Bill Clinton keeps praising Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman Jr.

Once again Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman Jr. are the target of former President Bill Clinton's praise. This time during a CNN interview with Wolf Blitzer.

"Well, it appears that Gov. Huntsman and Gov. Romney, at least, have not come out in just flat-out denial of climate change," Clinton said in the interview. "It appears that, that Gov. Huntsman said he supported the compromise to raise the debt ceiling because America couldn't afford the economic consequences."

Then, when asked if he'd "be happier if Romney or Huntsman got the nomination than Rick Perry?" Clinton replied. "Well, it's not up to me to pick. They'll both lose if anybody thinks I've endorsed them. I'm just saying that I appreciate the fact that, that they're trying to navigate a landscape that bears almost no relationship to what's produced successful economies in the world. And there are lots of countries that are now doing better than we are in some areas because of the very ideas that apparently you have to support to get the nomination."

In July, at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Clinton gave a longer critique of presidential field and again specifically praised the two:

"But, y'know, I like the governors: I like Huntsman and Romney. Romney's a much better candidate than he was last time, because he's not apologizing for signing the health-care bill. He's got another creative way of saying we oughta repeal Obamacare, but that's prob'ly the price of gettin' the nomination," Clinton said.

"Huntsman hasn't said what he's for yet, but I just kinda like him. He looks authentic — he looks like a real guy. I mean, a real human being. I like his family, I like his kind of iconoclastic way. And he was a pretty good governor. And he wasn't a right-wing ideologue."

Likewise, in an ABC News interview, Clinton singled out the two candidates.

On Huntsman: "He's refreshingly unhide bound; he comes across as non-ideological, conservative but non ideological. Practical."

"I think Gov. Romney is doing a better job as a candidate this time than he did four years ago."

Of course, as Clinton is quick to point out, in the current political climate of the GOP an endorsement from a former Democratic president is not likely to help either candidate win the Republican nomination.

EMAIL: hboyd@desnews.com

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FDRfan

safety dictates, ID

Why can't we just give credit where it is due? Bill Clinton had excellent economic sense and, although despicable, his morals were no worse than those of Newt Gingrich and many others who were screaming for his impeachment.

10:56 a.m. Sept. 21, 2011
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Tom in CA

Vallejo, CA

Richard Saunders -

What you don't understand, sir, is that Ron Paul CANNOT defeat Obama. You will NEVER get the perfect candidate. This country is a "center-left" country which means ideologues like Ron Paul, Bachmann, and even More..

11:58 a.m. Sept. 21, 2011
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"Why can't we just give credit where it is due?"

No problem here: Obama is the worst president (by far) in my lifetime! (and that's quite a few years). I think I could actually be happy with Hillary, as compared to His More..

11:22 a.m. Sept. 21, 2011
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