Clinton

If you look at Clinton's so-called gaffes, they’re not off message in any reasonable sense.

He compels theories from people about his hidden machinations, even when there aren’t any.

Practitioners and pundits (at the dinner table and in the green room) often search for the most baroque explanations to explain utterly common things.

In order to navigate a world in which your every word is spliced, you must say nothing that can be taken out of context, which is to say, very little at all.

As Taylor Branch wrote in The Clinton Tapes, "[Clinton] never begrudged survival and ambition in politicians, whether friend or foe.

Bill Clinton was his wife’s chief surrogate in 2008.

Practitioners and pundits (at the dinner table and in the green room) often search for the most baroque explanations to explain utterly common things.

"I could give a pretty good one," he once said to an Ames, Iowa audience about loping political speeches, "’cause I came out of a tradition of storytellers where we listened and learned how to tell stories."

This contradicts the theory of those who think that Clinton has been trying to undermine Obama for one reason or another.

Recently he has been on the wrong end of at least three different statements he has had to clarify—defending Bain Capital, testifying to Mitt Romney's "sterling" business career, suggesting the country was still in a recession, and suggesting he favored extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

Which portion of which theory makes up the complete picture requires you to come up with your own alchemy.

So could he be sabotaging Obama to help his wife?

One strong dissenting voice among my interviews argued that while Clinton did have trouble adapting to the new world during the 2008 campaign, he’s long since adapted.

Has he lost his touch or is he playing a more devious game?

In medicine, this is known as Hickam's Dictum.

For someone who loves politics this much, Clinton doesn't mind playing a few angles, for whatever purpose, so it's understandable to think every deviation he makes must be a clever stratagem.

In order to navigate a world in which your every word is spliced, you must say nothing that can be taken out of context, which is to say, very little at all.

Practitioners and pundits (at the dinner table and in the green room) often search for the most baroque explanations to explain utterly common things.

He works his way to his point in a methodical way.

That would require enough subtlety not to get caught, but would still need to be bracing enough to do Obama some damage.

For someone who loves politics this much, Clinton doesn't mind playing a few angles, for whatever purpose, so it's understandable to think every deviation he makes must be a clever stratagem.

But when he's making a tactical move, says one who knows him, it's a little more obvious.

The trouble is no one is better at articulating the case for Obama’s re-election—while at the same time occasionally undercutting Obama's chances.

Even Sarah Palin praised Clinton last night, in an effort to make President Obama look way out of the mainstream.

Everyone has a theory, which is part of the problem with Bill Clinton.

One strong dissenting voice among my interviews argued that while Clinton did have trouble adapting to the new world during the 2008 campaign, he’s long since adapted.

For someone who loves politics this much, Clinton doesn't mind playing a few angles, for whatever purpose, so it's understandable to think every deviation he makes must be a clever stratagem.

As for the Obama campaign, which must handle these little eruptions now and again, the best thing to do is to prepare for the occasional breakage of a family heirloom, because they're never really going to be able to control the St. Bernard.

Clinton is doing such good work for Mitt Romney that he now appears in the Republican nominee’s press releases.

Recently he has been on the wrong end of at least three different statements he has had to clarify—defending Bain Capital, testifying to Mitt Romney's "sterling" business career, suggesting the country was still in a recession, and suggesting he favored extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

Recently he has been on the wrong end of at least three different statements he has had to clarify—defending Bain Capital, testifying to Mitt Romney's "sterling" business career, suggesting the country was still in a recession, and suggesting he favored extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

This contradicts the theory of those who think that Clinton has been trying to undermine Obama for one reason or another.

When he said the Bush-era tax cuts should be "extended," he was talking about a temporary extension to work out a deal with Republicans.

In order to navigate a world in which your every word is spliced, you must say nothing that can be taken out of context, which is to say, very little at all.

So, when Clinton is simply running his mouth, it is interpreted to be subtle positioning to set up his wife's presidential run, or an attempt to undermine Obama's legacy so that Obama won't get elected to a second term and diminish the record of the last two-term Democratic president.

Bill Clinton has had to backtrack on recent statements perceived as unhelpful to Obama's campaign Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GettyImages.Bill

The news cycle has sped up even faster since he was president.

So, when Clinton is simply running his mouth, it is interpreted to be subtle positioning to set up his wife's presidential run, or an attempt to undermine Obama's legacy so that Obama won't get elected to a second term and diminish the record of the last two-term Democratic president.

Indeed, he reveled in calculations from opposing points of view."

Recently he has been on the wrong end of at least three different statements he has had to clarify—defending Bain Capital, testifying to Mitt Romney's "sterling" business career, suggesting the country was still in a recession, and suggesting he favored extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

That would require enough subtlety not to get caught, but would still need to be bracing enough to do Obama some damage.

So, when Clinton is simply running his mouth, it is interpreted to be subtle positioning to set up his wife's presidential run, or an attempt to undermine Obama's legacy so that Obama won't get elected to a second term and diminish the record of the last two-term Democratic president.

His talent for framing what the election is about is less valued and gets less play than the moments when he is off message.

As Taylor Branch wrote in The Clinton Tapes, "[Clinton] never begrudged survival and ambition in politicians, whether friend or foe.

The news cycle has sped up even faster since he was president.

So, when Clinton is simply running his mouth, it is interpreted to be subtle positioning to set up his wife's presidential run, or an attempt to undermine Obama's legacy so that Obama won't get elected to a second term and diminish the record of the last two-term Democratic president.

He compels theories from people about his hidden machinations, even when there aren’t any.

At the moment, he is hosting the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which this year is taking a serious look at America's economic problems.

So has the phony outrage and games of gotcha.

At the moment, he is hosting the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which this year is taking a serious look at America's economic problems.

Recently he has been on the wrong end of at least three different statements he has had to clarify—defending Bain Capital, testifying to Mitt Romney's "sterling" business career, suggesting the country was still in a recession, and suggesting he favored extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

Bill Clinton speaks in paragraphs.

The trouble is no one is better at articulating the case for Obama’s re-election—while at the same time occasionally undercutting Obama's chances.

The comment about the recession was simply an act of misspeaking.

Indeed, he reveled in calculations from opposing points of view."

That would require enough subtlety not to get caught, but would still need to be bracing enough to do Obama some damage.

So, when Clinton is simply running his mouth, it is interpreted to be subtle positioning to set up his wife's presidential run, or an attempt to undermine Obama's legacy so that Obama won't get elected to a second term and diminish the record of the last two-term Democratic president.

That can deaden your political communications skills which—when sharp—allow you say nothing interesting about even the smallest issues.

Clinton is the great St. Bernard of politics, bounding around the political landscape, rescuing and providing aid while simultaneously knocking over the table lamp.

Indeed, he reveled in calculations from opposing points of view."

If you look at Clinton's so-called gaffes, they’re not off message in any reasonable sense.

Recently he has been on the wrong end of at least three different statements he has had to clarify—defending Bain Capital, testifying to Mitt Romney's "sterling" business career, suggesting the country was still in a recession, and suggesting he favored extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

He contains multitudes.

He spends a lot of his time in long conversations with interesting people talking about global issues.

When he said the Bush-era tax cuts should be "extended," he was talking about a temporary extension to work out a deal with Republicans.

Bill Clinton has had to backtrack on recent statements perceived as unhelpful to Obama's campaign Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GettyImages.Bill

He says the decision is up to her, but everyone assumes that he really wants her to make another run for president.

That would require enough subtlety not to get caught, but would still need to be bracing enough to do Obama some damage.

His talent for framing what the election is about is less valued and gets less play than the moments when he is off message.

As for the Obama campaign, which must handle these little eruptions now and again, the best thing to do is to prepare for the occasional breakage of a family heirloom, because they're never really going to be able to control the St. Bernard.

"I could give a pretty good one," he once said to an Ames, Iowa audience about loping political speeches, "’cause I came out of a tradition of storytellers where we listened and learned how to tell stories."

Recently he has been on the wrong end of at least three different statements he has had to clarify—defending Bain Capital, testifying to Mitt Romney's "sterling" business career, suggesting the country was still in a recession, and suggesting he favored extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

At the moment, he is hosting the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which this year is taking a serious look at America's economic problems.

He contains multitudes.

That can deaden your political communications skills which—when sharp—allow you say nothing interesting about even the smallest issues.

As for the Obama campaign, which must handle these little eruptions now and again, the best thing to do is to prepare for the occasional breakage of a family heirloom, because they're never really going to be able to control the St. Bernard.

As Taylor Branch wrote in The Clinton Tapes, "[Clinton] never begrudged survival and ambition in politicians, whether friend or foe.

Clinton is doing such good work for Mitt Romney that he now appears in the Republican nominee’s press releases.

For someone who loves politics this much, Clinton doesn't mind playing a few angles, for whatever purpose, so it's understandable to think every deviation he makes must be a clever stratagem.

In medicine, this is known as Hickam's Dictum.

But when he's making a tactical move, says one who knows him, it's a little more obvious.

Bill Clinton has had to backtrack on recent statements perceived as unhelpful to Obama's campaign Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GettyImages.Bill

Twice in the interview he said he did not support a permanent extension.

At the moment, he is hosting the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which this year is taking a serious look at America's economic problems.

That can deaden your political communications skills which—when sharp—allow you say nothing interesting about even the smallest issues.

When he said that Romney had a "sterling" business career, it was right up against a sentence that said he would not be a good president.

As Taylor Branch wrote in The Clinton Tapes, "[Clinton] never begrudged survival and ambition in politicians, whether friend or foe.

Clinton is the great St. Bernard of politics, bounding around the political landscape, rescuing and providing aid while simultaneously knocking over the table lamp.

They also risk hurting major Democratic Party donors.

He is also in the thick of the 2012 campaign, raising money for President Obama.

So, let’s consider a series of theories based on a round of conversations with Clinton watchers, former staffers, and allies:

A storyteller in a Twitter world.

They also risk hurting major Democratic Party donors.

Which portion of which theory makes up the complete picture requires you to come up with your own alchemy.

Bill Clinton has had to backtrack on recent statements perceived as unhelpful to Obama's campaign Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GettyImages.Bill

But in the political world people often believe the opposite is true.

At the moment, he is hosting the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which this year is taking a serious look at America's economic problems.

Practitioners and pundits (at the dinner table and in the green room) often search for the most baroque explanations to explain utterly common things.

So, when Clinton is simply running his mouth, it is interpreted to be subtle positioning to set up his wife's presidential run, or an attempt to undermine Obama's legacy so that Obama won't get elected to a second term and diminish the record of the last two-term Democratic president.

So, let’s consider a series of theories based on a round of conversations with Clinton watchers, former staffers, and allies:

A storyteller in a Twitter world.

Clinton is the great St. Bernard of politics, bounding around the political landscape, rescuing and providing aid while simultaneously knocking over the table lamp.

So, let’s consider a series of theories based on a round of conversations with Clinton watchers, former staffers, and allies:

A storyteller in a Twitter world.

Which portion of which theory makes up the complete picture requires you to come up with your own alchemy.

So, when Clinton is simply running his mouth, it is interpreted to be subtle positioning to set up his wife's presidential run, or an attempt to undermine Obama's legacy so that Obama won't get elected to a second term and diminish the record of the last two-term Democratic president.

Clinton thinks that the Bain attacks on Romney are inefficient and not smart.

Twice in the interview he said he did not support a permanent extension.

Occam's Razor says that the simplest answer is usually the right one.

At the moment, he is hosting the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which this year is taking a serious look at America's economic problems.

In that CNN interview last week, he also clearly was sending a bigger message about how he thinks this election should be fought: on ideas about the future.

That doesn't really fit in the 140 character world of Twitter.

"I could give a pretty good one," he once said to an Ames, Iowa audience about loping political speeches, "’cause I came out of a tradition of storytellers where we listened and learned how to tell stories."