In a New York Daily News story, it is being reported that Bill Clinton has given his wife “veto power” over his words and deeds:

After being surprised by her husband’s role in the Dubai ports deal, Sen. Hillary Clinton has insisted that Bill Clinton give her “final say” over what he says and does, well-placed sources said.

The former President agreed to give his wife a veto to avoid his habit of making controversial headlines that could hurt her chances of returning to the White House, multiple sources told the Daily News.

This cropped up after the embarrassing situation of having hubby Bill competing against her in the Dubai Ports fiasco. I mean, Hil says one thing, Bill says another, what’s a Lib to do?

The problem that exists is that Bill is the celebrity — he’s the fundraiser, the pop star, the one everyone wants to meet — but Hillary is the candidate. What you end up with is a divergence of interests. On one hand, Bill has to subordinate himself to the elected (and hopes-to-be-elected) family member, Hillary. On the other hand, just by the simple act of making an appearance with his wife, he’s upstaging her.

Amazingly, this was happening even during the sunset of Clinton’s presidency, while Hillary was campaigning for Senate:

“That was true in the White House during the [2000] Senate campaign,” recalled another longtime aide who stayed close to the ex-President after he left office. “If he said the sky was blue and she said the sky was purple, then the sky was purple.”

Hillary Clinton’s aides denied that her husband’s comments have been a liability but concede she is calling the shots.

“Since she got elected five years ago and given their hectic schedules, it is more interesting how little there has been of this,” said the senator’s campaign spokeswoman Ann Lewis, referring to their contradictory statements.

“She is the elected official. She makes the ultimate decisions,” Lewis said.

As much fun as it is to observe the Clintonian Circus, with any luck they’ll fade completely from view after the next Presidential election cycle — perhaps as early as the primaries.

Technorati: Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Politics

TD