Getting Too Cute?
Bill Clinton, ever the argument-framer, on how nice a race between McCain and his wife might be:

"I think it would be a great thing if we had an election year where you had two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interest of this country," said Clinton, who was speaking to a group of veterans Friday in Charlotte, N.C. "And people could actually ask themselves who is right on these issues, instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics."

An Obama adviser thinks we might as well jump to the harshest possible interpretation:

Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign is trying to clarify comments by former President Clinton that seemed to question Barack Obama's patriotism - comments an Obama aide likened to Joseph McCarthy.

Clinton's campaign said the comments were being misinterpreted and quickly posted a clarification on its Web site. But retired Air Force Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak said he was disappointed by the comments and compared them to those of McCarthy, the 1950s communist-hunting senator.
...
"It's a use of language as a disguised insult. We've seen this before, this little clever spin that's put on stuff," McPeak said. "I have no idea what his intentions are, but I'm disappointed in the statement. I think Bill Clinton is, or ought to be, better than that."

When I first read this, I thought Bill was probably getting a raw deal. He doesn't of course think that Obama doesn't love the country enough. And it would be a foolish thing to say, even if he did. But the more I think about it, it seems like he might be once again (think SC Jesse Jackson comment...) trying to hint around at a criticism without having to say it, a bit of subliminal campaigning. If a debate on issues is really what he wants, and not a distraction, wouldn't it be nice if he actually tried to set a better example?