Clinton: Obama tax cut package is ‘a good bill’

After spending the afternoon conferring with President Obama on what the best course for the nation's economy going forward would be, former President Bill Clinton joined the president in a press conference to announce his support for the compromise the White House struck this week with the GOP.

Clinton hailed the agreement -- which the Obama administration insists it's confident will pass -- as a key measure to help accelerate economic recovery and lower the unemployment rate. And on that basis, he appealed to his fellow Democrats to stop squabbling and support the bill.

"I tried to figure out what to do. I have reviewed this (tax cut) agreement...and on its own I wouldn't support it," Clinton said as Obama stood by and looked on. "However, the agreement taken as a whole is, I believe, the best bi-partisan agreement we can reach to help the largest number of Americans." He added, "in my opinion, this is a good bill."

In a rather bizarre move, after Clinton spoke for a few minutes, President Obama broke in and announced that he had to leave and left Clinton to answer questions in the White House briefing room, which he seemed more than willing to do.

(Photo: AP/J. Scott Applewhite)