President Obama Gives Spotlight to Former President Clinton, and Clinton Happily Takes it

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

Two living presidents together in the same room is always an historic moment, but Friday at the White House briefing room it came to a whole new level - but then again, when Bill Clinton is involved, that can happen.

What made the occasion even more rare is that the sitting president actually left the room, and the former president continued to carry-on with his own press conference (and seemed to be enjoying every minute of the spotlight).

President Clinton shared his support for President Obama's deal with Republicans on how to handle the Bush-era tax rates, and also gleaned some insight into a how Democratic president can handle a Republican Congress, something he has been praised for doing well in 1994.

It all played out something like this:

President Obama and former President Clinton meet at 3:00 pm ET in the Oval Office. Around 4:20pm ET, Obama and Clinton hold a hastily called together press conference in the White House briefing room. Obama spoke for a couple minutes and says that he's going to let Clinton speak "briefly," but noted Clinton may decide he wants to take questions. It wasn't very brief. Clinton took the microphone, commenting and answering questions for about 30 minutes. When Clinton took to the lectern, he did say, "first of all, I feel awkward being here, and now you're going to leave me all by myself." And Obama did leave Clinton all by himself after about ten minutes into the news conference, saying he had things to do, including a Christmas party.

Current Press Secretary Robert Gibbs several times tried to call "last question," but Clinton kept on talking.
________

Two massive egos can't share the same stage together without causing a massive chain reaction.

Video

[clearvision]

This is a must see video...

 

 

Obama says he needs to go see Michele and then the press calls out Mr. President, Mr. President to Clinton.

[pollyannaish]

That is just plain weird. Weirder than weird. Wow.

 

Edited to add: It certainly does not instill confidence in either the President or exPresident.

[nickydog]

Weird, weird, weird. And that 1/2 second smile Obama flashed at Clinton as he turned to leave was downright spooky.

[ErnstBlofeld]

I see the news conference is a sign that Obama is losing all control of his administration. Obama has no plan or ideas where to take the country. I was completely flabbergasted when he ceded control of the news conference to Bill Clinton.

[Rheo]

Bump for our leader....

[Sanguine]

That is just plain weird. Weirder than weird. Wow.

 

Edited to add: It certainly does not instill confidence in either the President or exPresident.

 

Yes, but sadly, no more weird than many other things we have seen in the last two years.

[nickydog]

Bump for our leader....

 

[Pepper]

WestVirginiaRebel:

 

This is truly one of the most bizarre moments in Presidential history, action, and inaction. In my lifetime, I have seen no equivalent. Some comments from others, I don't have the words.

 

Here is a Hot Air poster's take on the bizarre image of Obama surrendering to Clinton. I can't improve on his statement:

 

"Most people learn early in their working careers that you hang in there until the job is finished. Only then do you get to go home.

 

Apart from demonstrating once again that Obama is a pathetic empty suit when it comes to being effective, it also shows how his odd working history has made even the most basic elements of a work ethic totally alien to him.

 

The man just picks up and leaves when he gets bored. "

-- Cicero43 / HotAir

[Pepper]

WestVirginiaRebel

 

Another, same source:

 

I’m sitting here in amazement, stunned that a sitting President would hold a press conference on what everyone knows is the defining moment of the direction of the rest of his term in office, invite his predecessor two presidents ago to help add oomph to his arguments, and then suddenly abdicate and turn the whole press conference over to that predecessor, now a private citizen!!!

Never in my 50 years of life have I EVER seen such a stunning abdication of (dereliction of) Presidential duty!

He calls in Bubba to handle the presser for him, walks off saying “I’m outta here”……..and votes “Not Present”???

I simply can’t believe my eyes just witnessed that. Never in my life did I ever think I’d see something like this. -- Shirotayama

[Pepper]

WestVirginiaRebel:

 

My favorite

 

"Close your eyes and visualize the headlines the morning after George W. Bush turned a press conference over to his father and walked out, having to go to a “Party”.

No matter whether I agreed with previous Presidents, or not, at least they were MEN!

The President of the United States better have fortitude.

Our current President HAS NONE! And proved it this afternoon. "-- radioone

[NCTexan]

Weird, weird, weird. And that 1/2 second smile Obama flashed at Clinton as he turned to leave was downright spooky.

Nickydog!

 

Spooky is the only word that describes it...

 

It was so fleeting, forced, insincere, revealing and SPOOKY!

 

 

[Pepper]

NCTexan

 

 

As I ripped off from another poster above

 

"Most people learn early in their working careers that you hang in there until the job is finished. Only then do you get to go home."

 

I hope that this particular moment will be one that seals the doom of this ManChild to not only a one-term but a particularly flawed Presidency.

[Casino67]

He is very lucky this happened on a Friday. By Monday, except for talk radio, it will be forgotten.

[Casino67]

 

I liked the way Bill gripped the podium as if to say 'I ain't going anywhere, Barry.'