Bill Clinton Sleeping: Wear and Tear of Campaign Trail Calls for a Quick Nap

Bill Clinton, in an effort to match Barack Obama's appearance at Dr. King's Ebenezer Baptist church in Atlanta, participated in services at Convent Avenue Baptist Church in Harlem, New York. While Obama eloquently recalled of Dr. King's "I had a dream" speech the former President demonstrated that he could have a dream of his own as he dozed peacefully during a spoken tribute by the son of the late Doctor King.

At first the former president seemed a little heavy eyed as eyelids drooped progressively lower and lower, Clinton responding with a noticeable widening and blinking of the eyes, but this only delayed the inevitable nap. The former president's big mistake came when he shifted in his seat and rested his elbow on the chair arm in support of his drooping chin. At that point his bobbing head no longer rousted him from dozing and it was off to a dream of his own.

Video of the event soon surfaced on the world wide web. The New York Post which first posted the video reported that it soon became the most viewed video on its' web page. Not to be outdone other web sites soon copied and posted the video, including the popular You Tube website.

Estimates are that within twelve hours the video had been watched by a half million people worldwide, with many watching it multiple times. The incident appeared as a news item in the worldwide press, making a front page story in one of London's most popular newspapers, Telegraph.co.uk.

This should not be a surprise. Most of us want to see the human side and frailties of celebrities and most of all our Presidents. We want to see that our presidents really are "of the people" and that they too are not perfect, regardless of campaign and political rhetoric.

It is somehow refreshing to know that even a Vice President can and does have trouble with spelling just as we do.

Vice President Quail paid a dear price for his effort to help a little boy with his spelling. Perhaps Quail's mistake was one more example (as with the popular TV show) that adults are not always "smarter than a fifth grader".

How many of us older adults can relate to President Reagan's forgetfulness or his constant raising of a hand to his ear in effort to better hear the questions of reporters? It made Reagan human. It made him more like the old grandfather we all admired so much.

It is not the first time the former president has taken an unscheduled nap during a public appearance. Just as TV cameras scanned the first row of those in attendance at Reagan's funeral Clinton dropped off into a blissful sleep.

Nor was Clinton the only one caught napping.

Current V.P. Cheney has been caught on camera on more than one occasion dosing during what seems to be endless speeches as former President George H.W. Bush.

Who among us can not relate to this particular failing of Clinton, Cheney, Bush and many others?

Even President's wives are vulnerable to mis-speaks.

Who can forget Barbara Bush while touring temporary shelters for Katrina victims in Houston saying, " We believe these people are happy to be here".

We all know that Mrs. Bush was trying to convey that under the circumstances Houston was trying to provide the best possible substitute for those who had been displaced and that it appeared they had succeeded. But as the story unfolded poor Mrs. Bush was seen as heartless and uncaring.

There is much speculation on the cable talk shows and in the press as to whether the former president's nap at such an important event will hurt Senator Clinton's campaign efforts. There is no question that the Clinton campaign badly wants and needs the Afro-American vote. It is something Bill Clinton depended on and used to win the presidency. Hillary very much needs the same level of Afro-American support. It is very doubtful that any Democrat can win without it.

This Afro-American support, once taken for granted by the Clinton campaign, is now in jeopardy as Obama draws off much of it. The Clinton's realize this are fighting hard gain back the Afro-American vote.

Bill Clinton is an invaluable weapon in this fight.

No president other than Lincoln has been more popular among Afro-Americans than Bill Clinton. He relates to Afro-Americans like no other politician, including Obama.

As a result of his unparalleled popularity and charm I do not believe his 5 minute nap will diminish his standing or hurt his wife's campaign in the slightest. It would be surprising to learn that this human slip gained even more favor with his Afro-American supporters as they, like I, may well ask, 'who among us has not fought the same fight (sleep) and lost'.

By contrast, a dozing President George Bush, on the same podium would never recover from the stigma.

In my opinion the Clinton's run a higher risk of alienating their Afro-American constituency if and when they are seen to be 'using' Afro-Americans with claims of allegiance and support and frequent attendance to Afro-American churches which have only surfaced with Senator Clinton's announced candidacy.

Senator Clinton's recent speech before an Afro-American congregation in which she badly attempted a lack southern dialect rang hollow and offended many in the community. Too many sincere steps as this will hurt the campaign far more than Bill's slumbering tribute.

We all nap......some choose less obvious places.