The simmering cauldron of hatred that exists between the Obamas and the Clintons threatens to explode in a volcanic eruption that could threaten all Democrat chances in 2016, says a sensational new book.
According to an account of Klein's explosive allegations in The New York Post,
Michelle Obama would sit in the evenings with her trusted adviser,
Valerie Jarrett to gossip and make fun of Hillary over a bottle of
Chardonnay.
They nicknamed Hillary the 'Hildebeest', in reference to the ugly and sturdy gnu that is often seen wandering the Serengeti.
In
the run up to the 2012 election, President Obama's campaign team
advised the sitting president that he needed to utilize the sure-touch
of Bill Clinton if he wanted to secure a second term.
Loathe
to do this, President Obama finally asked the former president to play a
round of golf with him in September 2011, to ask for his help.
'I’m not going to enjoy this,' Bill told Hillary according to Klein.
'I’ve
had two successors since I left the White House — Bush and Obama — and
I’ve heard more from Bush, asking for my advice, than I’ve heard from
Obama. I have no relationship with the president — none whatsoever,'
Clinton said.
'I really can’t stand the way Obama always seems to be hectoring when he talks to me.
'Sometimes
we just stare at each other. It’s pretty damn awkward. Now we both have
favors to ask each other, and it’s going to be very unpleasant. But
I’ve got to get this guy to owe me and to be on our side.'
The golf game was petty, tetchy and not without incident.
President Clinton
immediately tried to claim the upper hand by reminding Obama that he
presided over an economic golden age, while Obama was struggling to
affect any change during the Great Recession.
Hammering
home his point, Bill Clinton told President Obama that obviously he and Hillary
would be running for president in 2016 and that his wife would be 'the
most qualified, most experienced candidate, perhaps in history.'
This rankled with President Obama, acutely aware of any attacks on his relative inexperience on walking into the White House.
'And
so Bill continued to talk about Hillary’s qualifications . . . and the
coming campaign in 2016,' writes Klein as featured in The New York Post.
'But Barack didn’t bite. He changed the subject several times. Then suddenly, Barack said something that took Bill by complete surprise. He said, ‘You know, Michelle would make a great presidential candidate, too.’
'Bill was speechless. Was Barack comparing Michelle’s qualifications to Hillary’s?
'Bill
said that if he hadn’t been on a mission to strike a deal with Barack,
he might have stormed off the golf course then and there.'
A
deal was struck nonetheless. Bill delivered a barnstorming speech to
the Democratic National Convention, which threatened to upstage the
president himself.
However,
the Clintons both felt that the president was wavering in his
commitment to endorse Hillary for 2016 as his side of the bargain.
The Meal
In an
effort to smooth over the rising tensions, the Obamas hosted the
Clintons on March 1, 2013 at a dinner - the day that the $85billion
'sequester' budget cuts went into effect.
The meal could go down as the moment that all bets were off in the two couple's political marriage of necessity.
According
to Klein, who spoke to those with knowledge of the dinner, Bill
couldn't help hectoring the president about his handling of the economy.
Hillary,
attempting to change the subject asked Michelle if it was true she
might copy her and run as a Senator, in Illinois, after her husband left
office.
Michelle demurred to answer and allegedly Bill was stunned that Hillary would have shown her hand so openly. The back-and-forth between the four grew steadily more icy.
Bill
suggested that the president turn over his much-vaunted social media
enabled campaign know-how to the Democratic party at large.
'You have to use your organization to aid the candidate in 2016,' Bill pressed Obama.
'Really?' replied a sarcastic Obama, according to Klein.
Things
deteriorated as President Clinton continued to lecture the table as the
president began to ignore his guests and check his Blackberry.
According
to Klein, Hillary tried to change the subject again and asked if Barack
Obama was happy he wouldn't have to campaign again, especially because
he didn't seem to like it.
'For a guy who doesn’t like it,' Obama replied, 'I’ve done pretty well.'
Well,' Bill said according to Klein in The New York Post, 'I was glad to pitch in and help get you re-elected.'
The after-effects of that meal are still being felt.
The
Clintons have become convinced that Obama will not back Hillary for
2016 and that he is seeking to endorse Vice-President Joe Biden or a
new, young politician, just like he was.
'He’s
convinced himself he’s been a brilliant president, and wants to clone
himself — to find his Mini-Me,' says Bill Clinton to Chelsea according
to Klein.
'He’s
hunting for someone to succeed him, and he believes the American people
don’t want to vote for someone who’s been around for a long time. He
thinks that your mother and I are what he calls "so 20th century". He’s
looking for another Barack Obama.'
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