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Why Does Bill Clinton Get a Fact-Check Pass?

Is any fact-checker in the Mother Jones San Francisco office able to lend Bill Clinton a hand? On the campaign trail recently, he echoed the Clinton campaign's argument that the pressure Hillary Clinton is facing to quit the Democratic race is "unprecedented" and that primary races routinely last into June. It's particularly odd because Bill was part of a race where also-ran candidates were pressured to get out and the frontrunner, Big Dawg himself, had the nomination wrapped up in March.

Here's the NYT fact-check that disproves all this. Look, I love Bill as much as the next guy, and I'm weary of the Clinton pile-ons (the RFK assassination stuff was nonsense and we didn't touch it here on MoJoBlog), but Bill is either deliberately misleading Hillary's supporters or he's completely resorted his memory and convinced himself of something that isn't true. And this is far from the first time he's done this. Remember when he defended Hillary's sniper fire comments? He made so many errors that ABC had to footnote them. He claimed after South Carolina that the Obama campaign had played the race card on him, then denied that he had ever said that.

While Hillary Clinton gets something wrong, the press usually debunks it immediately. But Bill Clinton largely gets a pass. Something's going on here. Possible explanations are below. Give us yours in the comments.

(1) Bill isn't running, so he's given less scrutiny. The first half is obviously correct but the second half isn't. Bill's flubs do draw attention, they just don't draw out the fact-checker hidden inside every journalist. And they don't seem to attract much ire.
(2) He's rusty and out of practice on the stump, so the media gives him a pass. This time it's the first half that's wrong. Bill's been stumping for Hillary for over half a year now. The "rusty" argument doesn't fly.
(3) Bill is so devoted to his wife and her cause that he's either bending the facts to make the case for her or he's convinced himself that the misrepresentations he's uttering are true. The media will give someone a pass when their psychology is laid so bare.
(4) Bill is desperately trying to show his wife and the world that he's making amends for mistreating her for decades. The media will give someone a pass when they look so pathetic in front of millions.
(5) He's America's lovable ex-president and he can say whatever he wants. Even Obama-lovers kinda roll their eyes when he gets stuff wrong.
(6) He's seen as a zany, cranky old man — despite being nine years younger than John McCain — whose time on the national stage is over. Everyone will just tolerate him for a little while longer and then he'll go back to eating barbecue in Arkansas. Or jetting around with Ron Burkle.

If you're looking for a single explanation, you won't find one here. I don't have a unified theory to explain Bill Clinton's actions. If I had to guess, I'd say it's a combination of numbers three through six. As always with the Democrats' first couple, it's complicated.

Comments

Bill WANTS Hillary to lose.
He is obligated to support her as payback for letting him off the hook with Monica Lewinsky. But he doesn't want to play.

Bill is smarter than to make stupid gaffes like this - except when it's done on purpose.

Posted by: Conspiracy Theory on 05/27/08 at 9:00 AM Respond

"devoted to his wife" - you got to be kidding me. POWER POWER POWER is all the Clintons are about

Posted by: rick on 05/27/08 at 9:01 AM Respond

The RFK comment was planned by Clinton, and your being so quick to dismiss it is also dismissing the feelings and concerns of many communities of color, especially the african american community. Don't think you are righteous for not even touching it. I think it's a good idea to let the line fade. But I also am in touch with many people who are not so quick to "pooh pooh" it as you are. I wonder if they matter to you. I know they do not matter to HRC.

Posted by: nezua on 05/27/08 at 9:02 AM Respond

That's completely untrue. Bill Clinton has been savagely attacked with his comments taken out of context at every turn of this campaign starting in South Carolina. He's the greatest president in my lifetime and it offends me that the corporate media and you constantly attack him -- as you are here!

Posted by: steve pesce on 05/27/08 at 9:05 AM Respond

Is any one surprised that Bill Clinton can't keep things stright in his head? Come on! Really...

Posted by: Monnie on 05/27/08 at 9:21 AM Respond

When Bill was prez he looked straight at the camera and told the citizens his lie and denial about Monica. Then he expressed indignation, said he has a country to run and left the room.

That is is style. Hillary and yes, even Chelsea do likewise. It amazes me that the citizens are so blindly trusting of them; no matter how many lies they tell during this campaign. I imagine integrity is not a presidential qualification anymore.

Journalists being unkind to her? Why no reports about the Los Angeles fraud trial? I think the Clintons are so powerful even the press is afraid of them, or the press is owned by them.

Even the L.A. paper who's reporters have easy access to the courtroom do not bother to inform voters of the proceedings.

Posted by: MMariano on 05/27/08 at 9:22 AM Respond

you wrote"but Bill is either deliberately misleading Hillary's supporters or he's completely resorted his memory and convinced himself of something that isn't true. "

How about both? Both Clintons have a history of lying so much one has to wonder if they do it so often that they end up believing themselves...

Even William Safire of the NY Times wrote: "Hillary Clinton is a pathological liar"

Posted by: L Gray on 05/27/08 at 9:32 AM Respond

The Clintons have been in and around politics too long to make so many mistakes. I do not believe a lot of it are mistakes. Notice how all of these "accidents/mistakes" happen before a primary. They want to put things on the minds of people who will be voting.

Posted by: SoMuchToEat on 05/27/08 at 9:33 AM Respond

it's pretty clear that Hillary was subtly working one of her last chances, to put the idea into one of he supporter's heads to assasinate Obama.

Posted by: Power at any cost. on 05/27/08 at 9:34 AM Respond

Bill has a rare ability to lie and completely believe in his own lie.

Posted by: Urtzel on 05/27/08 at 9:35 AM Respond

Bill's done his time and is no longer relevant despite his need to feed his ego by returning to the White House as 1st spouse.
And, he's not above taking advantage of his former status to use bullying & bs tactics to get his way.
Too bad he didn't resign after Monica.
Things would have likely been much different today!

Posted by: My 2 cents on 05/27/08 at 9:46 AM Respond

Did you even read the New York Times "fact check?" Where did it mention even one example of Jerry Brown being pressured by the press or the DNC to pull out of the race? Where is there even one example similar to the attacks Clinton is enduring for not calling it quits? There's no there there.

Posted by: WTB on 05/27/08 at 9:53 AM Respond

"the RFK assassination stuff was nonsense"

What???

I'm baffled as to why that's not being covered here. Why was it nonsense? Could we get an idea?

Posted by: Chebby on 05/27/08 at 9:59 AM Respond

Bottom line: The campaign they run is a clear indication of the administration they will run. Clinton had $250,000,000.00 at the beginning. Now she has a negative balance. Sorry, gross financial mismanagement is not on my list of preferred presidential characteristics.

Posted by: David on 05/27/08 at 10:24 AM Respond

Here's one to add to your list. I'm not qualified to say yea or nay. I ran across the article on drmcdougall.com, a health/diet site, that opines that it is a serious medical issue resulting from President Clinton's heart bypass surgery. A quote: "In 2001, an article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that 5-years after bypass surgery 42% of patients showed decline in mental function of approximately 20 percent or more. A study published this year (2008) in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery using MRI testing just after bypass surgery found brain damage in 51% of patients. Three years after their time on the bypass pump, significant permanent reduction in mental capacity was identified in 31% of patients."

Posted by: Larry Sittig on 05/27/08 at 11:02 AM Respond

The Clintons are CERTIFIED IDIOTS!

Posted by: KYJurisDoctor on 05/27/08 at 11:08 AM Respond

It is time to turn the page on the Clinton's, both of them. The Clinton's are the past --- we should be looking to the future and not trying to relive the past.

Obama promises CHANGE for the better.

Hillary is the same steeped in the past.

Stick with Obama -- Do NOT be biggots as biggots are not change for the better.

Posted by: MarthaA on 05/28/08 at 9:49 AM Respond

Hillary saying "screw middle america that doesn't vote for Bill"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/16/hillary-clinton-on-workin_n_97017.html

BILL saying middle america on votes on God, Gays, Guns in 04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYaJHAnmjtk

Posted by: christian on 05/28/08 at 11:25 AM Respond

How 'bout the Clinton campaign is simply so daily lie-driven that it pushes the limits of news-worthy-ness?
Every time I write about a Clinton lie, I hear myself saying, "Now who's gonna want to read this again?"

Posted by: Monte Asbury on 05/28/08 at 1:53 PM Respond

D I S E N G E N U O U S N E S S ...

Everyone knows that Obama disrespected Bill Clinton ...
playing the race card on him, and trying to tarnish his
record during the primaries ... but, because of the
disingenuous DNC, and Obama, and their putting party
above country, and blackmailing the Clintons into
supporting Obama ... using their debt and Hillary's
future in politics as their leverage, the Clintons have
been strong armed into supporting Obama. Why should a
successful and respected two term President like
Bill Clinton have to stoop to the ambitions of the far
left DNC, and their upstart, empty suit candidate ...
while Obama and the DNC disingenuously pretend that everybody has
kissed and made up??? Also, the PUMAS and other
Hillary supporters have had to endure the same
condescending disrespect from them as well. I say
the DNC and Obama made their bed, so let them lie
in it ... they deserve nothing more.