Bill Clinton Says Right-Wing Conspiracy Now After President Obama
EmailABC News' Kristina Wong reports: Former President Bill Clinton says the right-wing conspiracy that attacked him during his presidency now is after President Obama.
When asked whether the "vast right-wing conspiracy" is still present today, the former president answered without hesitation, "Oh you bet."
"It's not as strong as it was because America has changed demographically, but it's as virulent as it was," Clinton said today on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"Right-wing conspiracy" was the term used by former first lady Hillary Clinton to describe the tactics her husband's political enemies used to attack his presidency after revelations of his affair with Monica Lewinski.
"I mean they may be hurting President Obama," Bill Clinton said of the current attacks. "They can take his numbers down, they can run his opposition up, but fundamentally he and his team have a positive agenda for America. Their agenda seems to be wanting him to fail, and that's not a good prescription for a good America.
"I mean, they're saying things about him just like when they accused me of murder and all this stuff they did, but it's not really good for the Republicans or the country, what's going on now," Clinton said.
Repeat of 1994?
When asked to compare his administration's unsuccessful attempt at health care reform to President Obama's current push, Clinton said the president has been at a "terrible disadvantage in the law-making phase."
"He has a better Congress than I did. And he doesn't have a committee chairman that I had demanding that he present a bill," Clinton said. "So [Obama] said, 'OK, I'll let you develop the bill.' Well, while they're developing the bill, he's set out certain principles and he is vulnerable to whatever anybody wants to say about any of the bills moving through Congress — whether that's his position or not."
But, Clinton said, the current situation will not lead to a "repeat of 1994", when Democrats lost 15 seats in the House for the first time in 40 years, crippling progress on his administration's agenda.
"There's no way they can make it that bad, for several reasons," Clinton said.
For one, he said, "The country is more diverse and interested in positive action.
"Number two," he added, "they've seen this movie before, because they've had eight years under President Bush, when the Republicans finally had the whole government, and they know the results were bad.
"Number three, the Democrats haven't taken on the gun lobby like I did and they took 15 of our members out … so whatever happens, it will be manageable for the president," Clinton said.
Hillary 2012?
Clinton said he was content with his current life in the non-governmental sector.
"I love what I do now," he said. "And while I can't touch as many lives and things as I did as president, the things I do focus on, we can have a huge impact on," he said.
Asked whether his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, would run for president again, he chuckled.
"That's up to her," he said. "We're not getting any younger. But I'm proud of what she's doing now. I think she's doing a great job.
"I think it's pretty thrilling that she and the president just have established the relationship they have, and I think it's a good argument for reconciliation and remembering the good things for all the rest of us."
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I am a Ron Paul supporter so I guess Clinton would probably say I am part of this conspiracy. How about the corporate fascist conspiracy or the conspiracy slowly eroding our monetary unit. Thanks Bill for the massive trade imbalances during your tenure. Now go be quiet somewhere.
Posted by: Huh | September 27, 2009, 6:02 pm 6:02 pm
Journalists should report on the large corporations that are behind the so-called grass roots organizations. For example the main corporate sponsor of Freedom Works is the mammoth Koch petroleum conglomerate, the biggest privately-held oil company in America. Freedom Works is not just a bunch of Americans who want to rally against Obama–there are paid employees, buses, offices, etc. Americans should be informed who is behind these groups and why, e.g. Koch wants to defeat health care and therefore weaken Obama on upcoming energy legislation.
To call it a “right-wing conspiracy” makes one sound paranoid, yet these corporate/lobby connections do really exist and are powerful. “The Family” of C Street fame is another example of a very powerful semi-secret organization working against moderate and liberal causes. Please, journalists, follow the money on these organizations and keep us informed.
Posted by: mrshw | September 27, 2009, 6:31 pm 6:31 pm
hopefully Obama will continue to support illegal immigration and Congress will get their act together and support a general amnesty for illegals. Then we won’t have this problem anymore because people who believe in the Constitution will be even a smaller minority and Obama will be able to get through his agenda of “change” without any more problems! Viva Obama! Si Se Puede!
Posted by: Ed | September 27, 2009, 6:51 pm 6:51 pm
Was it a left wing conspiracy when
George Bush was in office that belittled
him and called him every name in the
book? Just because lots of people feel
a certain way does not a conspiracy
make. I know its hard for these
arrogant and egotistical people to
believe there is a segment of people
who do not hang on their every word
but get over it already.
Posted by: wis134 | September 27, 2009, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
Attacking Obama and his policies is not “just because lots of people feel a certain way”–it’s that big corporations and lobbies spend millions to mold public opinion, promote falsehoods, get laws passed (or not passed), etc. As for George Bush, no left-wingers had to conspire to belittle him–all he had to do was open his mouth.
Posted by: jw456 | September 27, 2009, 7:57 pm 7:57 pm
jw456 is absolutely correct. We need to understand that it will take many election cycles and fierce battles to again have a government of the people, not big corporations.
Posted by: BBear | September 27, 2009, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm
Where in the world is George W Bush?
This absolute idiot makes Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford look good. It’s time to INDICT this DUMB SOB with an MBA from HARVARD for:
1. FIDUCIARY Irresponsibility
2. GROSS MALFEASANCE
3. GENERAL INCOMPETENCE
4. MORAL OBTUSENESS
5. WAR CRIMES
Posted by: Bo Snerdley | September 27, 2009, 8:42 pm 8:42 pm
jw456 is the quintessential liberal– when they’re attacking a President, it’s because he’s just really that bad. When conservatives attack a President, it’s a conspiracy. This is why you guys are going to lose big in 2010.. you just don’t have any credibility. Voters hate hypocrisy, and liberals’ hysterics over Obama encountering a little resistance..
Posted by: CH | September 27, 2009, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
CH – Me thinks both parties are aweful. Question is how to form a party of the people that will make sensible noncorrupt policy. I heard Gerald Celente mention the Progressive Libertarian party.
Posted by: Huh | September 27, 2009, 10:11 pm 10:11 pm
Frankly I never spent much time thinking about conspiracies until I did that research on Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Works and who pays for them. Coupled with the revelations about “The Family” at C Street during the Ensign affair, and the town hall hysteria and 9/12 parade and the money that went towards aiding both and…well, you don’t have to be a “quintessential liberal”–or a conspiracy theorist- to notice a lot of money and effort is being spent in an organized way against Obama. His approval is still up around 58% so I think a lot of people realize it and don’t like it.
Posted by: jw456 | September 28, 2009, 1:36 am 1:36 am
The CBO must be in on it because Obama says one thing and the CBO says he lied. This is the great conspiracy? Obama ‘s ideas are radical left wing ideas trying to expand government control. People reject tis idea. Clinton justified all of his stupidity by trying to blame it on somebody else.
Posted by: bryan | September 28, 2009, 7:24 am 7:24 am
Let’s see, the Dems control the White House and both Houses of Congress. Right wing conspiracy? Just debate the issues.
Posted by: jamescbuilder | September 28, 2009, 7:53 am 7:53 am
HUUUUGGGGGEEEEE mistake in the blog post: the right wing attempts to have Clinton removed from office did not start after the Lewinski scandal, it’s factually documented that they started before. How do we know? The White Water Investigation duh!
And yes, now the crazy people on the far right are trying whatever they can to have Obama removed from office. Case in point: the birther movement.
ABC’s reporters are horrible. Use at least a modicum of common sense and integrity in your reporting. It’s this type of reporting that has led the vast majority of Americans to distrust the media as shown in recent studies.
And to the posters who are comparing this or what Clinton endured to what Bush endured, I would say grow up children. There were legitimate questions about Bush’s economic policies, foreign policies and etc. Remember this current recessions was 100% the fault of George Bush’s misguided economic policies.
Posted by: Thinker | September 28, 2009, 7:57 am 7:57 am
Everybody who lived through Bill Clinton’s presidency knows he was under attack the whole 8 years. The righties accused he and Hillary of all kinds of crap. Clinton couldn’t get his agenda accomplished because he was too busy defending himself. Everybody knew the same thing was going to happen with Obama’s presidency. That’s the way the righties play. It’s just a repeat. Hey, you use what works!
Posted by: zee | September 28, 2009, 9:11 am 9:11 am
LOL,
We can see a repeat of 94 is setting up quite nicely.
Libs have NO policies that the people want. So now we are back to the “VAST Right-Wing Conspriracy” trick. (I can see Don Adams in the backgound!)
Meanwhile, we have huge problems here, but this President wants to go see if he can appologize enough for the US to get the Oylmpic selection committee to throw Chicago a bone!
Hey, maybe with that one he can finally point to SOME jobs he can lay claim to have created!
Posted by: Mike_C | September 28, 2009, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm
“Libs have NO policies”??
WOW! What an ignorant statement!!
Get real! Neocons have used every dirty trick in the book! Fear, lies and misstatements are your only policies. It’s really the only thing (and easiest) you have going for you.
Posted by: mary | September 28, 2009, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
Why do we care what bill has to say?
accurate & unbiased? – NOT!
Posted by: keys2truth | September 28, 2009, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm
“Libs have NO policies”??
WOW! What an ignorant statement!!
Get real! Neocons have used every dirty trick in the book! Fear, lies and misstatements are your only policies. It’s really the only thing (and easiest) you have going for you.
Posted by: mary | Sep 28, 2009 1:13:44 PM
——
Try grabbing the entire quote; And last I checked public opinion polls, the major policies the Liberals in congress are putting forth, the majority of Americans don’t want.
Posted by: Kurosekiryu | September 28, 2009, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
“Everybody who lived through Bill Clinton’s presidency knows he was under attack the whole 8 years…”
: zee | Sep 28, 2009 9:11:05 AM
Everyone who lived through Bill Clinton’s presidency knows he gave them lots of ammunition.
Posted by: keys2truth | September 28, 2009, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
“Everyone who lived through Bill Clinton’s presidency knows he gave them lots of ammunition”.
Come on!! Righties went after Clinton with bloodhounds…….shamelessly sniffin around investigating this and that, trying to find some scrap of crap to pin on him. That was then. Now that old game has changed. People aren’t buying it any more. The self righteous neocon “no” party of “staus quo” will see more of your kind go in 2010!
Posted by: zee | September 28, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
Of late, it was “nutcase” Jimmy Carter with his “racism” comment and now, is “honest” Bill with his “right wing conspiracy” nonsense…
The Big problem here is that neither the Demotrash Leadership in Congress, nor Jimmy or Bill, have the “courage” to say that America dislikes our beloved President Obama, less and less each passing day, based on his “disappointing performance” nationally, and in the international field… The only thing he is very good at is “to apologize” on behalf of our Great Nation, when no one has giving him this right!
Wonder what the Demotrash will come out with, next! Perhaps they go back to blame Bush for the next 3 1/2 years, remaining.
There is the CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN?
God Save America!
Posted by: Victorio | September 28, 2009, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
Some conservative yesman on the board had the gonads to say the GOP will win big in 2012. I’m LMAO! If voters are displeased with Dems they simply will not vote which is far better than putting Republicans in office. It’s branded in most Americans mind exactly what happens when Pubs are in charge; two unwarranted wars and a bankrupted economy! No how, no way.
Posted by: Glen_Beck | September 28, 2009, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
The last time we heard this, he was covering up something.. NOW what is he or Obama attempting to cover up??? Hmm??? Quite intriguing, no?
Posted by: jafo | September 28, 2009, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
Like I said. Bill lied. Liars all.
Posted by: Bill Lied | September 28, 2009, 9:35 pm 9:35 pm