Did Bill Clinton Call Obama Unpatriotic?

Obama Campaign Official Criticizes Former President's Comments, Comparing Him To McCarthy

(AP)  A new controversy flared up in the Democratic presidential race Saturday over remarks by former President Bill Clinton whom Barack Obama's campaign accused of using divisive tactics and unfairly trying to question the Illinois senator's patriotism.

Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak, a co-chair of Obama's campaign, said he was astonished and disappointed by recent comments the former president made while speculating about a general election between Obama's Democratic rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Republican John McCain.

Standing next to Obama on stage at a campaign rally in southern Oregon, the retired Air Force chief of staff repeated Bill Clinton's comments aloud to a silent audience.

The former president told a group of veterans Friday in Charlotte, North Carolina: "I think it would be a great thing if we had an election year where you had two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interest of this country. And people could actually ask themselves who is right on these issues, instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics."

McPeak then said to his Oregon audience: "As one who for 37 years proudly wore the uniform of our country, I'm saddened to see a president employ these tactics. He of all people should know better because he was the target of exactly the same kind of tactics."

That apparently was a reference to Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, when he was accused of dodging the Vietnam War draft.

Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for Hillary Clinton's campaign, said Saturday that McPeak's comments were a "deliberately pathetic misreading of what the president said." Wolfson said the remarks had nothing to do with Obama and were merely meant to underscore the need to keep the presidential race focused on issues.

Hillary Clinton, the New York senator, had no campaign events scheduled Saturday.

It was not the first time Bill Clinton has been criticized for comments while campaigning on his wife's behalf. Before and after South Carolina's primary in January, the former president was accused of fanning racial tensions for appearing to cast Obama as little more than a black candidate popular in a state with a heavily black electorate.

The latest controversy came at the end of a rough week for the Obama campaign in which the Illinois senator was battered over incendiary remarks by his longtime pastor that were portrayed as unpatriotic.

However, Obama engaged in damage control with a major speech Tuesday on the issue of race. That speech helped Obama gain a key endorsement, the backing of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, himself a former Democratic presidential candidate.

The nod from Richardson had been sought by both Obama and Clinton. Bill Clinton even went to Richardson's New Mexico home in January to watch America's premier television sporting event, the Super Bowl football championship.

Richardson had served the former president as U.N. ambassador and energy secretary and the endorsement was seen as a rebuke to Hillary Clinton's candidacy.

"You are a once-in-a-lifetime leader," Richardson said, speaking at a spirited rally Friday in Portland, Oregon, with Obama at his side. "Above all, you will be a president who brings this nation together."

Oregon does not hold its primary until May 20. The next Democratic primary contest is on April 22 in Pennsylvania.

The Richardson endorsement was a blow to the Clinton campaign which has been urging remaining uncommitted superdelegates - party officials and elected officials who are free to vote for whomever they choose at the party's national convention - to hold off on endorsing a candidate until the end of the primary season in June.

Obama currently leads the all-important overall delegate count with 1,620 to Clinton's 1,499. But neither candidate is likely to get enough delegates in the remaining primaries and caucuses to reach the 2,024 needed to win nomination at the party's convention in late August in Denver. That means they must rely on support from superdelegates to become the nominee.

Richardson's backing of Obama, who aspires to become America's first black president, could help bring other superdelegates to the Illinois senator's side. The New Mexico governor could also help boost support for Obama among fellow Hispanics, who have largely backed Clinton.

Richardson, who has been mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate, told Democrats it was time to stop bickering and get behind Obama as the party's nominee. The Clinton campaign dismissed the endorsement.

Senior strategist Mark Penn, noting Clinton's February victory in the New Mexico primary, said, "Perhaps the time when he could have been most effective has long since past." Penn added that he did not think it was a "significant endorsement."

Whether intentionally timed or not, the Richardson endorsement came as Obama needed the boost after the widely circulated inflammatory snippets of sermons that showed the Rev. Jeremiah Wright claiming the United States had brought the Sept. 11 attacks on itself and asking God to damn America for racial bigotry.

While condemning the remarks, Obama refused in a major speech on race this week to "disown" Wright, who married the candidate and his wife and baptized their children.

Richardson heaped praise on Obama's speech about the nation's racial divide.

"As a Hispanic-American, I was particularly touched by his words," Richardson said. "Senator Obama has started a discussion in this country that is long overdue and rejects the politics of pitting race against race."

There were also personal aspects to Richardson's swing behind Obama. He noted that both are the sons of one foreign-born parent - Obama's father was from Kenya, Richardson's mother was from Mexico.

McPeak also had made off-the-cuff remarks to reporters Friday in comparing the former president's comments with the actions of Joseph McCarthy, the 1950s communist-hunting senator.

"I grew up, I was going to college when Joe McCarthy was accusing good Americans of being traitors, so I've had enough of it," McPeak said.

Wolfson called that comparison outrageous and called for a retraction.

"I think most Democrats were shocked to learn that a two-term Democratic president was compared to Joseph McCarthy," he said.

With the Republican nomination secured, McCain was free to burnish his foreign policy and national security credentials on a weeklong overseas congressional trip that took him to the Middle East and Europe, including a stopover in Iraq.

On Friday, the veteran Arizona senator met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Afterwards, he said China is harming its world image with its crackdown in Tibet and expressed hope Beijing would seek a peaceful solution to the crisis.

McCain did not discuss the issue with Sarkozy, but told reporters later in the courtyard of the French presidential Elysee Palace that the subject of Tibet would be "one of the first things I would talk about if I were president of the United States today."

[concorde5]

rayhc1...What you fail to realize is that Hillary and McCain are the same. They both support this war, they both walk in lock-step with Bush. Putting HillBillary in office is only giving Bush another term.

It''s time for Real Change!!

Obama 08!

[besscannon-2009]

So what if Bill inferred Obama is unpatriotic? It is no lie!! Obama won''t honor our Anthem, won''t salute our flag and wears a cuban flag pin instead of an american flag. Want to say something more about Obama''s patriotism? I think it is VERY tragic that this country is even THINKING of making someone our president that does not revere our country and it''s symbols. VERY tragic. I think this country is killing this wonderful democracy we have had. It is disappearing and the idiocy of electing an unpatriotic person to our highest office is pure madness. Also, have you ever heard Obama say "God Bless America"? No, and I''ll bet you never will!!

[blkpresident]

rayhc1,

You present an interesting take on things, but ''Lil Hillary isn''t the chosen one by any stretch of the imagination.

[rayhc1]

It is politics as usual. However, Hillary Clinton has more experience and contacts to handle the position then Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton has what it takes to handle the NEAR EAST/MIDDLE EAST situations, along with Russia and China.

Currently, Russia is in bed with IRAN, and Russia is an ally with China. If the UNITED STATES invades IRAN, Russia and China will annihilate the UNITED STATES off the map. However, the "EUROPEAN UNION" will be effected differently. The MASONS can not force Ezekiel 39.

If Barack Obama wins against Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama will lose against McCain in the general ellection. Then, McCain will do more invaisions, and IRAN will be at the top of the list. This will be to initiate the TRIGGER that PRESIDENT BUSH was supposed to do during 2006.

The MASONS want to force the SEVENTH KINGDOM OF BABYLON by initiating the TRIGGER. This will only amount to a mess not the SEVENTH KINGDOM. The SEVENTH KINGDOM OF BABYLON is the "EUROPEAN UNION"/NEW ROMAN EMPIRE for seven years. This was supposed to be done by PRESIDENT BUSH during 2006; however, things have changed at the very TOP!

Bottom line, Hillary Clinton, eventhough there are issues, must become PRESIDENT.

[rayhc1]

It is politics as usual. However, Hillary Clinton has more experience and contacts to handle the position then Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton has what it takes to handle the NEAR EAST/MIDDLE EAST situations, along with Russia and China.

Currently, Russia is in bed with IRAN, and Russia is an ally with China. If the UNITED STATES invades IRAN, Russia and China will annihilate the UNITED STATES off the map. However, the "EUROPEAN UNION" will be effected differently. The MASONS can not force Ezekiel 39.

If Barack Obama wins against Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama will lose against McCain in the general ellection. Then, McCain will do more invaisions, and IRAN will be at the top of the list. This will be to initiate the TRIGGER that PRESIDENT BUSH was supposed to do during 2006.

The MASONS want to force the SEVENTH KINGDOM OF BABYLON by initiating the TRIGGER. This will only amount to a mess not the SEVENTH KINGDOM. The SEVENTH KINGDOM OF BABYLON is the "EUROPEAN UNION"/NEW ROMAN EMPIRE for seven years. This was supposed to be done by PRESIDENT BUSH during 2006; however, things have changed at the very TOP!

Bottom line, Hillary Clinton, eventhough there are issues, must become PRESIDENT.

[rayhc1]

It is politics as usual. However, Hillary Clinton has more experience and contacts to handle the position then Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton has what it takes to handle the NEAR EAST/MIDDLE EAST situations, along with Russia and China.

Currently, Russia is in bed with IRAN, and Russia is an ally with China. If the UNITED STATES invades IRAN, Russia and China will annihilate the UNITED STATES off the map. However, the "EUROPEAN UNION" will be effected differently. The MASONS can not force Ezekiel 39.

If Barack Obama wins against Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama will lose against McCain in the general ellection. Then, McCain will do more invaisions, and IRAN will be at the top of the list. This will be to initiate the TRIGGER that PRESIDENT BUSH was supposed to do during 2006.

The MASONS want to force the SEVENTH KINGDOM OF BABYLON by initiating the TRIGGER. This will only amount to a mess not the SEVENTH KINGDOM. The SEVENTH KINGDOM OF BABYLON is the "EUROPEAN UNION"/NEW ROMAN EMPIRE for seven years. This was supposed to be done by PRESIDENT BUSH during 2006; however, things have changed at the very TOP!

Bottom line, Hillary Clinton, eventhough there are issues, must become PRESIDENT.

[kmccliment]

Obama is Racially, bigoted, lying and unpatriotic!

[latinovoter1]

What is Unpatriotic and Immoral, is having *** with an intern in the White House. That is what a Clinton White House would look like, Scandal, Cover-ups, Lies and more Lies.

[rickozzy-2009]

HILLARY''S 2012 STRATEGY

Some say that I, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, should have spent Easter weekend in Chappaqua, writing my withdrawal speech and preparing for my return to the Senate. They ask why I stay in the %u201908 race when Obama has an insurmountable lead in states, delegates, and popular vote. My strategy is for victory in the 2012 presidential election. I will continue to pursue several lines of attack on Obama including denouncing his experience, blaming him for the fiascos in Michigan & Florida, and even praising our Republican rival Senator John McCain as more patriotic and experienced than Obama. My goal is to do extensive damage to Obama to ensure that he looses the general election in %u201908 and pave the way for my eventual election in 2012! It%u2019s a HILLARIOUS strategy, but I will be president by any means necessary.

[blkpresident]

libra127,

In response to your claims that ''Lil Hillary is to be taken serious as a viable candidate for the presidency, guess you don''t mind if the Red Phone rings in the Oval Office at 3am, while you''re safe and sleeping peaceably in your home, and ''lil missy is the one responsible for keeping America safe from terrorist. There''s a BIG difference between wanting to play president and being president. The White House is no place for that woman to attempt to re-capture her childhood fantasies about a women becoming president. We are at war in two hotspots around the world, so the next president will have to be able do more than play with Barbie dolls or bake brownies for the terrorist instead of commanding respect and fear from them.

[grammawhamma]

It''s a sad day when you can say one of the presidental candidates is unpatriotic and without naming any names we all know who it is.
------
God "BLESS" America

[truthbug]

OBAMA IS WRIGHT - WRONG RIGHT.

CLINTON IS RIGHT - RIGHT RIGHT.

RICHARDSON played JUDAS because he sold CLINTON for him to be VICEPRESIDENT. Another WRIGHT in OBAMA''s wing. (Don''t forget RENZO and FARRAK!)

[webama]

Let the clintons sound negativ. That''s the option of been nominated at any cost. No matter how ugly means seem to be. Geting rid of those past decades polititcs ist exactly all what this election ist about. We gonna turn the page of old politics very soon. Obama for President !!!

[libra127]

the audacity to say ''Lil Hillary was someone to be taken seriously...

Posted by BLKPRESIDENT at 12:29 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Blkpresident, you better believe she''s someone to be taken seriously. You, on the other hand, are NOT to be taken seriously, due to your consistently sexist comments. Throughout your many posts, it is evident that you dismiss and demean Senator Clinton as a candidate for President SIMPLY because she is a woman. You have never made any other "claim" against her. That is sexism, pure and simple. Discrimination based on gender alone is illegal in the good ole U.S. of A.

[mudrose-2009]

Okay, I''m taking a consensus. How many "typical white persons" out there feel we have a racial problem? Raise your hands.

Look at all those eyeballs rolling. I asked you to raise your hands.

Okay now. How many "typical black people" feel we have a racial problem?

Wow! Look at all those middle fingers pointing up to the sky.

Houston, do we have a racial problem? Negative. We have an anti-American problem.

Roger Houston. Over and out.

[mudrose-2009]

Clinton like the rest of us is just a typical white person who doesn%u2019t understand the plight of Harvard educated affirmative action beneficiaries.

[hwy71so]

The WHOLE democratic party has been acting unpatriotic! They just don''t understand anything other than "self", "self", "self". They just don''t seem to understand the "justice for all" concept.

[mudrose-2009]

Clinton like the rest of us is just a typical white person who doesn%u2019t understand the plight of Harvard educated affirmative action beneficiaries.

[starleo146]

Yeah Obama would love to backdoor once more, If anyone believes that Clinton was talking about Hillary and McBush I got a bridge to sell you in the Sahara desert.C''mon Obama I thought you were good with the English language, he was talking about you, and Hillary. He was right stop this and talk about the issues, It might have worked in S,C. but it is a stretch for us to believe he is now campaigning for McBush.

[jesterbelle]

Twenty six hits on my spyware program getting to this one page.Great site,CBS,real professional.One of these days I''m going to write a program that ties it all up in a nice little package with a bow on it,and labels it "return to sender".Time to dump you now,bye bye.