There are many pundits now saying that Hillary Clinton is overusing Bill Clinton on the campaign trail. It seems like the popular thing to say, but what evidence is there for it? She's won everything since Iowa, so she must be doing something right.
In the short video below, we explain why using Bill Clinton has two important advantages for Sen. Clinton (and how it can go too far):
One of the reasons Sen. Clinton won New Hampshire and Nevada is because women voted in big numbers for her. She doesn't want to lose this advantage, so there is a limit to how much you can use Bill Clinton. Otherwise it might begin to look like it's his campaign. On the other hand, he is a masterful campaigner and has obviously already had a positive influence (in results, not in the form of campaigning) on his wife's campaign.
In the final analysis, having a skillful politician and former president like Bill Clinton in your corner is an enormous advantage and I would ride that gravy train until it looks like you're about to beat a dead horse (I love mixing metaphors).
There's some chance that Hillary Clinton will get wind of someone claiming that Bill Clinton will get all the credit if she winds up winning -- and then she'll stop using him. And probably to her detriment. This is a great chess match, I can't wait to see who comes out on top.
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Is Hillary Clinton Smart in Using Bill Clinton?
Posted Jan 23rd 2008 7:52PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Young Turks, Hillary Clinton, Video, Bill Clinton
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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Besides the race-baiting he's an incredible asset. He's something like the second most popular politician in the world. As long he doesn't lie, women are eating it up.
donna darko at 2:51AM on Jan 24th 2008
2. Hey Big Guy,
When JFK was elected president in the 1960's, he appointed his brother, Bobby Kennedy, as Attorney General. Congress passed a law stopping that practice.
The next law we need passed, is disallowing a former president to run for a third term. The ballot may say Hillary Clinton, but it's all about Bill.
Willet at 10:00PM on Jan 23rd 2008
3. Rep are loving it that Bill is out there doing her work.They want her to win, so they can send other rep to the wh. Folks are laughing at Bill getting frustrated and worn out, and theyll laugh all the way to the voting booth,to vote against her. No more Bush and No more Clinton. Stop this division. Vote for the Change and for united Americans, vote for Obama 08
may grissom at 11:38PM on Jan 23rd 2008
4. She should put Bill on the shelf for a little while to see if it helps or hurts.
Seeing Bill reminds me that we're looking at a "Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton" scenario and to me that spells, "satus quo."
Not good for any of us.
But I'm an Edwards supporter. I'm hoping the media will get past the show and start focusing on the issues. I'll not hold my breath on that one.
Captain Negative at 11:47PM on Jan 23rd 2008
5. I can sum up the situation in two words: Lurleen Wallace.
When George Wallace couldn't succeed himself as Governor of Alabama, he had Lurleen run. Everyone knew that George was running the campaign and would run the state.
Now, Hillary may be her own woman, but many people may very well think that she will be the figurehead, and that Bill will run the show.
Kent at 10:34AM on Jan 24th 2008
6. Hillary has been using Bill for years. Why stop now?
mac at 9:42PM on Jan 24th 2008
7. I LOVE SEEING MR. CLINTON DEFEND HIS WIFE,
HE PROVES FOR ANY MUSLIM THAT A WOMEN HAS A VOICE IN THIS COUNTRY IF THE MAN SEE SOMEONE HURTING HIS WOMEN HE WILL BE THERE TO DEFEND HER. DID YOU KNOW THAT A MUSLIM WAY A WOMEN DOES NOT HAVE A VOICE ''ALA'' CREATED THE WOMEN TO BE THE RUG FOR THE MAN. SHE CANT GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE SHE IS NOT ALOWED TO BE BETTER THAN A MAN. BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA PROVED THIS, WHEN HE ATTACKED HILLARY CLINTON. IN THE MUSLIM WORLD ONLY MEN HAVE A VOICE, BUT OBAMA FORGOT HE IS IN AMERICA CAPITAL OF THE CULTURE IN THE WORLD. ITS BETTER IF THIS ARROGANT MAN LEARNS TO RESPECT A WOMAN. IF DOES NOT RESPECT WOMEN HE WILL NOT RESPECT AMERICA GOD BLESS ALL
XUXA at 4:33PM on Feb 17th 2008