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ORLANDO, Fla. – Former President Bill Clinton on Wednesday painted Republicans as a party controlled by its most extreme members, unwilling to compromise and too conservative for former GOP leaders like Richard Nixon and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
"Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower – Richard Nixon’s too liberal for these people. It’s amazing," Clinton told the 2,000 people packed into a hotel ballroom here. He said the most right-wing members of the GOP control the party's nominations and "political operations."
Clinton has spent the past two days campaigning for President Barack Obama in Florida. The tour comes a week after he delivered a well-received speech at the Democratic National Convention in which he laid out the case for the president's re-election.
His stops here and Miami were largely an extension of those arguments.
"The American people have to believe me on this; I have traveled all over the world, not just when I was president, but since I left,” Clinton said. “I work everywhere. I'm telling you what works; what works is cooperation. What fails is constant conflict. You've got to vote for cooperation."
He did not mention the attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Libya, which took four lives and were condemned by top U.S. officials. He stayed away from foreign policy, continuing to focus on the economy, and making the case that America is better off now than when Obama took office nearly four years ago.
"I want to say again something I said in Charlotte, because the whole election could come down to this. I honestly believe – it doesn't matter who caused it or whether the contributing factors all happened under President Bush or something I did or something Ronald Reagan did 30 years ago." he said. "Regardless, President Obama didn't cause it ... but if he just kept telling us that and not done anything, we'd still have to replace him, because we hired him to take the job and you don’t get to pick only the good and not the bad. So he took it on."
Clinton said calls for austerity measures and tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans are irresponsible given the country's slow economic growth.
"I was always taught, when you're in a hole, the first rule is to quit digging," he said.
Clinton's biggest applause lines during his Florida tour have been criticizing Republicans for their inaccurate arithmetic and saying that hypocritical attacks against the president take “real brass."
Tying up his speech, Clinton urged the crowd to choose "arithmetic over illusion."
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The Democrat Party and the white house are controlled by the most extreme leftist radical in government .
You guys should come up with something new, that line has been so used and abused by lying ignoramuses like you that it has no effect whatsoever, even on your ilk.
A democratic party that used to have real Americans like Sam Nunn, Scoop Jackson and John Glenn has turned into an American hating party of people sucking off the Government or actively trying to destroy us like Obama, who grew up in Indonesia and remains a snotty, aloof, friendless, affirmative action failure. If he were white he'd be assistant night manager at a 2 register supermarket.
The democratic party and the white house is led by a camel dick idiot. No not moochelle, the other dick wad.
AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS NOT!!!!!
Come on Nacy and Harry are at the extreme ends of American politics. Nancy wrote the healthcare bill. Harry want even let the Senate vote on anything. Come on it's the Democrates that are run from the far end......
Check out this guys comment and tell me who's @!$%#ed up. What's worse is, he actually had 8 votes. Pathetic.
carpenter7
Actually , if Michael 1969 Died tonight . It would not bother me a bit .
#2.9 - Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:19 PM EDT
kc, I didn't think you get any worse, well proved me wrong, don't care if someone dies that's been posting here, whether you agree or disagree, a true limp dk head for your cause.
Obama 2012
"Progressive" blue state Illionois.
President Obama, previously Illinois Senator, maintains home in Chicago.
http://www.Illinoisdebtclock
How long has Illinois been a "progressively blue state"? Is this a good barometer of the direction of the Democratic machine?
Please google Illinois State debt.
This guy who gets a knob job under the presidents desk; says conservatives are extreme? I would right now allow taxes to rise just like obama stated IF they cut the other 700 billion or so annually it would take to balance the budget. NO takers. Cause you know if they get tax revenue, they will spend it and create even bigger government. That's extreme? Look at the budget over the last decade. This joker signed the law that allowed the banks to combine investment gambling and banking into one. That' is why NOW we don't have a middle class befcause it was wiped out by the housing ponzi scheme. But instead of giving people equity who were harmed by the pump and dump; the dem's obama/ and republicans give it to bankers to f us some more.
Penis Envy, Jelly?
Obama 2012
And the democratic party????
With Obama at the forefront of the democratic party, I'd say that party is also being lead by the most extreme from the left.
harry please: liberals=feed people, liberals=shelter people, liberals=educate people, liberals=help care for the sick, liberals=shelter people, liberals=level playing field, liberals=fair share, liberals=empathetic, liberals=assistance to down but not out, liberals=care for the elderly, liberals=pay it forward by reaching back.
Conservatives?
Obama 2012
Reading many of the posts on here from the Right, I'm left with the inescapable conclusion that many of you folks are in a clear case of denial. The Repubolican party of today is far more conservative than the GOP of even 25 years ago. This is not simply because I say so. There have been several studies conducted within the last several years which were carried out by a BI PARTISAN group, people without an axe to grind who simply wanted to get at the truth. Their conclusion was that while the GOP had moved dramatically further to the Right, The Democratic party was much as it has been for the last several decades.
I can think of no more Liberal a time for Democrats than during the FDR years when so much landmark social and fiscal legislation was passed. Barack Obama is hardly more liberal than FDR or even LBJ or Bill Clinton for that matter. Conversely, where Republican icons such as Reagan or even Nixon, Ford, Bush I and yes, even Dubya, to run today they would be considered too "Liberal" by today's Tea Crazies, changting for more blood. Reagan raised taxes repeatedly, granted amnesty to millions of undocumenteds and was not averse to that vile word, COMPROMISE. Even Dubya supported an amnesty program for the millions of undocumenteds here and Nixon looks downright like a Bolshevik in comparison to Republicans of today. He supported a health care law that was vastly more liberal than Obama's plan, created the EPA and passed a great deal of legislation that was far more moderate in tone than anything being pushed by the Right today. And I say this as someone who detested Nixon but there were certain things he did which were actually quite good.
Consider the lunacy of some of the accepted beliefs among today’s GOP. Envision the twisted logic that must cramp the brains and souls of men and women who run for state and national office as Republicans.
For example:
• They must believe, despite the mountains of evidence surrounding the financial collapse of 2008, that an unregulated, or at best, a lightly regulated, financial industry is good for America and the world; that it was not the Wall Street leeches that brought us to the brink of financial ruin but those "evil" teachers, the working poor, gays, minorities, etc. and others of relatively modest means, with their outrageous salaries, bonuses, stock options and golden parachutes.
• They must believe in the incredible arrogance of their own "pro-growth agenda," in which economic growth can be achieved only and exclusively by reducing corporate and individual tax rates, especially among the wealthy, and by freeing business from those 'onerous' environmental, labor and other regulations that have cleaned up our air and water and helped create America's middle class.
• Rising health care costs are pillaging the economy. But even though health care in America is now more a matter of what one can afford rather than medical need, Republican candidates must deny that health care is a basic right and resist any attempt to change and/or improve the system. After all, anyone without insurance can go to the nearest hospital emergency room, in spite of it being the most expensive method of delivering health care.
• GOP candidates must scoff at any scientific support for climate change. Blame human activity? Bad. Quote the Bible as evidence? Good; as they must also cast at least some aspersions on the science of evolution.
• They must insist, statistics and evidence to the contrary, that most of the nation's energy needs can be met safely with more domestic oil drilling, "clean-coal" (yes, an oxymoron when the President says it, too!) and greater reliance on “perfectly safe” nuclear power plants as well as fracking. They must believe that all 12 – 15 million (the estimates keep changing) undocumented immigrants living in the United States can be rounded up, detained, tried, deported (voluntarily or otherwise) and kept from returning at a reasonable cost. Call them 'illegal' if that makes you happy, the solution is still delusional.
• Even though there are currently more than four applicants for every available job, GOP candidates must at least hint that unemployment benefits keep people from looking for work.
• They must firmly believe that the Founding Fathers intended to guarantee the absolute right of individuals to own automatic, high-capacity assault weapons that did not exist in the late 18th century.
• In spite of having a military budget larger than that of the next 15 nations, combined, they must howl against cutting the defense budget, impugning both the patriotism and veracity of those who advocate reducing military expenditures.
And while this is, by no means, a comprehensive listing, it almost ( almost) makes one pity the people who espouse this stuff … but not quite.
Might they soon pronounce the existence of the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny, as well? Clinton is on the money ... these are crackpot LOONEY TUNES!
The desperation of the Republican party is really starting to show....a bunch of warmongers.....
I suppose a Democrat Party that promotes abortion, sides with union thuggery, advocates gay marriage and bashes capitalism isn't extreme enough for Bill as it is for themajority of Americans.
Wow Bob, why don't you loosen your tie, slip off your wing-tips and chill, dude. Abortion has been legal since 1973 and let me clue you in ... the world's not going to end because of gay marriage ... a few tiny heads might explode but that's why they're so tiny to begin with, cause you can't fit much in them. Union thuggery ... as opposed to what CORPORATE thuggery?
bob, abortion is the law of the land, sit down and shut up, my body, my incubator, my decisions, my bedroom. don't try the bible nonsense, the bible is silent on abortion. Nothing wrong with success, but there is when workers pensions are looted legally, romney didn't build that!
Obama 2012
Holy crapo, Bob, wake up! This is the 21st century for crying out loud. If you don't advocate gay marriage then don't marry a man! Our party promotes a woman's right to choose. I don't try and tell men what to do with their bodies, so stay the hell away from ours. If you don't advocate a woman's right to choose, then make sure you don't get a woman pregnant. Our party has always been for capitalism. We just don't advocate someone raping a company and then sitting back while the dollars roll into their pockets and those they raped are left with nothing.
Romney is the puppet for the neocons. He has sold his soul to the devil and his chief agent,Dick Cheney.
Thanks Bill, appreciate it, but I gotta tell ya, that is OLD NEWS. Nutbags and extremists have been in control of that sorry "party" since the days of W. It's commonly known.
The same can be said of the Democratic party, moderates, I don't think so, too bad Bill Clinton isn't able to run though. Personally I believe that Romney if more moderate than Obama. Romney plays to the right wing to gain support whereas Obama plays to the center to gain support, historically Romney has leaned to the center and Obama to the left. I dislike both the far left and far right. Let's see what November brings.
You are right about one thing, Chris. Historically Romney did lean to the center. But over the course of the primaries and now this election he has leaned so far to the right that I fear he may strain his back. He has, in my opinion, damaged what integrity he did have, by bowing down to the far right tea party folks. Now, he is so far gone that he can't find his way back to center. If he does, he will piss off the tea party, and unfortunately he believes that is where his win will come from. What he is forgetting is that there is more to the Republican party than the tea party. Why he doesn't see this is beyond comprehension. He actually would have had a shot at winning in November, but all of his policies(what one can glean from the vagueness) are too extreme, most notably his comments about the current crisis. Obviously, this is really my perspective and opinion. Obama is my guy, but I can also agree with you that I wouldn't mind it if "Bubba" could run again! Peace.
I have come to understand why Boehner has been so tearful - especially early in 2010. He knew what he had inherited as Speaker - so many obstructive, do nothing, hateful, cynical Teapublicans that he realized from the start that his Congress would be the least productive, least effective, most damaging and, ultimately, the worst Congresss in the history of this country - and guess who gets to go down in history as the Speaker trying to govern with this crowd of lunkheads! I would cry at the drop of a hat too! He's probably secretly wishing for a Democractic takeover in the House!
She is so full of crap.
She is a liberal socialist Democrat who finds even the moderates to be extreme by THEIR social standards.
All of this nonsense coming from a man who was impeached and disbarred because he committed perjury and people thinks he speaks the truth.... If you believe what this guy says, get your head examined.
The republican part is close to irrelevancy, I for one hope in my lifetime I see it abolished and a new party arise, one that is definitely more to the center, with their own agenda and not one of big corporations, and the tea-bagger party calling the shots.
Romney is just a puppet, he has changed his position more times then changing clothes.
tea-bagger supporters just can't stand that they are losing ground every day, and they have no competition for Clinton, Clinton can single handedly win the election for Obama, he is that powerful.
Obama 2012! Time to let the tea-baggers know, America doesn't want them anymore.
Obama's policies are to the right of Nixon and the lunatic right are calling him a leftist. - Hate driven igonorance.
Wow.... What a lot of left leaners there are on this post. Me, I happen to lean right and love my country. I want it back and under the Constitution. I don't want a bunch of socialists telling me how they're going to spend my tax dollars on social programs that will benefit homeless people that are too lazy to work, or how they're going to protect a worm from oil wells, or any of the other mulitude of things the left wants to spend money on. The government needs to get slimmed down a lot, needs to learn to live within a budget just like we all do at home, and needs to pay off our national debt instead of bumping it up by trillions. Start following the Constitution instead of figuring out ways to bypass it. Obama is a socialist who wants to destroy this beautiful nation and all of you left leaners are going right along with it. Romney, at least, has terrific business credentials and Paul has terrific financial credentials. They will make a great team as President and Vice-President, unlike the current jokes who are ruining us. And then there's Clinton, who everybody seems to idolize. Clinton lied on the stand, under oath, and I can never forget or forgive that. He needs to get his nose out of politics and quit trying to get Hillary elected.
Bill is right. The extremists have taken over the Republican Party. The problem is that the Democrats aren't doing any better. Things have become so polarized in Washington that nothing can get past the gridlock of mutual hatred each party has for each other.
Remember that fiscal cliff I'm 85% sure that we are going over it. The other 15% is hedging that they will find some way to kick it down the road even farther so that this time next year we'll be facing an even bigger disaster.
Those in power most often find it easiest to cling to power through fear.
the same could be said about Dems, and Clinton just couldn't criticize his own party.
The best argument the GOP has is "they do it too".
Yes, both parties have moved further left and right. The difference is that most liberals know they're left of the party (most of us don't even call ourselves Democrats). Conservatives live very insular lives and really believe they are center, so everything left of them is "liberal".
Bill Clinton speaks the truth, and the GOP doesn't want to hear the truth. But then, they never do!
Really I was a Clinton supporter, but I am calling BS on Clinton speaking the truth.
LMAO!!!
CRITIC, laugh all you like pal, it doesn't make your statement any truer. I am hardly the first person to comment on the fact that the GOP has moved so far to the Right as to be almost unrecognizable from it's former self. Republicans were in the past generally conservative with a more moderate and dare I say liberal factions. I know, because I can remember Republicans I voted for, both in the House as well as the Senate. Those days are long, long gone. Even the poster boy for your party, The Gipper did numerous things that in today's climate would prevent him from ever winning your party's nomination. He repeatedly raised taxes, raised the debt limit over and over, and issued a pardon to millions of undocumenteds living here for years. Any one of these acts would make a current Republican incapable of winning a nomination. Romney when campainging in Massachussetts termed himself a "PROGRESSIVE" and promised the Gay community that he would rule TO THE LEFT OF TED KENNEDY, a feat not easisily achieived. And now look at him, he is a "Servere Conserative" and has turned his back on every single moderate viewpoint he ever espoused.
there is little or no truth in politics, for whatever party.
This is from the guy who lied under oath and was disbarred because of it!!
Yea, he lied about BJ's, big ffffffffffing deal. And only Republicans would impeach a sitting president over sexual escapades. And where the hell did it get you, White Water, Death of Vince Foster of course Monica Gate and after all that posing and posturing by the Right Bill Clinton along with Hillary are probably the two best loved people in the world and Clintons popularity ratings here are in the stratosphere and he has done more great humanitarian work worldwide than a thousand Repubolicans would ever get down.
What Cliinton said was right on the mark, today's GOP has gone so far to the Right that it is almost unregonzable from 40 years ago. It really started during the Clinton years and has never looked back since. There was a time when your party included a large number of moderates and even LIBERALS (gasp) but then were all summarily executed on the Capitol steps when Newt came to power and now all your party knows is how each of it's members can fall over themselves to prove that they are even more far gone to the Right than his associates.
Intrepid1,
Let's not forget the following from Clinton's foreign policy:
The President who launched cruise missiles into Sudan in 1998 to divert attention from a very embarrassing decision concerning a certain Miss Lewinsky on the same day. Or the President who smuggled 1,000 mujahedeen into Bosnia between 1993-1995 (including members of the Algerian GIA), armed them and then let them remain in the Balkans where they then went on to plot the Millenium attacks, 9/11 and set up training camps for the Caucasus, Iraq and Afghanistan. Or the President who bombed the wrong side during the Kosovo conflict because he was so intent on demonizing the Serbs and allowing muslims in the Balkans to have a permanent "victim" card. Or the President who authorized the U.S. bombing of purely civilian infrastructure in and around Belgrade and killed European civilians. Or the President who had the terrorist status of the KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) amended so that we could ship arms to yet another known radical islamist faction.
Despite his academic credentials (which were unfortunately tainted by misguided '60s radicalism), he knew surprisingly little of the Arab world and thought that being "placater in Chief" would win their hearts and minds. He was so intent on righting historical wrongs that he saw wrongs where there were none.
Well at least Clinton stood up for Obama and Praised his work, George W wasn't even invited or chose not to speak about Robme