Bill Clinton "Just Can't Help Himself"

Politico's Mike Allen Says Former President's Remarks Reflect Frustration Over Hillary's White House Run

(CBS)  Former President Bill Clinton again overshadowed his presidential candidate-wife with remarks on the campaign trail which, rather than clear the air over Hillary Clinton's statements on Bosnia, only seemed to muddy the waters.

In Indiana Thursday, President Clinton said Sen. Clinton has "misstated" the circumstances of her arrival in Bosnia under sniper fire - a comment that was quickly refuted by a CBS News video of her 1996 trip - but suggested that the brouhaha over her remarks (by the media and her opponents) was exaggerated. "You would have thought, you know, that she'd robbed a bank the way they carried on about this."

But the former president's defense of his wife - that she had made the comment late at night after long hours of campaigning - was itself refuted by CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod, who showed the New York Senator making her remarks early one morning after a day of rest.

Now the question being asked is, with Hillary's Bosnia comments having long died down (the Senator has even joked about it several times), why would the former president raise the matter again, and make inaccurate points in doing so?

"You can hear both Republicans and Democrats say about President Clinton, which has been said so many times before, 'He just can't help himself,'" Politico columnist Mike Allen told Early Show anchor Debbye Turner.

Allen likened the feeling within the Clinton campaign to the famous "Saturday Night Live" skit during the 1988 presidential race, "where Michael Dukakis said about George Bush's father, 'I can't believe I'm losing to this guy.'

"I think that this reflects extreme frustration inside the Clinton family, inside the Clinton campaign, about the trajectory of this race."

"When you are supporting someone you love, you really do take it very much to heart," Sen. Clinton said during a recent appearance on "The Tonight Show." "I've told him, 'Okay, honey, that's all right. We don't have to get excited about it.' So he's doing a great job for me, but he does get a little carried away sometimes."

Allen said it sounded as if Hillary is distancing herself from Bill.

"It looks like she's saying, 'Honey, cool it, shut up, chill out.' These comments have just raised issues that hurt her, such as his earlier remarks that hurt her with black voters. And he and Chelsea Clinton are out very hard campaigning hard for her, but this keeps coming up.

"Some even wonder if there's a perverse psychology where he's trying to undermine her campaign. I don't think that's right, because her election would help his legacy, make him a much bigger historic figure. But as your correspondents can tell you, he's been pulled way back from the press. There aren't cameras on rope lines anymore. They try to keep him quiet.

"But he goes out and boom, has a whole different story than what the campaign wanted."

A year and a half ago, with Hillary Clinton seen as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, Bill Clinton was seen as her campaign's strongest weapon. And now?

"People talked about the mixed blessing of Bill Clinton," Allen said. "He had always looked like an unalloyed asset. He reminded Democrats, many Americans of a better time, [and is] one of the greatest political strategists who has ever lived in America. But instead he's just turned out to be a distraction. So yes, indeed, you will see less of him.

"He's such a contrast to Chelsea Clinton, their daughter, who has done more than 100 question-and-answers at colleges, most of them on camera, with not one flub."

[blackspirit3]

BILL DOES NOT HAVE SELF DISCIPLINE, THATS WHY HE HAS BEEN KNOWN AS A RAPIST. SHE CANT CONTROL HIS MOUTH OR HIS HANDS

[rational_1]

When I first read the title of this piece I thought it was going to have something to do with chubby interns. I miss the chubby intern stories.

[cruiser111-2009]

I feel sorry for the Clintons. The coronation was all planned out Hillary was goingto give a coupleheartfelt speaches and then on to the convention where the royal scribes were to document the event and then the crowning ceremony would commence. Afterward the rioyal jesters would entertain while the huge feast was served. So Hillary what happened?

[tibu987]

That these two conniving liars (Bill and Hillary),may again be in the White House says loads about voters intelligence and their lack of knowqledge of the corrupt careers of those two.

And so it goes..........

[hp32970c]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-clintonchina13apr13,0,499290.story


More conflict of interest for Bill and Hill. So, where is the library donor list and the tax return for last year? Obviously they''re hiding plenty.

[jockh]

Hillarys problem is that voters know how easily the Clintons lie.

Misspeaking is one thing, repeating something over and over makes it a FLAT LIE !!
The Clintons simply cannot help themselves; they tell a big lie when a small lie will do. And they tell a small lie when the truth will do. After careful training from Bill, Hillary can lie out of both sides of her mouth at the same time even when there''s no particular reason to.
Lets face it, it takes a bare faced liar to confuse a hug from a little girl in Bosnia with the terror of running from sniper bullets.

Look at the trouble the country is in because of the lies of President Bush so God help America if the world famous misspeaking Clintons get elected.

[truthspeake2]

But, it''''s all moot anyway. The superdelegates are already bought and paid for, so Clinton will be the nominee and McCain will be the next president.

Posted by Kaelinda at 03:50 AM : Apr 13, 2008


Unfortunately, you''re probably right because people tend to really underestimate the Clinton political machine with their friends in high places and America isn''t truly ready for change and will chose to stay with the status quo...sad!

[greatdrivew]

Bill "just can''t help himself" because "he loves his wife?"

Oh please, give me a break. Bill Clinton is the same today as he''s always been: a manipulative, say-anything scoundrel.

But of course that''s old news. The new news involves Chelsea. It looks like Bill and Hillary have decided to start her political career for her a little early. I wonder how long it will be before the press jumps on board and starts jamming her down our throats?

[sharncedar]

BILL HELPS HISSELF JES FINE!

(apologize for the CAPS, its LOUD in here)

[megga2]

THEY LIE AND THE PPL who VOTE FOR THEM KNOW IT AND APPROVE. WHAT U SOW U WILL REAP,HENCE THE MORTGAGE CRISES AND THE IRAQ DEBACLE WHICH BANRUPTING THE COUNTRY, CHINA SAVES AT 47% RATE. AVG USA IS ZERO,MAJORITY riddled with debt, the biter will vote 4 her they are anti-mexican and why love guns, Jesus had nothing 2 do with guns, even the pope against it so go figure church and guns????? hmm is that why the ceo''s shipping jobs to china or b/c of hilbill/penn NAFTA?

[runningralph]

Despite the numerous pecadillos, anti-military stance, drug running and murder of witnesses in Arkansas, Bill was the man who got limits put on the welfare mess. So he''s not all bad. Hillary also has a shady past, but she has some good ideas. They are products of the dopehead (boomer) generation. Things that seemed to be the new way, the shining insight to these boomers 30 or 40 years ago have now turned sour and rotten. They are struggling to redeem something, bring some decency to their sad legacies. The Clintons exactly reflect the American boomer generation.

[veteran72]

While the dumbed-down by design citizens argue about which flavor Fascist Demopublican Nazi they want in the Government, the Ruling Elite that have already chosen these "candidates" for you to "choose" from, are readying their plans for the NAU, and elimination of borders between Mexico and Canada, implimentation of the new NAU Laws, and elimination of all former National Governance Articles, such as our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Unless you have an exit strategy, you should get ready to bend over and kiss your asss goodbye.

[truth-hurts]

FIRST OBAMA DIVIDED US UP AS BLACK AND WHITE.

NOW HE''S DIVIDING US UP AS RICH AND POOR.

LOOK HOW MUCH HARM THIS MAN HAS DONE TO THIS

COUNTRY, AND HE HASN''T EVEN BEEN NOMINATED YET.

CAN ONE EVEN IMAGINE WHAT HE WOULD DO TO US IF

HE IS ELECTED PRESIDENT?

[j_flood]

I think I know where the spirit of Billy Carter has gone!

[kaelinda]

If Bill Clinton isn''t careful, he''ll get to be known as Hillary''s Buffoon. He''s causing her more trouble than Obama is!

And it behooves the woman to stop sniping at Obama - she should, instead, tell us exactly WHAT experience she has had that she claims qualifies her to be president. That is, she should do that only if she can do it without lying or exaggerating.

As for Obama, I won''t judge the man "guilty" by association, any more than I''ll judge Hillary by the company SHE keeps.

But, it''s all moot anyway. The superdelegates are already bought and paid for, so Clinton will be the nominee and McCain will be the next president.

[termtex01]

"
Interesting analysis, ccfsdca. I agree, except I would say it was Ken Starr and his gang that "put us through h*ll" rather than Bill Clinton.

Posted by libra127"

Ah, but if it weren''t for Clinton disgracing the Presidency, Ken Starr would be a name you''d''ve never heard of.

[termtex01]

"ONLY if all she cared about was POLITICS.

Posted by libra127 at 02:42 AM : Apr 13, 2008"

That''s the only reason she stayed with him, to further her political career.

But, I must admit, I like the title of this article.

"Bill Clinton "Just Can''t Help Himself""

One of the few true titles CBullS ever put out.

[libra127]

If her judgement were as good as what she professes it to be, she should have known all this, and left him long ago.

Posted by aspiritguide at 11:00 AM : Apr 12, 2008

ONLY if all she cared about was POLITICS. That she has managed to keep her marriage intact in spite of all that''s happened shows great strength of character. She and Bill produced a wonderful daughter and appear to have a strong and loving marriage. She has fought for her family and she is fighting for the Presidency. She deserves to win.

[libra127]

he''s an over-the-top kinda guy, which is why those who like him, love him, and those who don''t, hate him. it''s why he was a terrific president and an incredible *ss who''s penchant for big mouthed women put us all through h*ll while delivering the country from recession to growth and took us from the red into the black. no wonder why he''s paid so much money just to show up and talk - he fascinates people!

Posted by ccfsdca at 11:39 AM : Apr 12, 2008

Interesting analysis, ccfsdca. I agree, except I would say it was Ken Starr and his gang that "put us through h*ll" rather than Bill Clinton.

[jockh]

Hillary is NOT a liar.

I must admit that as a parent, it is all too easy to confuse a hug from a little girl with the terror of running from sniper bullets.