Clinton Turns on Obama

Commentators have missed the significance of President Clinton’s public expression of his “personal opinion” that Obama should “honor his commitment” to let people keep their health insurance plans if they like them.

Dick Morris 3

By intervening in the chaos surrounding the Obamacare launch, President Clinton has staked out ground for his wife in her efforts to position herself for the 2016 contest.

While the former president’s comments were laced with reassurances that he approved of Obamacare and that he felt it was the right direction for the nation to take, his outspoken demand that Obama reverse the cancellations is a bold step into the waters in advance of a 2016 Hillary candidacy.

That he was speaking for Hillary goes without saying. By having her husband articulate her views without saying so, she preserves deniability while putting distance between herself and Obamacare, an important step for the former sponsor of the similar Hillarycare package of 1993.

The cancellations in health care policies looms as the single biggest threat to the Obama presidency, undermining his signature credential even as a paltry 50,000 American go to federal — and 40,000 to state — exchanges to sign up. By wading into this controversy, the former president and his wife stake out important ground and bring pressure on the president.

Hillary, in effect, separates herself from the Obamacare catastrophe while still earning points on the left for supporting the program.

Using Bill to criticize Obama is a bit like having a vice presidential candidate to do so. But having a husband who could be freelancing (but isn’t) preserves her ability to distance herself from the accusations and suggestions.

Good politics.

Also see,

Time for Triangulation

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