Narcissism Squared: Bill's Never Ending Obsession with Himself

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.

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.

Yes, we can all thank Ross Perot for that turd being President.

Here's his proudest moment, trying to get out of a question about rape from Sam Donaldson in the Rose Garden.

March 19, 1999 Press Conference.

Sam?

QUESTION: Mr. President, when Juanita Broaddrick leveled her charges against you of rape in a nationally televised interview, your attorney David Kendall issued a statement denying them. But shouldn't you speak directly on this matter and reassure the public?

And if they are not true, can you tell us what your relationship with Ms. Broaddrick was, if any?

CLINTON: Well, five weeks ago today, five weeks ago today, I stood in the rose garden after the Senate voted and I told you that I thought I owed it to the American people to give them 100 percent of my time and to focus on their business, and that I would leave to others to decide whether they would follow that lead.

CLINTON: And that is why I have decided as soon as that vote was over that I would allow all future questions to be answered by my attorneys, and I think I made the right decision. I hope you can understand it. I think the American people do understand it and support it. And I think it was the right decision.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE [WON'T YOU]) simply DENY IT, SIR?

CLINTON: There's been a statement made by my attorney. He speaks for me, and I think he spoke quite clearly.

Go ahead, Scott.

QUESTION: Mr. President, it seems you're on the verge of committing U.S. forces to combat without a clear definition of your threshold for doing so....

__________________________________________________

Attorney KENDALL'S STATEMENT:

"Any allegation that the President [Carter?] assaulted Ms. Broaddrick more than 20 years ago is absolutely false. Beyond that, we are not going to comment."

______________________________________________________ WH web site (has Press Conference archives):

http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1999/3/22/4.text.1

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Gore on Juanita Broaddrick: transcript.

The following conversation occurred between Mr. Al Gore and New Hampshire citizen, Katherine Prudhomme (a former Democrat and at the time a McCain supporter) at a town meeting in Derry, NH on Dec. 14, 1999. It is reproduced without the numerous um’s and ah’s inserted by the Vice President in the exchange.

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Q: When Juanita Broaddrick made the claim, which I found to be quite credible, that she was raped by Bill Clinton, did that change your opinion about him being one of the best presidents in history? And do you believe Juanita Broaddrick’s claim? And what did you tell your son about this?

Gore: (nervous chuckle) Well, I don’t know what to make of her claim, because I don’t know how to evaluate that story, I really don’t.

Q: Did you see the interview?

Gore: No, I didn’t see the interview. No. Uh-uh.

Q: I’m very surprised you didn’t watch the interview.

Gore: Well, which show was it on?

Q: ABC, I believe [actually it was NBC].

Gore: I didn’t see it. There have been so many personal allegations and such a non-stop series of attacks, I guess I’m like a lot of people in that I think that enough is enough. I do not know how to evaluate each on of these individual stories. I just don’t know. I would never violate the privacy of my communication with one of my children, a member of my family, as for that part of your question. But,…

Q: SO, YOU DON’T BELIEVE JUANITA BROADDRICK’S CLAIM?

Gore: NO; I DIDN’T SAY THAT. I said I don’t know how to evaluate that, and I didn’t see the interview. But I must say something else to you about this. Why don’t you just stand back up; I’d like to look you in the eye. I think that whatever MISTAKES [Bill Clinton] made in his personal life are in the minds of most Americans must be balanced against what he has done for his public life as president. My philosophy, since you asked about my religious faith, I’m taught in my religious tradition to hate the sin and love the sinner. I’m taught that ALL OF US ARE HEIR TO MISTAKES, that flesh is heir to. And I think that, in judging his performance as a president, I think that most people are anxious to stop talking about all the personal attacks against him. And trying to sort out all of the allegations, and want to, instead, MOVE ON, and focus on the future. Now, I’ll say this to you, he is my friend, and that friendship is important, and IF YOU’VE EVER HAD A FRIEND WHO HAS MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE and then repaired the friendship and MOVED ON, then you know what that relationship has been like for me. Secondly, I felt the same disappointment and anger at him during the period when all this was going on that most people did. You may have felt a different kind of emotion, I don’t know. I sense that maybe you did. I certainly felt what most Americans did. Third, I have been involved in a lot of battles where he and I have fought together on behalf of the American people, and I think we’ve made a good, positive difference for this country. Number four, I’m running for president on my own. I want to take my own values of faith and family to the presidency, and I want you to evaluate me on the basis of who I am and what you believe I can do for this country as president. Thank you.

This conversation was reprinted in The Weekly Standard, Dec. 27, 1999, p. 2.

http://weeklystandard.com/

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Bottom line: Rape = mistake

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