Barack's Party and Bill

We have written too many times on the frosty relationship between Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Admittedly, I have gone back and forth on what I think are the primary reasons for the gap between the two men, and I have alternatively pointed the finger at both politicians for the rift.

However, today that relationships come into a new focus, courtesy of a short, but mostly-worthwhile piece from John Heilemann on the website of New York Magazine. Heilemann makes the case that despite their big public appearance together last night in Florida, the two men are not close now, and likely will never be close. While I think that the author places too much into Obama's body language at a rally and seeming lack of excitement for Clinton's speech -- having traveled and campaigned day and night for the last year, Obama would understandably be tired at a nighttime rally -- his piece has one good nugget at the end:

But the truth is that no real relationship exists between 42 and the would-be 44. A lunch in Harlem, sure. A few perfunctory phone calls, yeah. But that's about the extent of it. People close to Clinton say that this baffles him, and pains him even more. And it's not hard to understand why. In Obama, he sees someone creating a new incarnation of the Democratic Party, one that has precious little to do with the version that Clinton fashioned. (Surveying the crowd last night, Clinton offered, "You've even got a few gray-headed white guys like me — you haven't shut out my demographic yet.") He sees himself being eclipsed. If Obama demonstrated that he needs Clinton's counsel, everything between them would be different. But Obama manifestly doesn't believe he does, and he refuses to pretend otherwise. One late-night campaign appearance, however professionally executed, doesn't change that. Maybe occupying the Oval Office will.

On the one hand, as a Democrat and a person who likes and respects Bill Clinton, I find this likely-permanent rift regrettable and kind of sad. It is too bad that the two men have been unable to patch up any sort of warm relationship in the aftermath of the primary. Whoever is more at fault for it all really does not matter anymore.

But in the end, I don't think this is at all surprising. The fact is that Obama is about to be elected on his own merits, so he does not need Clinton for anything, or owe him much either. More importantly, however, as President, the Democratic Party is now Obama's, not Bill's. He is the face and the head of the party going forward. It therefore stands to reason that he wants to build the party's policies and machinery in his own image and towards his own goals.

Consequently, it is necessary for him to push Clinton aside, remove Clinton's former advisers and friends from the equation and the highest levels of power, and go his own way with his own people. As sad (and even cold) as this may be, it makes perfect sense from Obama's perspective. And while I think there may still be some sharp bitterness between the two under the surface from the primary campaign, I think Barack's calculated distance from the former President has less to do with that than with his desire to carve out his own way independent of Clinton's influence.

Bill Clinton is going to go in his own direction now, and he will assuredly maintain a high national and international profile. His life will still be pretty good. However, his time at the very top of the party is now at an end. It's Barack Obama's party now, and I think that is exactly how he wants it. I can't say I completely blame him, either.