Hillary Does Letterman 'Late Show'

CBS News ^ | June 16, 2003 | Lauren Johnston

[jimbo123]

After a week of record-breaking book sales and a whirlwind tour of interviews with media bigwigs the likes of Barbara Walters and Larry King, the Hillary juggernaut shifted down a notch to work a slightly less serious circuit.

She went on Letterman.

CBS "Late Show" host David Letterman, who's often used the Clinton family misfortunes to fuel his nightly monologues and "Top Ten" lists, served up the usual quips and wisecracks Monday night before ushering the senator into his desk-side hot seat. He commented he'd gone in for open-heart surgery shortly after their last meeting.

But once the former first lady took the stage, the after-hours comedy king put the cheap shots aside and was on his best behavior.

Letterman's questions ran the political gamut. Clinton parried them with practiced ease and coy smiles, offering replies as beige as her well-tailored pants suit.

He prodded Clinton for details on her political ambitions and plans to run for president in 2008: "I've said I have no intention to run." He pressed her to name a favorite Democratic candidate for the 2004 race: "I like them all."

And when discussing Clinton's newly published, top-selling memoir "Living History," Letterman asked whether she'd really considered divorcing husband Bill Clinton following his admission of a scandalous affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

"I made the right decision for me,'' said Clinton.

But the senator didn't mince words when it came time comment on the economy and bash the Bush Administration's recent tax cuts. "We should go back to having some fiscal responsibility in this country," she said. "I don't think you should be running a government on your credit card, like I don't think you should be living your life on a credit card, and when you do, you run into problems."

"The rich are going to get a whole lot richer and we're going to be leaving more and more middle class people behind. I don't think that's the way America is supposed to run," Clinton said.

Before the interview, Letterman fretted out loud that Walters and King had covered all the bases in their recent talks with Clinton, but neither posed this question:

"Does it bother you now, did it bother you then, that people like myself continue to make jokes about your husband?," he said.

To which the ever-poised Clinton replied, "Well part of the reason I came on this show is, I didn't know you did."

[jimbo123]

Send feedback to Letterman

[oceanview]

I do not understand why the Republicans never mention that the late 90s saw the largest concentration of wealth to the upper classes and the elites then at any time in the nations history. The stock market bubble, the corruption of corporate officers, the looting by Wall Street, all occurred under the Clintons watch. How they get off saying they are for the "little guy" is madness.

[Petronski]

Clinton parried them with practiced ease and coy smiles, offering replies as beige as her well-tailored pants suit.

LOL

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Excellent point.

[Russell Scott]

Hillary reminds me of another famous first lady.

1 Kings 21:25 But there was none like unto King Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

[Cicero]

Speaking of Ahab and Jezebel, what are the chances that Hillary will end up being eaten by dogs?

[fightu4it]

Maybe Dave will do a top 10 list of things you wont read in Hillary's book!

[rs79bm]

Clinton parried them with practiced ease and coy smiles, offering replies as beige as her well-tailored pants suit.

Let's not forget folks, that Hillary will never, and I mean

never

go on a show with out getting a list of questions first. She just won't do it.

[fightu4it]

Drum roll please!

And now for the number 1 thing you wont read in Hillary's book: Who put the note in Vince's brief case.

[F16Fighter]

Hitlery on O'Reilly. That's a show.

Letterman?? He now makes even Paul Schafer seem like Mr. Excitement.

[Oztrich Boy]

Clinton replied, "Well part of the reason I came on this show is, I didn't know you did."

And Bill wasn't fooling around with Monica,
God didn't make little green apples,
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime,
And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss,

[Hildy]

A woman who made 8 million dollars for not writing a book talking about how the rich get richer...now THAT'S RICH!

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I expect a BS top ten presentation of her reading the top ten list like last time. She'll act cute and miffed at the slight barb they take at her with one of the jokes. The whole thing will be softball city. Recommend only viewing this show in a vomitorium.

[TaqueriaFanatic]

One juicy story I heard about Hillary that she wont say
in her book: A month ago I was talking to an acquaintance
from San Francisco, Ca. on the phone. He told me he has a neighbor who was a big 60's radical and still is. She told my acquaintance that Hillary was in Cuba in 1969 cutting sugar cane to help with the harvest. The radical neighbor was big in the Venceremos Brigade, out of Berkeley, that sent radical college students in the 60's and 70's to cut sugar cane in Cuba in solidarity with the Castro government.From what I read the Venceremos Brigade still exists, it is based in Berkeley.

[Paul Atreides]

Maybe they still have Madonna's dyke cigar laying around from her appearance when she was cussing. Hillary could smoke it.

[honeygrl]

Well, he chickened out of asking her any really good questions last time she was on the show and apparently he did it again this time. I love his show but him sucking up to her like that disappoints me.

[Ipse Dixit]

Before the interview, Letterman fretted out loud that Walters and King had covered all the bases in their recent talks with Clinton ...

Yo, Dave. They didn't ask her if she believed Juanita. Go for it.

[arasina]

The pantsuit is DRAB BROWN, not beige. Perhaps Hitlery isn't running for President, but she sure looks like she has the runs.

[arasina]

I'm sorry you love Dave Letterman's show. I met him years ago (he used to work at the television station in Indianapolis where I worked). He was a jerk then just like he is now. I don't think he's funny at all.