progressive" he and his network helped to get nominated?

:eyes:

[Raineyb]

42. KO was right about Clinton then and her husband is WRONG about KO now

But then the former president never misses a chance to whore for the corporations. He didn't then and it's only become worse since he's been out of office.

The point of having politicians attend is so they can see the PEOPLE behind the numbers. You know the lives that are impacted when they decide to whore out for corporations? But hey why bother with a little thing like helping people when you can stamp your feet, denigrate the effort, and continue working for more corporate power?

[blm]

47. You can BET that if Poppy Bush, Saudi and Dubai royals WANTED Bill to be there he'd show up

and make sure to be in front of every network camera reading the script they wanted and doing it....beautifully.

[snagglepuss]

53. +1

[Beacool]

73. Bill doesn't need to attend a health clinic to see the people behind the numbers.

What do you and the other lefties think that Bill does on a daily basis? He sees plenty of those people and in different countries to boot, but it doesn't matter to any of you. All that matters to the left is that Bill was not progressive enough for your tastes.

Pathetic.......

x(

[Kalyke]

84. Such disdain for "lefties."

Why are you on this board if you're not a leftie, yourself?

There are no moderate Democrats anymore. There are only the left and the corporate-bought varieties.

Therefore, you're either left (like most of the country would be if they'd take a blind test on the issues and it was realized to them) or you are a corporate whore.

Which are you?

[nashville_brook]

88. "you...and other lefties," -- priceless. the GOP couldn't say it any better themselves.

we don't need anyone dividing us into warring factions. you or Bill or KO, or anyone. it's really destructive. i'll admit that KO blows the horn loud and ugly sometimes, but that's what he's paid to do. he's not a journo -- he's a commentator.

this philanthropic/PR venture he's engaged is much needed. Bill himself politicized health care in speech after speech and then failed to deliver any real improvement. we're in dire straits right now, and whether it's politicization or PR, we need to FACE the reality of our healthcare disaster in this country.

[Raineyb]

108. He seems to be spending a hell of a lot more time schmoozing with the like

of Poppy Bush then doing anything for anyone who may appear to be downtrodden. He hasn't been letting charity get in the way of him making a lot of fast bucks. THAT'S what he's been doing on a daily basis.

What's pathetic is your refusal to see the man for who and what he is after all these years.

Bill Clinton has NEVER let the public good get in the way of corporate power. NEVER. Oh he ran as a progressive in 92 but as soon as he got into office THAT pretense went away rather quickly. He's never governed as far to the left as he ran. So yeah it does matter that he's not progressive enough, especially given that he ran more or less as a progressive. But why let a small thing like the facts get in the way of a perfectly good rant when you can sneer at "lefties."

[blm]

46. KO's good work isn't a smokescreen for all the watercarrying done for global fascists

the way Bill's 'good work' protects HIS pals like Bushes, Dubai and Saudi royals, Stephens Group, et al.

[Beacool]

74. Oh yeah, that must be the real reason why Bill established his foundation.

:crazy:

[burning rain]

80. Some Clinton-haters are so deranged the Wall St. Journal ca. 1996 wouldn't have touched their stuff.

You may have chanced upon some of these characters here and there. ;-) I think the poor dears may need operations to have shunts installed in their abdomens to drain off the bile they produce so abundantly!

[Beacool]

100. Yeah, who needs the right when there are just as many kooks on the left.

x(

[blm]

86. I don't doubt that Clinton has some sincere good intentions - but, it's clear he also carries water

for Poppy Bush and his global cronies and has been extremely well-compensated along the way.

An honest person can recognize both truths.

[me b zola]

67. I don't know how KO likes the progressive in the WH...

But I know this article makes me feel as though we would have a much weaker bill if someone else had won the nomination + election.

[Beacool]

75. Then you think wrong.

Wait and see what a diluted mess that bill will be when it's all said and done.

:eyes:

[me b zola]

95. Sounds like Bill is supporting Blanche Lincoln

~and Blanche appears to be working on behalf of the insurance industry. If you are saying that Bill would have made the same remarks if HRC were in the WH, then that points to health care "reform" that would not have insisted at all on the public option.

[Sebastian Doyle]

93. Corporate manadated national RomneyCare was Hillary's STARTING point.

Given what's become of the current process, starting with a true public option and regressing from there, I can't even bring myself to think how bad it would have been starting from the corporate fellation position. :scared:

[Lilyeye]

107. "How does KO like the "progressive" he and his network helped to get nominated? "

Get over the fucking primaries already. Hillary lost...DEAL WITH IT.

[Larkspur]

9. Bill proves again that he's a whore for corporate interests

He's out of touch with ordinary Americans and how greedy politicians like Lincoln are.

[AzDar]

11. Bill Clinton is, and always has been, part of the problem... not the solution.

:puke:

[a kennedy]

71. D*mn right.......never voted for him either......

he's just sore that the POTUS or anyone else for that matter doesn't need him......he dragged us so far to the right during his time in office that I'll never forgive him for that. He can just go f*** himself. :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: is that to strong??? Sorry......

[peacetalksforall]

12. Bill Clinton is NOT batting very well. He, who always knows the right thing to

say, is off the mark. He, the consummate politician, is all foul balls on this one.

[OregonBlue]

13. If it wasn't for Obermann, I doubt there would have been a free clinic in Arkansas because there

would not have been the money for one? Isn't it true that they only originally had money for one. On the other hand, as political as this has been, we do not want the clinics themselves to be wrapped up in politics. We want people to come, no matter what their political views.

[GoCubsGo]

14. He's still pissed off at Keith, apparently...

Still holding a grudge over that "Special Comment" Keith did regarding his and his wife's behavior in the primaries last year, it seems.

[me b zola]

68. At the expense of HCR

Not because he didn't show up, but because he is making the process more difficult with his pettiness (or whatever it is).

[mcablue]

94. Maybe Bill is mad that Olbermann joked that someone should physically beat the crap out of Hillary

Huffington Post (4-25-08)

"Keith Olbermann's Idea For Beating Hillary: Literally Beating Hillary."

Olbermann later apologized.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/25/keith-olbermanns-idea-for_n_98557.html

[Shagbark Hickory]

15. Keith Olbermann is a fucking HERO. You got that? A Hero. How many lives were saved?

What was it? 4 people in new orleans that had to be rushed to a hospital?

Olbermann should get a medal of honor for raising the funds to organize these events and clinton is nutz to be criticizing him.

[blm]

16. Clinton always manages to make remarks AGAINST the left position during crucial timeframe

for the debated issue.

More Dems should have taken note when Bill used his summer2004 book tour to not only support Bush very PUBLICLY on war, but, vigorously DEFEND Bush's decisions on Iraq that the Dem NOMINEE had been targeting in his campaign.

Then Bill popped up in 2006 with his "I LOVE George Bush' comment right before election day, and again on Larry King Live when he claimed that Connecticut Dems were in a win/win situation because Lieberman would vote with Dems.

Bill's mission in life has turned into protect-the-establishment-and-BushInc-at-all-cost-to-country-and-party.

[EFerrari]

40. That's the DLC for you and they say WE are bad team players.

Good grief.

[OHdem10]

17. What do we expect from DLC???? No disresect to Pres. Clinton.

[Me.]

31. The THree Magic Initials

DLC

[hiley]

18. Bill always

has to hold grudges it seems. Keith did the right thing. Blanche Lincoln needs to go anyhow.

[deutsey]

21. Of course he would say something like that.

Probably still taking political advice from that toe-sucker Dick Morris.

[mod mom]

22. I hope Bill reads the comments posted @ FDL.

[Me.]

41. If He Does

He'll get an eye full

[BlueIdaho]

23. Yeah - its a good thing he fixed health care when he was President - no wait...

[blm]

24. in other words - Lincoln has done a great job protecting the DLC's services to Monsanto.

.

[mod mom]

26. Please consider posting a comment @ FDL

The comments could use your knowledge of Clinton & his connections. :hi:

[Bluenorthwest]

25. I'm with Keith on this one.

Fuck ya, Bill.

[donheld]

28. +1

[rudy23]

30. Bill Clinton and the DLC = not on our side.

People need to cut the 90s nostalgia---it was a horrible time that set everything up for Bush just perfectly.

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

This week is our fourth quarter 2009 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
a completely independent website. We depend on donations from our members
to cover our costs. Please take a moment to donate! Thank you!

[emsimon33]

35. Clinton has always been a corporate puppet. I have no delusions. Go, Keith.

That's why so many people worked so hard to defeat Hilary. Bill is no asset.

[patrice]

37. Some of these people think we should leave all of this up to them, because they are the ones who

know one another well enough to "get things done" when, in fact, almost none of them are different enough from one another to have any leverage at all with one another. They "rob Peter to pay Paul" and all of it turns out to be 6-of-one/half-a-dozen-of-the-other for ALL of Us.

They'd better "get ready", because, like it or not, there are a bunch of Americans who are going to vote "none of the above" in 2010. I'm real sorry to say that, since many, many, many People will SUFFER in many, many, many different ways, because a whole bunch of us are willing to cut our noses (AND WORSE) off to spite their face.

[WillyT]

38. Thanks Bill... Your Concern Is Noted...

:puke:

:wtf:

[Overseas]

43. Gee thanks a lot Bill. And the Blue Dogs are NOT politicizing it?

Bribery doesn't count?

Exposing the devastating realities of US health care today (a.k.a. thousands die early without access to care) to conservative Democrats who are beholden to campaign funding (aka bribery) is too political--

but denying the public option to millions of Americans to make things "fair" for the same private insurers who have been paying amoral right wing PR firms to stir up fear and hatred in vulnerable populations, getting them to storm town halls with racist posters and brandishing guns is NOT POLITICAL?

I guess if it is all about cash and private profits, that's not political-- it is just all about money and thus just fine with you Bill ?

[anonymous171]

44. Clinton can go fuck himself. nt

[47of74]

64. Amen.

[annabanana]

45. I guess he would prefer that THEY HADN'T HAPPENED!

Keith's show set them up and fund-raised for them. I guess just DOING it is "politicizing" it.

Shame on you Bill.

[MadMaddie]

48. Well that right there is "jealousy"!! Bill Clinton's own state

citizens are suffering and Bill decided to play politics. Hey Bill do you think that the clinics are only for left leaning folks, no they are not, they are for everyone. Bill is the one that has politicized this event.

To think that we supported you when the attacks were the worst.

Hey Bill why didn't you organize this event and raise the money? You go around the world promoting this and that with * Senior but when it comes to your owns states citizens....eh..not so much!!

FU Bill!!

[snagglepuss]

54. Well said.

:applause:

[blm]

58. That's a very relevant point. But then, small, underpublicized work for real needs

on a local basis has no glitz factor, does it? He wants his photo ops to have world wide smokescreen value while he pushes the global fascist agenda for Poppy and Saudi/Dubai royals.

[G_j]

60. well said

:applause:

[David Zephyr]

49. Still More From the Bill Clinton Antics Network Channel"

"Bill Clinton Blasts Keith Olbermann For Politicizing Health Clinics"

"Bill Clinton Plans & Then Scrubs Publicly Staged Chit Chat With George W. Bush"

"Bill Clinton Meddles in Virginia's Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Endorsing Loser Terry McAuliffe"

"Bill Clinton, In Personal Grudge, Meddles in California Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Endorsing Gavin Newsom Against Jerry Brown: Newsom Withdraws Just Weeks Later"

Stay tuned: Be certain that there will be more.

[Me.]

56. Less Would Be More Bill

and serve your legacy better. But he just can't help himself.

[amandabeech]

101. "But he just can't help himself."

Therein lies the problem with the Big Dog in everything.

[athenasatanjesus]

55. Sad Liberals can't complain about Clinton

Whenever liberals call out Bill Clinton for really being a corporate democrat and not helping out liberal causes people in the political center just assume we are being as close minded towards differing view points as the right wingers are.

[Political Heretic]

62. Swing and a miss there, mate.

Good effort though.

[Raine]

70. Try again

maybe next time you'll do better. :silly:

[GeorgeGist]

57. As I've said before, and likely will say again ...

it's

"All about Bill, stupid".

[rosesaylavee]

59. K & R

[Me.]

63. Thank You Rosesaylavee

As always

[Political Heretic]

61. This is telling of exactly how the Democratic position and agenda shapes up.

Nothing is more important that getting anything signed that we use in a political stump speech, because nothing is more important than establishment democrats getting reelected.

Change we can say "go fuck yourself" to.

[Lugnut]

65. Political?

It's a rhetorical question but is everything political to Bill Clinton? He obviously pays no attention to KO or he'd know better than to say something so stupid and off the mark.

[Mithreal]

69. I like Bill Clinton, but he can be a real fool

[2Design]

72. Health care is political and the party of NO has made it even worse

Sorry Clinton is out of line here

[PHIMG]

77. It came from Arkansas

Clinton defends corporate Democrats who use sectionalism as a fig leaf.

[patricia92243]

78. "She???" The article keeps say she - are you sure the post is not about Hillary Clinton?

[burning rain]

82. Possible there's another angle, too.

Clinton's vital work with his Global Initiative depends heavily on it being apolitical, so that he can draw donations from people of all political stripes. For that reason it may behove him to maximally seperate charity from politics.

[me b zola]

96. Bullshit

If that were his reasoning he would have declined privately and kept is mouth shut publicly.

[burning rain]

103. See #102.

.

[Me.]

97. That May Be

But then why go out of his way to point the finger at and criticize Olbermann? Why not just say he'd love to but his schedule wouldn't permit? And if he's supposed to be apolitical, why was he stumping for Lincoln?

[burning rain]

102. Nothing wrong with stumping for an incumbent of one's own party, generally.

Blanche Lincoln's no lefty, but then Arkansas has become a red state largely due to culture war politics, and has gone to the Republicans the past three presidential elections. It's already shown itself ready to elect a Republican senator, in the person of the hard-right Tim Hutchison (elected 1996, defeated by Mark Pryor 2002). And Lincoln is a fundamentally loyal Democrat, not in the category of a Dweeberman. Well worth keeping, in my view. I'd love to see reliably populist-left senators from that state in the mold of old Dale Bumpers, but I don't think it's in the cards.

It seems perfectly understandable to me that a prominent Democrat--particularly a former president--wouldn't want to lend his stature to an event he sees as a rallying point for opposition to a Democratic incumbent.

But, I don't see why Clinton should have mentioned Olbermann specifically. Seems to me it would have sufficed to say something along the lines of, "I admire the humanitarian aims of the free clinic but do not wish to be seen as bolstering primary opposition to Senator Lincoln, whom I support." I can't pretend to read Bubba's mind though. Better to reserve judgment, I think.

[Me.]

111. Right

If he wants to support someone, okay but don't point a finger at someone else regarding so called politicization. And I agree with those on this thread who feel this was politicized way before KO did the clinics.

[burning rain]

118. Free clinics are inevitably political, because the need for them flows from political decisions.

As welcome as free clinics and other medical charity is, all the way down to a pancake supper at a church to pay for a kid's surgery, it's also pathetic that we need it. Civilized countries have national health care, but not the backwards US.

That's real life but charity doesn't live in the real world. People in the charity sphere pretend politics isn't there. It's la-la land, but that's how it works. The larger point is to end the need for free clinics and other medical charity by enacting national health care.

[Naturyl]

83. Clinton: The best Republican president of our generation.

And, by extension, about the worst Democrat.

Can't say I care much what he thinks on this. Welfare DEform should have ended the Clinton honeymoon for all progressives. Go KO.

[Patsy Stone]

85. Oh, Bill...

STFU.

[spanone]

89. maybe bill hasn't noticed that the republiks have already politicized healthcare

[Berry Cool]

90. One of the sadder things about this is that Olbermann has given a lot of support to Bill's project

the Clinton Global Initiative. He has publicized it and he has given his own money to it. He used to be personal friends with the Clintons. But because he ended up switching his personal sentiments (although he did not stump for anyone on the air) from Hillary to Obama in the primary season, and became angry at some things he was hearing Hillary say on the campaign trail, the Clintons want nothing to do with him anymore. All of a sudden, he's this disloyal sexist pig. Because to the Clintons, friendship means 100% loyalty and agreement with everything they say and do. If you express any sort of disagreement with them, out you go.

Olbermann don't play that. He does not regard support of you as an unspoken agreement that he will never criticize you, and his opinions are always subject to change. If you do something he doesn't like or fail to do something he thinks you should, he's going to say so, as we see now with Obama. He's not the blind Obama loyalist some people accuse him of being--and the ironic thing is that of course some people are mad at him for THAT, while other people still accuse him of kissing Obama's ass because they're not paying attention.

What it comes down to is, whatever he says or does, he can't win with some people. And the Clintons are two of those people because they demand 100% fealty.

[burning rain]

104. Olbermann did impute racial bigotry to the Clintons in the late presidential primaries, you know.

Let's not go digging an Orwellian memory hole, shall we?

[Raineyb]

109. You think people didn't see it for themselves?

Because you do a lot of people a great disservice by assuming them so stupid as to not know bigotry when they see it and choose to give their support elsewhere accordingly.

[burning rain]

110. Thanks for the incoherence, dear soul.

.

[Raineyb]

123. Reading is fundamental

Olbermann didn't have to suggest that there was some racism in some of the responses coming from Clinton followers. People saw that for themselves and voted accordingly. Your assumption that they needed KO to put the idea that there was some race games being played is insulting to those who also made such observations without any prompting from Olbermann.

Try reading at above a 4th grade level. I do hate to repeat myself because you can't keep up.

[burning rain]

132. Curious assumptions on your part.

I was just saying you can't expect people to care much for those who malign them seriously, justly or unjustly.

[burning rain]

116. My point is, you can't expect someone to be well disposed to someone who condemns him...

rightly or wrongly. That's not the way humans work.

[Raineyb]

124. You accused Olbermann of bringing race into it as well. And you're absolutely wrong on that

People were making note of racial overtones BEFORE KO's special comment. But you apparently think that people who think race was playing some role in some of the nastiness of certain Clinton supporters are sheep who only started believing that when Olbermann pointed it out when that is simply not the case. And by doing so you do a disservice to those who are perfectly capable of discerning racial undertones for themselves.

[burning rain]

131. My point is simply that one can't realistically expect...

a guy to cooperate with someone who's maligned him, justly or unjustly.

[blm]

114. Alot of people noticed the use of racist tactics before Olbermann's 8pm segment on it.

.

[burning rain]

115. In any case you can't expect someone to feel gratitude to someone who condemns him.

It's a bit much.

[blm]

117. Bill manages to restrain himself when it comes to ANY RW radio asshole, but, not expected

to when it comes to one of the few left voices, eh?

[burning rain]

119. Sorry, I've missed the ass-kissing interviews he's given to Beck & Limbaugh.

:eyes:

[blm]

125. Did Olbermann ask him to kiss ass? No. You know he's wrong here and can't admit

it.

Clinton OFFERED up an attack on Olbermann for no good reason.

[Major Hogwash]

128. Thank gawd Clinton spoke out against the Iraq War, though,

When he told all the Democrats to quit criticizing Bush for invading Iraq.

[burning rain]

130. I didn't have Olbermann in mind.

I was responding to your remark about right-wing radio personalities.

[debbierlus]

91. Just shut up Bill

Really. Shut up.

[Motown_Johnny]

92. That clinic wouldn't even exist if it were not for KO.. sorry Bill... if you can do better then

go ahead and to better.


You have a huge foundation, how about helping some Americans who are dying because your administration didn't pass health care reform?

[earth mom]

98. This should tell everyone what they need to know about the right turn the dem party has taken.

Make that EXTREME right turn. :puke:

[arthritisR_US]

99. JC Bill, what the hell have the repukes been doing with it since the beginning? Politicizing it!

At least Olbermann helps at least a 1000 people per event.

[Sultana]

105. Shut up Bill, take your millions and shoved it up ur ass!

[Libertas1776]

106. Clinton can blow it out his royal ass

The issue IS political. Thank god for people like Olbermann.

[me b zola]

113. Today it's the media running to Blanch's aid

Helping the blue dogs in their efforts to kill the public option. Screw all of them.

[LaPera]

120. Cheers to Keith Olbermann-For doing something-As well as fighting for a much needed public option!

[DireStrike]

121. Keep it up, bill.

Define yourself.

[marlakay]

122. Keith did that comment on Hillary

he isn't about to support making him look good.

[B Calm]

126. Direct from the mouth who said pass that NAFTA bill and I'll sign it!

[Uncle Joe]

127. Lincoln is correct about one thing, this is no way to run a railroad,

much less a health care system.

"In a statement provided to the Associated Press, Sen. Lincoln commented on the free clinic, saying that “this one-day clinic is a blessing, but it is not a sustainable way to deliver health care for the thousands of uninsured and underinsured Arkansans.”

The best, most efficient sustainable way to deliver health care is Medicare for every American from the cradle to the grave. If they must raise taxes on the wealthiest to anywhere near what they were in the 1960s so be it.

There is no logical or moral reason for "We the Peoples'" government to support a for profit "health" insurance industry; that not only contributes nothing to health care but actually leeches from that noble cause by making blood money profits off the American Peoples' illness and injury, just as there is no logical or moral reason for the United States to be trailing the rest of the civilized world in regards to health care for it's own citizens. I have no doubt, those two dynamics are intricately connected.

Thanks for the thread, Me.

[AngryOldDem]

129. Okay...I've officially entered the Twlight Zone.

Bill, of ALL people, should know better.

This is surreal. The only thing I can figure is, he's pissed because he didn't think of it first.

Blanche Lincoln is an embarassment to Dems on this issue.

[gleaner]

133. Bill Clinton has no credibility ....

in this situation. Keith Olbermann has stood up for people needing health care and has taken considerable personal risk speaking out against Baby Bush during the hight of his power. While Olbermann was trying to expose the corruption rampant in Bush's administration, Clinton was befriending and traveling with Papa Bush on affairs of state for Baby Bush. He even slept on the floor after surgery to alleviate a complication of his heart surgery so that Papa Bush could sleep in the bed on the plane. He and the Bush parents became good friends.

Now he attacks one of the few commentators who tried to tell the truth on a regular basis during that time, who exposed numerous Bush and Cheney lies and crimes and still tries to and who arranges those free clinics to help people whose elected officials will do nothing for them. In Arkansas they would not acknowledge the affiliation of MSNBC to their free clinics, and Olbermann did not object because he thought that the most important thing was to get help to the people. In Louisiana he invited the politicians, but they chose not to come. The clinic went on as planned. I don't see how that is "politicizing" anything.

God knows it is more important that Blanche Lincoln was a "good" chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee than that she actually do something to save the lives of her constituents. Kind of reminds me of when Bill and Hillary Clinton campaigned for Lieberman after he had turned on the Democrats because he was a "good friend." regardless of the fact that he was selling out the party they were all supposed to be representing. I don't think anyone needs to look much further than to see what Bill Clinton's interests are. He is a spoiler and he has always been way too conservative for my tastes. He blew his own chances to get a health care bill, and now he cannot seem to stand seeing someone like Olbermann treating the poor and sick who have no other way of getting care, and doing it successfully. Clinton is a potato.