Former President Bill Clinton couldn’t resist veering off course during a campaign stop in Arizona this week, commenting on GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake’s “physical attractiveness” while dissecting the race between her and Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego.
The former president—who’s not exactly known for subtlety when it comes to “compliments”—used Lake’s looks as part of a larger (and puzzling) analogy, saying the Arizona race is a “beautiful microcosm” of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
Clinton went on to contrast Lake and Gallego, describing the Democrat as a candidate who “made something of his life” and Lake as someone who “believes that politics is a performance art.” In case that wasn’t enough, Clinton wrapped things up with another jab, comparing Lake to Senator J.D. Vance, saying she’s “prostrate before the master” of political theatrics.
“This is like a beautiful microcosm of the campaign that Kamala Harris is running for president,” Clinton said.
“You got a person [Gallego] that grew up under sometimes challenging circumstances, who made something of his life, running against someone [Lake] who is physically attractive but believes that politics is a performance art,” the 42nd president added.
Former President Bill Clinton calls Republican Kari Lake “physically attractive” while campaigning for Kamala Harris in Arizona pic.twitter.com/G2E9rBYpQq
— New York Post (@nypost) October 24, 2024
Kari Lake, never one to pass up a comeback, had her own fun with Clinton’s backhanded praise. Speaking at a rally, she deadpanned, “As a middle-aged woman, I’m flattered. I don’t get those kinds of compliments every day. I thought I was a little too old for him. Doesn’t he like interns?” It was a quick reminder to Clinton that his reputation precedes him—whether he likes it or not.
Kari Lake’s response to Bill Clinton trying to flirt with her publicly is BRUTAL
“I thought I was a little too old for him. Doesn’t he like interns? 😲
Bill got rejected quicker than a liberal man’s debit card. pic.twitter.com/eaX4GDQFCd
— George (@BehizyTweets) October 24, 2024
Meanwhile, Clinton’s Arizona tour wasn’t just about lighthearted jabs. He pivoted to Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he described as “extremely vulnerable” in the face of relentless GOP criticism. According to Clinton, Republicans have honed in on Harris as a target, leaving her with only “a sliver” of undecided voters who haven’t made up their minds. He stopped short of offering solutions, leaving the vice president to navigate a tricky re-election landscape that increasingly links her fate with that of President Biden.
Clinton’s odd commentary came just as polling in Arizona shows Harris trailing Trump by a slim margin, with Trump leading by about 1.5 points according to the latest RealClearPolitics average. Lake, on the other hand, still faces a significant gap against Gallego, who’s currently leading by six points. But let’s be real: Arizona is no stranger to political curveballs, and with early voting underway, these races are bound to keep heating up.
Clinton’s remarks may have been intended to rally Democrats, but his comments on Lake’s looks, Kamala’s vulnerability, and Republicans’ alleged strategy sounded more like a blend of old-school jabs and self-assured predictions than a real strategy for November.
And then you have Hilary Clinton saying this…they’re a piece of work.
Crooked Hillary, increasingly bitter about the fact that she will never be president, says that everybody who attends President Trump’s rally at MSG on Sunday is a Nazi. pic.twitter.com/7cUXIlNuor
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 25, 2024
With eleven Electoral College votes on the line and Arizona’s history of swinging blue only twice since 1952, every moment counts. Clinton’s appearance was meant to give Democrats a boost, but between the eyebrow-raising compliments and an acknowledgment of Harris’ challenges, it may end up giving Republicans more material than they could have hoped for.
