The Clinton "snub"
August 27, 2008 6:09 pm ET by Eric Boehlert
Nice to see the cablers have effortlessly found a new Clinton convention theme to hammer; the fact that Bill Clinton is reportedly leaving Denver before Obama's Thursday night's address. CNN talking head: "I think it's bad form. He needs to be passing the torch onto Obama as the nominee of the party."
We thought some media context might be helpful here. And that context is that at the 2000 Democratic convention, the media harped incessantly on the fact that Clinton was staying too long at the convention; that he wouldn't get off the political stage and let the party's new standard-bearer take over:
-"But Clinton is still hogging the spotlight. He'll be in Los Angeles longer than Gore." (USA Today, August 14, 2000)
-"Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton have been roundly accused of hogging the spotlight from his vice president." (New York Times, August 14, 2000)
-"For four days, Clinton hogged the spotlight." (Boston Herald, August 15, 2000)
But now in 2008, the press is convinced that Clinton must stay at the convention longer. That he must remain in the spotlight for as long as possible.
The guy just can't win with these pundits and media salespersons and lobbyists. If he's at the Convention, they speculate as to what "divisive" thing he'll say, or has already said... and if he leaves the Convention, then his actions speak as "divisively" as any words he could have said.
If I were Advisor to the guy, I'd have to shake my head: "The lobbyists for the media just don't like you anymore Sir, or at least not this year: I suggest you just leave, quickly, under the guiding principle that it's really not about you anyway, is it? And if it's not about you, then what difference can it make, if you're here or not?"
But that's not really important anyway: the real question is why isn't George Clooney at the Convention... why is he in Venice (Italy) of all places?
It truly doesn't bode well, truly.
(I bet you the guy's flick, a comic send-up of the CIA, does more to highlight a serious problem in America, the corruption of our Intelligence Community, than anything those many dopes and delusionals are saying at the DNC... I'm serious, I'm not kidding! Have you seen the movie Syriana? That movie alone, stands in comparison to the efforts of the theatrical DNC, like 750 million barrels of oil, stands in comparison to the methane from a phart.)