York: Clinton polishes image at Obama's expense

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:

While the political world obsesses over Chris Christie, Rick Perry and the rest of the Republican presidential field, something is up with Bill Clinton. On Nov. 8, the former president will publish a new book entitled "Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy." Judging by pre-release publicity, the book resembles nothing so much as a campaign tract for a third Clinton term. Of course Clinton is barred by the Constitution from being elected president again, but "Back to Work" still seems the product of an author who's gearing up for something.

The book's publicity materials say Clinton will offer "specific recommendations" and will propose "how we can get out of the current economic crisis and lay a foundation for long-term prosperity." The former president will argue that political warfare in Washington "has produced bad policies, giving us a weak economy with few jobs, growing income inequality and poverty, and a decline in our competitive position."

All that would sound perfectly reasonable from a candidate running against Barack Obama. Or maybe a man whose wife is running against Barack Obama. But Democratic insiders are adamant that there is nothing going on there, that Clinton's new book does not foreshadow any challenge to the president.

"I don't read any political motives in any of the things he's been doing recently," says a well-connected Democrat. "I take him at his word."

"I think he wants Hillary to be president maybe more than Hillary wants to be president, but that's secondary," says another Democratic insider.

As much as Republicans would like to see disruption and discord among Democrats, the fact is Obama will not face a challenge from the Clinton camp. And the book is likely to include enough praise of Obama to dispel any notion that it is an act of disloyalty. But that doesn't mean the former president can't stir things up a little bit.

Ever since he left office in January 2001, Clinton has been reminding anyone and everyone that 20-plus million jobs were created during his time in the White House. Given that the economy is on everyone's minds these days, he doesn't have to add that the current president has a record of net job loss. Everyone can see the contrast.

Clinton irritated some in the White House when he appeared on the cover of Newsweek in June with the article "14 Ways to Save America's Jobs." But he got a lot of good feedback from people outside the White House circle, and the new book is an outgrowth of the Newsweek piece. And it will not be a good thing for Obama. No matter how much White House insiders and Democrats around Washington deny the existence of any problem, the fact remains that "Back to Work" will make Clinton look like the successful job creator offering advice to a struggling successor who just hasn't figured out how to make things work.

The new book is just part of the latest Clinton image-polishing campaign. On Friday, Clinton traveled to his presidential library in Arkansas to mark the 20th anniversary of his announcement that he was running for president. (The actual day was Oct. 3, 1991.) Several ex-aides and associates gathered to pay tribute to Clinton, saying he had saved the Democratic Party from itself. Clinton himself took to the microphone to praise his record and express irritation at not being given enough credit -- in his opinion, at least -- for welfare reform and turning a federal budget deficit into a surplus.

[pollyannaish]

Heh. I would expect no less.

 

Wow. At least Clinton was a pretty capable narcissist.

[RandyM]

Remember, he didn't earn the nickname "Slick Willie" for nothing. Keep an eye on him.

[nickydog]

He's just hoping to control history's narrative on his presidency. Get the Lewinsky story on the back page, or out of the book altogether.