Blockage
Last night on Late Show with David Letterman, Bill Clinton stated some carefully phrased, positive-minded sidestep mantras about the presidential race, the economic meltdown, don't sell America short, etc. Which inspired Chris Rock, Letterman's followup guest, to ask with genuine pique what's behind Bill's inability to say the words "Barack Obama?"
In a 9.23 Huffington Post-ing, New Yorker contributor Paul Slansky wrote the following: "Given that we would never have had the odious George W. Bush in the White House in the first place if it wasn't for your blow jobs, Bill, it seems obvious that you owe it to the people of this country, and especially to the parents whose kids died in the Iraq War that Gore would never have started, and to all the parents whose kids would be killed in the WarFest that would be a McCain/Palin -- sorry, Palin/McCain administration -- to do everything in your power to get Barack Obama elected.
"But that's not what you're doing, Bill, and it's not going unnoticed. We see your rage, Bill, it's too huge to hide. We see that -- as Chris Rock so brilliantly pointed out -- it pains you to even speak Obama's name. We see you petulantly rooting against him even as you go through the motions of doing the barest minimum on his behalf to avoid being blamed if he loses.
"You're not fooling anyone, Bill. You've gotten so caught up in yesterday that you've stopped thinking about tomorrow. You have the power to influence millions of voters and you're spitefully sitting on it. Surely you've noticed what's going on in the country. Surely you're aware of what's at stake on November 4th. This is not a game that you can afford to take your ball and go home with if you don't get to play the position you want. An Obama loss will most certainly be part of your legacy."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on September 23, 2008 at 8:40 AM
comment #1
moviesquad
says ...
Everyone wishes Bill could run again this year instead of either of the losers we have as options.
Posted by moviesquad
at September 23, 2008 8:59 AM
comment #2
Chapman Carruthers
says ...
Everyone wishes Walt would run again this year instead of either of the losers we have as options.
Posted by Chapman Carruthers
at September 23, 2008 9:04 AM
comment #3
MickTravis
says ...
I like Chris Rock a lot, but I thought his reaction was kind of extreme. And a bit of a cheap shot since it was so anti-Hilary and happened after Clinton had left the building.
Clinton was making some very good points and (with mixed success) trying to break down the current economic situation and propose some solutions. He made several references to "Sen. Obama" and even declared his support for him. But had he thrown the name around constantly, the viewers who REALLY NEEDED TO LISTEN TO WHAT HE WAS SAYING would've thought he was just stumping and would've tuned out.
Posted by MickTravis
at September 23, 2008 9:15 AM
comment #4
tjfar67
says ...
Why is Bill Clinton addressing the issues more than the two candidates actually running for office?
Posted by tjfar67
at September 23, 2008 9:17 AM
comment #5
shanana
says ...
"Why is Bill Clinton addressing the issues more than the two candidates actually running for office?"
Because he's not running for office. If he was, he would be playing saxophone on Letterman and telling people He smoked but did not inhale.
I will take Barack Obama ANY DAY over the Clintons. Bill was intimately involved in Hillary's campaign, he said all kinds of stupid sh*t, and the campaign was a train wreck.
Posted by shanana
at September 23, 2008 9:53 AM
comment #6
ketut
says ...
Remember the good old days when men used to wear hats?
Now I'm not too paranoid, but is Bill holding his cards close to his chest so if Obama loses he and Hill can take another run at it?
Posted by ketut
at September 23, 2008 10:06 AM
comment #7
coxcable
says ...
MickTravis has it right. Clinton was making a very careful case to swing voters not totally sold on Obama last night... about how at the end of the day, a vote for Dems is the only smart vote. He avoided Barack's name because any over-endorsement would come off as bullshit. America knows the deal with these two men.
Rock, normally a brilliant cultural critic, misread Clinton's strategy and let loose. Not good. If ever there was a month in American history where "obnoxious black guy" shtick (table dances, Palin mocking, Hillary's a sore loser, etc) is hurtful to the cause, it's this one.
You could tell Letterman sensed the misplaced anger and was trying to pull Rock out of the tailspin. I hope he gave him a good chiding after taping.
Posted by coxcable
at September 23, 2008 11:33 AM
comment #8
dp4m
says ...
Just out of curiosity: has Chris Rock endorsed Obama? 'cause he's usually fairly Republican, isn't he? Maybe he knew exactly what he was doing? I mean -- I don't THINK so but I figured I'd ask...
Posted by dp4m
at September 23, 2008 11:55 AM
comment #9
Spacelamb
says ...
Am I the only one who thought Clinton sounded a bit ill? I read that his health is less-than-great.
Posted by Spacelamb
at September 23, 2008 1:03 PM
comment #10
rr3333
says ...
Hey Chris: Why are you yelling???
While you're at it, stop making movies! They suck!
Posted by rr3333
at September 23, 2008 1:14 PM
comment #11
Richardson
says ...
"has Chris Rock endorsed Obama?"
Yep.
"'cause he's usually fairly Republican, isn't he?"
Nope.
Posted by Richardson
at September 23, 2008 1:17 PM
comment #12
NotImpressedYet
says ...
I thought Chris Rock's last movie was OK and strived to be something different and better than his shit track record.
But yes, Chris was way too obnoxious last night and came off more like Tracy Morgan than his normal brand.
I think MickTravis basically has it right on Clinton but he could have offered a far more robust endorsement of the democratic ticket while still appealing to the swing-voters.
And how great would it be if Clinton just owned up a little to how invested he was in his wife's campaign, and how hard it was for him to handle her defeat, and then segue way into a full-throated attack on the McCain candidacy. He could do so based on policy and crticism of campaign tactics, avoiding direct criticism of McCain the man but still scoring big hits for Obama.
Posted by NotImpressedYet
at September 23, 2008 1:31 PM
comment #13
tjfar67
says ...
"Why is Bill Clinton addressing the issues more than the two candidates actually running for office?"
Because he's not running for office. If he was, he would be playing saxophone on Letterman and telling people He smoked but did not inhale.
So that's why the canidates aren't getting their messages across...it all makes perfect sense now. Thanks.
Posted by tjfar67
at September 23, 2008 8:33 PM
comment #14
Cadavra
says ...
The Clintons are totally behind Obama. They may be self-serving assholes, but they aren't idiots. They know that if McCain/Palin wins, there will be no 2012, because this country won't be around then. We'll either have been totally destroyed from within, or be invaded by what used to be our allies to prevent us from further aggression against the rest of the world.
Posted by Cadavra
at September 23, 2008 10:51 PM
comment #15
bluefugue
says ...
Anyone who blames Bush's election on Clinton's blow jobs is a moron. If our culture is so fixated that we allowed a personal pecadillo to sway the politics of a nation, that is our own cross to bear.
Posted by bluefugue
at September 25, 2008 1:30 PM
comment #16
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at March 5, 2010 11:59 PM
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