The Barack & Bill Dance
There has been an interesting dance going on between Barack Obama and both Bill and Hillary Clinton. Hillary has publicly warmed to Obama, supporting his bid for President by campaigning and urging her supporters to jump on the Obama bandwagon. She has appeared with him, laughing, hugging and joining hands to cement that image that she has become a team player.
For Bill Clinton, things are still pretty frosty and it will likely take a bit more effort to warm him up. Still stinging by the criticisms Barack Obama made during the primary which seemed to question Bill's accomplishments as President as well as accusations that he engaged in race baiting, Bill seems very reluctant to hoop and holler at the next Obama rally.
I can only imagine how Bill Clinton must be seething. Like most former presidents, the slogan is, "It's all about the legacy, stupid!" To listen to his reputation tarnished by this young upstart must be galling indeed, despite Obama's post primary effort to make amends. Even Obama's slogans were once the domain of Bill Clinton. Before Obama marketed himself as the Change Agent, Bill Clinton had been viewed as the young, bright Democrat that was all about change. Remember, "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow...?" Before Obama penned, The Audacity of Hope, Clinton was the Man From Hope.
Political pundit, Dick Morris, has recently opined another explanation for Bill Clinton's cool attitude. Money. Hillary's personal financial investment in her presidential campaign reached somewhere between 14 and 20 million. Though the Clintons are outrageously wealthy, that kind of chunk is hard to recoup. According to Morris, Hillary is doing everything necessary to make sure she has not alienated Obama supporters in New York and possibly jeopardizing her Senate Seat. Bill, on the other hand, is minding the checkbook. It will take more that the $2,300 Barack contributed to Hillary's campaign debt, for Bill to stop playing coy.
Twenty million in debt? I am no political campaign manager but I think there must have been some ways the Clinton campaign could have cut a few corners. Obviously they never heard of VistaPrint, where I have ordered business cards and all kind of printed materials for years at great savings. Twenty million could have purchased a lot of car and custom magnets, as well as brochures and mailers.
It will be interesting to see how this dance continues by the time of the Democratic convention. Obama may well decide he doesn't need to haul Bill onto the dance floor, but may leave him to sulk.
