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Bill Clinton Scolds Media ... Again

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January 23, 2008 5:29 PM

ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: While campaigning for his wife in South Carolina, Bill Clinton scolded a reporter Wednesday.

The former president was answering questions about the back-and-forth between himself and his wife's chief Democratic rival, Senator Barack Obama.

A CNN crawl said Clinton was "responding to allegations he's playing the race card in S.C."

"Are you saying the Obama camp is bringing up these racial issues?," asked CNN reporter Jessica Yellin.

"You want another story. I'm not gonna get in a fight with him, I'm just gonna answer what the facts are. … There are indisputable facts. You wanna make this about words and name calling. I hate it," Clinton said after a campaign event at Huger's Restaurant in Charleston.

For many reporters, it was hard to hear exactly what set the former president off, but it quickly became clear he wasn't happy. According to one reporter's transcript, the back-and-forth began like this:

"Dick Harpootlian has called some of the tactics used in the campaign reprehensible and reminiscent of Lee Atwater to try to appeal on the basis of race and gender and for suppressing the vote in Nevada," a reporter asked.

"I would ask Dick Harpootlian -- he wasn’t in Nevada," Clinton said, arguing he spoke to Hispanic women in Nevada who wanted to caucus for Hillary Clinton who were told by union officials they couldn't sign up for her.

Then Clinton appeared angry with the reporter for asking the question.

"You asked me about this. You sat through this whole meeting. Not one, single solitary soul asked me about this. And they never do," he said.

"They're feeding you this because they know this is what you want. This is what you live for. This hurts the people of South Carolina, because the people of South Carolina … ask questions about what they care about," he said. "And what they care about is not gonna be in the news coverage tonight, because you don't care about it. What you care about is this. And the Obama people know that. So they just spin you up on this, and you happily go along. The people don't care about this. They never ask about it. And you are determined to take this election away from them. That's not right. That is not right. This election oughta belong to those people who are out there asking questions about their lives."

As he left the restaurant surrounded by secret service, Clinton seemed to cool down. He smiled as he left and said to the reporter, "One more story. Shame on you. Shame on you!" Clinton said.

It's not the first time Clinton's temper has flared on the campaign trail. Last week Clinton ripped into a television reporter who had asked him about a Nevada lawsuit concerning participation in the state’s caucuses.

"When you ask me that question, your position is that you think that the culinary workers’ vote should be easier," than those of other Nevada workers, Clinton said to reporter Mark Matthews of KGO-TV in San Francisco. “If you want to take that position, get on the television and take it. Don’t be accusatory with me."

January 23, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (112)

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I agree with Bill Clinton on his charges against Obama. The national media is hiding many facts about Obama that is main headlines in Chicago. First, Obama is linked to some high profile issues, but those of you out of this area have not heard about it yet, because the national media protects him. Secondly, Obama said he worked for 15 years as a civil lawyer, but actually, he worked only a few. In addition, part of that was for his wife, his boss. He does not seem to have a steady work history. He was president of the Harvard student board, but he was almost 30 years old. Many of the law students start at 21 or 22, so that is not a big deal. Then, he brags about his community work, a voter's registration drive. Oh, come on, I run that on a volunteer basis. Was he paid for this and by whom? It was linked to the REZSKO slumlord. He is the one who launched Obama's political career, and now the roosters come back to crow. Therefore, the national media needs to come clean on Obama. Bill and Hillary are quite accurate in their charges; they are not making things up!

Posted by: CHJ | Jan 23, 2008 6:35:01 PM

William Jefferson Clinton didn’t disgrace the Office of the Presidency, the REPUBLICANS DID. They were relentless in their pursuit of catching him in a “tawdry” situation because it was all they had, and then they cornered him into perjury by having him answer to PURITAN, witch-hunting tactics. The fact is the Clintons make choices that benefit the majority of the people. They use their strength to do more good, that’s good. Doing more for the people takes tax dollars; and that my friend, is why the Republicans hate the Clintons.......I hope you have read Hillary’s story about her mom. Her mom experienced poor parenting when she was a child. Hillary was given a good upbringing. She ends up falling for a man who had a difficult childhood. She sticks with him and it is obvious he loves her and visa versa. So you know what Clinton haters? Keep your filthy, mean, self -righteous, hateful attitude to your self about the Clinton Marriage. Yeah, you all showed how much you value family, unless it’s the Clintons right? You all have every right to destroy that family with your gutter investigations. They somehow deserve less dignity for staying together under humiliating, invasive maneuvering by the ruthless right wing. Talk about personal attacks. My, My.....HYPOCRITES!

Posted by: irma | Jan 23, 2008 6:35:13 PM

Mr Obama has a bad memory about his stance on the single payer plan he advocated before a union group. He said in the debate he never supported that. Bad memory or lying? And let's hear what he has to say about the wife, of the lawyer under indictment, who purchased property next to his mansion in Illinois and then sold part of it to him. Hmm? I wonder what Mr. "clean" will say now?

Posted by: me | Jan 23, 2008 6:35:36 PM

For years, folks have voted against candidates instead of for candidates. With this slate of losers who are running, there's not even anyone to vote against IN EITHER PARTY! The Clintons are trash and are going to great lenghts to prove it.

Posted by: ac | Jan 23, 2008 6:36:28 PM

I find it difficult to believe the Clinton's on much at all. After all, here's a president that thinks it's OK to answer a question, "Boxers or Briefs?", but legitimate questions are out of bounds. And who can blame him, with quotes like " I did not have sexual relations with that woman..." and "it depends on what the definition of is is...[paraphrased]", etc.

Posted by: Keith | Jan 23, 2008 6:41:00 PM

Obama's Axelrod strategist is a dirty trick masters; he is using the friendly media to keep the spin going on and take away the heat from Obama records and hard answers. At the end both of them re going to get hurt by this.

GO EDWARDS!!

Posted by: Tere | Jan 23, 2008 6:41:55 PM

CHJ, Thank you! Nice to see you on here! You sound pretty smart!

Posted by: irma | Jan 23, 2008 6:42:08 PM

NO ONE has raised more money from convicted felons than the Clintons. Most recently, Hzu, who's $850,000 had to be returned and who is sitting in a federal pen.

The Clintons used to get respect around our house. No more!

Bill and Hillary need to take their multimillions and quietly ride off into the sunset.

Posted by: Billy | Jan 23, 2008 6:46:00 PM

Bill Clinton rabid? Whitewater? What became of that ridiculous fiasco? People still try to make much more of what is actually there. It is their entrenched bias in full gear, fueled by selective reporting. I am more disgusted with how cheaply the media is spinning these events and how it is such an insult to the intelligence of the general public that they continue. Too much of the media thinks the only way we can digest our political debate is to present it in a Jerry Springer format. Judging by many of these responses, they may be right. Our political candidates should be held accountable for their ideas and policies of running this country. Not these stupid, low rent, soap opera reports.

Posted by: Kurt | Jan 23, 2008 6:46:41 PM

Bill's going berzerk. I guess he really has no shame after Monica.......why worry about dignity now?

Posted by: Cat | Jan 23, 2008 6:47:03 PM

I"m also tired of the 'Shillary's' - fellow Democrats who shill for Hillary even when her husband is sent to scold the neighbors and tells whoppers to win a 3rd term.

Posted by: Billy | Jan 23, 2008 6:48:05 PM

I agree with Bill although I never voted for him and never will vote for Hillary. The main stream media is doing a dis-service to the American people with the way they are covering this election. From planted questions to biased debates to outright lies and smear jobs against public servants the corporate media should be ashamed of the way they are handling their portion of the public trust. Just as newspapers have seen their demise through the internet so will this alphabet soup of news corporations feel the effects of real news as reported by free internet bloggers

Posted by: GM | Jan 23, 2008 6:49:26 PM

Ya, when the Clinton's use Karl Rove tactics they need to go away like Bush.

Posted by: billy | Jan 23, 2008 6:49:34 PM

Bill Clinton was a 46-year old punk as president who gave trailer trash a bad name as he assaulted women around the country. He is now a 60-year old punk campaigning for the most disgraced and humiliated woman in American history. The entire country must be embarrassed for Chelsea Clinton.

Posted by: MSM | Jan 23, 2008 6:50:04 PM

The press is out after the Clinton's. The press are only doing what they are told by there publishers and owners. The press have been on the Clinton's for years. Everytime Chelsea turned around the press was there. they hounded that girl to the extreme. Bill had an "affair". the only people that Bill had to answer to were his wife and his God. It is and was no one else's business. How many men reading this have had sex with more than their spouses? I don't care if you have but George Bush may or may not have had affair's with someone other than his wife, I don't care either, What I do care about is that George Bush lied about WMD's and almost 4,000 men & women have died, thousands have been maimed or will suffer mental problems the rest of their lives.
We live in Illinois, re-read come of the above comments about OBAMA and the Chicago slum-lord. Obama was out signing people up to vote, many volunteers do that, he is a sham...we hope many people vote against him in the election...he's seems to be all talk, he talks about Washington but he is one of the people who hasn't done anything but write the Dream Act, which will give children of illegls tuition to attend college (these people really should be called "adults", when you are old enough to go to college). Like Oboma, we will be "Present" when it comes time to vote but we will not be voting for him.
We are not happy with Bill Clinton because of the NAFTA bill being signed while he was President. This was the start of company's moving out of the U.S. to China,India, etc...Americans need to STOP buying junk from China. You need to buy American cars.

Posted by: JT | Jan 23, 2008 6:52:12 PM

GM! Hi! Nice to read you! Wow!

Posted by: irma | Jan 23, 2008 6:53:08 PM

PS

I'm a life long Democrat who will be voting for John McCain in the general election if Hillary is the nominee.

Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton does not appeal to me.

Bill wants a 3rd term and will do or say anthing to get it.

Posted by: billy | Jan 23, 2008 6:53:08 PM

JT

The press SHOULD be after the Clintons. Hzu, and a countless list of felonious fundraisers, plus the millions from special interests Hillary derides in public make them the most hypocritical couple in American history.

I voted for Bill TWICE! Now go away!

Posted by: billy | Jan 23, 2008 6:54:59 PM

If any of you saw the tape of Bill Clinton's comments with the media, there is no basis for saying he appeared angry. He answered the reporter in his legendary soft voice. And he was right. Folks, let's get real. What the Obama campaign claims are dirty tricks is that Clinton on the record commented on Obama's statements to a Nevada editorial board essentially telling them that he modeled himself after Reagan and that Republicans were "the party" of ideas during the past 10 to 15 years.

And an Obama staffer compares this to the dirty tricks of Lee Atwater? Are you kidding?

Posted by: cdh | Jan 23, 2008 6:57:45 PM

Bill Clinton is completely right. The media, who only lately discovered that the Bush administration lied to us 935 times about Iraq, is treating this critically important election as a tabloid jaunt. I am sickened by the allegations of racism, lying, etc. etc.
I encourage the Obama campaign to debate issues, and particularly to focus on the Republicans, against whom he should be running.

Posted by: Lizzy | Jan 23, 2008 6:58:29 PM

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