Is Bill Clinton undermining Obama's campaign?

The former president seems to break with the Obama line that tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans must end on Jan. 1, 2013. Has the Big Dog gone rogue?

Bill Clinton
(Image credit: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images)

Bill Clinton has become an increasingly visible surrogate for President Obama's re-election campaign — but he keeps straying off-message. First, Clinton praised GOP challenger Mitt Romney's "sterling" business career, undercutting Obama's attacks on Romney's Bain Capital years. Then, on CNBC this week, Clinton suggested extending Bush-era tax cuts into early 2013, despite Obama's avowal to end the breaks for the wealthiest Americans when they expire at year's end. Republicans trumpeted Clinton's remarks as proof he supports the Right's position, while a Clinton spokesman insisted that the former president is in sync with Obama, but simply thinks Congress will have to delay a decision. Is Clinton undermining Obama's campaign message?

Clinton is creating painful headaches for Obama: Clinton is in "full Mr. Hyde mode," says Byron Tau at Politico, "sucking up all the media oxygen" and generating headline after headline about his apparent split with Obama. Clinton did the same thing to Hillary in 2008, swinging wildly "between effective surrogate and major headache." And now, with Obama's supposed political friend questioning a "signature part" of his re-election pitch, the president's "political enemies don't need to do too much" to skewer Obama.

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