He called Obama a "brilliant, articulate, and exceedingly empathetic person," noting, "I did everything I could to defeat President Obama, and I wanted Hillary to win, but I think he's done a better job than he's given credit for."

    The ex-President then veered toward the racial territory that got him in trouble during the presidential primary when he tried to explain Obama's cool, detached leadership style: "When he went into politics, he didn't want to sound like a fire-eating preacher for fear of being racially stereotyped."

    But mostly Clinton's words were inclusive. Stopping to speak at the Global Forum in the midst of one of his many pro-presidency tours of Africa -- a prime target of his foundation's anti-poverty and health efforts -- Clinton found an opportunity to praise a man that the White House prefers to blame: George W. Bush. The Republican president, says Clinton, deserves enormous credit for his Africa AIDS initiative, giving millions access to life-saving medicine.

    Clinton never shied away about attacking his political enemies -- just as they showed equal vigor in assailing him. And despite his cross-the-aisle campaign promises like "end welfare as we know it," he didn't seriously reach out to Republicans until they trounced his party in the 1994 midterms.

    But he understood -- if not always, at least often -- the political limitations of blame. And the political self-interest of uniting a country to get something done.