Former President Bill Clinton this week denied any role in trying to lure Rep. Joe Sestak out of the Senate primary against establishment-backed Sen. Arlen Specter, an assertion that undermines a White House explanation of a controversy that left egg on the face of President Obama.
Clinton made the denials three times as he responded Tuesday to a reporter asking him why he is campaigning for Sestak, who defeated Specter in the May primary, if he tried to get him to drop out of the race.
"I wasn't," Clinton said while he was in a scrum of people trying to get his autograph. "I didn't try to get him out of the race."
Clinton repeated his assertion when asked whether he talked to Sestak to aid Specter. He denied it again when the reporter asked, "You did not?"
"In fact, I wasn't even accused of that." Clinton added.