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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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Democrat version of compromise is "PRINT MORE PAPER" and give it away. No country knows what austerity is.
Looks like Europe is going to take Germany down the same path to inflation.
Same old story, Europe spends everything and expects Germany to print money to bail Europe out.
I thought they had enough with two rounds of inflation in the last 100 years. We have gone broke printing paper, is Germany getting inflation pushed on PEOPLE by the leaders?? You can't take care of the WORLD.
bill clinton gets 275000+ each time he speaks about obama ,mr. clinton still laughing his ass each time he goes to the bank .mr. clinton is a very smart business man not like the man running the country
LMao at YOU and Starr . Hows that working out for BOTH you guys ?
Well they is republican polls .
"What are we gonna do tonight brain? "
Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world! We start by running for President of the United States then......"
Fascinating that Bill Clinton has become such a paragon of virtue and knowledge. It wasn't so long ago that he wasn't sure what "is" was. The only difference between Bill Clinton and a prostitute is that with a prostitute, you pay to do the deed to them, and to have pleasure. With Clinton, you pay to have him do the deed to you - and he has the pleasure!
I herd that Clinton is going to become a partner in the law firm of Dewey, Cheatem and Howe!
Perhaps Obama could work there after January, 2013 - hopefully he will need other employment by then.
SO YOUR hero is BILL ? Oh My .
The GOP hates Romney
Everyone knows it
GOP voters are 50% for Romney
50% voting against Obama
Romney isn't extreme enough for todays GOP
Many are voting for Romney because they just don't like the other choice. Go figure.
As for Mr.Clinton, he couldn't take responsibility for one bad action instead he lied.
Clinton is correct
"What are we gonna do tonight brain? "
Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world! We start by running for President of the United States then......"
Well...at least I can say thing for Slick Willy. UNLIKE Kid Rock, Bill Clinton IS a bonafide Rawk Star. Plus. he writes his own material. Good news for Obama, BAD news for Rmoney and Kid Schmuck...
Happy trails baggers...
The impeached, disbarred, accused rapist wont be enough to save urkle
Forget Nixon and Eisenhower. The so-called conservative icon Ronald Reagan would be too moderate for the Tea Party crowd.
Say what you want about Reagan--at least he knew when to work with a Democratic Congress to get what he wanted. While Reagan cut takes quite a bit--he also raised them as part of major tax reform in the mid 80's. Reagan also negotiated with Gorbachev, which gave him credibility on the international stage. Whereas many of the Tea Partiers would probably shut out Gorby, and thus allow the hardliners to get control of the Soviet government.
My guess is that when Romney loses the upcoming election (and at the rate he's going, he's going to lose badly), you'll see a major war within the Republican party--a war that will make the divisions within the Democratic party during the 60's look like child's play.
Even Reagan's idol, Barry Goldwater, would have disowned the current Republican Party.
Yo, Bill - your Democrat party has been hijacked by Progressives, Socialists, Racists, and Female Chauvinists. Everywhere you look, there is a freak in your party and no common sense to be found.
Your brain has been hijacked by cluelessness
Hahahahahahahahahahah
"What are we gonna do tonight brain? "
Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world! We start by running for President of the United States then......"
Name the last GOP president to balance the budget.....
Hell.....name the last GOP president to reduce the deficit.....
Hahahahahahahahahahah
GOP and fiscal responsibility????
Hahahahhahahahahahahahahahahha
what a dunce - common forgot that it was only because Gingrich kept kicking clinton in the ass that anything got balanced
Nice try pcnot
Keep sucking Newts Johnson and living in your dream world
facts are facts , son - you were probably in diapers when this was going on
Your facts are found in diapers most certainly
Hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaha
What a fool you are
Go back to newts Johnson
Hahahahhahahahahah
oh yeah - Im the fool that knows what actually took place, you should brush up on history and current events BEFORE you post , common - that way you might not look like such a boob
No pcnot
Chane your name to intelligence not
Go suck on newts Johnson some more
There's a reason his own party kicked him out you moron
Jeeze, you are the radical we're all talking about
So PC/NOT ... I suppose you think Romney is responsible for Bin Laden's death too, right?
Actually, in a recent Ohio poll, 15% of Republican voters there thought Mitt Romney was more responsible for Bin Laden's death than President Obama. Goes to show you how seriously mentally challenged Republicans have become, and how they clearly don't care much about FACTS. Clearly you can't fix or reason with stupid. Pity.
This is the best response you can come up with???? Yeah - Ill "chane my name, dunce
Here's what is extreme.
There's not an unborn baby that a good Democrat won't kill. The Democratic party loves abortion. In fact
the DNC platform supports partial-birth abortion. Obama the fringe radical voted TWICE to allow live-birth
abortions to be shelved in utility rooms. Obama voted in the Illinois Senate against SB 230, a bill designed to prevent partial-birth abortions.
Obama the fringe radical. Best friend of terrorist Bill Ayers. Spends 20 years in black racist "God Damn America" church.
Now we have a real problem in Egypt and Libya. Obama and his arab spring has now turned into a nightmare with the Muslim Brotherhood in charge. Four Americans dead and they are apologizing to these idiots. Wake up America it was 9/11 we should have expected something like this.
Now we come to the war on women. What a joke. What about the war on terror. Oh we can't say that. Its now the 'Overseas Contingency Operation.' Yet Obama and his tripe keep telling us there is a war on women.
Bill why don't you go find Monica and smoke a cigar.
You are the reason Clinton is 100% correct
Can't handle the truth can you. You should join Clinton and Monica and go smoke a cigar.
Can't handle your radicalism
Neither can America
Obama is, and has been largely labeled, a centrist Democrat. Republicans have swung so far to the right since Bush that they are truly the extremist, radical party in this country. They must be quashed. They have no place in America.
BTW cgent47 ... abortion rights are the law of the land. Get over it and mind your own freakin' business. You are what's wrong with this country.
"What are we gonna do tonight brain? "
Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world! We start by running for President of the United States then......"
One good thing about the Republican implosion, it shows that extremists running either party makes it impossible to govern toward the center...and it may get the other 80% of us talking about the best way forward together. We are getting better at recognizing, and ignoring, the ones who just want to stir up a hornet's nest.
Wanna know who has demanded Romney's tax returns?
Former speaker of the house
Current congressman from Texas
Current gov of Texas
Current congresswoman from Minn
Former gov of Utah
And a pizza guy
This is Romney's Waterloo ... he won't tell us what's in his tax returns, and he won't tell us what he's going to do to ours, if elected. Recipe for disaster. He's done in my book. Hope the rest of America agrees.
so sorry grandall - the polls put them neck and neck - and thats WITH the democrat favoring distortion - and by the way - nobody cares about Romneys tax returns - a non issue
Pcnot
Read my post a few lines above about who cares about Romney's tax returns
Your lord and savior newts was demanding them
My gawd man, how stupid are you?
On my "stupidest" day - Im still smarter then you - only a few screechy, desperate libs are still trying to make an issue of tax returns - no ones listening to you anymore
PC/NOT ... even the latest FOX NEWS POLL today has Obama ahead, by several points. Don't you read the news coming from your own propaganda website? What's it like to live in such denial? Jeesh. What a loser you are!
BTW PC ... it's smarter "than" you, not smarter "then" you. Did you graduate middle school. I doubt it.
ever notice - when a lib has nothing - they always try to give grammer lessons
The Republican Party has driven over a cliff, and they're trying to take the economy with it. Shame on them all. They have become a dangerous, radical bunch that must be quashed in this election. Vote them ALL out, like your country depends on it, and it does.
The recovery can only start when obamas gone - youll thank them
You got it wrong!! Recovery starts when you get a clue that all Americans should be treated equally. Too bad for you because Obama will be re-elected.
not a chance
Anyone think Reagan would make it in the door to a GOP fundraiser today let alone be considered for a candidacy?
If you do....you don't know Reagan and you are clueless about the GOP party of today
right - we should all listen to common - he has a clue
It is inevitable that without compromise and working together we effectively end our form of government. No matter which side you trust or believe. Compromise must be the realty.
I agree both parties should compromise. However, when you have the Republican Party that has driven to far right it is up to the American people to take action by not voting for that political party. The American people must always keep in mind in that our Congressmen and women, and Senators work for the American people. If they are not conducting business in the best interest for the American people then the American people must fire them from the position.
Yes, I agree with President Clinton in that the Republican Party is controlled by the most extremist. This is very scary and it does not represent mainstream America. The American people must put a stop to the extremist by taking a stand and vote democratic.
"What are we gonna do tonight brain? "
Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world! We start by running for President of the United States then......"
Who cares what Clinton thinks? He is an idiot. The man had sex with a subordinate while holding public office and then lied about it under oath.
Exactly
Who cares that Clinton balanced the budget and provided peace and prosperity
Radical thinkers don't care about America
Only a partisan attitude like yours
Just like the Libyans we have on tv right now
You are the idiot! The American people cares about his opinion regardless of personal mistake. The one thing that he cannot be challenge on is policies that created 23 million jobs. It is only losers like you that have lack of understanding.
He is a genius in regards to politics and is able to take a stand and challenge any republican. The Republican Party cannot measure up to his abilities. Give me a break!!
Both Republican Party and Democratic Party are controlled by extremists. Socialism, Plutocracy, and Corporate Fascism are being forced down the throats of the American people.
Never heard of those words? Too bad so many of you are so stupid.
The extremist do not control the democrats. You are the stupid one.
"What are we gonna do tonight brain? "
Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world! We start by running for President of the United States then......"
Ordinarily I refrain from using the Ignore function, but my brain needs a break from the Rightie foolishness so I axed them all.
Refreshing to say the least.
Too bad that by so doing I also lose the clever retorts from my fellow free-thinkers. Maybe we should make it a policy only to reply to an idiot by beginning an altogether new post.
well - its typical lib tactic - ignore facts and bury your head in the sand
So now it's considered mature for us to stick our fingers in our ears and say "Nanana! I can't hear you!"
MSNBC, if you were sound in your beliefs, you'd be willing to listen to the other side if only to tell them how wrong they are. Conservatives are usually a minority on here, but we rarely put you Libs on ignore. We'd miss all the fun!
Granted, Intrepid made my ignore list, but he's the ONLY one I have on ignore. No one else has yet matched his level of imbecility. ;-)
Yes MSNBCMFE, it's amazing (and refreshing) how quickly the volume level of vitriol drops by simply ignoring a few noise-makers. Good point about how to manage online discussions.
we're ignoring you ,dog
Maybe we should all ignore everybody else -- just think how calm and quiet it would be.
Pcnot
If you aren't the biggest moron where you live we all suggest you never leave
You would be laughed out of where I live
I live in the United States of America
We are compassionate .......but we are getting sick of ass clown radicals like you
ass clown radical ...wow - thats telling me
You know
We both know it
Hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaha
Clinton is correct, radical in the GOP have taken over
Reagan would be laughed off any GOP stage today
You got it!! Reagan is probably turning over in his grave.
Why should the American people believe anything Clinton says. He's a convicted perjurer.
Ya ... championed by a known adulterer. So what's your point?
Huh anyone remember Reagan and Iran Contra. Probably not, Your so cool racial republicans, with such short memorys. Clinton got his d#$@ sucked Big deal. Wait, you racists must not have one.
Clinton failed to report that America has never been this polarized in its history. The civil war was less polarized. Obama and his band of Liberal terrorists have increased poverty and increased real unemployment. This is terrorism against the people - or maybe it is gross incompetence by a intellectually challenge party. Clinton is know for two things: he is a sexual pervert and a convincing LIAR.
What did McConnel say was his # 1 job?
Now try to tell us who is instigating polarization
Anyone with a brain knows the GOP is as radical as Al Queda and cares nothing about America
Probably the most important characteristic a good president must have is the ability to create consensus and harmony among the different factions in government, and in the country as a whole.
For whatever reason, Obama has been a total failure at bringing people together.
Heap blame and scorn on whomever you now consider to be your mortal enemy: GOP, Liberals, Tea Party, Rich, Poor, it doesn't matter. It is the very fact that we are so divided that must be laid at Obama's feet.
He has driven our country apart.
"What are we gonna do tonight brain? "
"Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world! We start by running for President of the United States then......"
The Republican Party is controlled by the most radical members of the Right? Wow. That seems rather shocking, considering how much grief we had to listen to from the Liberals earlier in the campaign. Remember when they were telling us "Republicans will never rally around someone as moderate as Romney"? Romney was considered 'Moderate' back then. And remember at the RNC when Romney and his fellow Moderates staged their power grab? The Liberals were asking how the Tea Party could stand to have the Moderates gaining so much control over the party.
I'm gonna go take a look at my weathervane . . . yup, the wind's changed!
NBC publishes a whole article whose sole content is the repetition of Democrat campaign claims.
You're not suggesting that NBC is ANYTHING but fair and balanced, are you Kannin? ;-)
wait - you mean the "news" is slanted here??
Could be, CubsFan, Could be ... Everyone knows that NBC has a left-wing bias. The surprise here is that they have just given up even the pretense of impartiality.