Ex-prez won't leave the stage

the Boston Herald ^ | Friday, May 30, 2003 | Rachelle G. Cohen

[presidio9]

Half the people came to worship Bill Clinton. The other half came to see if the old guy really still ``had the juice'' and the former president, who always seems to crave adulation, needed to win them all over.

And he's good, dammit, really good. Who else could make eye contact with several hundred people for a couple of hours during a speech and ``conversation'' at the John F. Kennedy Library Wednesday.

``It's amazing how he does that,'' said one young woman. ``I would swear he was looking right at me.''

He was lean (what, are there no McDonald's in Chappaqua?) and he was loose (``I don't care, I'm not runnin' for anything,'' he said and then proceeded to crack wise and say of the 2000 election results, ``At least it gave our Supreme Court a rare opportunity to stand up for minority rights.'')

But the man who once convinced the better part of this nation that he felt their pain wanted his audience to feel just a little of his own in his post-presidential phase.

In answer to a question from historian Michael Beschloss, Clinton said, ``I think I was well suited to the times in which I served because I have a high pain threshold. . . Because of my upbringing I had a particular tolerance for it.''

And while he conceded it was probably OK for historians and biographers to poke around in the private lives of presidents, especially long after they're gone, he added, there's a ``big difference if you have to deal every day with those trying to turn a public person into a private pinata.''

Well, pinata-boy is doin' OK these days. Sure, he misses the perks and he misses the work (``I loved being president,'' he said.), but he added, ``I think I was surprised at how happy I was to have my life back.''

Yeah, we know where we could go with a statement like that, but Clinton clarified that it meant hanging out in the local coffee shop in Chappaqua with the regulars. Whatever. . .

And even Clinton noted that financially he was doin' just fine, thank you very much. Of course, he did so in the context of arguing against the tax cut that President Bush was signing into law that day.

You just can't keep an old triangulator from triangulating, so Clinton beat up on the Republicans ``for whom tax cuts are ideological, almost theological.'' He called this particular one ``grossly unfair'' because it gave some money back to ``rich people'' like him and because ``these tax cuts are too small in the short run to do any good and too big in the long run.''

And then as if Dick Morris were still whispering sweet political nothings in his ear, Clinton added that he, of course, liked the child tax credit and ending the marriage penalty.

Would anyone be surprised that in a column in Thursday's New York Post, commenting on the skill with which Bush will have it both ways on the tax cut, Morris wrote, ``How can a Democrat oppose expanding the child-tax credit, lowering the tax rates on the two lowest brackets and repealing of the marriage penalty?''

Yep, even when it comes to parsing a complex issue like the tax cut, the guy's still a master - just as he is at playing elder statesman while skillfully turning the knife on the Bush administration.

``It never occurred to me that I was in sole possession of the truth,'' he professed about his White House years, then added, ``But we now face those who have exclusive claim to the truth.''

Charming and ruthless, flawed and beguiling, Clinton continues to fascinate because he remains that bundle of contradictions. That and because he remains on the stage. The coffee shop in Chappaqua aside, it's where he really lives.

[Leisler]

``It's amazing how he does that,'' said one young woman. ``I would swear he was looking right at me.''

[TheBigB]

``It's amazing how he does that,'' said one young woman. ``I would swear he was looking right at me.''

Do you have big bazooms, dear? If so, then he was.

[Piquaboy]

He makes me physically ill. This piece of human debris won't ever go away as he is too full of himself. Its all about Me! Me! Me!.

[texasbluebell]

This disgusting thing was once president of our country. How did we ever deserve this?

[Publius6961]

Ex-prez won't leave the stage

Somebody lost the "hook"??

[Destructor]

As much as I wish that Bill Clinton would shut up, and fade away I know that he never will. On the bright side, every time he opens his mouth it hurts the Dimocrats!

[Lazamataz]

He makes me physically ill. This piece of human debris won't ever go away as he is too full of himself. Its all about Me! Me! Me!.

He craves your very reaction.

Deny him that.

[T Lady]

Since Billybob enjoys the stage so much, why doesn't he just go into the movies? There's plenty of work for playing hard and loose with the facts in Hollyweird-they always do.

...Clinton would fit right in with that crowd; just consider it a returned favor for all the Lincoln Bedroom visits.

-Regards, T.

[smith288]

Man..that pic about sums it up...accept he needs to have a woman by the hair and dragging her.

[goodnesswins]

Maybe, maybe....even Hollyweird has standards? LOL.

[texasbluebell]

Yep, dragging her to the astroturf in the back of his pickup truck...

[LADY J]

"But the man who once convinced the better part of this nation that he felt their pain wanted his audience to feel just a little of his own in his post-presidential phase."

Another lying reporter. He never had the better part of the nation vote for him.

[Dems_R_Losers]

``It never occurred to me that I was in sole possession of the truth,'' he professed about his White House years,

Classic. Like he even knows what the truth is.

[presidio9]

I got the sense that the article was lampooing Clinton. The Herald is, I believe, owned by Rupert Murdoch. It has a charachteristically conservative editorial policy.

[Russ]

I didn't get that sense. In fact, this article probably deserves a Barf Alert.

[Cedric]

....This disgusting thing was once president of our country. How did we ever deserve this?....

We acted like spoiled, petulant children and turned our backs on an upstanding, high-caliber, former war hero because he capitulated to a venal George Mitchell plot to break the "read my lips" pledge, and because he wasn't Ronaldus Magnus. Things were so good back then we thought we'd indulge ourselves by electing a man-child charlatan "for kicks". We got what we deserved!!!

[mhking]

"Heil Clinton?"

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Yesterday on Hugh Hewitt's radio program Hewitt said he thinks Clinton will run for governor of California after the Davis recall succeeds, and that he will win.

OMG.

[bandleader]

ABSOLUTELY!HEIL CLINTON,SEIG HEIL!!!!!!!!!

[freekitty]

This man is good? That's ridiculous. Doesn't anyone have eyes or ears? The man could be a real copy of Elmer Gantry. I advise everyone to watch this movie staring Burt Lancaster. You can really see the similarities. Maybe people will start seeing Clinton for what he is. A lot of hot air and nothing behind it. He is a tragic comedy governed by absolute greed.

[freekitty]

Also, haven't you ever felt the carnival like atmosphere surrounding Clinton? Seriously, folks, he is nothing more.

[Howlin]

Hear! Hear!

[Howlin]

``At least it gave our Supreme Court a rare opportunity to stand up for minority rights.''

That SOB.

[mombonn]

``I would swear he was looking right at me.''

He wasn't looking, he was leering.

[texasbluebell]

That SOB.

You're too kind.

[Cedric]

...."I would swear he was looking right at me.''....

This is a perfect illustration of why Clinton won. Bill Clinton makes eye contact with audience members. Big woopee! I was taught to do that in a sales training class when I was 19 years old!
How good do you have to be if the media get all "moist" in reporting your god-like prowess for having successfully accomplished mundane feats?

[alethia]

Didn't he also comment on changing the Constitution to allow for Presidents to serve more than 2 terms -- just not consecutively? Yeah -- we know what ole BJ wants...

[gathersnomoss]

``It's amazing how he does that,'' said one young woman. ``I would swear he was looking right at me.''

And just what do you "feel" he was thinking about? There will come a day in my lifetime when this man will cease to exist.

[gathersnomoss]

I don't recall voting for the slimemeister.

[gathersnomoss]

As much as I wish that Bill Clinton would shut up, and fade away I know that he never will. On the bright side, every time he opens his mouth it hurts the Dimocrats!

You are right. Let him spew on.....

[Carolina]

Charming and ruthless, flawed and beguiling, Clinton continues to fascinate because he remains that bundle of contradictions. That and because he remains on the stage. The coffee shop in Chappaqua aside, it's where he really lives.

Ruthless, yes....flawed, definitely yes...beguiling, cobras are beguiling....fascinating, revolting is more accurate.

[Osage Orange]

You wrote:

"We acted like spoiled, petulant children and turned our backs on an upstanding, high-caliber, former war hero because he capitulated to a venal George Mitchell plot to break the "read my lips" pledge, and because he wasn't Ronaldus Magnus. Things were so good back then we thought we'd indulge ourselves by electing a man-child charlatan "for kicks". We got what we deserved!!! "

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

It wasn't as simple as you say...For one thing this man's name comes to my mind here.."Ross Perot".

I agree with your mention of the "read my lips" phrase...although that would have never got traction...if it wouldn't have been a DNC ''talking point'' that was faxed to every lame-stream mouth piece Clymer in the nation..!! And if the moronic walking dead Elephants in both house's..had a clue.

"WE"...didn't get what "WE" deserved....."WE" got what the brain-washed unthinking Sheeple in this country apparently wanted..!!

I frankly think..."WE" can lay the blame squarely on the MEDIOT's in this country...for NOT...doing their JOBS!! They are supposed to be watch-dogs...not SocialistMarxistDemoLiberal lap dogs..!!

RANT OFF...nothing personal. hehehe......

FRegards,

[Cedric]

....I don't recall voting for the slimemeister....

Nor did I, but enough of our bretheren on the "right" were either apathetic or hostile toward Bush-41 and Dole to allow "us" {the U.S.} to elect the worst president in our nation's history.

[Cedric]

Sorry. Praise the Lord "we" elected George W. Bush. And God forgive us "we" elected Clinton!!
Ross Perot serves to make my point. We {the right} flirted with that nutbag just enough to let Clinton sneak into office with 43% of the vote.

[Patriotic Bostonian]

Rachelle Cohen is an editorial writer and I believe writes a column one day a week at the Boston Herald. She is almost always on the left. I usually only have to read the first paragraph to know where she is coming from and as a result do not read her column or her editorials very often. I thank God for Rush and the Freepers every day. Although, I do subscribe to the Herald as I enjoy having a morning paper to keep up on local news and Howie Carr has written for the Herald for years.

[Teacup]

...

"I did not have sex with that woman."

[steve-b]

an upstanding, high-caliber, former war hero because he capitulated to a venal George Mitchell plot to break the "read my lips" pledge

It's traditional to insert more padding than this between mutually exclusive statements.

[Cedric]

They're not.

[Cedric]

Unless {as I suspect} you're numbered among the crowd who concluded that because Bush-41 was naive and fell for Mitchell's "for the good of the country" ruse, we might as well go ahead and elect a pathological liar, who, oh by the way, is also a tax-cheat, monanizer, serial adulterer, draft dogder and stealth socialist!

[Leisler]

"[Propaganda] must be aimed at the emotions and only to a very limited degree at the so-called intellect... The art of propaganda lies in understanding the emotional ideas of the great masses and finding, through a psychologically correct form, the way to the attention and thence to the heart of the broad masses."

-- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, pp. 180

[Leisler]

It was Bushs to lose, and he did.

[BigWaveBetty]

And while he conceded it was probably OK for historians and biographers to poke around in the private lives of presidents, especially long after they're gone, he added, there's a ``big difference if you have to deal every day with those trying to turn a public person into a private pinata.''

God give me strength! The bolded part of toon's statement shows how completely clueless he is. Please pardon me while I scream:

THIS IS WHY A PRESIDENT SHOULDN'T BOINK INTERNS IN THE OVAL OFFICE!

Really, we're supposed to think this man is the smartest president ever? Yet he thinks that in this day and age he can behave like that and nobody will have anything to say. Please.

[presidio9]

Jesus, has he gotten a lot of mileage out of that Rhode's Scholarship or what? The man won because he is from Arkansas and people from Arkansas are mensa-qualified if they can tie their own shoes (assuming they own a pair). Nothing more.

[timestax]

and he misses the work

What WORK??!

[Cedric]

Yep. But it took a biased, dishonest media, sulking and apothetic Conservatives and Ross Perot to do it!

[Leisler]

The media is a constant. Nothing new. Turning off your base and leaving a political vacume to be filled by others is the price you pay. If you don't define and stand for something, other will define you and you stand for nothing.

[Cedric]

Thgye "Base" acted childishly and it cost us all - big time! So Bush-41 brike his pledge; so Bush-41 didn't excite them; so Bush-41 didn't define him self {to their liking}. So what?!?! Any election is a choice between imperfect candidates and the thumb-sucking "Base" learned the hard way that staying home 'cause your guy isn't perfect can render disatrous results!
As far as the media is concerned, it is not a given: 1. They never went as all-out for a candidate as they did for Clinton. 2. Now that the "alternative media" has matured into potency, the mainstream media will never again be able to carry such a vulnerable and flawed candidate to victory.

[Leisler]

"Don't Go Wobbly, George", Margaret Thatcher to George Bush. Lady Thatcher was known as the Iron Lady. George wasn't.

Lets be blunt. If it wasn't for Reagan, Bush would never have been President. It was Reagan that got him elected the first time. Still though the GOP did learn from the populust Perot, it picked the hottie, Dole. Who's fault was that, Perots ? The media?

[Newbomb Turk]

You can thank Ross Perot for this TURD becoming our president !

Honest Abe said,"You can fool some of the people all the time. You can fool all the people some of the time. But you can't fool all the people all the time." --Abraham Lincoln.

But evidently some of our countrymen have become so stupid they would elect this hole ruler for life.