Pitiful. Poor bill. He wants a legacy. . .
The Legacy..........
Posted on 04/24/2002 9:48:12 AM PDT by Teacup
SOUTHINGTON, Conn. --BARF ALERT!!!! At most political dinners, the kitchen crew would much rather stack dirty plates than come out to listen to the oratory. But three dozen waiters and waitresses stood in rapt attention at the back of the ballroom Monday night to hear the featured speaker at the Connecticut Democratic Party's annual fundraising gala.
Bill Clinton did not disappoint them. Near the end of his 35-minute address, the former president paused to acknowledge the service staff. He did not pander, nor express empty gratitude. Instead Clinton declared, as he stared at the back of the room, ''I want the people who served this dinner tonight to be able to send their kids to college.''
Fifteen months after he squandered his last night in the White House approving pardons for the likes of Marc Rich Clinton remains the larger-than-life embodiment of the Democratic Party. There is not a scandal that he cannot handle, since no one in the party can hold a candle to him as a star-spangled attraction. Only Clinton would need to boast, as he referred to his wife, New York's junior senator, ''Hillary and I had lunch today. We spent the weekend together.''
This week's big-ticket event on Clinton's calendar was Tuesday night's New York extravaganza at Harlem's Apollo Theater, projected to snag $2.5 million for voter-registration drives. But Connecticut Democrats were giddy over collecting $300,000 from their sold-out dinner. ''This is the biggest night we've ever had,'' gushed David Pudlin, majority leader of the state House.,b> ''This money is a ton, and it's all because of Bill Clinton.''
Clinton has glided so easily into his familiar role as fundraiser in chief that it is easy to forget that he is forging new ground for an ex-president. Never in more than a century has a former president so dominated an out-of-office party. Sure, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan left the White House as living icons, but they were both elderly. Teddy Roosevelt bolted the Republican Party in 1912 for his abortive Bull Moose crusade. Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson faced scorn for championing unpopular wars. And Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush were stigmatized as presidential losers.
Small wonder that Richard Stierwalt, a financial-services executive and party fundraiser, said at the Connecticut dinner, ''Al Gore went into hiding, so Bill Clinton is the face of the Democratic Party.'' Gore, with an Earth Day address Monday and a strong speech at the recent Florida Democratic convention, has obviously ended his self-imposed vow of silence. But it is hard to imagine Democrats ever experiencing an electric thrill from watching the former vice president on a podium. How can any Democrat seize center stage from the re-energized Clinton? Especially when he joked in response to the applause Monday, ''I was just getting over this when you've gotten me hooked again.''
Connecticut has just seven electoral votes, but it boasts two Democratic senators with presidential ambitions. But even on their home turf, Joe Lieberman , the 2000 vice-presidential nominee, and Chris Dodd, a former national party chairman, were dwarfed by Clinton. How do you appear presidential when sharing a stage with a real president? Instead of trying, both senators bantered about their clashing White House dreams. The best lines belonged to Dodd, who cracked, ''I'm the Irish Catholic. He's the Orthodox Jew. I speak for him on Saturday. He speaks for me on Sunday.''
In an interview before the Democratic dinner, Lieberman reiterated his promise not to run for president in 2004 if Gore tries again. ''I gave my word for good reasons,'' he said, ''and I'm going to keep it.'' This steadfast stance meshes with the moralism that Lieberman has projected on a national stage.
But Lieberman, the first Senate Democrat to publicly criticize Clinton for his entanglement with Monica Lewinsky, is forgiving about the former president's role within the party. As Lieberman put it, ''He is the rightful holder of the banner of the Democratic Party because he made it not only politically successful, but governmentally successful.'' Asked about the aftereffects of the Clinton scandals, Lieberman said, choosing his words carefully, ''I've publicly expressed my sorrow and anger over some of the mistakes that he made. But the fact is that he's an irreplaceable national resource.''
Clinton took pains to prove Monday night that he is indeed irreplaceable, at least as a political strategist. Reveling in his newfound role as campaign consultant without portfolio, the former president counseled skittish Democrats about how to run against the Republicans and an awesomely popular GOP president.
Sounding like a senior instructor at a campaign school, Clinton lectured, ''Don't be afraid to point out what the differences are, but don't sound too partisan when you do.'' As is so often the case with Clinton, it all comes down to a question of language. ''Don't use disparaging adjectives,'' he warned. ''Don't use angry verbs. And don't raise your voices. Just point out the facts.''
That is shrewd advice, especially for candidates blessed with a fraction of Clinton's political gifts. Listening to the ex-president address the fundraising dinner, you could sense the roomful of Democrats thinking, ''If only . . . '' For better or for worse, natural politicians like this come along once in a generation at best. But the Democrats might do well to pause in their wistful longing for Clinton and to start thinking about tomorrow.
HE WILL - THRU HILLARY! BARF! VOMIT!
Maybe they should try a blow torch.
Democratic hopefuls can't hold a candle to Clinton.
Did they forget to douse him with gasoline first?
I didn't know their kids weren't allowed to attend college, did you? How does he plan to pay for their college? He's making enough money, he should pay.
he he he he, good thinking.
The best lines belonged to Dodd, who cracked, ''I'm the Irish Catholic. He's the Orthodox Jew. I speak for him on Saturday. He speaks for me on Sunday.''
That was the best line?!?!
Uggh. Hire some comedy writers.
For better or for worse, natural politicians like this come along once in a generation at best.
Yeah, before Clinton there was Hitler.
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