Andrew Malcolm, Laura Bush's former press secretary and current Los Angeles Times blogger, wants you to think there is something controversial about as statement Bill Clinton issued regarding the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
Here's Malcolm, under the snide header “Bill Clinton's unsolicited reminder about what he did before Obama”:
Although no one remembers asking, ex-President Bill Clinton has issued a special statement about the legislative signing ceremony that he attended with President Barack Obama and Sen. Edward Kennedy Tuesday.
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Clearly, ex-presidents are not all that fond of being spectators. Obama politely acknowledged Clinton's presence in the crowd, but No. 44 did not bow to No. 42 as he did the Saudi king last week. Here's what Obama said:
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But, apparently, that was insufficient. Clinton also issued this subtle New York reminder: If you don't read the whole thing, just scan the second paragraph; that's the real point of this statement.
So what's in that second paragraph? Here it is:
This signing is particularly important to me. In 1992, I campaigned on establishing a national service program.In 1993, I signed legislation that created AmeriCorps - with the same pen President Kennedy used to create the Peace Corps - and I've been proud of the more than 500,000 young people who have served and pleased that the third class will graduate from the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas this weekend.
Oh. My. God! Clinton noted that he created AmeriCorps. What a jerk!
But wait! President Obama credited Clinton with creating AmericCorps, too!
Obama:
I want to, first of all, thank President Bill Clinton for joining us here today -- where's President Clinton? -- (applause) -- for his lifetime of service to our country, but also the fact that he created AmeriCorps, and that not only made this day possible, it has directly enlisted more than half a million Americans in service to their country; service that has touched the lives of millions more.
So let's get this straight: according to Andrew Malcolm, Bill Clinton is rudely inserting himself into the story by issuing a statement that correctly notes - as did Barack Obama - that he created AmeriCorps.
Right.