Posted on 01/01/2002 10:35:26 AM PST by Jean S
On January 20, 2001, George W. Bush was sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States and Bill Clinton's world came crashing down around him. No more power, no more constant media attention, no more political influence, no more….relevance. Now, one year later, President Bush enjoys 90% approval ratings and Bill Clinton is seething. He could only dream of such overwhelming support from anyone other than nineteen year old interns. Add to this a recent Gallup poll which has 24% percent of Americans blaming Clinton for the sagging economy (compared to just 7% blaming Bush) and the fact that many have begun to question whether the Clinton Administration did all it could to stop Osama bin Laden's terrorist network.
The result is a man who sees his true place in history coming into focus, and he doesn't like what he sees. So, in typical Clinton fashion, he recently powered up the war room, now housed in his Harlem office, and bunkered down with foot soldiers like Gene Sperling, John Podesta, and Bruce Lindsey. He preached, reportedly for two hours, on how they need to do more to ensure that his legacy not become The Man Who Let bin Laden's Reign of Terror Continue.
James Carville no doubt has his fax machine working overtime issuing the talking points that we will be hearing on all the Sunday morning and cable talk shows in the next few weeks.
| "Clinton was a great president" (They're hoping maybe if they say it enough, people will begin to believe it.) "Clinton wanted to wage war on terrorism, but he didn't have the luxury of having the country behind him." (If only…) "We didn't know then what we now know." (Translation: we didn't know that our failure to address this issue would cost 3,000 American lives.) "He did target bin Laden, but just missed him by [minutes], [hours], [days]." (Take your pick.) "Look at all the other things he did…" ("He may not have done anything to stop bin Laden, but he passed the Family Leave Act!") |
During the meeting Clinton supposedly also lamented that Democrats in Congress were not doing enough to polish his image. Apparently they seem too preoccupied with other issues for Bill's taste. Even during a war, it's still all about him.
For all of his bigness - big promises, big speeches, big scandals - Bill Clinton is really a small man whose problems, in his mind, were always the fault of someone else. His impeachment was Ken Starr's fault. Whitewater was the fault of overzealous Republicans. A conspiracy was always to blame, but never Bill himself. And this pattern of blaming others continues today.
Clinton's Assistant Secretary of State for counter-terrorism issues, Michael Sheehan told The Washington Post, "It has to be said that it was the collective judgment of the American people, not the Clinton administration, that the impact of terrorism was at a level that was acceptable."
Once again, Clinton lays the blame at the feet of someone else; this time, the American people. How pathetic. Newsflash, Bill. Presidents are supposed to lead - look at the people and lead. Not look to the people, stick their finger in the wind and ask, "What should I do now?" But because of his all-consuming obsession with polls, he failed to make his case to the American people to do what was right (taking out Osama bin Laden) and instead did what was popular (little or no military intervention). And the result was that the al Qaeda network's reign of terror was accepted by the Clinton Administration and allowed to continue.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain responded the same way to the Nazis in 1930s Europe as President Clinton did to terrorists in 1990s America. As long as military intervention remained unpopular with the British citizens, Chamberlain was satisfied with letting Hitler do as he pleased. No military intervention, just big words ("I believe it is peace for our time." Once again, maybe if we say it enough, it will come true). But Chamberlain's failure to contain Hitler, even if it meant using military force, soon led to World War II and it was left to Winston Churchill to right Chamberlain's wrongs. Sixty years later, Bill Clinton's failure to contain bin Laden, even after repeated terrorists attacks on Americans here and abroad, allowed the attacks of September 11th to take place and now it is left to George W. Bush to act where Clinton did not.
One of the wonderful things about history is the perspective that time gives you on an era. During an event, participants are too close to the action to have proper perspective. But once time passes, and the outcome is known, historians are able to study events in a different light. And history is beginning to weigh Bill Clinton's place and his true legacy is coming into focus. I truly believe that 50 years from now Americans will look at the Clinton era and wonder how he could have ever been elected once much less twice. And that is why he is still trying, one year out of office, to build his legacy. But no matter how he hard he tries, history will remember Bill Clinton for what he was - a failed president. The Master of Spin will not be able to spin his legacy into anything other than impeachment, abusing the powers of his office, sex, and failure to respond to the terrorist attacks. But this reality won't stop Bill Clinton from trying and that is why his campaign goes on. It's sad and pathetic any way you cut it.
Slick has mentioned before that he thought the main reason Roosevelt (sp?) was such a great president was because he had a world war to handle and wished he had one. He could do a much better job. Kinda like him saying now he could handle this war better than President Bush. I thank God everyday for giving us President Bush.
Correction...he WAS impeached, but the senate of corrupt clymers failed to convict!
He deserves to be stricken from the history books.
it is imperative that his disgraceful conduct be highlighted in History Texts so that people won't be led down that road again!!
Shows like that can spoil a holiday.
On January 20, 2001, George W. Bush was sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States and Bill Clinton's world came crashing down around him. No more power, no more constant media attention, no more political influence, no more….relevance. Now, one year later, President Bush enjoys 90% approval ratings and Bill Clinton is seething. He could only dream of such overwhelming support from anyone other than nineteen year old interns.
During the meeting Clinton supposedly also lamented that Democrats in Congress were not doing enough to polish his image. Apparently they seem too preoccupied with other issues for Bill's taste. Even during a war, it's still all about him.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain responded the same way to the Nazis in 1930s Europe as President Clinton did to terrorists in 1990s America. As long as military intervention remained unpopular with the British citizens, Chamberlain was satisfied with letting Hitler do as he pleased. No military intervention, just big words ("I believe it is peace for our time." Once again, maybe if we say it enough, it will come true). But Chamberlain's failure to contain Hitler, even if it meant using military force, soon led to World War II and it was left to Winston Churchill to right Chamberlain's wrongs. Sixty years later, Bill Clinton's failure to contain bin Laden, even after repeated terrorists attacks on Americans here and abroad, allowed the attacks of September 11th to take place and now it is left to George W. Bush to act where Clinton did not.
I had the same thought when I made the remark. I decided to let it stand because I determined that it would be more painful to the FIRST ELECTED president to be IMPEACHED if he is completely overlooked. He'd rather have negative publicity than none at all.
I do believe he is one mistake history will not repeat.
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