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Democrats Decry Bill Clinton's Criticism Of Surging Obama

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By MARK Z. BARABAK, Los Angeles Times

Published: December 22, 2007

From Washington, D.C., to Sacramento, Calif., a generation of Democrats enjoys power and prosperity thanks to Bill Clinton, who ran for president as a fresh face representing hope and change.

A number of those graying Clintonites are rallying behind Barack Obama, another national newcomer, who offers youth, optimism and an echo of that promise to upend the status quo.

Thus, many people find it more than a little unsettling - and dismaying - that the former president is targeting the Illinois senator with the same kind of criticism that Clinton faced in 1992.

Reed Hundt, who attended law school with Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton, said he admired them both even though he was not supporting the New York senator's White House bid.

But he questioned some of the ex-president's recent statements, including a suggestion that a vote for the Illinois senator would be like rolling the dice.

"President Clinton is going way too far - too far into the politics of personal attack, which he knows is bad for the country," Hundt said. "It's not right for a former president to get out there and be demeaning any of our candidates.

"Calling Barack Obama 'a symbol' is not acceptable discourse," Hundt went on, referring to Clinton's comments in an interview with the Public Broadcasting Service's Charlie Rose. "Likening him to a TV commentator is an insult."

Hundt, who is supporting Obama but not working for his campaign, was Clinton's appointee to head the Federal Communications Commission during his first term.

Susan Rice, assistant secretary of state in the Clinton administration and an Obama adviser, said she was not surprised the Clintons were waging such a pugnacious campaign, particularly as the Democratic race tightened.

"It's politics as usual, and it's unfortunate," Rice said in Des Moines, Iowa, where she traveled this week for an Obama speech on foreign policy. ".There are enormous challenges that we're facing in the world. To the extent that the debate can remain focused on the substance and the policy ... we'll be better off."

Even some supporters of Hillary Clinton question her husband's turn to negative campaigning. "He's got to take the high road," said Leon Panetta, chief of staff in Bill Clinton's first term. "He's strongest when he praises Hillary. He's weakest when he comes out as the attack dog."

Bill Clinton did not respond directly to the criticism. A spokesman, Matt McKenna, said the former president "feels strongly there's only one candidate with the strength and experience to lead on Day 1 and deliver the change America needs."

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