For the Clintons Payback Comes Now

Remember this photo? Her smile says "yes we can" but her suit says "not over my dead body".  That was taken the day Hillary conceded the nomination to Obama and they held a "unity" event in New Hampshire.  She was wearing her public humiliation powder blue suit (other examples here).

Now, as Obama seeks help from former President Bill Clinton a lot of people think his purpose is not to praise Obama but to bury him.

This week, a desperate President Obama called on former President Clinton to help him reinvigorate his base. They held a joint fundraiser in New York City that netted the president some $3 million.

It also netted him some good old-fashioned Arkansas ass-whuppin' from the prospective first gentleman. "I care about the long-term debt of the country a lot," Clinton told the crowd. "Remember me, I'm the only guy that gave you four surplus budgets out of the eight I sent." Ouch. The only way the moment could have been more uncomfortable for Obama is if he'd been wearing something low-cut at the time, so Clinton could undress him visually as well as verbally.

Obama should have seen it coming. The week before the event, Clinton completely undercut Obama's central strategy of attacking Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital, calling that record "sterling." "I think he had a good business career," said Bill. "A man who has been governor and had a sterling business career crosses the qualification threshold."

But Clinton wasn't done. He also declared the American economy in a "recession" and suggested that President Obama re-up President Bush's tax rates.

Bill Clinton may be petty and vindictive, but that doesn't mean he's stupid. Backstabbing President Obama is a concerted strategy, not an emotional revenge tactic.

If Obama loses his re-election bid, Clinton will still be seen as the greatest Democratic president since FDR; no one-term president can challenge that title. If Obama loses, Hillary can also claim that he lost because she was isolated from central administration decisions and prepare to run as a moderate in 2016.

If, however, Obama wins, then Clinton's legacy becomes far less stable. So do Hillary's 2016 chances. Joe Biden has already announced his intent to run in 2016. And there are plenty of younger, fresher faces who are closer to the Obama machine than the Clintons. If Obama wins, he will consolidate control over the Democratic National Committee, marginalizing the Clintons even further.

I'm not sure how much longer we'll see Bill on the campaign trail. If Obama needs the money he may let him continue and just hope he can weather the undercutting. If not, he's gone.