Bill, Hill, and Obama

Yesterday, former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton announced their Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, a campaign to raise money for the governors of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

The funds will be used to assist those displaced in the governors' states. The donations are meant to assist in the long-term recovery plan for areas devastated by Katrina.

On their trip to Houston, the two presidents were accompanied by former first lady Barbara Bush and a dozen members of Congress. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) were in attendance.

I think the Bush-Clinton "friendship" will be dissolving soon. Bill has decided not to leave politics out of their latest alliance, obviously hoping for Hillary to score some political points from the tragedy in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Of course, that would be at Bush 43's expense. That has to be a source of some friction for the odd couple.

From the New York Times:

Mr. Clinton seemed to be struggling to be diplomatic in talking about the administration's response to the hurricane damage. He told CNN that "we failed once, but we don't want to fail a second time." But at times he seemed to be following the political directions of the White House in deferring questions about the past and turning them into questions about the future.

"It's an appropriate thing to look into, but not at this time - they're still finding bodies there," Mr. Clinton said in Houston.

By contrast, Mrs. Clinton was fierce in denouncing the administration, particularly for budget cuts it made to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"It was basically taken apart and denied funding," she said. Mrs. Clinton, in an interview, disputed the suggestion that her husband was joining hands with Mr. Bush and Mr. Bush.

"He is no longer in politics," she said. "He is a former president with an enormous amount of influence and just as during the tsunami, he is willing to serve his country. He has expressed strong feelings about the way this has been handled. My role is different. I'm on the front lines dealing with these issues day to day."

Bill no longer in politics? Don't make me laugh.

On CNN, Clinton said of the hurricane response:

"Our government failed those people in the beginning, and I take it now there is no dispute about it. One hundred percent of the people I've talked to here recognize that it was a failure, and I personally believe that there should be a serious analysis of it."

This is classic Clinton posturing. He's saying this is no time for politics while he's clearly engaging in political maneuvering. I'm sure Clinton is sincere in his concern for Katrina's victims, but today his political motivation definitely was showing.

Hillary insists Bill is not cozying up to the Bushes to aid her chances in a 2008 presidential run--a lie. Nonetheless, she hopes to benefit from their relationship. Anything to make her seem less of a far Left fringe liberal is a plus for Hill.

Furthermore, Bill is out there appearing to be non-partisan in his work for the hurricane relief effort. However, at the very same time, he's carrying out a thinly-veiled partisan attack. He said finger-pointing is inappropriate now, yet he's asserting that the federal government/Bush failed.

From (CBS) CHICAGO:


Sen. Barack Obama is teaming up with two former presidents to raise hurricane relief funds.

...Clinton wanted Illinois Sen. Barack Obama at his side, calling him an important voice for African Americans. So, there was Obama.

...As for the government's initial response to the catastrophe, Obama called it "unacceptable."

"We're going to go back and look because if this is our response to these sorts of emergencies, then we are not well prepared for what could be even more cataclysmic events with much less notice," he said.

Obama seemed to hint that he would support a proposal by Sen. Hillary Clinton. She says she wants an independent probe of what went wrong with the relief effort, along the lines of the nine eleven commission.

I think Clinton wanted Obama to be at Hillary's side more than his own.

Such a high-profile appearance by Hillary and Obama is sure to make one wonder if he is on her short list for a VP running mate.

Perhaps it wasn't Bill Clinton who invited Obama to be there. It could have been Hillary's idea and her husband obliged.

God knows he owes her one.