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Academic

: Essentially Contested America

Bill Clinton Is At It Again

By Robert Justin Lipkin

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Bill Clinton once again revealed his treacherous dark side by his speculation about a possible presidential race between Senator John McCain and Clinton's wife Hillary: "I think it would be a great thing if we had an election year where you had two people "who loved this country and were devoted to the interest of this country. . . . . And people could actually ask themselves who is right on these issues,

instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics." What implication do these remarks have? There are three prominent candidates for president. Mr. Clinton points to two and claims that they love America. What about the third? That he too loves America? Clinton's eloquence and smarts precludes any interpretation of his remarks other than as an attempt to denigrate Senator Barack Obama for not loving America. The former president, and morally-challenged "super star," is insinuating that Obama does not love America because he hangs out with the likes of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and because is married to a woman who has doubts about the moral integrity of the ruling elites in American politics. Let's be clear on what patriotism" and love of country means. It is a dedication to the ideals of this great nation and a sense of duty requiring sacrifice for the nation's authentic interests. It is not the knee-jerk support of or rhapsodizing about American leaders or every political era in American history. (Are you listening Pat Buchanan?)

General Merrill A. McPeak, Obama's co-chair reacted to these scurrilous remarks by saying "I was going to college when Joe McCarthy was accusing good Americans of being traitors so I've had enough of it." How else can Mr. Clinton's remarks be interpreted? This is the kind of sleaze that many principled Republicans already saw clearly in Bill Clinton. Only now Democrats are coming to the same conclusion. Is it too late for these Democrats to get back their votes for Mr. Clinton in the presidential elections of 1992 and 1996? Mr. Clinton once again demonstrates that he is one of the nastiest pit vipers to take the stage in American politics in decades.

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Full post as published by Essentially Contested America on March 23, 2008 (boomark / email).