Leave it to MMFA to parse and rationalize Clinton's less than half hearted endorsement of Obama.  If Clinton were definitive in his enthusiastic support for Obama, as well he should be, there be no need in defending him or worrying about cropping quotes or hidden meanings, period.   It's obvious what Clinton wants, and that is a McCain victory so Hillary can swoop down in 2012.  Who can't see that?

Uumm.... did you read the item above? 

Ummm, yes.

Then why are you saying MMFA is parsing Clinton's words?  He clearly had nothing but praise for Obama and then those two yokels try to play that Clinton didn't.  They are spinning and making an issue where there is none.

Nothing but praise for Obama's opponent, you mean?  Please, if you refuse to "read between the lines" when it comes to the Clintons, be my guest.  His motives aren't hard to figure, and they haven't been all throughout the primary, and even now.  He isn't stupid, but he's proving more and more transparent all the time. 

Step back Bill, Obama doesn't need your help.

He could praise him till the cows come home, but if they're going to edit out that praise and make it seem otherwise then it needs to be shown. The whole pupose of this thread is to show that they EDITED his remarks to make him SEEM to say somthing he DIDN'T.

The editing they did in no way changed the meaning or the context of what he meant, that is the point.  Editing is done all the time, this is no different. 

"I do believe that. And I think Senator Obama has shown a remarkable ability to learn and grow in this campaign. He always was highly intelligent and always a very good politician. He got the change -- the fundamental change in -- in the calendar of this Democratic primary process, of which we were engaged, his energy program kept getting better through the campaign, his health care program kept getting better. I think what you want in a president at a time like this is somebody with good instincts who generally starts in the right position and then just keeps getting better and that's what he's done."

"But I -- I genuinely, you know, I am developing a really good relationship with Senator Obama and I certainly admire him. And I know he saw and imagined the way this thing could develop, this political year and this economic situation in a way that is left him in a position of leadership he's in now...And I think that the rest of us should admire that. That's a big part of leadership: being able to sense, as well as see, the future."

"When he becomes president, he'll be doing things for the American people and for the world and he is -- and the greatness will then become apparent because of the good he'll do. And I think that's what I very much believe is going to happen."

All he says about McCain is that he committed himself to public service which is impressive for someone who went through what he did.  Everything that deals with who should be President favors Obama.  How is that "less than half-hearted"?

BROKAW: Would you use the same words for him that you have used for Senator McCain -- that you admire him, and that you think he's a --

CLINTON: I certainly --

BROKAW: -- and that he's a great man?

CLINTON: Well, I don't -- look, I had my first conversation with him in my entire life in Harlem.

BROKAW: You had never talked to him before that meeting.

CLINTON: Oh, I'd talked to him, but always in passing. I did a fundraiser for him when he ran for the Senate in 2004. I saw him briefly at Senator Kennedy's 75th birthday party. I had always, you know, I was -- Hillary's the one who told me to go help him. She said, "This guy's got real skills. He's got almost unlimited potential."

And I -- she -- so I did and I've always thought he was a really commanding presence. What I mean by saying that about McCain is, you know, most people would've been broken by what he went through. Oh, we would've been happy just to give him an attaboy and a medal and let him wander through life. I think his greatness is that he keeps trying to come back to service without ever asking people to cut him any slack or feel sorry for him or any of that stuff because he was a POW.

When you heap praise on McCain, your support for Obama is half hearted at best.  If you don't agree, so be it.

what rule says that if you heap praise on a person for one thing, that means your contention that another person is better suited for the job is "half-hearted at best".  it's not an either or.

He can praise both of them for different things.  He praised McCain's service, and said that Obama would be a great President.  It's not a zero-sum game.

the editing also makes it look like he wouldn't have gone to meet with him in harlem, except hillary said go help him.   that's a distortion because that "go help him" clearly refers to times before this year.

I took his entire interview in context and evaluated it in totality, the bits and pieces and niceties about Obama don't impress me in the least.  I would expect at least that, for crying out loud. 

If you and MMFA, and others, want to defend Clintons motives as pure and above board, please, go ahead.  We disagree.

that doesn't answer what if said.  i said that they edited it to look like hillary had to go tell him to go meet with obama in harlem.  that's not the case, whether you disagree or not.

If you read Roger Simon often, which I do, you can see what a Conservative hack he is anyway.  Nothing he ever writes or says reflects any reasonable ideas.  That said, the Clintons ARE very angry and have done very little for Obama.  His big mistake was not offering her the VP spot.  She MIGHT have turned him down, but who knows?  At least she could not feel "left out" and might have made an excellent running mate.  Imagine what she could do with Palin.  

I know that Roger Simon is a right wing Republican hack, AND that GOP-Politico is a pro-Republican propaganda center that wants Liar McCain-Liar Palin to get elected.  I also know that Contessa Brewer is a right wing Republican hate hag who also wants Liar McCan-Liar Palin to get elected.

Those things being said, the talk about the Clintons wanting to sabotage Obama, and wanting McCain to win, have bee talked about on black talk radio long before this Meet The Press appearance by Clinton.  Yes, I know that GOP-GE-NBC cropped and edited Clinton's words for their pro-Republican reasons, but black talk radio has noitced the Clintons' selfishness and their efforts to give assists to Liar McCain long before this.

it's no surprise he likes mccain personally.   he's good buds with the guy he beat, poppy bush.  when they actually edit out comments in the middle of an answer, and then join parts together that do not deliver the full meaning of what was said or in fact contradict it, that is wrong and unethical.   that is what happened here.   if others have no worries about "cropping quotes" then the truth must not mean a lot to them.  

Sure sounded like praise to me.

Others have noticed Bill Clintons less than enthusiastic support for Obama. http://gawker.com/5053486/chris-rock-to-bill-clinton-hillary-lost

i like chris rocka lot, but i don't go to him for my political views.  the point here is that this is being presented as something it's not.

i like chris rock a lot...

“MSNBC's Brewer cropped Bill Clinton interview omitting remarks praising Obama”

Of course they cropped Bill Clinton’s remarks; that’s because a democratic ex president praising a democratic presidential candidate is not news. What is news is a democratic ex president praising a republican presidential candidate.

you must have missed the obvious, because the fact is that they cropped it to make it look like clinton was reluctant to praise obama.  nice try, and the board goes back....

Nah, I heard the interview. Democratic ex President Bill Clinton said Sen John McCain was “a great man” and when asked if he would say the same about Barack O, he wouldn’t.

Clearly Democratic ex President Bill Clinton prefers McCain over Barack O or at least really dislikes Barack O.

The real question is: Why is Democratic ex President Bill Clinton purposefully torpedoing your guy?

Democratic Maxim #13: Don’t diss the Clintons or else!

PS. When Barack O dissed Hillary, he lost an ally and gained a great enemy.

you just contradicted yourself.  you said originally that this was not news because a democratic ex president praising a democratic presidential candidate is to be expected.  so clinton did praise obama and now you claim he really didn't.

It's hard to understand why MSNBC is engaged in this non-issue.  Even if Bill Clinton's endorsement of Obama is lukewarm, does it really matter?  The more interesting question is: Is MSNBC trying to adjust itself back to some "center" because management is concerned about being perceived as being as far left as FOX and CNN are far right?  If the rumor that MSNBC cut a DFA pro-Obama ad--actually, an anti-McCain ad--because O'Reilley's objected to it is true, then it makes sense that Contessa Brewer was probably encouraged to do a piece in an effort to restore the perception of being "fair and balanced."  (Oops.  Isn't that FAUX NEWS trademark?)  Frankly, it didn't do credit to either her or her partner, Andrea Mitchell.

I agree it is a "non-issue" however, what passes as "news" today is mostly nothing but CRAP.  The sad thing about the aforementioned news stations is they are quickly becoming as reliable as the National Enquirer.