Obama-Clinton in Secret Deal for Elections, Book Asserts
President Obama made a deal to support Hillary Clinton in a 2016 presidential campaign in exchange for the Clintons' support during his 2012 reelection, a new book by Edward Klein asserts.
Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker at the 2012 Democratic National Convention and helped usher in Obama's second nomination. However, according to Klein, the speech came along with the guarantee that Obama would fully support Hillary's run in 2016.
Klein's book, "The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House," releases this week in a new paperback edition, which contains more information about the Clinton-Obama relationship, which has been seriously strained at times.
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As Obama sought re-election in 2012, Bill Clinton allegedly began urging his wife to challenge the sitting president, which would have been a huge political move. However, she rejected his idea and instead decided to step away from politics altogether in order to focus on her own philanthropic issues and charities.
Bill Clinton, though, was not impressed by Obama's first term and went off on the president.
"I've heard more from Bush, asking for my advice, than I've heard from Obama," sources at a meeting in Chappaqua quoted Clinton as saying. "I have no relationship with the president – none whatsoever. Obama doesn't know how to be president. He doesn't know how the world works. He's incompetent! He's an amateur!"
Yet his attitude apparently changed, and Clinton helped Obama win re-election in 2012 with a barnburner of a speech at the DNC. Clinton's speech seemed to outshine Obama's, many noted, and actually drew attention away from the candidate.
Obama and Hillary Clinton had a successful working relationship, with her serving as his Secretary of State. After she announced her retirement, the two went on "60 Minutes" to discuss their relationship and plans for the future.
"I just wanted to have a chance to publicly say thank you, because I think Hillary will go down as one of the finest Secretary of States we've had. It has been a great collaboration over the last four years. I'm going to miss her," Obama said.
"I consider Hillary a strong friend," Obama added when asked about their current relationship.
"I mean, very warm, close," Clinton said. "I think there's a sense of understanding that, you know, sometimes doesn't even take words because we have similar views."
It remains to be seen whether that relationship will continue now that Clinton has left the White House, and whether Hillary will seek the 2016 Presidential nomination.
