I've had enough of Bill Clinton beating up our man, seizing every opportunity to take a shot at him, mischaracterizing his words and record. Not dignified for a former President - but when was Bill Clinton ever dignified.
I think it is high time that Barack started taking it to Hill via Bill. Something like this should come into his stump speech:
" Sometimes it get's a little confusing remembering who I am running against these days - you know I mean which Clinton is running for president - they're both out there attacking me so much its hard to keep it straight whose saying what about me.
Bill's been out there a lot lately - arguing with reporters, defending his time in office, saying my candidacy is a fairly tale - sometimes I kinda forget he's the former president and not a candidate himself again. And honestly it makes me kinda wonder whose gonna speak for the administration if Hillary wins. Some say you' re buying two presidents for the price of one - but if you ask me its more like the price of confusion.
And all this negative campaigning by Bill has me thinking about the past - about our history, about what our country has faced in the past few decades. I think about Bush's dad - you know he took us to war in the middle east too - but at least he had the sense to have an exit strategy before we got bogged down in a civil war in Iraq.
Then Bill got elected and then Bush junior and you know where that has gotten us - stuck in Iraq, on the cusp of a recession, with middle class folks struggling to make ends meet.
And now Bill is back out there again - certainly acting like the candidate, wants another shot at the White House, although this time as first man - he's beating me up, he and Senator Clinton are Washington experts running a textbook Washington campaign. And all this repetition, all this recent history - Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton - one war in Iraq and then another one - middle class families still struggling to get by - it makes me wonder about all these so-called experienced candidates and where they've gotten us - because it certainly doesn't feel like they've gotten us very far.
We seem to be running in place, electing one family, then the other and then back again - all the while real change in our country isn't happening.
And you know folks, I have a lot of respect for the Clintons and their service to our nation - but going backwards in time isn't an option even if we wanted it to be. And I guess I'll be blunt about this because someone has to - the Clintons had eight years in the White House to make change only seven years ago and look where are we today.
Now I know you and I would agree that much of the reason for us falling backwards is because of Bush and the politics of division that he practiced. You're not gonna get an argument from me about who is at fault for reversing much of the progress our country made in the 1990s.
But I ask you to think about what our country needs now. The challenges we face today - terrorism and global warming, economic problems and the high cost of living for average folks. While there are new elements to each of these challenges, none of these problems is necessarily new to us. But, it strikes me, if the same folks who've been running Washington for the past two decades couldn't solve these problems the first time, what should make us think they can do it a second time. 12 years of Bushes, 8 years of Clintons. Its time to turn the page.
Our country doesn't need to fall backwards to go forward. We need a new direction - a fundamental change of course, change that stands the test of time, that can't be erased so easily after the next election or after the next four elections for that matter. And to do that frankly we can't just repeat the political fights we've had for the past 15 years - Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton - like the Hatfields and McCoys - Iraq once, Iraq again. That is not change.
To make real change we can't just engage in the same old Washington attack politics that the Bushes and Clintons have been so good at over the years. I know that type of politics might win elections. Sadly, it might even win this election. But, it doesn't change the country, that is why I'm running. I'm hoping that we are willing to break free from the chains of division that are holding us back, break free from the cycles of the past -- chart a new course for a new age and with a new sense of purpose.
I know change can be scary. But we all know that in today's world ireal lasting change is necessary."
That is the type hard hitting direct stuff Obama needs. I know it may come off sexist (a risk of backfire I know) - but Hillary has played the race card, she's played the gender card and she is using the former president to beat up our greatest hope. Its time to bring the noise.
