« Previous | Main | Next »

Bill Clinton: No 'Whining' from Hillary

Share

April 17, 2008 5:19 PM

ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: Former President Bill Clinton says he didn't see his wife "whining" when she's taken some tough political shots on the presidential campaign trail.

"When I watched that debate last night, I got kinda tickled," the former President said at an American Legion Hall event in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania, "After the [debate], her opponents', oh, the people working were saying, 'Oh this is so negative, why are they doing this.' Well they've been beatin' up on her for 15 months. I didn't hear her whining when he said she was untruthful in Iowa or called her the senator from Punjab."

"And, you know, they said some pretty rough things about me, too. But you know, this is a contact sport. If you don't want to play, keep your uniform off," Clinton told a loudly cheering crowd.

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

Clinton asserted the focus on the campaign has largely been on the issues.

"The truth is," Clinton said, "this has been basically positive campaign on the issues, and on the records and on the experience. And the real differences should be on the issues."

Clinton was in high spirits on Thursday morning, the day after Sens. Clinton and Obama met for the 22nd time on a debate stage.

"I don't know if you saw that debate last night, but I did, and I thought she was great. She was great because she showed the strength and leadership and knowledge of the issues that is very important to the next president," Clinton effused to his first crowd of the day in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Obama, meanwhile, tried to brush off any criticism that his debate performance was below par.

During a town hall in Raleigh, Obama said his Democratic nomination rival "looked in her element" in Philadelphia.

"She was taking every opportunity to get a dig in there, that's her right to kind of twist the knife a little bit," Obama said.

"That's how our politics has been taught to be played. That's the lesson that she learned when the Republicans were doing that same thing to her back in the 1990s, so I understand it, and when you're running for the presidency then you've got to expect it."

Obama then paused, brushed both his shoulders, then bent down and brushed off his knee to thunderous applause from the audience.

"That's what you got to do," Obama laughed, "That is also precisely why I'm running for president to change that kind of politics."

The Illinois senator called the first half of the debate "tit for tat silliness", quickly adding, "It took us 45 min before we even started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people . . . 45 minutes before we heard about healthcare, 45 minutes before we heard about Iraq, 45 minutes before we heard about jobs, 45 minutes before we heard about gas prices."

Obama said that the debate was a preview of how the Republicans will attack him if he were the nominee.

"That was the roll out of the Republican's campaign against me in November. It happened just a little early," Obama said.

ABC News' Sunlen Miller contributed to this report.

April 17, 2008 in Bush, George W., Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (756)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Obama proves what they were challenging them on. He resorts to this theme of low politics if his character is questioned.

Obama blows it off like its beneath him , proving his liberal elitism on the stage for all of us to see. On several occasions he looked impatient and almost frustrated with distain that they would have the GALL to call his character into question.

This is the far left liberal line folks. Anyone who disagrees with the philosophy is dead wrong no matter what.

The republicans can now GOAD Obama into looking aarogant at will. Obama honestly BELIEVES his way of thinking is superior to anyone else. Conservative, Moderate, or Centrist.

The guy is so unelectable its getting ridiculous.

Posted by: tomdavie | Apr 17, 2008 5:39:15 PM

Stephanopoulos held me down while Bill Clinton raped me.

Posted by: Taylor | Apr 17, 2008 5:39:17 PM

Obama's a wuss!! Quit crying! If you can't take it from a girl, will you be able to take it from a boy???

Posted by: CD | Apr 17, 2008 5:39:23 PM

Hillary struggles to stay relevant. If the people decide the race, then it's already over. She has lost, and short of theft of the super delegates, she can not change the outcome.

Posted by: Rita | Apr 17, 2008 5:39:25 PM

Hillary was great! Finally, someone in the media asked Obama some questions on subjects which go directly to his character which, frankly, is an important issue. As is typical, he responds with arrogance and sarcasm while pretending to be someone else. I don't get him. He attends a church with the same reverend for 20 years but shrugs off the reverends hate by saying that he doesn't listen to the man or agree with him. I don't buy for one minute that even if he didn't hear what that reverend said about 9/11 that someone of the 8,000 people in the church didn't say something to Obama about it or he read about it after it was said. How stupid does he think we are? The media, even the two last night, have been too soft on him.

Posted by: sarnorton | Apr 17, 2008 5:40:22 PM

hillary , If i live to be 100 yrs could never tell the lies that bitch has told in just a few .oops there is another round from snipers ... oops I do not recall.what a BITCH

Posted by: kaleu | Apr 17, 2008 5:40:42 PM

Obama sleepwalkers-tell your master to quit crying, it makes him look weak!

Posted by: CD | Apr 17, 2008 5:40:52 PM

couldn't watch it they are both disgusting liars and one of them hates America and white folk.

Posted by: babs | Apr 17, 2008 5:41:20 PM

Yes... your previlus campaign manger and press secretary (GEORGE STEPHANOPOLIS) made sure there is no suchy scope......

...nice payback.

Also....horray Bill proved he can speak the truth..... though nowhere near good as his monic true-lies

Posted by: moeen | Apr 17, 2008 5:41:21 PM

"Nothing lowers the level of conversation more than raising the voice."
Obama won by not taking Hillary's bait -- it was a one sided slam -- but just think in about 3 weeks we will not see her anymore -- just like Bush everyone is just anxious for it to be finished -- and as usual she won't go down alone!


Posted by: Paulet | Apr 17, 2008 5:42:15 PM

To the poster who said, "Bill Clinton raped me" I wanna know what makes you so special?

Posted by: Dave | Apr 17, 2008 5:42:19 PM

Bill, do you think you could please stop raping me?

Posted by: Taylor | Apr 17, 2008 5:42:34 PM

No whining Hillary? Not this time at least. Who whined that the "boys" were ganging up on her when Edwards was still in the debate? Who whined about always getting the first question? Who cried when the polls weren't going her way? Need I go on? I don't have a problem with the tough "questions" toward Obama, because it is true, the Republicans will pull out the same pathetic mode of attack. But if Hillary really thinks she has a chance at the Presidency, then let's give her equal time in the hot seat. Where was the question about her flip-flop on NAFTA? About her campaign manager and the trade deals with Columbia - or her husband taking money from Columbia? Don't trade issues really effect PA voters? Won't the Republicans bring back the scandals of the 90s? Isn't that a relevant question or two? They will demand to see their donor list & recent tax returns - can we ask about that? Let's not make Obama's associations seem suspect as if the Clintons' don't have a whole slew of skeletons in their closets! Give them equal time to squirm. Don't just give her extra time to put her negative two cents in. What a disgrace these people are. People who vote for Clinton make me really sad about the state of mind of some in this country.

Posted by: Santa Fe Mom | Apr 17, 2008 5:42:45 PM

ABC should be taken off the air for this "shameless" attempt at an unbiased
political debate! And Hillary, please. She may be the most disgusting woman on the face of the earth and denigrates all women. She lies, she is ruthless, disorganized and hubris. And what's with the make-up...where did all those wrinkles go??? She looked like she was ready for her glamour shot. Wonder how much she pays her make-up artist. At least the rest of the candidates are the real deal.
I, for one, am tired of the rhetoric, the continual parsing, the unabashed "scorched earth" politics going on in this campaign. Hillary needs to step down and go home to Arkansas. It is a sure bet, New York doesn't want her any more!!!!

Posted by: Wizard | Apr 17, 2008 5:44:15 PM

Hillary Clinton - The Feminist who is dependant on her husband...go figure

Posted by: go away | Apr 17, 2008 5:44:57 PM

"Where was Bill's affection for Hil-LIAR-y when Monica was interning? The two deserve each other. It is amazing to see her wanting John McCain to win instead of Obama, then she can run in 2012."

THIS IS OBAMA'S NEW POLITICS. THEY CALL THE CLINTONS SLEAZE AND GO AFTER THEM. I HAVE A FEELING THE OBAMAS WILL MAKE CLINTONS LOOK LIKE SCHOOL CHILDREN WHEN IT COMES TO SLEAZE.

Posted by: al | Apr 17, 2008 5:45:06 PM

Whoever is putting up the rape crap and Vince Foster crap PLEASE STOP IT. It isn't funny or cute. You are exactly what is wrong with America today.

Posted by: Kris | Apr 17, 2008 5:45:17 PM

WHY CAN'T THESE SCUMBAGS BILL AND HILL JUST GO AWAY...ONLY DUMBOCRATS WOULD LISTEN OR VOTE FOR EITHER OF THESE TWO SO CALLED PEOPLE.

Posted by: Dave | Apr 17, 2008 5:45:34 PM

So Ed Rendell was whining about the debate as well, Bill? He HATED it! 'What are we DOING here?!,' he said after the burlesque was over.

Posted by: mobird | Apr 17, 2008 5:45:56 PM

I'm just hoping something finally puts this pair out of their misery ... if this is the price we have to pay to get them off stage(the debate being their last act) ... so be it.

Posted by: beaupritchard | Apr 17, 2008 5:46:38 PM

Post a comment