The Big Dog Speaks

And Kerry listens. This is good news.

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 5 -- Former president Bill Clinton, in phone calls with John F. Kerry over the weekend, told the Democratic presidential nominee that he must sharpen his criticism of President Bush's record and offer voters a more compelling case in his own behalf if he hopes to win the election in November.

The conversations came as Kerry approved a series of personnel moves that will elevate two of his longtime Boston political allies to senior positions to go along with recently enhanced roles for several former Clinton advisers.

Kerry spoke with Clinton, who is at a New York hospital awaiting heart surgery, on Friday and Saturday. Clinton added his voice to that of other Democrats who were urging Kerry to change his message and strategy in response to gains Bush made during August and at his party's New York convention last week.

Clinton, according to those familiar with the conversation, urged Kerry to draw a sharper contrast with Bush and to explain to voters the effect of going to war in Iraq on domestic policies.

...

Democratic sources said that former Clinton adviser Paul Begala, who has been offering regular advice, may play a stepped-up role, but a Kerry campaign official said that Begala has no formal role.

James Carville, who was Clinton's top strategist in 1992, has been urging the campaign to give Begala a more significant role, and a campaign official said Carville will continue as an outside adviser.

I agree with most everything said in this article -- but damn it, stopping screwing around and give Begala a bigger role already.

He's won two elections, stupid.