Bill Clinton says Barack Obama must 'kiss my ass' for his support
By Tim Shipman in Washington and Philip Sherwell in New York
Last Updated: 1:13AM BST 29/06/2008

Bill Clinton is so bitter about Barack Obama's victory over his wife Hillary that he has told friends the Democratic nominee will have to beg for his wholehearted support.


Bill Clinton is still very bitter that Barack Obama beat his wife Hillary

Mr Obama is expected to speak to Mr Clinton for the first time since he won the nomination in the next few days, but campaign insiders say that the former president's future campaign role is a "sticking point" in peace talks with Mrs Clinton's aides.

The Telegraph has learned that the former president's rage is still so great that even loyal allies are shocked by his patronising attitude to Mr Obama, and believe that he risks damaging his own reputation by his intransigence.

A senior Democrat who worked for Mr Clinton has revealed that he recently told friends Mr Obama could "kiss my ass" in return for his support.


A second source said that the former president has kept his distance because he still does not believe Mr Obama can win the election.

Mr Clinton last week issued a tepid statement, through a spokesman, in which he said he "is obviously committed to doing whatever he can and is asked to do to ensure Senator Obama is the next president of the United States ".

Mr Obama was more effusive at his unity event with Mrs Clinton on Friday, speaking fondly of the absent former president, who attended Nelson Mandela's birthday celebrations in London instead. The candidate told the crowd: "I know how much we need both Bill and Hillary Clinton as a party. They have done so much great work. We need them badly."

But his aides said he has so far concentrated on cementing relations with Mrs Clinton first. They say they are content to let relations with Mr Clinton thaw gradually.

It has long been known that Mr Clinton is angry at the way his own reputation was tarnished during the primary battle when several of his comments were interpreted as racist.

But his lingering fury has shocked his friends. The Democrat told the Telegraph: "He's been angry for a while. But everyone thought he would get over it. He hasn't. I've spoken to a couple of people who he's been in contact with and he is mad as hell.

"He's saying he's not going to reach out, that Obama has to come to him. One person told me that Bill said Obama would have to quote kiss my ass close quote, if he wants his support.

"You can't talk like that about Obama - he's the nominee of your party, not some house boy you can order around.

"Hillary's just getting on with it and so should Bill."

Another Democrat said that despite polls showing Mr Obama with a healthy lead over Republican John McCain, Mr Clinton doesn't think he can win.

The party strategist, who was allied to one of the early rivals to Mr Obama and the former First Lady, said Mr Clinton was "very unhopeful" about the nominee's prospects in November.

"Bill Clinton knows the party will unite behind Obama, but he is telling people he doesn't believe Obama can win round voting groups, especially working-class whites, in the swing states," the strategist said.

"He just doesn't think Obama will be able to connect with the voters he needs."

Joe Klein, the author of Primary Colours, a fictionalised account of Mr Clinton's 1992 election, who has known the former president for 20 years, said he also heard that he was "very, very bitter", from people who have spoken with him.

"It's time for him to get over it or go off and do his charitable work. He knows the rules of the road. What's going on now is kind of strange. I think his behaviour is really, really shocking."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...s-support.html

Oh yeah, Obama2008.... Bill Clinton is going to be a real ASSet to Obama's campaign!

& I'll double-dam-guarantee you that Hillary is just as angry. The same people that put the Clintons up on a pedestal & treated them like little gods, they could do no wrong, literally, have thrown them aside like used tissue.
You bet they're angry.
If this teaches people nothing else it should teach them what the Dem leadershp is like. No character, no core, no loyalty.

my support for bill grows as the days grow on us.

he is correct w/ his stance on this.

__________________

Join Bush Country - PoliticalForum.com's Largest Member Community

"Because he's the hero America deserves,
but not the one it needs right now...
and so we'll hunt him, because he can take it.
Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian,
a watchful protector...A DARK KNIGHT."

that's right - popular vote Hillary 17.92 million obama 17.72 million

bill clinton knows how obama rigged those caucuses. we are sending him a puma tshirt. i am glad jbl made a thread of this.

bill clinton was the best democrat president of my lifetime, which isn't saying much because there's only two others that were both bad. backstabbers like bill richardson and joe andrew who have earned themselves little spots to curl up at the foot of obama's bed for their political bandwagon jumping are the kind of democrats running the place now.

the lunatics have taken over the nuthouse. i see some of obama underlings are saying cindy mccain is a deadbeat because her aunt didn't find her property tax bill. this is what the trolls put out and think they can defeat john mccain with. for bill clinton to have been denigrated by a do-nothing know- nothing fool like obama is a travesty

Absolutely & woe be unto those that went against Hillary when they have a pet project come up that she has anything to do with.

Obama had better pucker up!

__________________

Join Bush Country - PoliticalForum.com's Largest Member Community

"Because he's the hero America deserves,
but not the one it needs right now...
and so we'll hunt him, because he can take it.
Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian,
a watchful protector...A DARK KNIGHT."

Bill. Hill. Bad cop. Good cop.

Hillary will make kissy-face with Obama, while Bill makes sure he doesn't get elected.

__________________

Join Bush Country - PoliticalForum.com's Largest Member Community

"Because he's the hero America deserves,
but not the one it needs right now...
and so we'll hunt him, because he can take it.
Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian,
a watchful protector...A DARK KNIGHT."

And that do-nothing know-nothing fool beat Hillary for the nomination. Oh, let's not give him the credit, it was hers to lose. She just couldn't plan it out too well. Remember this...

Interview
Hmm, over by February 5? I'm glad she lost if she can't see beyond the next month and a half and has no contingency plan if things don't happen the way she expects. Even after her husband's experiences.

he didn't win the popular vote in the primaries and he won't against mccain. obama has no plan to beat him except to get people to troll the internet for him that he pays.

the hell with your abcnews article, they can't even get the date on that one

http://www.abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/S...4073183&page=1

on page 1. figures that they're obama supporters.