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People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

Why President Obama needs Bill Clinton now more than ever -- Political enemies must make a pact to defeat Mitt Romney

Posted on Tuesday, June 05, 2012 at 07:59 AM

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President Barack Obama and Bill Clinton

Make no bones about it, President Obama and President Bill Clinton can barely stand each other.

The body language when the two are together says it all. Clinton, the touchy feely type, rarely embraces Obama, while the President looks like he'd rather be on another planet when Clinton is speaking.

Now, however, Obama needs Clinton desperately.

Last week's economic figures make clear that the home run Team Obama had been expecting in the November election is not happening.

Worse still, Obama may get thrown out because of the economy and the peculiar inability he has to generate passion anything like what he did four years ago.

Enter Bill Clinton.

Back when he was railing against Obama on the campaign trail and being unfairly called a racist it looked like the big ol' southern dog was finished.

Now he is easily the most popular politician in America.

So popular that the Mitt Romney camp have been using him and his better economic record to skewer Obama, and the opinion polls show it is working.

That is bad news for Obama who now realizes he has to keep the big dog on the reservation.

So the current series of fundraisers in New York where they will appear together will be just the start.

Expect Clinton and Obama to be tied to the hip from Labor Day on, when the real battle starts.
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Clinton is the Democratic Ronald Reagan, the sunny figure who made the economy grow and made people feel better.

Obama's legacy is a lot less convincing than that -- half solving a desperate recession that hangs around like a bad flu that could turn to pneumonia.

Together, however, they can bring back those vital swing voters that Obama needs to win a re-election.

For Clinton there is the ever present issue of Hillary and what she needs to do.

No one is ruling her out as a candidate in four years.

But running in an open election against a Republican incumbent is an awful lot easier.

Which is why it is important for the Clintons that Obama is re-elected.

Obama remarked during his race against Hillary last time that she was "likable enough"

The question now is whether he is likable enough to the American electorate

Ironically, the Clinton machine he defeated now represents his greatest opportunity to make that comeback and win the White House again.

When it comes to re-election for "O" all roads lead to Bill and Hill and their active and enthusiastic support.

What a turnaround.

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29 Comments

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Bythebay | Jun 13, 2012, 01:31 PM EDT

IrishandProud,they won the recall election because there wasn't a violation of the constitution which is what a recall is about. Differences of policy opinion do not fit the recall requirement.

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peterson | Jun 10, 2012, 09:02 PM EDT

The Clintons have no love for Obama ---Just watch what is about to happen !!

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BrianO | Jun 07, 2012, 02:50 PM EDT

pilibo4, "Is feider linn", "yes we can." seems like blind support to me, but I like individual freedom, not statism.

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IrishAndProud | Jun 06, 2012, 02:44 PM EDT

Soooo many stories on Irish Central today, yet not a single syllable (as of this moment) about the Wisconsin recall election that the GOP won. Hmmm...one might think they're either ignoring it completely, and/or currently trying to come up with a column that rewrites it favorably toward 'Offaly's favorite son' (which sounds like a white-guilter attempt at political correctness). Of course if the OTHER guy had won in Wisconsin, you can bet it'd be SCREAMED all over Irish Central. Oh, well...liberalism trying to pass itself off as mainstream does tend to act that way. That's why no one watches the old dinosaur networks, anymore.

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Bythebay | Jun 06, 2012, 02:16 PM EDT

pilib04, Offaly hasn't designated Obama as its favorite son. That must be another US designation by his supporters.

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pilib04 | Jun 06, 2012, 01:25 PM EDT

BrianO, blind support? So, if I disagree with you and support Offaly's favorite son, it's blind support? Your pulling my leg, right? Is feidir linn.

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Bythebay | Jun 06, 2012, 12:15 PM EDT

Bill Clinton is not a source that will gete Obama votes. He is unfocused and confused. Clinton did nothing himself, his staff did as well as Hilary. He even thinks Dullahan is an Irish horse! It's a US horse and its Donegal Stables is in Iowa.

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BrianO | Jun 06, 2012, 12:57 AM EDT

pilib04, blind support never a good thing.

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pilib04 | Jun 05, 2012, 10:32 PM EDT

I continue to support Offaly's favorite son. Is feidir linn.

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BippyBellito | Jun 05, 2012, 07:33 PM EDT

Bill Clinton is a pragmatist. He knows what a disaster the Obama presidency is and wants to cut his lowwes. He may go through the motions, but Obama's assault on Catholics has not won him many friends. As a self-respecting Catholic, I could never vote for Obama. He is The Devil incarnate.

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BrianO | Jun 05, 2012, 06:55 PM EDT

Clinton is a masterful politician, probably the best in my lifetime, but he is not the economic wizard the press likes to paint him as. The congressional sweep and dare I say newt Gingrich's congress reigned in the Clinton spending machine and Clinton was smart enough to go for the ride. Obama would be smart to make a deal with Clinton but I don't Obama's ideology will permit that.

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IrishAndProud | Jun 05, 2012, 06:25 PM EDT

Correction to my last post: it should read "...and that Romney's no Reagan." BTW...did someone darken Obama in that photo with this article? Clinton looks paler than normal, and Obama looks decidedly darker than normal -- and no, it's not just because they're standing next to each other. I've noticed people tend to do this with Obama photo's, sometimes.

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mairint | Jun 05, 2012, 06:22 PM EDT

....and you want more of this Obama regime? How stupid can you be? Romney may not have the qualities we would all long for but they will be better than the dictatorship currently residing in the White House. It is been a disaster which millions of Americans are regretting.

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IrishAndProud | Jun 05, 2012, 06:18 PM EDT

Clinton also said that the Bush tax cuts should be extended (in addition to all else I posted, below)...he's no friend of Barack. That, plus no president in modern history has ever been re-elected with unemployment this high (it was NEVER this high under Bush), and the collective economic outlook this gloomy. Obama will not be a sudden new exception to that. Now I know some will say Mitt Romney will MAKE Obama an exception to that - and that Obama's no Reagan. That's true...but he's also not Barack Obama - and that alone may be enough to win it for Romney, in addition to all else. Bammy looks to be one and done -- and good riddance.

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jamieLM | Jun 05, 2012, 05:58 PM EDT

It's widely known and reported among those who know that Obama and Clinton can hardly stand each other. After the election, see how much time they spend in each other's company. This buddy routine speaks volumes about Obama's confidence in being re-elected. If Obama wasn't so worried, he wouldn't give Bill the time of day and vice versa.

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