Who Was First To Cross This Bridge?, By Paul Bedard - CBS News

Who Was First To Cross This Bridge?, By Paul Bedard - CBS News: "Who Was First To Cross This Bridge? By Paul Bedard Apr 10, 2007 (US News) Did Sen. Barack Obama uberstrategist David Axelrod coin Bill Clinton's famous phrase 'bridge to the 21st century'? A recent Axelrod profile in the New York Times Magazine credits him with introducing it 'into the political vernacular' while advising President Clinton's 1996 campaign, but a clip search reveals that Clinton used the metaphor at least twice before that, in major speeches in 1985 and 1988. Axelrod didn't return a phone message, but a call to President Clinton's office triggered a quick internal investigation. An aide to the former prez says two top Clinton advisers from '96 have no recollection of Axelrod's minting the phrase. By Paul Bedard Copyright © 2006 U.S.News & World Report, L.P. All rights reserved."