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Go Home A Convention Speaker Obama Need Not Fear

THE SPINE AUGUST 25, 2008

A Convention Speaker Obama Need Not Fear

BY MARIN COGAN

I somehow missed the New York Times report that former vice president Al Gore will address the convention on its last night, and not in Pepsi Center (20,000 odd seats), where the hum drum of Democratic business will take place, but at Invesco Field (75,000 seats) where on the last night of the gathering Barack Obama will be anointed.My guess is that Bill Clinton is not happy about the arrangements. He has been relegated to being an opening act for the vice presidential nominee Joe Biden about whom he must have mixed feelings. After all, Biden was the one Democrat who finally got the U.S. to intervene in Bosnia, the single most honorable moment in U.S. foreign policy during Clinton's term. (You know that Sandy Berger didn't do it.) But, of course, Clinton will be relegated to singing the praises of someone he didn't want as the designee. Imagine if he had been up there extolling Hillary?I'd also hazard that he's particularly envious of Gore whose place and time at the convention show how Obama trusts Al and doesn't trust Bill at all.  As the years go by, Bill will be increasingly jealous of Gore on two counts.  After Clinton's rhetorical ugliness during the primaries, he will no longer be numero uno among the Democratic faithful. That is finished, kaput. Polls indicate that, what's more, Gore has a real and deep non-partisan following among the public. Moreover, since Bill is not (and has not been for years) gainfully employed he will be scrounging around for cash everywhere. But that wouldn't be exactly new, would it?

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10 comments

Clinton will be the last Democratic president and the only two term Democratic President for a very long time. You will have Clinton to hate for a very long time.

- jacobt1

August 25, 2008 at 3:01pm

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Jacob,

Mwa ha ha ha ha!!!

- dylanposer

August 25, 2008 at 3:39pm

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"Moreover, since Bill is not (and has not been for years) gainfully employed he will be scrounging around for cash everywhere. But that wouldn't be exactly new, would it?"

Huh?  That doesn't even make sense.  Well at least you managed to (sort of) compliment Bill on Bosnia.  That a little bit of progress I suppose.

- AlanSP

August 25, 2008 at 3:50pm

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>>After all, Biden was the one Democrat who finally got the U.S. to intervene in Bosnia, the single most honorable moment in U.S. foreign policy during Clinton's term. <<

Not to detract from Biden, but compared to the effort to rescue Kosovo, *Bosnia* is the single most honorable moment?  Is there any amount of history you aren't willing to trash in order to get at the Clintons?

- Lymon1

August 25, 2008 at 4:51pm

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Biden opposed the first Gulf war. Did you oppose it too, Marty?

- jacksondyer

August 25, 2008 at 7:50pm

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I hate to admit it but The Old Grudgeholder is right here: Gore will continue to influence Democratic politics and it looks like Bill will not. Much of this depends upon what he says this week and how he says it. If he comes out and starts to whine about being misunderstood, he is finished. If he makes a real effort to enthusiastically support Obama-Biden, then he may continue to contribute. It is entirely up to him.

and jacobt, we have a bit of history here at tnr and even at the Spine of suffering posters like thomsondavid and theliberalreformer and that other guy who was a Hillary defender and when they're proven wrong, they disappear, too  embarrased to show their electronic faces after they have been forced to eat electoral s--t.

Can we count on you disappearing when Obama crushes The Mummy?  Man, I sure hope so.

- thejauntyboulevardier

August 25, 2008 at 8:10pm

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jaunty, how can you wish jacobt1 to disappear from the posts? Maybe you should disappear.

Fuck consensus.

- sleepyavl

August 25, 2008 at 9:11pm

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"Moreover, since Bill is not (and has not been for years) gainfully employed he will be scrounging around for cash everywhere. But that wouldn't be exactly new, would it?"

Peretz is psychotic. And he has an ugly soul.

- Eos

August 25, 2008 at 11:31pm

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I'm happy that someone sees what a totally pompous grubworm Bill Clinton has become. Or always was. I don't know. He cannot stop thinking it's all about him.

- psantillana

August 26, 2008 at 2:35am

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sllepy....

if I disappeared, you'd miss me too much...

that alone is reason to stay :)

- thejauntyboulevardier

August 26, 2008 at 11:28am

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