The American Spectator

Campaign Crawlers

Defending His Life

By Philip Klein on 2.29.08 @ 12:15AM

(Page 2 of 2)

But the military that Clinton argues is overextended because of America's involvement in Iraq is smaller than it was during the first Gulf War precisely because Clinton spent his entire presidency slashing the number of active duty soldiers.

CLINTON IS UNDOUBTEDLY still popular on the campaign trail, but the trouble is, his rival this time around has what Clinton had 16 years ago. While Clinton draws large crowds, Obama's are larger. They cheer for Clinton, but they chant for Obama.

Though Obama has been described as a rock star, his speeches have become more like sporting events. At the Cleveland Convention Center on Saturday night, Obama spoke to nearly 7,000 fans. They did the wave, they watched a cheesy warm-up act perform the "Obama Dance," they waited in a snaking concession stand line for overpriced jumbo hot dogs, and they broke out into chants of "We want change!"; "We Can't Wait!"; and the standard, "Yes We Can!"

Compared with Obama's thunderous speeches inside arenas, Clinton's rallies are rather low-key affairs. It's the difference between Derek Jeter taking the field at Yankee Stadium during a critical game, and Goose Gossage stepping on the mound on Old Timers' Day.

In wrapping up his remarks in Athens, Clinton reflected on how the presidency can affect somebody psychologically.

"It's easy to forget ordinary people when you become president," he said. "If you're not real careful, you can think you are somebody. Think about what being president is like. They play a song every time you walk into a room. They play 'Hail to the Chief.' I was completely lost for three weeks after I left the White House, 'cause nobody ever played a song anymore."

If it were anybody other than Bill Clinton, that might be kind of sad.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Trade, Bill Clinton, Television, Military, Iraq, Israel