Althouse: "Sometimes when I am on a stage like this, I wish that we weren't married, then I could say what I really think."

February 9, 2016

"Sometimes when I am on a stage like this, I wish that we weren't married, then I could say what I really think."

"I don't mean that in a negative way. I am happy."

Said Bill Clinton, introducing his wife.

I puzzled over that for approximately 3 seconds. The phrase "I wish that we weren't married" is certainly striking, coming from a husband, but obviously he means for us to imagine the much harsher words he'd be free to use if he were an independent speaker. As a husband, what he says automatically attaches to her, and he needs to be careful. He knows he needs to rein himself in and not say something like what got him in trouble back in 2008: "Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I’ve ever seen."

ADDED: He wants to be a Hillarybro.

29 comments:

Brando said...: No, that statement doesn't make any sense. What on earth would he say if he weren't married to her that could imply anything good? If he thinks she's a great candidate and her opponents suck, why does it matter if he's married to her?

Of course, if he wasn't married to her he wouldn't have to embarrass himself trying to pass her off as a plausible candidate. She wouldn't have to embarrass herself, either--and imagine all the inconvenient baggage (e.g., defending a serial groper) that harms her feminist cred among intelligent people.

Bill Clinton I think has been more harm to her while on the trail. He would have done better by faking a serious illness and staying home.; 2/9/16, 9:24 AM
Curious George said...: Bill Clinton does not want Hillary to become President.; 2/9/16, 9:30 AM
madAsHell said...: How much more un-married could he be? Hell, even the kid isn't his.

He's lamenting the fact that he is still campaigning. He would much rather be banging under age tail on Epstein's island. This is not an honorable man.; 2/9/16, 9:31 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "What on earth would he say if he weren't married to her that could imply anything good?"

He could say meaner things about Bernie and his supporters.

He could be a Hillarybro.; 2/9/16, 9:34 AM
Jaq said...: Imagine if we had a one sided press that would take that snippet out of context and apply the most invidious interpretation possible? That kind of stuff could never happen in America, so don't worry kiddies.; 2/9/16, 9:38 AM
MAJMike said...: Why does anyone listen to this corrupt grifting horn dog?; 2/9/16, 9:40 AM
Humperdink said...: I watched old Bill last night. He's looking worse by the day. Voice is high pitched. Body is shriveling. To me, he looks ill. He's been riding too hard for too long *cough*.; 2/9/16, 9:54 AM
mccullough said...: Just a reminder: Bill Clinton never received 50% of the popular vote. Those who voted preferred the Republican, Ross Perot, and the minor third party candidates. Clinton never had Reagan's popularity. People generally like him but he's going to hurt his favorability by participating in this campaign. Cut your losses and keep upbeat. She's not worth it.; 2/9/16, 9:57 AM
Limited blogger said...: Saw a snippet of Bernie's wife, Jane. A smart, successful woman. If he was really running for president he would/should use her a lot more as a surrogate.; 2/9/16, 9:57 AM
JCCamp said...: "I wish that we weren't married..."

Guy slips and says how he really feels. Happens now and then.; 2/9/16, 10:07 AM
Sammy Finkelman said...: Of course, this is just another lie by BVill Clinton. What he would say, or what he would like people to think, is not what he really thinks.

Also this allows him to endorse things that other people have said without getting any pushback because you don't agree.; 2/9/16, 10:07 AM
bleh said...: I think what he let slip is the campaign's conscious effort to downplay his presence. He is unusually quiet and subdued these days. If he was anyone except Bill Clinton he could come out swinging at Bernie and the Republicans without fear of overshadowing or embarrassing his wife.

If he says something dumb, Hillary cannot just disavow him. This dynamic is especially true with the Clintons, who have in the past sold themselves as "two for the price of one" (as if that's a good thing).; 2/9/16, 10:18 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: I wish that we weren't married, then I could say what I really think.

What he really thinks:

I wish I was at a Bernie rally. I could so get laid at a Bernie rally. The girls there are young. And hot. And hetero.; 2/9/16, 10:21 AM
David Begley said...: If the two of them got divorced then they both wouldn't be rich. That's how to understand everything about the Clintons. That's why she is running.; 2/9/16, 10:29 AM
Meade said...: Maybe you never shoulda put a ring on it.; 2/9/16, 10:52 AM
Brando said...: "He could say meaner things about Bernie and his supporters.

He could be a Hillarybro."

He could still do that even while married to Hillary. Unless he means "saying more would overshadow her" which says a lot about their dynamic. Hillary always has to play second fiddle to him.

He is indeed a Hillarybro--defined as a creep who claims to be a feminist and basically encapsulates all the negative qualities in men that feminists claim to hate.; 2/9/16, 11:03 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: Slick Willie was/is the Master of DoubleSpeak. He is in full campaign mode (and he was good at it), because Hillary is botching it.

Remember when he was asked directly by Dan Rather why he cheated on Hillary?

Rather: "The central question, if I may, and I know this is difficult, the central question is why?"

Clinton: "I think I did something for the worst possible reason -- just because I could. I think that's the most , just about the most morally indefensible reason that anybody could have for doing anything. When you do something just because you could ... I've thought about it a lot. And there are lots of more sophisticated explanations, more complicated psychological explanations. But none of them are an excuse ... Only a fool does not look to explain his mistakes."

The guy is a bullshit artist, writ large. He is a master of mixing parcels of truth with parcels of lies, to falsely convey a sense of contrition. And then he keeps on doing what he was doing before. At the end of the day, he skates.

Of course he wishes sometimes "he wasn't married" to the Hildebeast- for obvious reasons unrelated, hubba, hubba, to Hillary's political ambitions. He wants to hit some Vegas showgirls!; 2/9/16, 11:12 AM
M Jordan said...: Freudian slip ... but actually, not a slip since Bill just wanted to say it. So it's just a Freudian, which I'll define as a dog whistle-y way to say something you want taken at face value but couch it in a context that allows 1) righteousness, and 2) deniability.; 2/9/16, 11:16 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Kinsley gaffe revealing the hate Bill has in his heart. Repent!; 2/9/16, 11:43 AM
MikeR said...: What, he's still campaigning? Maybe Bernie doesn't dare do anything about it, but can you imagine what Republican supporters can do once we get to the general campaign? Send ladies to his rallies to scream at him. Get thrown out. "Bill Clinton/Bill Cosby! Rapist! Hillary is an enabler!" Bring mattresses.
Surely he's going to be a terrible liability.; 2/9/16, 11:47 AM
Bill, Republic of Texas said...: ADDED: He wants to be a Hillarybro

A fun new game!

HillaryHarpie
Hysterical4Hillary
HillaryHarlot (that'll be good for bill)
HillaryHarridan; 2/9/16, 11:53 AM
cubanbob said...: The problem for the Clinton's is that its too soon for a nostalgia comeback for the nineties.; 2/9/16, 11:56 AM
Fernandinande said...: "I was so mad I accidentally told the truth!"; 2/9/16, 12:31 PM
Martha said...: Bill looks so much healthier in 2008.
As Hillary! expands, Bill shrinks and shrivels.; 2/9/16, 12:45 PM
retired said...: Then he could break out a new set of lies.; 2/9/16, 3:22 PM
vanderleun said...: "As a husband, what he says automatically attaches to her, and he needs to be careful. He knows he needs to rein himself in "

Nah, he actually does despise her and she actually does revolt him. Not that the reverse isn't true as well.

And both, with reason.; 2/9/16, 5:30 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: He wants to be a Hillarybro.

He's addicted to her. He puts the pussy on a pedestal.

This is not what we need right now. Tell him to shove his raging hemorrhoid of a sense of "honor" back into his ass and STFU.; 2/9/16, 6:39 PM
Simon Kenton said...: I'm wondering how much of the Carnahan-style pity votes she hopes to pick up when he dies during the election run-up. You can't tell much from television - failure to adjust the color values in the camera or a glitch in the set can contrive an instant and mistaken diagnosis of cancer by the viewers - but Bill Clinton looks to have serious health issues. Just because I could not ever feel it does not mean there aren't millions of voters who could offer up their votes for sympathy.; 2/10/16, 11:22 AM
Jupiter said...: "I wish that we weren't married, then I could say what I really think."

Yeah, I remember Hillary Rodham from Yale. Kind of a dumpy-lookin' broad, not much going on. I mean, yeah, I hit it. I hit that. But once or twice was plenty, and she did not go gently into that good night, if you know what I mean. What's she doing these days, anyway? She always said she wanted to be a lawyer, but I don't think she really had what it takes. Probably married one instead. Hah! Just kiddin'. I've fucked worse.; 2/10/16, 9:11 PM