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Bill Clinton Blames Kennedy for No Child Left Behind Flaws
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ShareFebruary 01, 2008 4:39 PM
ABC News' Sarah Amos and Jennifer Parker Report: While stumping for his wife at an Arkansas high school Friday, former President Bill Clinton seemed to blame Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., along with President Bush for the failure of the No Child Left Behind Act to live up to its promises.
Watch the VIDEO HERE.
"The President made a deal with Senator Kennedy and neither one of them meant to mess it up," Bill Clinton told a crowd of about 400 teachers and students in Texarkana.
"The deal was supposed to be, we will give the schools more money and get rid of two programs that Bill Clinton actually started -- hiring more teachers in the early grades which actually does help performance and help schools with construction needs if they are overcrowded," he said.
"And we will not put anymore money in the after school programs, which does help, and we will raise school performance by telling people their money depends on how their kids do on tests and we are going to give five tests five years in a row, and we will cut the states a check based on how they are doing. And then the law kind of winks at the state of Arkansas and says, 'don't worry about it too much because you get to pick the test and the passing score.' Now think about that you get the worst of all worlds," Clinton said.
Clinton mentioned Kennedy's association with the No Child Left Behind Act - a federal education law unpopular with public school teachers -- in the same week that the liberal icon passed over his wife to endorse her Democratic rival -- Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
The former president mentioned Kennedy yesterday while explaining his wife's pledge to radically overhaul the education law.
"I want you to think about this, and I have to say, this was a train wreck that was not intended. No Child Left Behind was supported by George Bush and Senator Ted Kennedy and everybody in between. Why? Because they didn't talk to enough teachers before they did that," Clinton said yesterday at Arizona State University, according to the Associated Press.
But today marks the first time the former president seemed to blame Kennedy for the bill.
In 2001, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, but has since said it was mismanaged and should be replaced.
"I believe that every child should be taught by a qualified teacher and that schools should be accountable to the parents of the children they serve. That is why I supported the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 and continue to believe in the principles behind the landmark law. When the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) was enacted, I viewed it as a historic promise between the federal government and educators -- schools would be held to higher standards than ever before and the government would make a record investment in those schools to ensure that they would be able to meet the new expectations confronting them," reads a statement from Hillary Clinton on her senate office website.
February 1, 2008 in Bush, George W. | Permalink | User Comments (86)
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Voter Beware:
Many of Senator Clintons supporters think they are getting "two for the price of one". THINK about what you are voting for.
How confused will the world be when your President Hillery is stating US Policy one way an ex President Clinton is running around the world mouthing off and contradicting his wife.
And.....if you think Senator Clinton can control her husband....do I need to remind you of the ugly history the Bill has exhibited in his affairs of the heart.
Posted by: R.Paul | Feb 1, 2008 5:01:51 PM
Interesting. Hillary voted for NCLB just like Kennedy did. So, I guess that Bill is pointing out another instance where her judgment was off. Obama wants to overhaul the program as well. Other than Kennedy-bashing, I don't really see how this helps her argument.
Posted by: roger | Feb 1, 2008 5:05:55 PM
Is Bill Clinton ok? I worry about his sanity. Can he possibly think it makes good political sense to criticize Ted Kennedy for a bill that Hillary supported?
He might as well start criticizing George Bush for taking us into war in Iraq. How stupid would that be, given that Hillary voted to authorize the war? Oh...wait...he already did that.
Posted by: EnoughofBill | Feb 1, 2008 5:12:27 PM
What this election has done is to really show the heart of Bill Clinton. It appears he is a very mean-spirited man. Ted Kennedy is now responsible for No Child left behind after endorsing Obama over Clinton. How disingenous. No wonder team Clinton's base of support is the most under-educated arm of the party. Only people like that can buy this kind of crap.
Posted by: Kate | Feb 1, 2008 5:14:53 PM
Just another "Bubba Eruption"!
Posted by: Callimaco | Feb 1, 2008 5:20:45 PM
Are you sure Bill is not referring to "No WOMAN Left behind"????
Posted by: Joshua | Feb 1, 2008 5:28:10 PM
Yes, Bill Clinton is now showing his true colors. He resents Ted Kennedy for favoring Obama. It seems that Bill will say or do anything to help Hillary win. Less clear is whether his is doing it for her or himself.
My image of Bill clinton has gone down the tubes for good. Obama is in a higher league than Bill and Hillary together. --As is Ted Kennedy.
Posted by: mdenhof | Feb 1, 2008 5:33:43 PM
Bubba has very limited self control...think of the things he has done that puts at risk the things he values most....so I expect him to keep on talking and keep on attacking...it's in his nature...he cannot stop....
Posted by: Ann B. | Feb 1, 2008 5:35:14 PM
Ted Kennedy and Obama bringing in old ideas. Vote for someone who cares about real change. Vote Clinton. Remember how good we had it when they were president/ Ask Chicago slum residents what Obama and Rezko did to them.
Posted by: j0hn edwa | Feb 1, 2008 5:36:14 PM
ask what the slave traders in Dubai want from Clinton in exchange for being major contributors? Haven't we had enough of one President being in their back pocket?
Posted by: Louis | Feb 1, 2008 5:47:12 PM
Bill Clinton was the best and most popular Democratic president we have had since 1963. Yet you are all here to throw it out the window thinking this helps you BELOVED OBAMA somehow. I cannot for the life of me figure out why people are utterly and grotesquely out of their minds.
Posted by: tom | Feb 1, 2008 5:57:17 PM
In much the same way that the Clintons destroyed their own White House legacy so as to deny Al Gore and enable the bush-whacking of the nation's youth and national treasure, so too is Bill Clinton willing to destroy what's left of his legacy and deny Hilary another trip to the White House, which is not a bad thing in and of itself; but it makes one wonder and recognize: When your time is up, even you will 'off' your own self -- political suicide!
The Clintons are not just classless; they are self-destructive and mean spirited. Former aid did mention Clinton inclination to rage; and the nation has witnessed some of it from time to time.
Anyone noticed how Hilary grabbed the arm of Obama, a real man with testicular fortitude, last night?
Typical of the female: She will gravitate towards the most alluring man of the hour.
Posted by: Gobama | Feb 1, 2008 6:00:02 PM
uh...j0hn edwa,
I guess you didn't get the memo this morning that Hillary's co-chair of her campaign, Antonio Villaraigosa, has to explain Rezko's contributions to his mayoral campaign.
Besides that, there's also the picture of Rezko posing with Bill and Hillary that was circulated last week.
You need to fix your memo holderer.
Posted by: ReadingisFundamental | Feb 1, 2008 6:00:47 PM
Let's see...
Oppo-research tells the Clinton campaign that Hillary's vote for NCLB leaves her vulnerable to another charge of poor judgement. Hmmm... what to do?
Aha! Bill wants to slam the Kennedy's anyway as an example to others that you'll pay a heavy price if you cross them. Let's see...
Got it! Blame Kennedy, tie him somehow to Bush and take the focus off another Hillary vulnerability. Is that too much of a stretch? Does it smack of the same strategy they used to explain her war vote, i.e. it was all Bush's fault?
Hey, Bilk knows that American voters have short memories, are ill-informed and easily distracted. What the hell... it always worked in the past.
Posted by: Gorgon '08 | Feb 1, 2008 6:08:05 PM
Hillary can't give a straight answer to any question because she like Bill needs to determine what the meaning of the word "is" is! Both shameless narcissistic hucksters!! Throw the bums out!
Posted by: Lazrus123 | Feb 1, 2008 6:09:45 PM
Being a no-longer-wavering Obama supporter (with absolute thanks to Bill's "performance" in SC), I find that the more Bill speaks, the more votes he brings in for my candidate. He's Hillary's worst enemy, as he reminds us the he'll be settin' up a cot in the oval officew and roaming the halls of the White House if she gets in...heaven help us.
Posted by: Dana | Feb 1, 2008 6:10:54 PM
Bill is so angry that his 'good buddy' Ted endorsed Obama that he had to get in a good dig!! Same old..same old. More of the Clinton strategy of 'say anything' and the dumb public will buy into it. He's so pathetic.
Posted by: cat lady | Feb 1, 2008 6:11:40 PM
Bill already showed his heart and his true colors years ago when he lied (wasn't it under oath?) about M. Lewinsky: It was OK with him to let her appear as a liar!
When his DNA showed up in her dress he had the nerve to keep lying and assume that we are all idiots: "Ah!, I didn't know oral sex is sex!"
Now instead of speaking possitively about Hillary, every time he opens his mouth is to speak negatively of others. He keeps on showing his heart...
Do we really need to believe what he says?
Who cares if T. Kennedy supported NCLB? He is not the one running for President!!!
Please, bring some new blood to the Presidency!
Posted by: It is about the Future | Feb 1, 2008 7:05:07 PM
Just a thought, I have to wonder how long alot of the Obama supporters have been in the democratic party. Your candidate preaches hope and change, rising above old style politics; yet your words on the posts are vicious and mean spirited. Anyone who lived and worked for a living under President Clinton knows that life was pretty good.
Posted by: J/union | Feb 1, 2008 8:10:58 PM
I can't believe this one! Talk about betrayal. How much lower will the Clintons stoop?
Posted by: Mitch | Feb 1, 2008 8:20:25 PM
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