This is pretty stunning if true. There have been MULTIPLE reports, both on TV (above) and in print regarding Bill's...reluctance to get on board the Obama train. But if this report is true, the rift may be impossible to repair.
Link:
Mr Obama is expected to speak to Mr Clinton for the first time since he won the nomination in the next few days, but campaign insiders say that the former president's future campaign role is a "sticking point" in peace talks with Mrs Clinton's aides.
The Telegraph has learned that the former president's rage is still so great that even loyal allies are shocked by his patronising attitude to Mr Obama, and believe that he risks damaging his own reputation by his intransigence.
A senior Democrat who worked for Mr Clinton has revealed that he recently told friends Mr Obama could "kiss my ass" in return for his support.
Ignoring the disgusting visual of such a thing (and the metaphor), it's pretty clear that the level of hostility inside Mr. Clinton is currently at a level where anything short of Obama getting on bended knee and kissing the ring, will not be acceptable to Mr. Clinton. There is still more:
A second source said that the former president has kept his distance because he still does not believe Mr Obama can win the election.
Amazing. Exactly what does Mr. Clinton refusing to campaign for Obama will do to help such a sitation? Of course, it's not true besides. Anyway, even Clinton allies are shocked by his behavior.
But his lingering fury has shocked his friends. The Democrat told the Telegraph: "He's been angry for a while. But everyone thought he would get over it. He hasn't. I've spoken to a couple of people who he's been in contact with and he is mad as hell.
"He's saying he's not going to reach out, that Obama has to come to him. One person told me that Bill said Obama would have to quote kiss my ass close quote, if he wants his support.
"You can't talk like that about Obama - he's the nominee of your party, not some house boy you can order around.
"Hillary's just getting on with it and so should Bill."
As far as the veracity of this story, I might normally dismiss it as gossip, but has there been any indication from any reporting outlet that Bill has been anything but hostile towards Obama? Recall his comments to Mayhill Flower. There has not been much indication that Bill is enthused about helping Obama. [Edited from previous comments, to more fairly reflect Bill's commitment to campaign.] If this is going to be how Bill reacts, it is best he just stay in London for the rest of the campaign season.
Update: Here is a good video (thanks scarce) from Joe Klein on this issue from yesterday.
Update 2: A final thought which I wrote below: The irony is that if Bill Clinton were not a consideration, I believe that Hillary would be near the top of the list for VP. His actions are lessening her chances every day he acts like this.
Update 3: Perhaps fittingly, Bill and Oprah had a frosty meeting at Nelson Mandela's birthday:
Oprah Winfrey and Bill Clinton didn't seem like they were on good terms at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday in London, a source told the New York Daily News.
Winfrey has spent the last several months campaigning for presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., whose chief competition was Clinton's wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.
Both Winfrey and former U.S. President Bill Clinton attended a dinner in Hyde Park, catered by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, in honor of former South African President Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday.
"There was a very cold reception between them," a source told the Daily News.
And so it goes...