Peggy Noonan: Just Friends (Bush Sr's newfound affection for Bill Clinton is just creepy)

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Thursday, August 18, 2005 | Peggy Noonan

[presidio9]

Newt and Hillary pose on the Capitol steps showing a teasing delight in each other's company as they back, together, a new health-care scheme. John McCain and Hillary pose laughing with reporters and showing bipartisan closeness as they leave together on a fact-finding trip to Alaska. I saw the latter picture yesterday on the news, remembered the former, and thought of a conversation with a group of conservatives from throughout the country a few weeks ago.

The subject turned to the growing friendship between the Bush seniors and Bill Clinton. They had famously bonded big-time during their tsunami fund-raising efforts, and Barbara Bush is reported now to call Mr. Clinton "son." Mr. Clinton has been up to Kennebunkport this summer to play golf with his fellow former president, go boating, and have a private dinner.

In our conversation someone called the growing chumminess "creepy" and asked what I thought of it. I said I found it creepy too. What, I was asked, did I think was behind it? Why are Mr. Bush senior and Mr. Clinton so publicly embracing each other, yukking it up for the cameras and complimenting each other?

Because it serves their individual needs and interests, I said. They both get real benefit out of it while appearing to be ignoring their own interests. That's a great twofer.

What does Democrat Bill Clinton get out of cultivating the Republican Bushes? He gets public approval from a man most of the country sees as personally upstanding. When Mr. Bush puts his arm around Mr. Clinton, he confers his rectitude. Democrats won't mind it, and independent voters will like it. In receiving the embrace of the patriarch of such a famously Republican family, Mr. Clinton looks like someone who is, by definition, nonradical, mainstream, not too unacceptably odd and

[mercy]

This stinks.

I can never fully trust the Bush clan.

They swim too well and too freely in the foetid DC swamp of power whores.

[SgtSki]

My take is Hillary is being set up for 8 years in the White house followed by 8 years of Jeb Bush.

[mercy]

That'd be like signing a contract with Osama in Iran in a deal where you were the payer and required to put all monies up front and all services were to be provided at a later date.

[rcocean]

Maybe.

I could post your comment on Noonan on DU and not one person would disagree.

Do you ever make nasty comments on liberal commentators or just the ones on our side?

[olde north church]

Personally, I don't know what the people at DU would agree with, I don't go there. I've learned you can't walk through a sewer without getting shit on your shoes.

[thathamiltonwoman]

It's not creepy so much as disheartening. How can the Bushes be friendly towards such a person as Bill Clinton? Frankly, if Hillary wins in 2008 I won't be shocked at all.