Clinton plans to recreate his sanctum

The Guardian (U.K.) ^ | 05/21/2002 | Oliver Burkeman

[Pokey78]

Oval Office replica for Little Rock Presidential Centre, if the $125m can be raised

He has a smart set of offices in an up-and-coming part of Harlem, a luxurious $1.5m mansion in the classy New York suburb of Westchester, a diary full of international speaking engagements and rumours of a television talk-show deal.

But something has clearly been missing from Bill Clinton's life since he gave up control of the Oval Office last year, because he plans to build himself an exact replica of it in his home town, Little Rock, Arkansas.

The "full-scale replica" will be the centrepiece of a permanent exhibition at the Clinton Presidential Centre, which will house the 42nd president's official library.

The room, made famous by what Mr Clinton may or may not have done there and in the corridor outside with Monica Lewinsky, will have "furnishings exactly as they were during President Clinton's years in office".

Newly released literature from the centre says visitors will be guided through a reconstruction of the cabinet room and biographical exhibits of the president and first lady, soaking up "meaningful links between history, the work of the Clinton administration, and the future", before being brought face to face with the most important location in the scandal that lead to Mr Clinton's impeachment.

But it may be some time before the new Oval Office opens its doors: the former first couple are still struggling to raise the $125m needed to build the centre.

The fundraising was controversial even while Mr Clinton was in office, but it became the object of rancour on Capitol Hill when it emerged that the former wife of Marc Rich, the fugitive financier Mr Clinton pardoned in his final hours of office, had donated $450,000.

The identity of other donors swiftly became the focus of the congressional examination of Mr Clinton's rash of pardons.

A further indication of the forces ranged against the enterprise came yesterday, when the library's website abruptly went offline in the middle of the morning, replaced by a message left by a hacker: "Crazydick was here."

After they finally do get to see the Clinton Oval Office, according to the library's plans, visitors will meander out past a display of emails sent to Mr Clinton after the death of his dog Buddy.

Meanwhile they will be soothed by a few well-chosen pieces of music, among them Fleetwood Mac's Don't Stop, Clinton's 1992 campaign song, and Duke Ellington's In a Sentimental Mood, perhaps summing up the ex-president's feelings at the moment.

Another is, perhaps, an attempt to influence future historians of the administration: Elvis Presley's Don't Be Cruel.

[backlash]

Well, shut my mouth. This just seems so tawdry and classless. The Oval Office is a hallowed place where the President works. For a former president to build himself a playhouse modelled in such a fashion is simply adolescent. Where is the dignified Elder Statesman persona a former president is supposed to exude? It seems that too many of our former presidents are either bumbling incompetents or corrupt grifters.

[ao98]

I've only been to the Carter library, but I think an Oval office replica is standard for most Presidential library's.

What is different is the design of the Clinton's Library

[hole_n_one]

You must be alot of fun at parties...

[syriacus]

Does this mean Clinton will be spending a lot of time in his Arkansas Oval Office???

[MinuteGal]

From the architect's drawing you posted in #22, it looks like the oval office will be nestled in a double-wide trailer. The artist appears to have left out the tire swing in the yard and the washing machine on the front porch, though.

Leni

[Ronin]

ROTFLMAO!!!

It DOES look like an Arkansaw trailer home up on blocks!!!

What an ostentacious HOOT!!!

[ao98]

Not only is the Clinton library a double wide, it's a two story high double wide.

[doug from upland]

Um........he didn't pee in the sink. He did something else.

[basil]

I don't think any of the replicas are actually built to scale. The ones I have seen are smaller versions of the oval office.

[tracer]

Shades of Captain Queege. Someone should pee on his tomato plant.....

[tracer]

Oval Office, indeed. This little chamber of whores should be named the Offal Orifice....

[altair]

My mistake. Sorry.

[tracer]

Not to mention the cars and pickup trucks up on cinder blocks, with mangy hounds asleep underneath them....

[Pushi]

Will it have a sink?

[doug from upland]

Near the end of our 8-year national nightmare, a melancholy Sinkmaster sang one last time for the object of his affection. Oh, the wonderful memories. Monica and his wonderful sink provided him with what his wife, who likes girls and slept in the other room, could not provide him. Remember the good times while talking with Congressman Sonny Callahan on the phone about the life and death of American troops. Remember laughing over a cigar as world leaders waited in the Rose Garden. Remember Betty Curry hiding in the closet until they were finished. Remember the middle of the night phone sex adventures on an unsecured line when a potential enemy blackmailer was listening in. Remember the time the Great Seal was stained in the Oval Office. We are so proud of him and how he upheld the dignity of the office where Jefferson, Lincoln, and Reagan had gone before him. We miss you, Bill.

MIDI - IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE

Lonely evenings…when my wife was…with a woman…once again
Has she been a lezbo…all of her lifetime…has she always…hated men…hated men

I will miss your porcelain glow…very much

I love you my sink…but it’s over now
I love you my sink…more than Monica Cow
I love you my sink…but it’s over now
I must carry on…I will do it somehow

Me departure's fast approaching…Bush will be here…it’s the end
Interns gave me pleasure…but nothing like you…it is silly to pretend

So I will miss your porcelain glow…so very much

I love you my sink…but it’s over now
Love you my sink…more than Monica Cow
I love you my sink…but it’s over now
I’ll try to carry on…somehow I’ll carry on

(musical interlude)

I love you my sink…but it’s over now
I love you my sink…more than Monica Cow
I love you my sink…but it’s over now
Yes, I must carry on, I know…I’ll do it somehow

I’ll miss you my little sink…what are you gonna do
I am so afraid that I’m gonna see…they will be trashing you

I love you my sink…but it’s over now
You were my soulmate…you were my soulmate

I still love you
I love you my sink
I love you my sink
I still love you

[ladyinred]

I really think other Presidents have done the same. I recall seeing a tour of Reagans library on CSPAN, and there is his exact Oval office recreated there.
This is really not some big news story, it is just any excuse the media can find to get Bubba's name in the papers!

[exit82]

Never mind the "double wide trailer" look. There's something definitely phallic about that building. But, then, it always was all about wee Willie, wasn't it?

[Ronin]

My God...

They actually plan to have a space in there called the GREAT HALL....

Don't tell me, it will have a 5 meter tall statue of der Arkenfuhrer holding aloft a copy of "Leaves of Grass, in front of which will be plenty of space for pilgrims to kneel and adore their once and future leader.

This is surreal!!!!

[sheik yerbouty]

The estate's name? Pandemonium!

[kcvl]

I can't think of ANYONE, that I know, who would be willing to go through this STUPID "liebrary". You couldn't PAY me to go! The urge to destroy it would be tooooooo tempting. And the urge to SLAP him would be more than tempting. I hope the whole thing falls off in the river. The way it looks it wouldn't surprise me if it did. The person who designed it must have been drunk or overdosed on drugs.