[Mary Jo] White Put Politics Before Prosecution ~ Kelly Patricia O’ Meara - Insight Magazine
.
Posted on 12/06/2001 12:47:02 AM PST by HAL9000
Though the mission of the Clinton Presidential Center will focus on building a better future, Bill Clinton said Wednesday that the library won't avoid the controversies that riddled his presidency when examining the past."Impeachment? Absolutely," Clinton said during an hour-long discussion with reporters. "One day we'll have some presidential historians who know something about what went on, who don't have such a vested interest in appearing on television.
"What I did was a matter of record, but what I want is the whole record out."
After Clinton broke ground on his $104 million presidential complex east of the River Market District, he went to the Old State House, where he first spoke with the History Channel's Roger Mudd and then met with local reporters.
He touched on several subjects, including the challenge of writing his memoirs, and expressed regret that U.S. soldiers died Wednesday in Afghanistan. Most questions focused on the future of the Clinton Presidential Center.
In past months Clinton received high-dollar offers to build his library elsewhere. The former president's graduating class from Georgetown University offered $30 million to move the planned facility to Anacostia, a part of Washington notorious for crime and urban blight.
"I was offered maybe even more to take it to New York," Clinton said.
But in the end, the big money and the delays over acquiring the Little Rock site didn't matter.
"I always wanted it to be here," Clinton said. "If it hadn't been for the people here, I never would have become president. I think that it's better to have these national assets dispersed throughout the country."
Far removed from the Oval Office, Clinton said he is having a good time writing his memoirs, but structuring the outlines and recalling events is more difficult than he expected. And his memory isn't as sharp as it once was, he noted.
"The project is under way," Clinton said of his writing, for which he is reported to be paid more than $10 million. "I've got all my records together. I've got an elaborate outline. I've got a system so that every time I remember something when I go somewhere, I write it down."
When he's finishing writing about his eight years as president, will he ever run for public office again? Perhaps for governor of Arkansas?
"I can't imagine that," Clinton replied.
And what about President Bush's recent executive order to deny public access to thousands of presidential papers despite a law that mandates they be open 12 years after a president leaves office?
"I'm comfortable with the current law and I intend to follow it," Clinton said. "I'm not criticizing. ... I'm just saying what I think the law ought to be, and people can do what they want."
Clinton said he wouldn't comment much on Bush's plans to try Osama bin Laden and other suspected terrorists in military tribunals rather than in open court. Some fear that such a system, intended to protect national security, eventually will erode freedoms.
"I just think that while this thing is going on, you should all comment about that and say whatever you believe about that. But I don't think I should," Clinton told reporters. "It's not the right thing for me to be doing right now. Maybe after some time passes, I'll have something to say about this."
Through his presidential library, scheduled to open in 2004, Clinton said he wants to pursue several initiatives from his administration, such as racial and religious reconciliation, the fight against the AIDS epidemic in Africa, and economic empowerment.
He's working on many of these goals now, he said, noting he's already focusing on New York City's economic recovery as well as India's.
"I have done a lot of work in India through a foundation I set up with the Indian-American community ... to help rebuild western India after the earthquake," Clinton said. "I hope [it] will change the future for all of the parts of India."
Meanwhile, from his work with former South African President Nelson Mandela to start an AmeriCorps program in that country to his efforts to promote racial tolerance, Clinton said he keeps busy.
"In January the [Clinton library] foundation may have its first religious reconciliation conference," Clinton said. He didn't say where the conference would be held, but it would focus on Islam and the modern world in light of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Former presidents are among an elite group that has unique opportunities and resources to reach out and help people, Clinton said.
"So I'm not going to wait until this library opens."
Copyright © , Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved.
Of course there is a conflict between an ex-President's desire to look good in the eyes of the people and in the history books, and the idea of making all materials available, no matter what. However, with Clinton this built-in conflict will be at its maximum. From beginning to end he has lied to advance his politics and to protect his personal peccadillos. We can expect that his Library will continue the pattern of lying.
What will serve as the Anti-Clinton Library, the place where people who are lied to at the official place can go to get the truth? This is a problem that has not cropped up before, not even with the Nixon Library. How do we deal with the fact that this Library is about a sociopath, and through his sychophants, it will be a sociopathic institution forever (remember that it is endowed).?
Congressman Billybob
Do you suppose this is where Hilliary proves herself a liar again by announcing her candidacy for prez in '04?
He was? Who offered him more than 30 million to take his library to New York? Enquiring minds want to know!
sw
Have you been contacted re the Alamo-Girl wing of the Clinton 'lie-bury'?
Such an addition would be worth my consideration of support.
J
If the whole record ever came out, they'd put Clinton in jail and throw away the key.
Jennifer (555)123-4567 (10)
Kathleen (555)765-4321 (8 small)
Monica (555)987-6543 (6 xxx)
Vince (555)111-2222 Deceased
Webb (555)GO2JAIL Golf buddy
Jessie (555)666CHIX Spiritual advisor
Paula (555)PERJURE Not that kind
Hillary (555)SENATOR I can't remember.
Juanita (555)ICEONIT Very credible
It's not slick's 'intentions' that were/are a problem. It is his lies and actions that cause one to DOUBT the sincerity of his 'intentions', IMHO.
I firmly believe that without the rise of talk radio & the 'net, we would be in (i)X-42's third-term "workers' paradise," ala Cuba....
The truth, the whole truth, and everything BUT the truth.
My vote for Quote of the Day!!!
.
yeah....ashcroft's
Audio
I'm rememorizing this word. Thanks!
Does anybody really need to see that? Surely you can concoct something a little less disgusting for FreeRepublic. Just my opinon, but Dude, save it, please.
Oh goody, goody!!! I guess that means they will definitely have to create a high tech interactive
"Gallery of Rape Victims" display.
And of course, they can't leave out a life-size model (as attested to by Paula Jones, Gennifer Flowers & others) of---AHEM,--"Willard"---anatomically correct, of course!!!! (BENT AND SHRIVELLED.....ROTFLOL!!)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.