Obama liking Hillary these days
She’s the only one who can protect his legacy.
Barack Obama’s greatest fear is being succeeded by a Republican president with a Republican controlled House and Senate. The eight years of his presidency could be virtually erased.
The Iran Deal? Gone. Obamacare? Reversed. His executive orders? Over.
Knowing that, it’s easy to understand why he’s starting to sound like a Hillary Clinton supporter. Many high ranking Democrats are encouraged by the enthusiasm surrounding Bernie Sanders but feel he’s ultimately unelectable.
In an exclusive interview with Politico’s Glenn Thrush yesterday, Obama made the case for Hillary:
Exclusive: Obama on Iowa, Clinton, Sanders and 2016
Barack Obama, that prematurely gray elder statesman, is laboring mightily to remain neutral during Hillary Clinton’s battle with Bernie Sanders in Iowa, the state that cemented his political legend and secured his path to the presidency.
But in a candid 40-minute interview for POLITICO’s Off Message podcast as the first flakes of the blizzard fell outside the Oval Office, he couldn’t hide his obvious affection for Clinton or his implicit feeling that she, not Sanders, best understands the unpalatably pragmatic demands of a presidency he likens to the world’s most challenging walk-and-chew-gum exercise.
“[The] one thing everybody understands is that this job right here, you don’t have the luxury of just focusing on one thing,” a relaxed and reflective Obama told me in his most expansive discussion of the 2016 race to date…
“Bernie came in with the luxury of being a complete long shot and just letting loose,” he said. “I think Hillary came in with the both privilege — and burden — of being perceived as the front-runner. … You’re always looking at the bright, shiny object that people haven’t seen before — that’s a disadvantage to her.”
That last part should go over well with Sanders supporters.
You can listen to the interview below:
https://soundcloud.com/off-message/obama
You may be wondering why Obama doesn’t just come out and endorse her.
Olivier Knox of Yahoo Politics offers one reason:
The president, refusing to side with his former secretary of state, a former senator and first lady, over self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders? What does that say about their relationship — or his confidence in her as commander in chief?
Very little, as it turns out. With one interesting exception (Bill Clinton), recent presidential history shows that sitting presidents tend to make their presidential endorsements late in the primary game. Very late.
In fact, Obama wouldn’t be out of step if he waited until after the Democratic nomination was no longer in doubt. George W. Bush endorsed Sen. John McCain in March 2008, only after it became clear he would be the Republican nominee. Ronald Reagan waited until May 1988 to endorse his vice president, George H.W. Bush, only doing so after his lone rival dropped out…
“As president and symbolic head of the Democratic Party, he doesn’t want to officially take sides in an intraparty fight. This isn’t unusual for a sitting president,” Matt Dickinson, a political science professor at Middlebury College, told Yahoo News.
“This doesn’t mean Obama can’t indirectly signal his preference. In fact, I think Obama made it clear in the [Politico] interview that he prefers Clinton,” Dickinson said.
One thing to remember in all of this, is that it doesn’t necessarily help Hillary.
People are tired of Obama and his policies. If Obama ultimately embraces Hillary as his successor, it will be impossible for her to deny that she’s running for his third term.
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Comments
I do understand why we analyze Hillary as POTUS when I ask why is Hillary not in jail? The GOPe is silent on this. It is almost as though the GOPe would rather have Hillary than Ted or Donald. They wouldn’t, would they?
Thank God there is some integrity left in the FBI.
Well, we shall see about the FBI. I do have high hopes from them, but, as I said, we shall see.
I have been, for quite awhile now, maybe more interested in what Obama and his AG, Lynch, do, as contrasted to what the FBI will do. I think the FBI will provide the AG with a recommendation for prosecution. The question is whether or not she takes it up, and lets her department prosecute Hillary. Normally, I think that Obama is too worried about his legacy to go out on that sort of note, where he ignored the FBI in order to protect Hillary Clinton. But, articles like this remind me that Obama just brazened it out when his previous AG, Eric Holder, was held in contempt of Congress.
Puh-leeze! al-Chicagi isn’t afraid, he’s TERRIFIED! He knows he can’t pardon himself, a trustworthy Republican (a rapidly dwindling number) will not only wipe out his abhorrent ‘legacy’ but may well sic the Fibbies on his case.
Watch for a fast exit stage LEFT to Malaysia right after the Swearing of the Oath. Doing so permits Barry to re-emerge as a true Muslim and continue his campaign for UN General Secretary.
The Constitution places no limits on who or what the President can pardon, other than Impeachment.
“sic the Fibbies on his case” for what? What crimes do you claim he has committed, and on what foundation do you make that claim? I have never heard any crimes alleged against him.
Nor is there any foundation for supposing him to be a Moslem. How exactly would he have come by this faith, and why would he have adopted it? It’s obvious both from his upbringing and his life that he is no more a Moslem than he is a Xian. Only blind loyalists think he’s a Xian, and only paranoid lunatics think he’s a Moslem. Rational people understand that he is neither.
“Barack Obama, that prematurely gray elder [golfer], is laboring mightily to remain neutral.
To be UN President of the World Barack will need toady support. So Barry will endorse Hillary if not indicted or Joe Bidet if he’s a challenger to Sanders as a Hillary replacement or Sanders if nominated. Barry will tee off on another day.
He doesn’t like Clinton any more now than he did before. What this is about is his hoping that she locks up as many delegates as she can before he lowers the indictment boom on her. Then those delegates will need a new candidate to support, and out of the wings, to preserve the 0bama legacy, will come Michelle 0bama, selflessly sacrificing her longed-for retirement for the sake of pulling the party and the nation out of the mess it has got itself into, and expecting the proper gratitude for that self-sacrifice. She will openly run for her husband’s “third term”, and then go back to her life of luxury while Jarrett does the actual presidenting, just as she does now.
That requires a pretty strong imagination. But it could have legs, especially if you replace Michelle with Joe Biden. Biden has fawned over Obama throughout the entire presidency. And if legacy is his biggest concern, Biden is almost certainly his man. Moreso than Hillary and especially Bernie. Although Bernie would push to advance certain Obama “dreams”, like universal health care. Even Obama perhaps recognizes that Bernie is not the right guy to get it done. Biden has a longer history of persuasion, so to speak. And he’s smooooooth.
No, the 0bama machine isn’t going to turn out for some old white guy.
Hillary is not much capable in her dotage to protect anything. Moreover, what is there in Mr. Obama’s legacy that’s worth protecting?
it will be impossible for her to deny that she’s running for his third term
Oh, pshaw.
Clintonian rote denial isn’t a tactic, it isn’t even an art form; it’s a philosophy, a modus vivendi, a way of life. An old dog like Hillary isn’t about to learn any new tricks, especially when the old ones have worked so well for her for so long. Anything inconvenient she’ll deny; she won’t even have to think about it.
My immediate reaction to this interview was that Obama is getting ready to throw her under the bus. It’s just a feeling I have.