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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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I read the headline and had to laugh. After viewing MSNBC during an evening broadcast and watching some of the DNC previously, it's fairly obvious just who exactly is intolerant. Smirking faces all night long from the likes of Lawrence Odonnell (self professed socialist), Madow, Shultz, you name it. All of which attempt to convey their arrogant sense of superiority over anyone else that doesn't think like they do.
And you don't think these people are extreme? Harry Reid? Any other Dem? When are you going to wake up from this nightmare? Both Parties have no interest in working for the country. Throw them BOTH out.
It was also funny hearing Bill Clinton profess that noone could repair all the damage in one term. That's kind of like exactly what I was thinking and saying about the mighty Obama. Everyone knew whether it was McCain or Obama - it was a one off. The candidate even said himself - One and done.
Oh but now it's too hard. Remember everyone was screaming for the Messiah? The healer of everything. The guy that will fix it all. (DUH) and you actually believed it?!
He's Barack Obama! Youtube kVFdAJRVm94
Say what you will but people are learning and your boy's numbers are dropping and will continue to drop all the way to election day, It's not about Romney or Obama its about a direction probably the most opposite direction between the parties. I'm not willing to trash everything for the last fifty years on a trust me attitude, Romney has yet to state facts on his take us back to the 50's plans
Obama /Biden
Geez RODNEY, you sound kind of upset there pal. Lawrence O'donnell is a Socialist! Oh my word, the end of the world is at hand. Better a socialist than a fascist warmonger like many in your party. And contrary to what you claim, I think Liberals like Maddow and O'Donnell are far more tolerant of opposing views than totall headcases like Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and O'Reilly. When I've seen Maddow interview a Conservative in most cases she has been more than gentle and polite instead of jumping down their throat like Hannity would do. I think you're just upset because Draft Dodging Willardo is running such a miserable campaign, even drawing criticism from many on the Right.
Say what you will, I'm still voting Ron Paul. They don't count my vote - shame on them.
Thank you for being the only one with a brain.
Libertarians are the only group that get it.
Freedom and free markets are not about anarchy and survival of the fittest. They are about freedom from the use of force being used against you. They are about strong market regulation through property rights and consumer regulation. Consumers have a much higher standard that government. The market economy regulated by consumers tried to punish the bad actors that caused this economic crisis, and both parties in the government teamed up to bail them out.
Stay strong fellow libertarian, and keep fighting the good fight for voluntary cooperation and against the use of force.
I will vote for the candidate that follows the Constitution. Obama goes around it more then any other president. He thinks he is King. Not a fan of Republicans either but voting Romney.
JOHN, would you mind listing for me all the ways Obama has trashed the Constitution? I can think of presidents who have been far more abusive in trying to circumvent it, starting with Dubya.
GO ROMNEY!!!
Go Palin/Bachmann 2012!!!
Sarah Palin. Michele Bachmann, Christine O’Donnell, and Ann Romney , Mary Fallin are very attractive ladies. I think we need to nickname them "Scarf", because every time they go outside without one, their Skull Whistles.
Is Clinton running for president or Obama?!?!?!? People--remember, these are not the Clinton years!! These are the OBUMMER years! Stop letting an ex-president's past laurels push a losing "tried everything" president back for another 4 more years of more of the same!! Wake up or forever hold your peace.
Al Sanchez for Romney
AL, I can certainly understand you're being upset. After all, Democratic former presidents don't have to hide out in obscurity like Dubya has to. Bill Clinton is beloved both here as well as internationally and has by far, the highest approval ratings of any ex president whereas your boy Dubya left office with a 24% approval rating. Eat your heart out pal.
Republican TeaBilly Conservatives are willing to Ruin the Country and Sacrifice the Economy until they can get back in Power. Why do you think they have been the Party of No for so long.
“The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” ~Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, (R-Ky.), October 2010
Eric Cantor is still da Biggest “Weasel in Politics”.
John Boehner is One Real Big “Puzzy”.
Wouldn’t Mitch McConnell make da Perfect “Turtle Head”?
You BetCha….Fer Sure.
Folks, Todd Akin is da “Poster Child” for da Good Ole Boys Club and……………….
Who just Blocked da Campaign Finance Reform Bill?
Who just Blocked Obamas Job Bill?
Who just Rewrote and put a Loophole in da House Version of da Stock Act. You know da Billl that would make it Illegal for Politicians do be involved in Insider Trading Antics. How many people have gone to Prison for this and yet they think they are “Exempt” from da Law.
And………here’s more since President Obama Took Office:
Tax on Companies that ship jobs overseas- A bill that would have eliminated a tax break that companies get when they ship jobs overseas. Republicans blocked this, allowing companies to keep the tax break they receive when they ship jobs to other countries.
The Small Business Jobs Act -would give LOCAL, community banks access to billions of dollars to loan to small businesses. Republicans blocked this, then attempted to block it a second time and failed.
Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”- Would have repealed the law that forces gay and lesbian services members to lie about their sexuality and gives the military the right to discharge soldiers based on their sexuality. Republicans blocked this many times and Democrats were finally able to pass it with the support of just 2 Republicans.
You Guessed it…………Cantor, Boehner, McConnell and da rest of them Republican TeaBilly Conservative Politicians.
Can you imagine da Shenanigans if Mitt “F da Poor” Romney and Paul “Middle Class Warfare” Ryan get Elected.
You BetCha…..Fer Sure.
This just in...........Da Republican TeaBilly Conservative Whack jobs have just added "Drew Peterson" to their "War on Women".....Committee.
They had to wait for the Blood Test's to make sure that he did have "Todd Akins Disease".
You BetCha.....Fer Sure.
I love how Democrats love to make the same claims over and over when none of them are true. Tax cuts for the rich, tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas, destroy medicare and social security... and this one - the Republican party has been taken over by ultra-conservatives. How can you make that claim? Look at our presidential candidates recently, the Bushes, Dole, McCain, Romney - none of them are conservative. They're all typical "moderate", "establishment" Republicans who basically go along with the Washington machine but just offer some occasional token resistance to Democrat proposals. The "Republicans only control one part of the government now and guess who's in charge? John Boehner. Is he an ultra-conservative? Of course not. He's another "moderate" Republican who's been in Washington for 30 years. He doesn't like the conservatives in his party any more than the Democrats do. Did he support conservatives for committee chairmanships? No he didn't. He put stooges into positions of power based solely on how well they would follow his directions. Please stop listening to these stupid talking points the Democrats love to use and get the other side of the story.
Is Slick Willy going to "sign" Monica's new Book?
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah. Bill Clinton was the greatest President on earth. How foolish can some people be? It was Clinton who said it himself,
" I should have taken advantage of my chance to get Osamba Bin Laden. How sad many have forgot Bin Laden declared Jihad on America three times while Clinton was in office. How sad New York, City was hit twice during Clinton's administration. And how sad OBL quietly was preparing to hit New York City, DC, and the West coast as Clinton refused to take OBL seriously.
Clinton did not keep America safe. America was simply lucky. Sorry Harvard, sorry Yale, you kill 4 of ours, we kill 400 of yours. We have freedom of speech as bad as some may be. We are a country of rules and laws. We are not a country of murders. We respect your rights, you hate our rights and you always have. You always will.
The unrest in the middle east did not begin with a movie. It began with the appeasement and the soft treatment towards those whom hate us. That is fact. Appeasement from past leaders up to our present leaders. And Bill Clinton was a major player who was soft towards the Muslims.
He says you can believe him. He proved that is incorrect when he admitted he cheated on his wife. When he pointed his finger in Americans face and lied about his trysts. Believe him, you must be absolutely stupid. You must be as uneducated as one can be.
" ... A proper U.S. response comes from the sound of American bombers on approach to these mobs. ... "
Republican rule Number 1: If it isn't like you, hate it.
Republican rule Number 2: If you don't understand it, fear it.
Republican rule Number 3: If either of the above rules apply, KILL IT!
Republican rule Number 4:
... there is no Republican rule Number 4. In fact, other then rules 1 thru 3, no other rules are needed. And if none of the above rules apply ....
Then lie, and go to Republican rule Number 3 right away. KILL them all and let God sort it out.
Very simply the GOP let the inmates run the asylum. Bad news for any party.
That said: When extremism makes inroads, the roads lead to destruction.
We must be in Bizarro World - the dems trot out the most extreme platform ever, put one baby killer after another on stage, cheer a 31 year old woman that expects others to pay for her lifestyle choices, claim that government is the only thing we all belong too, talk national defense in front of pictures of Russian war ships, boo when God and Jerusalem are added to the platform, invoke Chicago rules to pass a floor vote, and claim the last four years were a success ... and they say Republicans, who nominated a Massachusettes moderate for president are the ones that are extreme.
I guess that might be true when your point of reference is off the chart left. It certainly does not seem that anything the dems say have to be tethered to the truth. In Obama world, perception and rhetoric is reality.
Sad days ahead if the "gimmes" are successful in hiding the truth and Obama gets another term.
bozo
No, she only wants the INSURANCE that she PAYS FOR to make it available to her. Only the GOP and idiots like you would demonize a woman for exercising her Constitutional Rights and speaking before a congressional committee. That's pretty un-American of you people. No wonder you people will lose in November. You deserve to lose. You claim to love America but you sure hate Americans and I'm not sure you really love America either. You sure don't act like it.
MrBoz: Your not as repressive as the Taliban . But keep trying, your on the right track.
Yep the republican is controlled by extreme members or you could say dicks..
I am female; therefore, I vote for the man who stands up for women. I am a veteran so I vote for the man who is an effective commander in chief (as in he found the snake and cut off its head and that was tough since bin Laden was better hid than in a little hidey hole with a lid on it).
I am a mother and grandmother of females and therefore I vote for the man who stands up for their health and happiness and control of their own bodies. Especially if they run into a Romney Ryan Akin clone who also does not recognize female ownership of their own bodies and souls. And have this strange concept of entitlements when it comes to female persons.
Or if they run into a male who like Ryan figures rape is okay since women can turn away sperm like a human torpedo.
I am a journalist who's interviewed many of the Washington dudes. And a few dudesses. They have superb memories and can quote their writers'canned statements and replies in a heartbeat. Especially if they don't understand the question.
I have only two life standards:One, do me dirt three times and you strike out. Two, Never vote for anyone who is so radical they plan to eliminate their own party, "one candidate at a time." Or SUB PARTY AKA THE TEA PARTY ... so much like naughty frat boys that they publicly sign pledges not in their nation's best interest.
And most of all, my main mantra: Never vote for anyone crazier than either party.
Move forward,not backward. 4 more 4 Obama
Just an observation here, being that media bias is so strong in President Obama's favor Why is he not up by 15 or 20 points in your ever loving polls ???? "just askin"?
VOTE R&R
Because despite their best efforts, most people still see him as a radical socialist bent on destroying America.
And, I'm not saying the other sidde is any better. Only libertarians are for the best interest of ALL people. See my post below.
Barack Obama:
Alias Barry Soetoro pawns himself as Barack Obama, the humanitarian, the POTUS, the campaign for hope and change. But we know better. Barry is a radical Marxist who was raised by Communist parents and Communist grandparents. His mentors were known Communists, his contacts in college were strictly Marxists supporters, Marxist professors and a group of Pakistani activists as stated in his book, "Dreams From My Father".
Barack Obama, tell us about Frank Marshall Davis or Bill Ayers. Surely you remember Mr. Davis. After all, your mother knew him all too well. Mr. Ayers, a known terrorist, responsible for at least a dozen bombings, helped your early Illinois campaign by raising money, thru his organization Underground Weather. Davis, a well known Communist. Tell us about your trip to Pakistan ('81) with Pakistani Wahid Hamid.
Share with us your ideals of socialism, after all you're a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), referred as the "New Party". Please tell us why you have been influenced by the writings of Karl Marx, the prelude to Communism. Share with us your association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Do you justify this man's message by condemning our country by saying, "God bless America? No, God Damn America"? Was this a forethought supporting your belief in Marxism?
United States of America………………you didn't build it Barack Obama.
the clintons are the republican party also known as the g.o.p.
arkansas WHite water insider dealers trying to control the complaint
there are radicals in every organization
baracks a crook
mitts a crook
they are both funny and say stupid things most people just want to hear they are a solution life is but a dream
all candidates are a small section of the population
Democrats are also controlled by their most extreme members.
And, neither party actually believes in freedom, liberty, and justice for all.
They both believe in the use force.
Only libertarians believe in the non-aggression principle and that all people should by treated equally under the law. The only path to prosperity is to stop picking either side. They are both false choices. People have the right to equal opportunity and equal treatment under the law, not equal outcomes and results.
Freedom and free markets do not mean survival of the fittest or anarchy, they mean free from the use of force against them, and free to make decisions for themselves and yourself. Free markets are about voluntary cooperation not force. Oh, and by the way, if we allow property Rights and consumers to regulate the economy, they wold be much more strict than either party and all citizens would benefit. For example, consumers in the market tried desperately to punish the bad actors that caused our major economic downturn, but both parties came together to bail out the bad actors.
Michael1969 Comment collapsed by the community
You poor libtards.....I almost feel sorry for ya for being so duped!......almost, however, you still gotta pay for your stupidity!....lol
I understand your latest tantrum today......you wish your boy could act like a man and presidential like Mr. Romney....You discovered today how utterly incompetent Obummer actually is. He's been prez for over three years and still doesn't get the whole foreign affairs deal.
......and it only took ya 3.8 years to figure it out!....lmao.....I lost a twenty to a neighbor on that one! I thought you'd catch on sooner...*wink**wink*
Hey Winky Boy, So you are saying Govenor Chuckles is a sure bet?
Don't bet more than you can afford to loose.
Check back with us after the election and let us know how that thingy worked out for you (in my best Sarah Palin speak)
President Obama will defeat Robme/Cryin Ryban by double digits.The radical repuglicants have created the most negatively viewed political party with the lack of leadership in the house,their demise is marked therefore by their own actions or lack thereof.Their center is gone and cannot be reaffirmed by mere campaign rhetoric.They're reign of terror on the American public is done.
Clinton hit it on the nail. The Republican party has become so right wing extreme in more recent years, that I would never consider voting for them. The sad thing is that a moderate Republican wouldn't even be able to run for President now. It's that right wing view that's caused so many problems. I really hope they figure it out and fix it and the Republican party moving forward, because it seems to be getting worse and that's the cause behind so many problems in the Middle East. People should not be forcing their religious beliefs into government.
They've become so right wing .. they know your complete lack of the reason for the problems .. should not force the religious beliefs into government?? when you vote for Obama you do just that ... you want no God as the way to live we were given .. the gay movement has been and will be destructive to America that religion you hate is really the Christian religion that knows all will answer for their turning from God and worshipping self and your new god Obama who prays to the god of the air
Extreme??? Bill Clinton has proven why I didn't vote for the fool ... he now approves of destroying America by assisting the reelection of the worst president ever because he is anti American and he told you before and tells you now ... the dems have no problem spewing lies every minute of every day .. the only thing extreme BILLY is our desire for America to be great again and the people having real jobs NOT government handouts ...Obama has done everything to kill jobs of any value and then claims to have created jobs what a farce No state is better off today but if you think the economy sucks now .. wait till Obama is put back in office to complete is killing of the constitution ..how easily deceived are those voting for the traitor in chief Obama