Bill: Hillary Should Have Run First

Says He Once Suggested She Dump Him And Jump Into Her Own Political Career

(AP)  Campaigning for his wife, former President Clinton says that when they were starting out he was so struck by her intellect and ability he once suggested she should just dump him and jump into her own political career.

That didn't happen, of course, and on Monday he gave an Iowa crowd his version of why it didn't.

"I thought it would be wrong for me to rob her of the chance to be what I thought she should be," said Clinton. "She laughed and said, 'First I love you and, second, I'm not going to run for anything, I'm too hardheaded.'"

Hillary Rodham Clinton is running now, and husband Bill was stumping for her in the 2008 campaign's leadoff caucus state - two days after rival Democrat Barack Obama got a full weekend's worth of attention by bringing in talk show queen Oprah Winfrey to campaign for him.

The former president opened a two-day swing through Iowa on behalf of his wife, packing nearly 500 people into a theater on the campus of Iowa State University.

"She has spent a lifetime as a change agent when she had the option to do other things," he said.

"I thought she was the most gifted person of our generation," said Clinton, who said he told her, "You know, you really should dump me and go back home to Chicago or go to New York and take one of those offers you've got and run for office."

Now that she's a New York senator and in a tight Democratic contest - with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards - the former president said he wanted to persuade voters that she has "the best combination of mind and heart."

He offered a self-deprecating view of the couple's early life in Arkansas.

"When she came down there and we got married, I was a defeated candidate for Congress with a $26,000 salary and a $42,000 campaign debt," said Clinton. "If she were half as calculating as someone said, that's a really great way to run for president."

In his latest Iowa swing, Clinton is bringing heavy attention to his wife, who is competing in the precinct caucuses that will launch the presidential nominating season on Jan. 3.

"It's one thing to have good intentions; it is another thing entirely to change people's lives," Clinton said. "She's the best non-incumbent I have ever had a chance to vote for. In my whole life I've never met anyone like her."

While Clinton remains very popular among Democrats, his image is mixed in the wider population. An Associated Press-Yahoo poll last month showed that 54 percent of those questioned had a very or somewhat favorable view of the former president, while 43 percent had a very or somewhat unfavorable view.

"He did an excellent job as president and we need some changes," said 82-year-old Morris Mericle, who attended Monday's event and said he wanted to see a former president he had voted for. Still, Mericle was keeping his options open for next year.

"I have an open mind," he said. "I have not decided, I'll wait and listen to the debates."

Maureen Ogle said she also wanted to keep her options open and was eager to sees a president about whom she has decidedly mixed views.

"I'm never going to forgive him for the way he humiliated his wife and daughter, but I would vote for him in a heartbeat,' said Ogle. "He is one of two or three of the most powerful people in the world."

Clinton was more than an hour late opening his swing in Ames, with campaign staffers alternately blaming the weather and airplane problems. Still, virtually everyone who showed up stuck around to hear a speech that was shorter than the wait.

"I'm out of politics now except every two years the Democrats kind of haul me out of the barn like an old horse to see if I can make it around the track one more time," he said.

Clinton said he would understand if people assume he has a prejudice in the 2008 race. "I always tell people when I speak that you're entitled to discount what I have to say," he said. "I want to say a few things that are very personal."

Later in the day, Clinton repeated his pitch to a spillover crowd of more than 400 at a YMCA gym in Newton, where he joked about his campaign schedule.

"They always send me to rural areas," said Clinton. "I've got boots that have been worn and I know one end of a horse from the other."

He rejected suggestions that touting his record as president amounted to trying to turn the clock back, as Obama has suggested.

"People say we shouldn't refight the battles of the '90s and I agree with that," said Clinton. "I'd sure like to have some of the victories of the '90s."

[prinzowhales]

jack3213--That is why Barbara Bush says she thinks of Bill as another son--he fits right in with the Bush Crime family. They''ve crossed paths numerous times in the path...When Bill was Arkansas''s governor he cooperated with VP George HW Bush in the Mena drugs and money laundering oeprations.

The famous picture of George HW Bush shows exactly where he was when JFK was assassinated--standing next to the Book Depository trying to look away from the camera inconspicuously. He has always claimed he didn''t know where he was on that day in 1963

Bill drove former Warren Commission member Congressman Hale Boggs to the airport to meet fate in an Alaska airplane crash...Congressman Boggs had said that Hoover "lied his eyes out" to the Warren Commission.

Barry Seal, one of the biggest cocaine smugglers in history was a CIA pilot who was in David Ferry''s kiddie air corps in New Orleans with Oswald was murdered...he had Bush''s private number on him.

Bill and the Bush''s are right out of the same sewer...they each just delude a different set of people and keep the criminals in power.

[jack3213]

It is no mystery that Clinton(s) are the ones that lie, cheat, kill, & steal. There is obvious corruption, deception, delusion, and manipulation in that family, beyond belief. If you are a supporter can you tell us all what you know of that they have done legitimately that has been successful and beneficial for the USA? her plan " B" for Nh stands for more BS.

[jedi08]

Sure Bill, just make sure you shoot it somewhere else besides the interns dress this time around

[prinzowhales]

This is a rather interesting tidbit regarding Hillary Clinton''s work in California on behalf of the Black Panthers involving firearms, cheap motels and lesbian love...

http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=7664

Make of it what you will...but, it certainly resonates with the sexual ambiguity and inversion that seems to be rampant in Washington.

[b-easy63]

Shut up Bill. If Hilary had won the office, you would just have humiliated and demeaned her and the entire United States with your fvcking around. Bad enough to watch her be your wife and stick with you--even worse if she had been our president and you had done the same. A disgrace......

[tbweb]

PS Does anybody else get the sense that if Bill weren''''t married to Hillary, he''''d be positively giddy about passing the torch to Barack?

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 01:53 PM : Dec 11, 2007,,,

If Hillary wasn''t married to Bill, she wouldn''t even be on the Political radar screen! Much of Hillary''s support is from Bill supporters and the hope that if she does win, Bill will play a major role. Many incorrectly think that Voting for Hillary is re-electing Bill Clinton and thats only partially true, Hillary Rodham Clinton is being elected and will be the decision maker. Then to put the exclamation mark on it, dump Bill after she becomes President! Ahhh ...

[samthetvcat]

"We are still in the war, and despite our efforts to surrender in Iraq, the Republicans have turned the war around and now the USA is winning"
Posted by bobmarisol

Okay, you know what bob I saw some new match-up poll numbers from CNN and apparently McCain if he were to run against Hillary or Barack MIGHT win according to the polls (which show results within the margin of error) - so maybe you''ve touched on a really important point. Sorry for snapping at you!

I''m still skeptical though because McCain''s not in the spotlight very much these days. Like even though his support of the surge may be a factor in his popularity with centrists, it might also be his greatest vulnerability once the Democratic nom does starts hammering the airwaves with just how much it''s costing each of us to be there and how much more needs to be done. Like is the decrease in violence going to still look like a ''win'' if attention focuses back to Michael Ware on CNN saying every day that Bush is paying competing warlords a ton of money to behave and they''re using it to replenish their arms for when the pot of gold runs out?

Maybe the candidates need to start ''attacking'' McCain again to see whether he''s a true threat who''ll be able to stand the test of time or whether the greater threat is Huckabee or somebody else (?)

[shanev137]

Why would she dump you Bill...when she needed your coat tails?

[mitywhity]

Does he believe that we believe all this? This guy is pathological.

[hwy71so]

"PS Does anybody else get the sense that if Bill weren''''t married to Hillary, he''''d be positively giddy about passing the torch to Barack?

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 01:53 PM : Dec 11, 2007"

I was thinking Edwards...

[samthetvcat]

PS Does anybody else get the sense that if Bill weren''t married to Hillary, he''d be positively giddy about passing the torch to Barack?

[samthetvcat]

"One comment said "Democrats have 2008 in the bag" -- as a lifelong Democrat, I am not so sure. We won Congress b/c of how things were going in Iraq. But since we took power, our Congress has gotten little if anything done. We are still in the war, and despite our efforts to surrender in Iraq, the Republicans have turned the war around and now the USA is winning -- THIS IS BAD FOR US AS DEMOCRATS BECAUSE NOW THE REPUBLICANS WILL GET CREDIT FOR WINNING THE WAR AND WE WILL BE SEEN AS WEAK IN THE WAR ON TERROR. I am afraid we have convinced the American people to vote Republican even though most people dont like Bush."
Posted by bobmarisol

Yes you are afraid . . . why don''t you say it was SamTheTVCat who you''re quoting and why don''t you put it into context and why don''t you address the points I made in response to your little spam-bot. People are already comparing you to Lars, so if credibility is important to you you might want to answer responses to your posts, if not keep spamming troll!

[infidel_us]

Bill: Hillary Should Have Run First

Yeah, she should have ran FROM you back in Arkansas. If she had, we wouldn''t be dealing with her now!!!!!!

[hwy71so]

There''s more to leadership then intellect. There''s sound judgement and the ability to influence others.

We''ll see how the needle spins...

[bobmarisol]

One comment said "Democrats have 2008 in the bag" -- as a lifelong Democrat, I am not so sure. We won Congress b/c of how things were going in Iraq. But since we took power, our Congress has gotten little if anything done. We are still in the war, and despite our efforts to surrender in Iraq, the Republicans have turned the war around and now the USA is winning -- THIS IS BAD FOR US AS DEMOCRATS BECAUSE NOW THE REPUBLICANS WILL GET CREDIT FOR WINNING THE WAR AND WE WILL BE SEEN AS WEAK IN THE WAR ON TERROR. I am afraid we have convinced the American people to vote Republican even though most people dont like Bush.

[simonsez40]

As far as intellect I think she has more than any of the other candidates. But mainstream America will make this a ''she''s a biitch'' woman thing - instead of using their brains to see whom has the most intellect.....

HUCKABEE? Come on? George Bush......we have so much more potential than what these zealots worship! Wake up America!