It's Still All About Bubba

2008-08-27T21:50:00-04:00

Tonight was all about Bill Clinton. But not in the obvious way you think. There was speculation that the former President was was going to make his convention speech very self-centered. And like his wife the night before, offer generic compliments and a luke warm endorsement for Barack Obama. We heard reports that camp Obama had given Clinton a topic and he didn't like it. He wanted to do his own thing. So they backed off and agreed to let slick Willy be himself. "Will he talk all about his record on the economy??" they worried.

Half of that is true. He offered a more convincing endorsement, but Bill still made sure he looked like a superstar. Why? Because Bill saw an opportunity to be the healer, the uniter and the hero of Democrats. For the last 72 hours the news stories have been focused on a party divided. If Bill mimicked his wife, he'd be just like his wife. And we know Bill can't be just like Hillary. And he'd be just like everyone else who won't come together and come to grips with reality. And Bill Clinton is not like everyone else. Noooooo waaay.

After tonight political pundits will say Bill went out of his way to endorse Obama and Democrats will praise him. This sentiment is already seeping onto TV:

Al Sharpton on the speech: "He went way beyond expectations tonight."

Howard Dean: "We just got an endorsement from the only one who knows what it's like to be President." (Someone should alert Howie that there are 42 others.) Fortune's Nina Easton: "Bill Clinton knew exactly what to say to these folks. It was better than I've heard from the Obama campaign." This is just the start. He will be revered because he didn't talk about his legacy instead stressing why Obama deserves his own legacy. Why is this worthy of adoration and gratitude?? In point of fact, Bill should have been behind Obama from the start. No Democrat should have to thank a former Democratic President of the United States for his late in the game alignment with his party's nominee.

In a very indirect way, Bill's speech made Hillary look pretty darn bad after she looked pretty damn good last night. Why couldn't Hillary say what Bill did? Did Hillary not exceed expectations? Did Hillary not deliver what her husband could? She can't can't unite like he can. She's still bitter. She's no Bill. And so on and so on...

If Dems come together, Bill will take the credit. It was him who brought the DNC to coagulate. It was him who made the case for Obama, despite his inexperience because HE faced the same criticism. And look what HE did for America. That was his goal tonight. To be the game changer, the turning point. To be the only person at the convention--or at least the first--to get the party on the same page like nobody else could.

Clinton said that this is Obama's time to be on the right side of history. That may hold true for tomorrow night with Barack's coronation. But for tonight, like it always has been, it was about Bill making sure that he was on the right side of history.

Andrea Tantaros

It's Still All About Bubba