Say what you will about Bill Clinton’s morals and ideology — and there’s plenty negative to say — but few would argue he wasn’t one of the sharpest politicians of his generation.
He proved that once again in a speech before Democratic donors on Saturday. In it, he warned of “trivializing” the strong beliefs of gun owners.
“You have the power to really democratize America,” Clinton said. “You can do it on immigration reform, you can do it on these economic issues. You can do it on implementing the health care bill.”
But, Clinton warned, the issue of guns has a special emotional resonance in many rural states — and simply dismissing pro-gun arguments is counterproductive.
While some polls show that the public by-and-large supports several proposals for increased gun control, Clinton said that it’s not the public support that matters — it’s how strongly people feel about the issue.
“All these polls that you see saying the public is for us on all these issues — they are meaningless if they’re not voting issues,” Clinton said.
Clinton recalled Al Gore’s 2000 campaign against George W. Bush in Colorado, where a referendum designed to close the so-called gun show loophole shared the ballot with the presidential ticket. Gore publicly backed the proposal, while Bush opposed it.
Though the referendum passed with 70 percent of the vote, Gore lost the state. Clinton said that the reason was because a good chunk of the referendum’s opponents were single-issue voters who automatically rejected Gore as anti-gun.
And Clinton said that passing the 1994 federal assault weapons ban “devastated” more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers in the 1994 midterms — and cost then-Speaker of the House Tom Foley (D-Wash.) his job and his seat in Congress.
There are probably more single issue gun voters out there than any other issue, including abortion. But a big difference today compared to 1994 is that congressional districts have been gerrymandered to the point that the overwhelming majority of House members from both parties are now fairly safe. The number of competitive districts has fallen dramatically as the tools used to draw district lines have become more sophisticated and precise.
But if there is one issue that can cut through party and even ideology, it is gun control and the passions that are raised when government feels it has the power to infringe on the rights of gun owners. Even “safe” Democratic Congressmen — defined as winning by 10 points or more in the previous election — might find themselves challenged by well financed Republicans who, in an off year election, would negate the Democrat’s turnout advantage. In the south, Democrats who vote for an assault weapons ban may even by challenged from the right in a primary.
Closing his remarks, Clinton seemed to be urging Democratic lawmakers to vote against the president:
Clinton closed his remarks with a warning to big Democratic donors that ultimately many Democratic lawmakers will be defeated if they choose to stand with the president.
“Do not be self-congratulatory about how brave you for being for this” gun control push, he said. “The only brave people are the people who are going to lose their jobs if they vote with you.”
So much for “standing with the president.”
Is this code for Hillary won’t hold it against you?
Or the signal that O is now officially a lameduck and Biden is Baghdad Bob?
Depends how you define “sharp” now, doesn’t Rick?
What you would define sharp, I would define as manipulative and corrupted. In fact, I would go so far to say Barack Obama is Bill Clinton without the brains and without the Southern charm.
Obama is a mere pygmy to the big snake.
Sure the focus is guns but I’m not sure that is the fundamental issue. Once a politician votes to infringe an enumerated right of the People, there really is nothing they won’t do against the People. It then comes down to whether you have the cash to control them, which most people do not.
Even retailers are learning this fact. Come out against guns, even the most popular gun in the most popular caliber, you can expect a drop off in sales. For a long time.
On the other hand, in a few more weeks, those rabbling for gun control will be off rabbling against cheap energy or fast food or something. And when election time comes, they’ll vote like their vaginas depend on it or whatever other catchy zeitgeist is sold to them. Maybe there controlling issue will be to save the Pet Rock or lava lamp. Who knows.
It is simply amazing that politicians feel they can trample and deny the rights of citizens. Perhaps it is time to eliminate all all politicians, and replace them with statesmen – as the founding fathers had envisioned.
Bubba is just trying to provide some top cover for Southern Demos who may have to vote “present” if any real gun legislation comes around.
I don’t see any real gun legislation coming down the pike – executive orders are the way to go. Maybe Bubba was just trying to telegraph that message directly to the Big “O”.
Guns are a bit like beer. They are not a partisan issue and they are so deeply a part of the American psyche that trying to outlaw them would be like trying to ban Budweiser to a lot of people.
For once I wish the anti’s would just be honest and show all the facts and let us decide. Look at the numbers, the history, and the effects of gun control It all comes down to racist control freaks who wish to trample on the rights of free men and kill those who oppose them.
How easy would that be to sell?
HA! Can’t believe he forgot that campaign money (corruption) talks and morality walks!
You have to view everything that Bill Clinton does through the prism of this: “Hillary for President 2016″. Everything.
Everything this man does is focused without distraction deliberately on promoting his wife for President in 2016. Everything.
Clinton went to the mat for Obama in 2012 because had a Republican won in 2012 Hillary would have been toast in 2016. Now, Obama is out of the picture for 2016. Clinton will discard Obama unless Obama becomes a threat to Hillary’s 2016 chances.
Watch and marvel. “Hillary for President in 2016″. Everything. Every time you read something about Bill Clinton, think “Hillary for President in 2016″.
Obviously Bill Clinton has his errors, but honestly his presidency wasn’t ever HORRID. I mean it wasn’t gold as Reagan’s was (and credit for the economic boom in the 90′s really goes to good ole Newt), but overall he was simply average scale. The worst points of his administration were Monica Lewinsky (no-brainer) and Hilary Care. He was for the most part during his presidency a genuine moderate especially after the GOP took over Congress in the ’94 elections. Now he’s since moved farther left since leaving the WH due to Hilary’s run but you get my point. And despite for not having little to no morals he certainly had more respect for the Constitution. He didn’t try to break the law whenever the opportunity came about. Big O tries to find opportunities EVERY day on how to trample over the Constitution like a herd buffalo running scared from a pack of wolves. And also he does have genuine skill and knowledge.