Bill Clinton Gushes Over ‘Selma’: ‘I Stood Up and Started Cheering All By Myself’

Daily Beast ^ | January 19, 2015 | Ronda Racha Penrice

[maggief]

EXCERPT

Good-naturedly referencing his friend Andrew Young—who marched with King and is prominent in the film—early in his speech, Clinton told the sold-out crowd, “I saw Andy earlier today and I said, ‘Andy, I just watched Selma. Were you ever that thin?’ (eliciting thunderous laughter) and he said yes, he was, that they were dodging so many bullets in droves they all used to be thin.”

As he continued to speak, he got decidedly more serious. “If you haven’t yet, go see the movie Selma,” he insisted, “and you will see the enormous pressures imposed on the King family and friends.” Clinton made it clear, however, that it was King’s philosophy of a “beloved community” that Selma most affirmed for him. “I was reminded all over again when I was sitting through Selma,” he shared.

“You know it wasn’t like I didn’t live through it,” the 68-year-old Clinton confided, “and I swear [it was] just like it was the first time. And, when they went across the bridge the second time, I stood up and started cheering all by myself and I roared like it was a surprise. But I was just evidence to the fact that we all want to live in a beloved community. We all want to think that we can have a home. We all want to think we can do great things because we have a launching pad,” he preached.

[tumblindice]

“I stood up and started ... masturbating!” Bill Clinton

[Zathras]

I guess even the TOON now gets his marching orders from VJ