Former president Bill Clinton stumps for Jay Inslee in Seattle
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SEATTLE (AP) - Former President Bill Clinton came to Seattle on Saturday hoping to perform the same trick for Washington's Democratic candidate for governor that he did for President Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention: giving a big boost in a tight race.
Jay Inslee, a seven-term congressman, is facing Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna in what is considered one of the closest gubernatorial races in the country this year. Heading into the weekend, each had raised about $8.6 million, but Clinton's appearance added $750,000 to Inslee's tally, his campaign said.
Clinton spoke to more than 3,000 people at the Washington state convention center, telling them that Inslee has the right vision for creating clean energy and biotechnology jobs. He praised what he described as Inslee's 75-point plan for the economy, which includes creating a state office for economic competitiveness, allowing workers to create "lifelong learning accounts" with matching contributions from their employers, and giving tax breaks to IT and biotech startups.
"It makes an enormous amount of sense," Clinton said. "If you make Jay Inslee your governor, he'll try to do every single one of those 75 things on that list he gave you."
Tickets started at $150, and attendees could get their picture taken with the former president for $5,000.
Clinton devoted a solid portion of his 20-minute talk to climate issues, noting that some Pacific and Caribbean nations most immediately threatened by global warming "are not mocking the rising of the seas." He praised Inslee's book on clean technology, "Apollo's Fire," for laying out a strategy to boost the economy while fighting climate change.
He also hit on many of the themes he discussed during his speech at the convention, saying no president could have fixed the mess Obama inherited in just four years and criticizing Republicans for attempting to cut the debt by reducing taxes on the wealthy.
For his part, Inslee described the move toward clean energy jobs as not just a job opportunity, but a "destiny" that would unite the farmers of Eastern Washington with the engineers of Seattle.
"We can never accept a second-place finish for the state of Washington, particularly when it comes to clean energy," he said.
Other speakers, including Democratic Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, criticized Republican views on abortion, health care and environmental protection. They portrayed McKenna as a polarizing figure who opposes gay marriage, compared him to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and noted that he joined other Republican attorneys general in unsuccessfully trying to strike down the Affordable Care Act.
Randy Pepple, McKenna's campaign manager, called those arguments tired.
"Jay Inslee has no achievements they can cite. In 15 years in Congress, he achieved nothing - not a single substantial piece of legislation," Pepple said. "The last thing we need is to bring that type of partisan D.C. politics to Washington state.
"Rob McKenna has got a plan that focuses on making it easier for the private sector to create jobs," he said. "Jay Inslee's plan starts with creating a new state agency. We think that's the wrong way to go."
Jay Inslee, a seven-term congressman, is facing Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna in what is considered one of the closest gubernatorial races in the country this year. Heading into the weekend, each had raised about $8.6 million, but Clinton's appearance added $750,000 to Inslee's tally, his campaign said.
Clinton spoke to more than 3,000 people at the Washington state convention center, telling them that Inslee has the right vision for creating clean energy and biotechnology jobs. He praised what he described as Inslee's 75-point plan for the economy, which includes creating a state office for economic competitiveness, allowing workers to create "lifelong learning accounts" with matching contributions from their employers, and giving tax breaks to IT and biotech startups.
"It makes an enormous amount of sense," Clinton said. "If you make Jay Inslee your governor, he'll try to do every single one of those 75 things on that list he gave you."
Tickets started at $150, and attendees could get their picture taken with the former president for $5,000.
Clinton devoted a solid portion of his 20-minute talk to climate issues, noting that some Pacific and Caribbean nations most immediately threatened by global warming "are not mocking the rising of the seas." He praised Inslee's book on clean technology, "Apollo's Fire," for laying out a strategy to boost the economy while fighting climate change.
He also hit on many of the themes he discussed during his speech at the convention, saying no president could have fixed the mess Obama inherited in just four years and criticizing Republicans for attempting to cut the debt by reducing taxes on the wealthy.
For his part, Inslee described the move toward clean energy jobs as not just a job opportunity, but a "destiny" that would unite the farmers of Eastern Washington with the engineers of Seattle.
"We can never accept a second-place finish for the state of Washington, particularly when it comes to clean energy," he said.
Other speakers, including Democratic Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, criticized Republican views on abortion, health care and environmental protection. They portrayed McKenna as a polarizing figure who opposes gay marriage, compared him to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and noted that he joined other Republican attorneys general in unsuccessfully trying to strike down the Affordable Care Act.
Randy Pepple, McKenna's campaign manager, called those arguments tired.
"Jay Inslee has no achievements they can cite. In 15 years in Congress, he achieved nothing - not a single substantial piece of legislation," Pepple said. "The last thing we need is to bring that type of partisan D.C. politics to Washington state.
"Rob McKenna has got a plan that focuses on making it easier for the private sector to create jobs," he said. "Jay Inslee's plan starts with creating a new state agency. We think that's the wrong way to go."
In this case I am not agreeing with Bill... sorry man...I went for McKenna
Clinton betrayed working Americans by his actions on banking and NAFTA and Obama continues to deepen the crime. I have no doubt Romney is worse yet but you can only oust one political party at a time and I think this time needs to be dems and next time GOP. By then If we don't have candidates from the working class running, we get more of what we deserve. We have 4 years to organize, whos in?
Doesn't surprise me, Obama signed the NDAA, and Inslee voted for it.
More wasted efforts by the dems
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Woo Hoo .... Go Clinton, Go Inslee.....GO OBAMA!!!
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Look at these rabid comments above. Â Reagan increase our debt 200% more than any president in US History. Â
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Bush started two unfunded wars giving Billions in no bid contracts to his own fathers corporation and Cheney's Halliburton putting us TRILLIONS in debt.Â
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Their favored Candidate Romney is in bed with the Koch Brothers while hiding Billions over seas while decrying locking up women who get abortions and keeping gays as second class citizens. Â
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And all these repubs here have is screaming about a stained dress.... Talk about having your priorities screwed up.Â
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@Andrew Bush  Democratic presidents are the best at implementing the Reaganite agenda. No one, so far, has been better at it than Bill Clinton. This is because, as we saw again in Charlotte, he is very good at winning Democratic hearts and minds, and stopping potential opposition and even bringing it along. This is how that old horn dog was able to win more for the Gipper than either Bush. He did more even than Reagan himself to end the New Deal and Great Society âas we know it,â and to give Wall Street free rein.
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Argue this point without attempting to confuse the issue, andrew
 @Andrew Bush So I take it you support detaining Americans without due process.
 @Charlie Mukilteo Funny how between Obama and W, the only one to actually detain U.S. citizens without due process was W.Â
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Jose Padilla. Look him up. American citizen held without charges for almost 4 years.Â
@Charlie Mukilteo @Andrew Bush and assasination of US citizens.
So sorry I couldn't be there - I have great respect for his knowledge and commitment to the citizens of the USA.
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You may not agree with my position but it is dignity that will refrain from attacking me for exercising my right to speak my mind.Â
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I have always liked and supported President Clinton because of his struggles, intellect, philosophy and hard work that led him to the Presidency. To anyone who is ignorant enough to jump on the Lewinsky matter, I ask you, are YOU a Rhodes scholar? Do you have any concept of the academic commitment and work involved in being chosen for such an honor?  No matter what 'wrongdoing' people choose to blind themselves by, the Clinton years were good years.
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@Smokin Bear Glad I wasn't: Democratic presidents are the best at implementing the Reaganite agenda. No one, so far, has been better at it than Bill Clinton. This is because, as we saw again in Charlotte, he is very good at winning Democratic hearts and minds, and stopping potential opposition and even bringing it along. This is how that old horn dog was able to win more for the Gipper than either Bush. He did more even than Reagan himself to end the New Deal and Great Society âas we know it,â and to give Wall Street free rein.
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Obama could have even done more damage and got the whole GOP agenda in on behalf of the 6 industries that control the US government except those GOPers would'nt accept anything with his fingerprints on it no matter how far right wing fascist it was. They will not stand for Obama giving it when they should be able to "benefit" from the buy off.
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If you are an American and believe that you can see a nickel's difference between these two parties that are controlled lock, stock, and barrel by 6 industries, you are terribly naive and have been asleep while the largest theft in the history of mankind has taken place and there is another huge theft headed your way now. Clinton betrayed this country just as sure as bush, bush sr. right on back to Nixon did. Traitors every one of them pandering to the rich while "representing" (Fleecing)Â the masses. None of thid had to happen but you're going to have to wake up to fix it.
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I get where you're coming from T-Bone.
Have you read François-Marie Arouet Voltaire's "Candide?" it's a short book, an essay, really, filled with allegory of human contrivance, error, and redemption.
It was published in 1759 and addresses the condition of judgment by humans against humans. After a series of adventures that include an acquisition of 'miscreants' Candide makes a home for all of them and concludes, metaphorically, that "We must tend our garden." It is a testament to the ultimate truth that none of us are perfect beings and we need one another to thrive, but the cautionary allusions throughout the tale speak to the vital role of tolerance.
We are all human. No one person seeking public office is different from your neighbor or from you - they made a choice. That's it.
I agree that the two party system is broken and is a mess, but I have no viable solution to offer.
@T_BONE_WALKER
Well, then get out there and campaign for office. Â
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I was discussing a profound piece of literature that emerged during the age of enlightenment as it relates to the human condition and President Clinton's continued public crucifixion. NONE of us are perfect and yet people cannot let go of their egos long enough to see that Clinton paid dearly for his mistakes of over 14 years ago.Â
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As to your snide closing comment. Only someone who is devoid of compassion and regard for others would twist my analogy of Voltaire's work in order to make that statement.   In fact, if you did actually read Candide it appears that it was in cliff notes format - you evidently did not absorb the content of the novella, nor learn from it and that is also a shame.
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If I am 'cheerleading' at all, it is for altruism and compassion as opposed to small minded chest pounding.
@Smokin Bear "That's a shame, T-Bone. "You've elected to ignore the point to my reply, or you just didn't get it".
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There is a third choice you have overlooked perhaps. I just dont agree with your ideals letting criminals off the hook that have willfully and knowingly stolen money from Americans.
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The Solution:
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Thats easy, get business and their money out of our government." Charge and convict the guilty. I understand that humans make mistakes, but this was intentional and paid for. Do you understand that? Thats called corruption and I wont give them a free pass on that. They are paid to represent us, when did that happen?
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They have this economy right where they want it because it continues to enrich the 2% and there has been no moves to do anything for the middleclass that has lost 40% of their wealth to theives.
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I find it interesting that a quick summary of reality is considered "Complaints". I am not complaining, I am simply outraged at the thefts and thats only human isn't it?
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You appear to want to brush this corruption off to the side and move on to cheerleading for the criminal's next election. Why is that?
That's a shame, T-Bone. You've elected to ignore the point to my reply, or you just didn't get it.Â
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I'll rephrase for clarity: Humans make mistakes. Humans aren't perfect. Humans need to forgive, respect and care for one another in order to thrive and progress. Humans have yet to create a government system that is perfect. The humans running government are also mammals like you and I.Â
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I am interested not in hearing ongoing complaints, but rather, solutions.
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How would you fix everything that is wrong in our government? I do mean EVERYTHING - because this is the expectation for our Chief Executives.
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@Smokin Bear Read it? Devoured it along about 1958(?) during my post graduate studies. I also read the definition of "Fiduciary" which clearly illuminates our representatives as corrupt criminals. While we are all human, the word fiduciary clearly removes the ability to rely on "Human Contrivance" or "Error(?) as an excuse for what these 535 have done to the middleclass while transferring their wealth upwards to the rich.
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We have all just lived through the largest theft in the history of man with no arrests, supeonas, indictments, or even a summons to appear.
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I know why Republicans hate Clinton so much. They are extremely jealous cause they never get any.
We all did well when Clinton was President. All of us.
Yah, after the GOP captured the House after the 1994 mid-term trouncing. Remember the reason for the 1994 GOP landslide? That's right, Hillary Care, which landed with a thud. After Newt and Co. came on board, all of a sudden welfare reform was a huge success, not because Clinton was all for it, but because he was convinced after the mid-term elections that it was in his best interest to moderate his position on certain issues.
 @James127 It took both sides working together. We do not have that know do we? Speaking of the GOP landslide, how did that one end again? Recession perchance?
 @James127 Where did I do that? Are you referring to the 6 years the Republicans controlled the Presidency, the House and the Senate? It takes both branches to do good and bad.
Nice how you credit the president for the good results, and the congress for the bad ones.
Clinton may have had personal issues while in office but the fact is he had this country on the right track and balanced the budget.
 @Tattooed_Angel So you hate science? There's a reason CERN found the "GOD" particle before us. It's not because they were better than us, it's because the US Science budget was cut under clinton.
@Charlie Mukilteo Honestly? I don't give a crap who found the Higgs boson first. I care about the state of our economy and Clinton did what he needed to get the country on the right track financially.
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Science shouldn't be a race on who finds what first. If another country finds a cure for cancer, do you think we will be excluded from its benefits because we didn't find it first? I mean, come on!
Clinton was a liar. Plain and simple. A dishonest lying yellow bellied liar. Plain and simple.......A monkey with his hand caught in a cookie jar could have done what Clinton did but with the honesty of a chimp which would have been an improvement. Clinton was a scam. a Con job.
 @Rick4001CS Well Rick I'll say this for you too... Clinton lied no one died! Bush lied and thousands died!...If it comes down to the guy who lied about a affair or a person who lies about the justification for a war that costs soldiers lives Clinton wins!
Is that an example of Christian forgiveness?
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"Judge not lest , ye be judged. And the measure by which you judge shall be used on you."
Matthew.......
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Just asking.
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 @NorthEnd "And found him guilty."
Actually, no - they did not find him "guilty". They "found" enough evidence to impeach him - that is equivalent to a Grand Jury saying that you should face trial. When he did face trial in the Senate he was found "not guilty".
@NorthEnd - SO?? How many other Presidents had extramarital affairs? Because they avoided the microscopic examination so generously afforded Clinton by Ken Starr, are we to assume that their credibilty is inviolate?To do so would be either insane or stupid.
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If you were cornered publicly, would you not also lie in an attempt to save your reputation?   Likely, you would. You are human, as is he.
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Undoubtedly, he made a very bad decision.That was on an extremely personal basis, and does not reflect his ability to balance a national budget.
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People who habitually focus on only the 'affair' aspect of his administration are generally spoon-fed media hype and have no real grasp of historical data or bother researching information before leaping to conclusions.
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All the best.
Actually, it was Congress that judged him. And found him guilty.
Right on, TA.
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I saw him speak in 1996, and I agree. No matter what his personal issues involved,  he was a fantastic accountant and he used his knowledge for the benefit of of the citizens.
What, you think he jumped for joy to have to make the changes to the welfare system? No way. He was under pressure from Congress. And I always found it to be an AMAZING coincidence that he found it so absolutely necessary to bomb targets in Afghanistan and the Sudan during the very same week that his 'personal issues' necessitated his testifying in front of the grand jury. Hmmmmmm.
Excellent point. "He was under pressure from Congress."
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That is the gadfly that every President has had to battle.
Not only did Clinton disgrace the office of the President, he lied to his wife, whom he made vows, and also the American people. Let's also not forget the time he was defending his actions with Monica Lewinsky, Osama Bin Ladin was clearly making plans for 9/11 after the Cole bombing that we never immediately persued. Clinton clearly had other things on his mind at the time and I wouldn't trust anything he ever promotes because I believe he is a liar. What is the old saying about laying with dogs you'll get fleas? Inslee and his fellow Democrats are the examples of this.
That is a patently naive' statement, on your part. Â
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He was cornered in a situation that, if you study our history, several presidents have also shared with him: Roosevelt, Ike, Kennedy, LBJ....just to name a few of the guilty...because they didn't face public scrutiny, does it make them less guilty of fallible human conduct? NO.
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Are you PERFECT? Are any of us? NO!! We are all  human and imperfect. His relationship with his wife is NONE OF OUR BUSINESS!Â
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Look to the work he did for our country.Â
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If he were running again and if it were permissable, I would vote for him AGAIN in a heartbeat.
Clinton held the highest office in the world and you do not hold him accountable? YOUR statement is offensive. People that think like you are the problem with our country. No one being held accountable and anything goes. Pathetic.
@heyjoe - Interesting. I did not comment to offend anyone, but made a valid point. No one is perfect.
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I didn't say that he wasn't accountable, but, he has paid for his mistake and has not been inoffice for 12 years. One would think people would have moved on by now.
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People who point fingers need to point them at themselves first.Â
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Do you hold yourself accountable for your deliberately offensive and insulting comment to me, just because you disagree with my position? Being civil isn't hard, it's a choice.
@heyjoe I bet Clinton was the only president EVER to have an affair and tried to hide it from his wife, huh? He is human and humans make mistakes, period. Fact is, he deserves respect for the good he did for this country. Only to have Bush come in and eff it all up.
 @heyjoe "Clinton held the highest office in the world and you do not hold him accountable?"
And yet you people not only WON'T blame Bush for the war in Iraq, you don't even seem to remember that HE was President - in your view he seems to have never existed.
It is encouraging that someone of Bill's stature thinks his presence is needed in a state that checks the "D" box independent of the candidate. By the way, Bill understood balanced budget and compromise.Â
Thumping on an intern was between him and his maker.
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Go Rob.
 @al_wa Go Rob? Who do you want McKenna to rob? I worry that it might be me.
A known liar and admitted liar? A man who committed a felony in office (lying under oath is a felony in all fifty states and DC). A man who had credible evidence of rape and overwhelming evidence of sexual harrassment in office? How gullible and stupid are democrat women anyway?
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This is the straw that forces my family to vote for Mckenna..
 @NoHelmetLaws If lying under oath i a felony, what do you call taking a nation to war on accusations that are proved to be fabrications based on lies from someone so mistrusted by the intelligence services they name him "curve ball"? Where do you place the crime of murder of a country in your list of criminal activity?
 @NoHelmetLaws "How gullible and stupid are democrat women anyway?"  Not nearly as stupid as you are for believing that.
A known liar and admitted liar? Yeah okay.. How gullible are women anyway? This guy committed a felony in office (lying under oath is a felony in all fifty states and DC).  Credible evidence of rape, overwhelming evidence of sexual harrassment, and this is the guy democrats are looking up to?
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Wow, if nothing else this will have my family voting for Mckenna.
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PUH-LEEZE!!!  Karl Rove REFUSED to compy with a FEDERAL SUBPOENA!! He was instrumental in leaking the identity of an undercover CIA agent in retaliation for her husband's defiance of a corrupt system, and in doing so, endangered her life.  How is that OK in comparison to a man accused of adultery?? Gimme a break!!
Yea, look at those guys on the other side of the aisle and their "war on women." Me? I have only been accused of rape once, inappropriate sexual advances, sexual harassment, and been impeached from the highest office in the land for lying under oath (committing perjury) to a grand jury investigating that sexual complaint thing regarding Paula Jones. But lets put all that behind us, did you know I gave a speech at this years DNC? I am a HERO to the Democrat party.
 @ByeByeBarry That's just plain dumb.
 @Shelly  @ByeByeBarry They can't help it, it's just their obsession with sex...
No, that's just plain true. Is your memory fading?
 @ByeByeBarry http://www.apfn.org/apfn/Juanita.htm
Yes the Rape of JUANITA BROADDRICK and the Democrats have the Liar speak what a bunch of
loosers... Obama lost all credibility by putting Hillary in when she was well aware of the RAPE.