- MENU
- HOME
- SEARCH
- WORLD
- MAIN
- AFRICA
- ASIA
- BALKANS
- EUROPE
- LATIN AMERICA
- MIDDLE EAST
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Benelux
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Poland
- Russia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Taiwan
- Turkey
- USA
- BUSINESS
- WEALTH
- STOCKS
- TECH
- HEALTH
- LIFESTYLE
- ENTERTAINMENT
- SPORTS
- RSS
- iHaveNet.com: Politics
by Kenneth T. Walsh
The former president may have upstaged Obama but their relationship could be beneficial
It was a moment of unexpected but fascinating political theater. President Barack Obama was hosting former President Bill Clinton in the Oval Office when the two men decided they wanted to chat with the media. They asked a
Each of them endorsed the economic "framework" agreement that Obama has negotiated with congressional Republicans despite Democratic qualms about certain provisions, such as extending tax breaks to the rich. But it was Clinton who seemed to make the most persuasive argument for the pact. "The agreement taken as a whole is, I believe, the best bipartisan agreement we can reach to help the largest number of Americans," Clinton said, "and to maximize the chances that the economic recovery will accelerate and create more jobs, and to minimize the chances that it will slip back."
As usual, Clinton was the most gregarious and loquacious person in the room. He chattered happily while Obama waited at his side, also volunteering a statement of support for the New START arms-control pact with Russia. When Obama excused himself and left for another appointment, Clinton stayed behind and proceeded to give a tour d'horizon that included an analysis of the importance of community banks, especially for small businesses seeking loans, and an argument for thwarting efforts to repeal Obama's healthcarelaw. And he urged a "ferocious fight to avoid repeal of the student loan reform" program that is designed to help young people go to college. Many reporters and Washington analysts thought Clinton had upstaged his host.
The joint appearance set off a fresh round of comparisons of Obama and Clinton, as Washington's cognoscenti speculated about which one demonstrated better leadership qualities. It also fed a certain nostalgia for Clinton among Democrats who remember his presidency as a time of economic prosperity (despite his impeachment in the Monica Lewinsky sex-and-lies scandal).
There are certainly similarities in Obama's situation today and what Clinton faced at a similar point in 1994. Both seemed captured by Washington insiders--and this alienated many middle-class voters--and both suffered serious losses in their midterm elections, giving opposition Republicans enhanced power and renewed confidence.
Clinton changed course and began to "triangulate," lifting ideas from Democrats and Republicans and coming up with a "third way" to do business in the political center. It worked, and he won re-election in 1996. Now, Obama's economic deal with the Republicans seems to represent the start of his own shift toward the middle.
But the similarities only go so far. Clinton had been governor of Arkansas, a relatively conservative state, and he had earned a reputation as a moderate. He strayed from his roots for his first two years in the
And as Clinton pointed out, the economy wasn't in a total meltdown when he was in office, while Obama faced a potential catastrophe from the day he was sworn in. So the economic challenge is more severe today.
Another difference is that Clinton has a natural way of connecting with everyday people, while Obama doesn't. It was in Clinton's nature to reach out to both friends and adversaries, while Obama is more reserved and self-contained.
Read the latest political news.
Available at Amazon.com:
Jimmy Carter: The American Presidents Series: The 39th President, 1977-81
The Disappearing Center: Engaged Citizens, Polarization, and American Democracy
The Virtues of Mendacity: On Lying in Politics
Bush on the Home Front: Domestic Policy Triumphs and Setbacks
The Political Fix: Changing the Game of American Democracy, from the Grassroots to the White House
Revival: The Struggle for Survival Inside the Obama White House
Renegade: The Making of a President
Year of Meteors: Stephen Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, and the Election that Brought on the Civil War
AMERICAN POLITICS
WORLD | AFRICA | ASIA | EUROPE | LATIN AMERICA | MIDDLE EAST | UNITED STATES | ECONOMICS | EDUCATION | ENVIRONMENT | FOREIGN POLICY | POLITICS
Obama and Clinton Share Personality Traits | Politics
© Tribune Media Services