In what might be one of the first of what we hope will be many stops for the former president in the commonwealth (given that his surrogate-in-chief, Terry McAuliffe, might be running for the Democratic nod for governor), former president Bill Clinton paid a visit today.
In his honor, RPV and Delegate Jeff Frederick, party chair, laid out the welcome mat:
“Bill Clinton called Barack Obama’s past campaign statements a ‘fairy tale’, but now it looks like Bill Clinton will have to spread some fairy dust of his own to fulfill his political duty to campaign for the Obama-Biden ticket,” said Delegate Jeffrey M. Frederick, Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.
“Clinton is a professional campaigner and will no doubt toe the company line and praise Barack Obama today. But when we listen to Clinton we should remember that when speaking honestly without pressure from either side, Clinton offered glowing reviews of Senator McCain, and his compliments of Obama had all the enthusiasm of a child who’s forced to give a kiss to an aunt with a big wart on her nose.”
Frederick was referencing stinging remarks Clinton made about Obama during the Democrat primary season as well as an interview Clinton gave ABC News September 18th when the former president said “I’ve never concealed my admiration and affection for Sen. McCain. I think he’s a great man.” Clinton has offered no such praise of Obama.
Among Clinton’s criticisms of Obama:
- Calling Obama’s statements on the Iraq War “the biggest fairy tale I’ve ever seen”;
- Equating electing a person of Obama’s non-experience to a “roll of the dice”;
- Complaining that Obama was overly negative and did a “hit job” on him;
- Offering a flawed plan on health care;
- Employing the race card;
- Making remarks about Americans being “bitter”;
- Not telling the truth on claims Obama campaign is without special-interest money.
“Bill Clinton was right when he said that Obama knows how to spread fairy tales,” said Frederick. “if this election was about the facts and the merits of the candidates, John McCain would coast to victory, maybe even with Bill Clinton’s support.”
Heh.
