Posted on 08/09/2003 6:50:09 AM PDT by mountaineer
"Living History" has far outpaced U.S. Sen. John McCain's memoir "Faith of My Fathers" (1999) and is closing in quickly on "My American Journey" by Gen. Colin Powell, which has 1.6 million hardback copies in print after eight years. Like the secretary of state's book, Clinton's has fueled speculation of a presidential run, either in 2004 or 2008. Former President Bill Clinton's wife insists that's "not in the cards," but she does see something positively political in the crowds of up to 2,000 people who have given her rock-star receptions at book-signings across the country.
"I think it's a reflection of how people are feeling not only about me and the book," she says, "but about the state of the country right now."
Having signed more than 20,000 books, by her own estimate, Clinton comes to Atlanta on Monday.
....
Q: You've set the bar pretty high. Do you think your husband's getting nervous about whether his memoir [to be published next year] will do as well?
A: Oh, I don't think so. I think he's just trying to get it finished. I'm very confident it will do extremely well.
Q: Why do you think you and your husband have become such polarizing figures in politics?
A: I think some of it is in part because of the positions we have taken and championed over the years. Some of it is because we are progressives, and some people get very intense in their opposition to the positions we take. I think it has a lot to do with the ongoing struggles in our country over what direction we should be heading.
Q: Does the intensity of the hatred ever scare you?
A: It has a few times. . . . I've come to just accept the fact that for both ideological and partisan political reasons, that's just going to be a factor in our lives.
Q: Is there equally intense feeling on the other end of the spectrum?
A: It is, and it's very rewarding. I've certainly seen a lot of that in the last two months on my book tour. But I always believe that in America, the answer is usually to be found kind of in the quiet middle, where people are struggling actually to solve problems. That's what I try to remind myself of.
Q: Assuming that you're not going to be running yourself, as you've said many times, do any of the Democratic presidential hopefuls look good for 2004?
A: Absolutely. We have a number of really qualified, experienced candidates running. I believe . . . as voters get to know these people a little better, somebody will emerge who will have a very good chance of defeating the incumbent for a second term. That's important, because we're heading in the wrong direction as a country.
Q: Which is harder: a political campaign or a book tour?
A: They're both kind of challenging, because you have to travel fast and meet a lot of people quickly. They are, in my experience anyway, equally rewarding. I love being out there and hearing what's on people's minds.
Q: You do appear to actually be enjoying this.
A: I really am. I've had a great time. . . . I've also learned a lot. I mean, people go through the lines and tell me what they're thinking about -- every issue under the sun and what should be done about it in the United States Senate. [She laughs.]
Q: You weren't exactly known for your sense of humor when you were first lady, but it has become a little more apparent since then. How important is a sense of humor in politics?
A: Well, I've always had one. [She laughs.] I guess I didn't have much chance to display it during the very difficult, challenging eight years of Bill's administration. But I don't see how you get through the day, let alone life, without a sense of humor. You have to be able to laugh at yourself and nearly everything else that's going on around you.
Q: Do you think politics is still a noble profession?
A: Absolutely. It's not only noble, it's essential, especially in a democracy. That is how we make decisions about what we're going to do together as a society. I worry about some of the decisions that are being made in Washington these days because I don't think they're the right ones for our country. So, it's not only noble, it's absolutely critical that people be willing to become involved in the political process.
Q: What do you read for pleasure?
A: Right now I'm reading this wonderful new biography of Katharine Hepburn. For someone of my vintage who loved watching her on the screen, it's a joy to read.
....
Q: Have you read the other blockbuster book this summer: Harry Potter?
A: You know, I'm reading the Harry Potter series to my nephew right now, because I hadn't read them yet. But now that Harry and I have been together now [on best seller lists and in store events], I figured I'd better know what's going on in his life.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
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