"DC elite, in fact, never liked Bill..."

[Lauri]

DeepModem Mom  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Tue Jan-29-08 03:58 PM
Original message
Washington elite lead Clinton backlash: D.C. elite, in fact, never liked Bill    Updated at 5:22 PM
   
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The Politico: Washington elite lead Clinton backlash
By: John F. Harris
Jan 28, 2008

....Bill Clinton...botched a big one — at a moment when Hillary Clinton can afford it least. It is striking how many people around town seem to be loving it. But it should not really be surprising. Clinton spent so long as the dominant personality in the Democratic Party that it is easy to forget: Lots of elite Democrats never liked the guy that much. Or, perhaps more precisely, their feelings of admiration were constantly at war with feelings of disdain...

***

The toxic relationship between the Clintons and Washington was always one of the main paradoxes of the Clinton administration — and one of its main mysteries. Here was a couple who devoted their lives to making establishment connections and scaling establishment institutions...Clinton’s policies embraced elite assumptions favored by Wall Street and Washington think tanks — against budget deficits, for instance, and for free trade.

But there was never love at the personal level....From Bill Clinton’s perspective, Washington is a city of cynics. His critics may think he is a brazen phony. But Bill and Hillary Clinton both believe devoutly in their own pure motives. As one who has covered them for 13 years, I can say that he does not see himself — and certainly not Hillary — as calculating or insincere, even when pursuing tactics that look transparently political to outsiders. (For what it’s worth, my own take on his presidency was that however irresponsible Clinton was in his personal life, at the end of the day he usually made responsible choices in his public life.) It enrages him to see his own motives dissected or taken at anything less than face value. The dissection of motives and tactics, needless to say, is Washington’s main industry....

***

In some moods, the Clintons also like to imagine that they are victims of Eastern snobbery against Arkansans. There is probably a whiff of truth to that....

From Washington’s perspective, to judge by the most common criticism heard over the years and again in recent days, the problem is not that Bill Clinton is Bubba but that he is Eddie Haskell — smug, smarmy, self-absorbed. When he first arrived in Washington (I did not start covering him until a couple years later), many journalists seemed to be hoping for another JFK, a politician detached and ironic about his own performance, who shared reporters’ love of gossip and process and style. They hoped for too much....

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=C2DDFA95-30...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4270202


well, well, well.. 

[Wretched Excess]

DURHAM D  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-29-08 05:55 PM
Response to Reply #1
27. And the main source of this story is Rahm Emanuel.
   
That former Clinton White House staffer who is close to both candidates (the one whose wife has switched to Obama) is not close to Hillary at all. He is David Axelrod's best friend and he is from Chicago and is a total slime ball. Hillary wanted him fired from the W.H.

Everyone remember how they hated the DCCC under Rahm's direction? Remember how everyone stopped giving money to the DCCC because they were over investing in races for Blue Dog candidates? Remember the fights between the DNC and DCCC.

If you get Obama you will lose Dean. Is that the change you want?

I thought I knew a lot about the inner workings of the dem party, but this makes no sense.

[Lauri]

i think its been fractured for a long, long time... we just didnt have any way of knowing who was loyal to who.

now a few of the big cheeses are abandoning Hilary in such a public way..  and is Howard Dean dead? where is that guy?

[Wretched Excess]

i think its been fractured for a long, long time... we just didnt have any way of knowing who was loyal to who.

now a few of the big cheeses are abandoning Hilary in such a public way..  and is Howard Dean dead? where is that guy?

hillary still leads in committed superdelegates, who are primarily members of congress.   the MSM is just reinforcing the "obama is inevitable" theory, which they created after the SC primary to take the place of the "hillary is inevitable" theory after NH, which they created after their "obama is inevitable" theory, which . . . .

they don't have any more of a clue how this thing is going to turn out than you or I do.

[Lauri]

i think its been fractured for a long, long time... we just didnt have any way of knowing who was loyal to who.

now a few of the big cheeses are abandoning Hilary in such a public way..  and is Howard Dean dead? where is that guy?

hillary still leads in committed superdelegates, who are primarily members of congress.   the MSM is just reinforcing the "obama is inevitable" theory, which they created after the SC primary to take the place of the "hillary is inevitable" theory after NH, which they created after their "obama is inevitable" theory, which . . . .

they don't have any more of a clue how this thing is going to turn out than you or I do.

gotcha


now... is Howie tied up in a closet somewhere?

[Wretched Excess]

i think its been fractured for a long, long time... we just didnt have any way of knowing who was loyal to who.

now a few of the big cheeses are abandoning Hilary in such a public way..  and is Howard Dean dead? where is that guy?

hillary still leads in committed superdelegates, who are primarily members of congress.   the MSM is just reinforcing the "obama is inevitable" theory, which they created after the SC primary to take the place of the "hillary is inevitable" theory after NH, which they created after their "obama is inevitable" theory, which . . . .

they don't have any more of a clue how this thing is going to turn out than you or I do.

gotcha


now... is Howie tied up in a closet somewhere?

you don't hear very much from him, do you?

he was the toast of the town after the dems won congress.  I suppose it's proper for the DNC chairman to keep a low profile after the nominee becomes apparent, but that just hasn't happened yet.

where is howard dean?

[Wretched Excess]

um, it looks like he is in Geneva.  Wow, now THAT is hiding a guy.

the art they used for this story is hilarious.

[Chris_]

This is so delicious,I could eat it up with a spoon.

I don't know what the hell will happen this go-around, but for the moment, I shall taste the sweet tears of my enemies.

[Chris_]

Jai4WKC08  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Wed Jan-30-08 03:23 AM
Response to Reply #36
43. They hated Carter too
   
Edited on Wed Jan-30-08 03:24 AM by Jai4WKC08
I think it's prejudice against Southerners. Carter was a naval academy grad with a masters in nuclear physics, and Clinton a Rhodes Scholar, but they still were looked down upon as ignorant red-neck hicks by the DC/Eastern seaboard elite. The Clintons were actually called trailer trash.

I remember hearing Wolf Blitzer interview Wes Clark and he said something to the effect, two Rhodes Scholars from Arkansas? Who would have thought that possible? Clark sort of bristled but told him that there are lots of smart folks from Arkansas, but Wolf acted like he really didn't believe him.

I may despise these assholes, but this guy/gal/thing hits it dead on.

There is an Eastern bias.  Clinton may be amoral trailer trash, but his intelligence can not be questioned.

The most important thing we, as Conservatives, can do is to see the unvarnished truth.  Billary is a very, very savvy combination. 

But DC politics is a force in its own right.  And, should the hick-sticks provide us a good candidate in the future, we need to heed the reaction of DC.

[Lauri]

Jai4WKC08  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Wed Jan-30-08 03:23 AM
Response to Reply #36
43. They hated Carter too
   
Edited on Wed Jan-30-08 03:24 AM by Jai4WKC08
I think it's prejudice against Southerners. Carter was a naval academy grad with a masters in nuclear physics, and Clinton a Rhodes Scholar, but they still were looked down upon as ignorant red-neck hicks by the DC/Eastern seaboard elite. The Clintons were actually called trailer trash.

I remember hearing Wolf Blitzer interview Wes Clark and he said something to the effect, two Rhodes Scholars from Arkansas? Who would have thought that possible? Clark sort of bristled but told him that there are lots of smart folks from Arkansas, but Wolf acted like he really didn't believe him.

I may despise these assholes, but this guy/gal/thing hits it dead on.

There is an Eastern bias.  Clinton may be amoral trailer trash, but his intelligence can not be questioned.

The most important thing we, as Conservatives, can do is to see the unvarnished truth.  Billary is a very, very savvy combination. 

But DC politics is a force in its own right.  And, should the hick-sticks provide us a good candidate in the future, we need to heed the reaction of DC.

I read that post and wondered what 'two scholars from Arkansas' is the DUmmy talking about? I know Bill Clinton is one of them.. who is the other? Not Hilary..

[Wretched Excess]

Jai4WKC08  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Wed Jan-30-08 03:23 AM
Response to Reply #36
43. They hated Carter too
   
Edited on Wed Jan-30-08 03:24 AM by Jai4WKC08
I think it's prejudice against Southerners. Carter was a naval academy grad with a masters in nuclear physics, and Clinton a Rhodes Scholar, but they still were looked down upon as ignorant red-neck hicks by the DC/Eastern seaboard elite. The Clintons were actually called trailer trash.

I remember hearing Wolf Blitzer interview Wes Clark and he said something to the effect, two Rhodes Scholars from Arkansas? Who would have thought that possible? Clark sort of bristled but told him that there are lots of smart folks from Arkansas, but Wolf acted like he really didn't believe him.

I may despise these assholes, but this guy/gal/thing hits it dead on.

There is an Eastern bias.  Clinton may be amoral trailer trash, but his intelligence can not be questioned.

The most important thing we, as Conservatives, can do is to see the unvarnished truth.  Billary is a very, very savvy combination. 

But DC politics is a force in its own right.  And, should the hick-sticks provide us a good candidate in the future, we need to heed the reaction of DC.

I read that post and wondered what 'two scholars from Arkansas' is the DUmmy talking about? I know Bill Clinton is one of them.. who is the other? Not Hilary..

wes clark.

[Lord Undies]

Jai4WKC08  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Wed Jan-30-08 03:23 AM
Response to Reply #36
43. They hated Carter too
   
Edited on Wed Jan-30-08 03:24 AM by Jai4WKC08
I think it's prejudice against Southerners. Carter was a naval academy grad with a masters in nuclear physics, and Clinton a Rhodes Scholar, but they still were looked down upon as ignorant red-neck hicks by the DC/Eastern seaboard elite. The Clintons were actually called trailer trash.

I remember hearing Wolf Blitzer interview Wes Clark and he said something to the effect, two Rhodes Scholars from Arkansas? Who would have thought that possible? Clark sort of bristled but told him that there are lots of smart folks from Arkansas, but Wolf acted like he really didn't believe him.

I may despise these assholes, but this guy/gal/thing hits it dead on.

There is an Eastern bias.  Clinton may be amoral trailer trash, but his intelligence can not be questioned.

The most important thing we, as Conservatives, can do is to see the unvarnished truth.  Billary is a very, very savvy combination. 

But DC politics is a force in its own right.  And, should the hick-sticks provide us a good candidate in the future, we need to heed the reaction of DC.

I question Bill Clinton's intelligence.  I've never been impressed with his advertised "smarts".  I consider him a bumbling dope with a good command of the the English language and a talent to charm the easily charmable, and some dedicated democrat party people around to make sure he doesn't embarrass himself and the party too much (haha, they failed!).  

Smart men do not act like our first teenage president acts.  Smart men don't need to cheat, steal, and lie to get ahead.  Smart men don't wind up being the punchline to a world of jokes.  Smart men know how to retire with dignity and grace after their day in the sun.

[Lauri]

wes clark is a scholar? hmmm.. didnt know that. i kind of sped read the OP..

[Chris_]

I question Bill Clinton's intelligence.  I've never been impressed with his advertised "smarts".  I consider him a bumbling dope with a good command of the the English language and a talent to charm the easily charmable, and some dedicated democrat party people around to make sure he doesn't embarrass himself and the party too much (haha, they failed!). 

Smart men do not act like our first teenage president acts.  Smart men don't need to cheat, steal, and lie to get ahead.  Smart men don't wind up being the punchline to a world of jokes.  Smart men know how to retire with dignity and grace after their day in the sun.

Well, it is a combination of book smarts and street smarts.  Like a kid who grows up on the street and knows what it means when a low-rider goes by slowly, but reads Sun Tzu and Chaucer.

And his latest pop-offs clearly demonstrate his 'nads continually get in the way of his brain.

But don't let this fool you.  There are very few people who could build the Clinton Machine.  Hopefully, it will go the way of the Kennedy Machine.

God struck down the Kennedys.  He clearly made it our charge to strike down the Clintons.

[Chris_]

wes clark is a scholar? hmmm.. didnt know that. i kind of sped read the OP..

Liberal Dictionary:

schol·ar      /ˈskÉ’lÉ™r/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[skol-er] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. Anyone who espouses what a particular liberal believes.

[TheSarge]

DeepModem Mom  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Tue Jan-29-08 03:58 PM
Original message
Washington elite lead Clinton backlash: D.C. elite, in fact, never liked Bill

They only liked him until something "better" came along.  It's all about the next big thing in politics.  In the 90's it was the Arkansas Philanderer....in 2008 it's the elegant Illinois Socialist.

[redwhit]

Jai4WKC08  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Wed Jan-30-08 03:23 AM
Response to Reply #36
43. They hated Carter too
   
Edited on Wed Jan-30-08 03:24 AM by Jai4WKC08
I think it's prejudice against Southerners. Carter was a naval academy grad with a masters in nuclear physics, and Clinton a Rhodes Scholar, but they still were looked down upon as ignorant red-neck hicks by the DC/Eastern seaboard elite. The Clintons were actually called trailer trash.

I remember hearing Wolf Blitzer interview Wes Clark and he said something to the effect, two Rhodes Scholars from Arkansas? Who would have thought that possible? Clark sort of bristled but told him that there are lots of smart folks from Arkansas, but Wolf acted like he really didn't believe him.

I may despise these assholes, but this guy/gal/thing hits it dead on.

There is an Eastern bias.  Clinton may be amoral trailer trash, but his intelligence can not be questioned.

The most important thing we, as Conservatives, can do is to see the unvarnished truth.  Billary is a very, very savvy combination. 

But DC politics is a force in its own right.  And, should the hick-sticks provide us a good candidate in the future, we need to heed the reaction of DC.

Could be.  There certainly is an eastern bias in the DC political machine that I remember from my time there but I remember Carter's press secretary (was it Jody Powell?) explaining the hostility the Carterites experienced came from the fact that they didn't plug themselves into the DC social scene.  This behavior perpetuated the idea that they were "different" while, on the other hand, the Clintons, especially Bill, are all about the loving crowds.  Given the two different approaches to settling into DC with the same end result, there may full well be the anti-South sentiment at work.  I think DC still smarts from JFK's comment that DC is a city with "Northern charm and Southern efficiency."

The easiest thing to forget, given the media coverage, is that Clinton wasn't that popular.  The Cold War was over, we were at peace, the economy seemed to be cugging along nicely, Al Gore gave us the internet to play with - most people just didn't care who was in the top spot.  I'm sure the Dem bosses know this full well and now, at a time when more of us care and want scrutiny on those who would be president, the Clintons, potentially, could become a liability.

[franksolich]

I dunno.

If I had my druthers, selecting between a medium-sized tragedy and a Catastrophic Tragedy, I'd go with the Impeached One and Messalina Agrippina, against the Washington, D.C. "elites."

The Washington, D.C. "elites" are very much like the upper nobility in France circa 1789, and sooner or later are destined to collapse from their own dead weight.

[redwhit]

I understand what you're saying but I don't think those two will go against the DC elite.  Instead, the elite will be against them.  Bill, especially, craves adulation and acceptance and I don't think Hillary is far behind in that desire.  Perhaps that is why Bill "snaps" so hard when the questioning goes against him - he's thriving on love and, when he doesn't get it, he lashes out.

I think, if elected, they will do their level best to become part of the elite, not go against it.  This is a feeling and the only evidence I can give to support it is Bill's appearance during his presidency.  We usually watch presidents age and tire over their terms, far more than the four or eight chronological years should be able to do.  I don't recall Bill starting to look haggard until the catchphrase "portly pepperpot" became national and his adminstration looked to be in serious peril.

Their naked ambition and desire to be part of the "cool kids" is what troubles me the most about these two.

[Lauri]

wes clark is a scholar? hmmm.. didnt know that. i kind of sped read the OP..

Liberal Dictionary:

schol·ar      /ˈskÉ’lÉ™r/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[skol-er] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. Anyone who espouses what a particular liberal believes.

well, thats why i didnt know better..