A Squandered Presidency? (Clinton's): A Book Review of : THE NATURAL : by Joe Klein

Business Week Online ^ | MARCH 25, 2002 | Richard S. Dunham

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

While the U.S. has emerged as the world's sole economic and military superpower, the nation at home has lived through an era of failed Presidencies. Since the assassination of John F. Kennedy, only Ronald Reagan has left office with his reputation largely intact. Johnson decided not to seek reelection--amid civil strife and a bloody quagmire in Vietnam. Nixon resigned in disgrace. Ford, Carter, and Bush Sr. were voted out of office. The most recent retiree, Bill Clinton, became the first President in 130 years to be impeached.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Enjoy this one everyone!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ping!

[Free the USA]

bttt

[CyberAnt]

I don't agree Clinton was a "supremely talented politician" but do I agree he's a "deeply flawed human being". There is nothing this book could say which would change my mind about what a piece of scum Bill Clinton is and always will be.

[mcsparkie]

THE NATURAL

The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton

Plagiarized title, psycho-analytical subtitle.

Stolen allusions to other men famous in their own right.

Pretty well sums up eight years of sleaze.

[Adrastus]

Hey, come on now. You have to admit that if sick willy didn't do anything else, the world has a perfect definition and example of the term "white trash" now and forever.

[Post Toasties]

Whatever he amounted to as a partisan politician, and ignoring his criminality, x42 was a zero as a statesman.

[BluesDuke]

I'm guessing - ignoring for the moment the "deeply flawed" human being - that Mr. Klein never deigned to read James Bovard's "feeling your pain": The Explosion and Abuse of Government Power in the Clinton-Gore Years. Clinton could have been the essence d'essence of personal impeccability and he would still have been a menace to what's left of the Republic in terms of his policies, his flouting of the Constitution, and his unconscionable canonisation of the State and denigration of the individual.

[Buckeroo]

Why anyone gives Clinton the time of day is beyond me. He is a dawg; a dawg gone by into history of putrid witness of American history.

[DoughtyOne]

Once there was a book without an author.
Now there's an author without a book.

Revisionism won't help this presidential a--h---. Once a pervert always a pervert. Kline, get a real job. Produce some real work. Get out of our face you dingbat!

[DoughtyOne]

The Natural is more of an extended essay than a definitive history.

But then it would have to be if it wasn't totally negative, wouldn't it!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Speaking of Clinton's legacy!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I like this line:

But, rather than redeem the ex-President, Klein's analysis (and occasional psychoanalysis) of the dark side of all things Clintonian will probably end up serving to reinforce negative evaluations.

And that describes my opinion of the Clinton years.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Ping!

[DoughtyOne]

But, rather than redeem the ex-President, Klein's analysis (and occasional psychoanalysis) of the dark side of all things Clintonian will probably end up serving to reinforce negative evaluations.

Pardon me if that word Clintonian doesn't seem to move the mark of Clinton's forhead and onto a euphamism used by his critiques. It's almost as if the dark side isn't Clinton, but those who view his deeds as Clintonian.

Note the difference of the statement being written thus:

But, rather than redeem the ex-President, Klein's analysis (and occasional psychoanalysis) of the dark side of all things Clinton will probably end up serving to reinforce negative evaluations.

Eh maybe I'm too picky. I get real picky when people dance around Clinton's tragic period in our nation's history with fancy words and phrases. He was the equivelant of a human maggot. No need to pussy foot around it.

[Brian Allen]

What a bunch of wind of the arse!

[Brian Allen]

..... the world has a perfect definition and example of the term "white trash" now and forever .....

Two -- three with the gormless Chelsea -- for the price of ........

On second thoughts -- let's not go into the price!

[Liz]

indexing

[Liz]

In reviewing the ex-President's instant imprint on history, Klein mentions that Bartlett's Familiar Quotations includes three Clintonisms in its latest edition. They are: "I didn't inhale"; "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky"; and "it depends on what the meaning of the word `is' is." So much for policy triumphs.

About sums up "The Man From Hope." A normal human being would be sufficiently shamed, and experience
embarrasment about this "legacy." Wadda ya wanna bet x42 the conniver is real proud about being in Bartlett's?