Sunday morning political rewind

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (LIN) - President Barack Obama may have had a presidential endorsement of his jobs plan on Sunday, but a lot was said about a potential change in tax rates.

Former President Bill Clinton, in New York ahead of his annual " Clinton Global Initiative " meeting, was largely supportive of Obama’s “ American Jobs Act .”

Clinton cited recent analysis that it would stimulate GDP growth by approximately 1.2 to 2 percent and unemployment could likely drop by 1 percent after implementation.

However, the former president warned the political climate in passing such legislation would be difficult. “There is a huge disconnect between the way the political and economic system works,” he said on ABC’s “ This Week. ”

Clinton believes the secret to success lies in cooperation, and the same compromising factors that are responsible for some of the most productive cities in the U.S. “In every place where America is booming, cooperation is order of the day,” he said. The former president pointed to places like San Diego, Silicon Valley and Massachusetts, where there’s been an emphasis on developing biotech industries.

Clinton also played the political card and hinted the Republicans are a contributing factor to the stagnation of the economy. “Conflict has provided to be good politics,” he said, likely pointing to the newest GOP tea-party members in the House of Representatives. “Some people got elected on pure ideology.”

On “ Meet the Press ” Clinton squared off with Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell over the heart of Obama’s jobs plan, the “ Buffett Rule. ”

This is a clause named after billionaire Warren Buffett that mandates an increase on taxes for the wealthiest Americans.

McConnell, staunchly against raising any taxes, pointed to history for his evidence. “The vote was a couple of years ago when Democrats had overwhelming control and it was defeated then,” he said. “It’s a bad thing to do in the middle of an economic downturn.” As far as answering the Buffett clause, McConnell said, “Buffett should send a check.”

Leader McConnell did say that divided government works best and pointed to a number of past legislative compromises. “The budget control act in August, the patent bill, we extended the FAA…divided government is the perfect time to do big stuff.”

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Clinton dove into McConnell’s remarks and addressed Obama’s re-election chances.

Addressing the call for higher taxes, Clinton said it was the least harmful provisions inside the jobs bill. “Of spending cuts, revenue increases and growth, you have to have all three,” he said. “Restoring tax levels to when I was president is the one that does the least harm.”

Even as Obama travels across the U.S. while 9.1 percent of Americans are without a job, Clinton still says the president can get reelected. “Historically, financial crashes take five years to recover,” he said. “The president was dealt a difficult hand…the American people aren’t good at waiting five years for things to happen.”

On CNN’s “ State of the Union ,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., predictably both opposite sides of the tax issue. While Durbin praised Buffett for being “honest,” Graham suggests increases in the tax rate on the wealthiest Americans won’t help the government close the gap on the deficit.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney also appeared on “ Face the Nation ” Sunday following the release of his memoirs, “ In My Time. ” He also said that Democrats should consider pitting outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton against Obama in a primary election.