Before the convention, I wrote in favor of allowing Hillary Clinton to have her name put into nomination, saying “Letting her speak and take that bow before honorably rallying the troops seems the smart move. Those who fear it misunderstand that the only way Clinton can serve her own interests is to do the job well. It’s win-win for everyone.”
And it was.
One morning at the NY Delegation breakfast, I was in a discussion at with Brooklyn Assemblyman Nick Perry, a man of boundless generosity–when Nick has an opinion he always makes sure to share it with everyone.
Nick and I were discussing Bill Clinton’s speech the night before. Even though I define myself as a “Clinton Democrat”, I offered up the opinion that a former President who gets involved riding shotgun during his party’s presidential nomination process forfeits a considerable amount of his prestige as a Statesman, even if he backs a winner, which Clinton did not.
Echoing my comments about Hillary, who I voted for, I said that Bill Clinton had done what he needed to do to get on the road to getting his lost prestige back.
Perry disagreed in the only manner he can (at length), pointing out that it’s difficult to stay out of a fight when the candidate is one’s wife (I will refrain, for Nick’s sake and mine, from explicating further).
Nick does have a point, but actually, I think there exists an alternative model for how a former President handles things when a close relative runs for the White House. That model is to be supportive, but only positive, in public, and even then in a relatively restrained manner, while pulling strings in private.
This was the model followed by George H.W. Bush on behalf of his son, Dubya. No need, said dad, to forfeit one’s prestige by getting one’s hands dirty throwing mudballs.
We have people for that.
And boy did they ever. Just ask John McCain.
Nick disagreed pointing out that one’s wife is different than one’s child.
This is true. I would go to the ends of the earth for my wife.
But, I would kill for my child.