BillClinton over the past 2-4 years had built up a stellar reputation for statesmanship and non-divisive politics. Item, Bill had worked not once but twice with President George Bush Sr on the Tsunami Aid Fund and then on the Katrina Aid campaign. Bill had even praised the relationship and decried on Charlie Rose’s TV program those that would not see the bi-partisan opportunity and the need to cultivate ideas no matter what the source. Item, Bill had equated his recent billion dollar aid campaign and his book Giving as the new center of attention. Bill even had positive words for the Work of Muhammad Yunus’ and Yunus’ Nobel Prize winning micro-loans. Think of Bill as anti-divisive, non-partisan Statesman
Well something must have happened in the air of the South Carolina primary, infamous already for the divisive racial Presidential campaigns of Strom Thurmond. And President George W. Bush had proved he was the Rovian Swamp Thing with racial and swiftboat smears against John McCain and John Kerry respectively.
Well like a character in Lost who has abandoned his ethical bearings, here was Statesman Bill suddenly transformed like the Incredible Bulk into HitMan Bill. And true to WWE form this was Hitman Bill engaging in gutter politics of the dirtiest kind- racial innuendo, Barack as Muslim, Barack as Reagan admirer and a host of other smears by his tag team buddies around the US. Many have noted that Bill has appeared “out of control”.
For example, Bill attacked a reporter in a big scrum after a rally as being “shameless, shameless” for daring to suggest that Bills attacks smacked of smear. What was stunning about this exchange was Bill’s interview on the John Stewart show early last year when he declared the best way to defend yourself against Republican political attacks was to double down and return in kind. Bill the Statesman allowed to be Bill the HitMan. But this was Bill embracing the George Bush/Karl Rove Doctrine of preemptive attacks, even against fellow Democrats.
The consensus is that the Bill, disguised as a Rovian Hitman, has been effective in slowing down Barack Obama but at the same time has done grievous harm to the national campaign of Hillary and Bill. And the latter is the problem. Because it has become eminently clear that people are now voting for a two-headed BillnHill Frankenstein Monster. Who will be in control if they, he, she, them win the White House. Hillary has proven more than once before to be powerless to control Bill in his self-defeating womanizing. And Bill has now proven that his role in a Hillary White House will certainly not be some timid First Lad.
So now the question comes back to front and center – what the Hell Hillary, what am I and millions of others voting for when we cast a vote for you – do we also get the HitManThing as well. And how the hell are you going to control him if you become President?