September 06, 2004

KERRY'S HOSPITAL BILL

The New York Times reports:

Former President Bill Clinton, in a 90-minute telephone conversation from his hospital room, offered John Kerry detailed advice on Saturday night on how to reinvigorate his candidacy, as Mr. Kerry enlisted more Clinton advisers to help shape his strategy and message for the remainder of the campaign.

In an expansive conversation, Mr. Clinton told Mr. Kerry that he should move away from talking about Vietnam ...

Well, duh. Kerry himself urged practically the same thing more than twelve years ago:

Defending Clinton in February of 1992, Sen. John Kerry said, "We do not need to divide America over who served and how."

Good advice.

Posted by Tim Blair at September 6, 2004 02:24 PM
Comments

Kerry is hiring Clintonistas to work for him? The Serpent and Bob Forehead?

He needs to do two more things:

(1) Hire a couple of food tasters;

(2) Hire two more

SMG

Posted by: SteveMG at September 6, 2004 at 02:33 PM

Ow. The title pun is so bad!

Posted by: John at September 6, 2004 at 02:42 PM

Now that the former POTUS is apparently recovering, I can safely say what we are all feeling -- that Clinton's alleged hospitalization was a ruse designed to attract attention from the Republican convention.

My evidence? Well, the news broke right after the Republican convention. If its good enough for the New Republic...

Posted by: Sean at September 6, 2004 at 02:46 PM

It took one minute to give the Vietnam advice. Remaining 89 minutes spent talking about Bill, his favorite subject.

Posted by: Melissa at September 6, 2004 at 03:22 PM

I love the fact that Kerry needs Clinton to tell him the bleedin' obvious.

But I bet Kerry can't follow the advice. All it takes is for people to get his back up by suggesting that he was not, in fact, a combination of James Bond and GI Joe, and the Senator's boundless sense of self-importance forces him to launch into yet another vain defence of this record and a lecture about "questioning my patriotism".

Posted by: ABC Al at September 6, 2004 at 03:23 PM

Hm.

The consensus seems to be that Hillary's year to make a run for the Presidency is 2008. Does anyone think Bill would prefer she run against whoever Bush decides to endorse, or an incumbent President Kerry?

Hm.

Posted by: rosignol at September 6, 2004 at 03:25 PM

Rumor is that the ex-POTUS has not gone under the knife yet because of a shortage of surgical staff. Shortaqes in the US health care system? Wouldn't a complete gov'ment take-over solve that problem?

By the way, state side Northwesterners check out this site. (Seattlesentinel.com or click my name) A newspaper start up in Seattle run by a couple of college kids. What these pair of later day David's lack in resources they make up in passion. Can these guys bring down NW print Goliath's like the Seattle Times? Give 'em a click.

Posted by: Jericho at September 6, 2004 at 04:01 PM

Rosignol:

Good point, but ultimately the answer to your question depends on whether Bill wants Hillary to be become President in the first place.

Posted by: Sean at September 6, 2004 at 04:23 PM

It's a little late for that advice, Bill. But thanks for helping to cement the "Kerry freaking talks to much about Vietnam" idea into everyone's heads once and for all. There is no escaping it now, not even the newly psychotic Ken Layne can deny that the Vietnam strategy has been a loser from the start. So, seriously, Bill, thanks for publicly hammering that final nail into the coffin of the Kerry Campaign.

Here's hoping your party grows up in the next four years. I've been really disappointed that our national debate has been over whether or not we should even try to spread freedom in the Middle East as opposed to how best to do it.

Posted by: Sortelli at September 6, 2004 at 05:56 PM

"...ultimately the answer to your question depends on whether Bill wants Hillary to be become President in the first place."

Good point, Sean. I notice that many commentators assume that Bill wants to be First Spouse, but you have to wonder. To me, for all his avowed SNAGish qualities, Bill has never seemed like a two-steps-behind kind of guy.

As for Kerry and Vietnam, that was a dumb tactic from the beginning. It has meant that Kerry has been talking about 1969 instead of 2004 for weeks now, and watching his poll ratings sag accordingly.

Posted by: tim g at September 6, 2004 at 06:16 PM

Sen. John Kerry said (1992), "We do not need to divide America over who served and how."

Translated: Kerry can divide American over who served and how, but it is a smear if Republicans question Kerry’s service.

Posted by: perfectsense at September 6, 2004 at 07:48 PM

The New York Times reports Clinton's "Get away from Vietnam" advice to Kerry as friggin' news.

Hell, even the Democratic Underground twitterbrains know that!

Is this the visible start of the left wing meltdown, when the average leftoid is smarter than either Kerry or the New York Times....and Kerry and the NYT trumpet the fact?

Feh! This convoluted thinking makes my head hurt. I gotta stop trying to understand the lefties.

Posted by: The Real JeffS at September 7, 2004 at 01:11 AM

As usual, Clinton's sound advice comes after the fact...

That Book is on the bestseller lists.
The Navy is now actively investigating Kerry's decorations.
Talk show hosts and sportscasters are making Kerry Purple Heart jokes.

Kerry no longer controls the discussion.

Posted by: richard mcenroe at September 7, 2004 at 02:06 AM

Getting John Kerry to stop talking about his tour of duty in Vietnam is like getting a crack-whore to go cold turkey and embrace Jesus. It might happen. But don't hold your breath.

Posted by: Rebecca at September 7, 2004 at 02:24 AM

I'm just glad Bill felt up to calling Kerry after spending so much time calling "Hotlines"...

Posted by: geezer at September 7, 2004 at 07:02 AM