The Pastiche of a Presidency, Imitating a Life, in 957 Pages (NYT book review, not wholly positive)

The New York Times ^ | June 20, 2004 | MICHIKO KAKUTANI

[workerbee]

The book, which weighs in at more than 950 pages, is sloppy, self-indulgent and often eye-crossingly dull — the sound of one man prattling away, not for the reader, but for himself and some distant recording angel of history.

IOW, it's a perfect portrait of its author.

[45Auto]

I note that the bastard like all liberal 'victims', can't bring himself to take much responsibility for his own stupid behavior. Its always somebody else's fault - the mean ol' Repubos set it all up in order to "get him". He's sorry about Lewinsky ONLY because he was caught; the man is a pathological liar, an illicit drug user, an untreated codependent, an utter failure, and a crappy writer. He could have summed up the whole book in a short simple sentence:"I screwed up because I'm a hopeless loser."

[freekitty]

This book along with his wife's speaks volumes of the Clinton era: Too much money paid for nothing and worse.

[paws_and_whiskers]

" ... former President Bill Clinton is capable of soaring eloquence and visionary thinking."

See Reason Magazine article: Can the President Think? http://reason.com/9411/fe.efron.9411.shtml

[oblomov]

Actually the NYT likes to keep on staff a few contrarians, such as Kakutani. She is one of their prized writers. Note that she is attacking the work on the basis of its sloppiness and inauthenticity as art, rather than the truth or untruth of the content itself.

I would call this review devestating -it will be very influential in how the book is perceived by other reviewers.

[we_will_prevail]

"I hope Michiko is polishing up her resume, because she will not last very long at the New York Times."

Safire's experience/influence at the NY Times will (hopefully) protect her for her HONEST critique.

[AmishDude]

Well, drop my pants and call me Tiny!

[Rennes Templar]

"But while Dan Rather, who interviewed Mr. Clinton for "60 Minutes," has already compared the book to the memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, arguably the most richly satisfying autobiography by an American president..."

Rather has lost touch with reality.

[Two-Bits]

So what does Bill do at 13 but take the last name of his stepfather because he admired him so .....How does an illegitimate child born in a poor family, raised with an alcoholic mother and abusive stepfather go to college, Oxford, law school? Also, how come the half brother was not blessed with the same opportunities? Who was really Bill's father?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I liked this line:

In many ways, the book is a mirror of Mr. Clinton's presidency: lack of discipline leading to squandered opportunities; high expectations, undermined by self-indulgence and scattered concentration.

[thinkingman129]

Well written critique! Why doesn't it surprise me that Dan Rather would extol Clinton's book so much?!

Now we know what Clinton's next excuse will be: "I wasn't myself" "I don't remember that happening, it must have been someone else" and he will be telling the truth, a parallel truth at least.

Sad he thinks character is a journey, because he won't make the destination before his 'good' character is developed even in a partial way. Someone who is deeply religious (as he apparently purports) does not seek becoming a good person as much as doing good and doing right. Even that mantra of becoming a good person is still all about 'me.'

His high school autobiography also seems to show that he has not made it very far on his character journey! "I am a living paradox — deeply religious, yet not as convinced of my exact beliefs as I ought to be; wanting responsibility yet shirking it; loving the truth but often times giving way to falsity."

Scary, isn't it? What's scarier is that he was voted President of the United States not once, but twice. Also scary is that many people say his personal character and behavior had nothing to do with his effectiveness or ability as a President. If that's what people think, why do we ask what is wrong with America?

[AmishDude]

She seems to be an equal-opportunity curmudgeon. She trashed Perle and Frum's book and several other "right-wing" books much more savagely than this one. Actually, I think this passes for a positive review from Kakutani.

[dbwz]

Slam-bangered by the New York Times? Whoa, talk about taking the wind out of your skivvies!

[atomicpossum]

Who was really Bill's father?

Will the real father please stand up?

[AmishDude]

the polestars of his Janus-faced personality, what political guru Dick Morris once called "Saturday Night Bill" and "Sunday Morning Clinton"

This is the best line.

[diotima]

Didn't Ann Coulter mention the author of this book review on one of the shows...I think he/she slammed Ann's book if I recall.

[NYCVirago]

Not sure what they are up to, but they are up to something, maybe trying to lower expectations is the only reason.

The author of this review didn't like Hillary's book either, IIRC. If there's any agenda here, it's not by the critic, although I do think that the Times will end up publishing 2-3 positive reviews of this book by Clinton flunkies, to make up for this slam.

[McGavin999]

Lies about sex and real estate, partisan rancor over "character issues" (not over weapons of mass destruction or pre-emptive war), psychobabble mea culpas, and tabloid wrangles over stained dresses all seem like pressing matters from another galaxy, far, far away.

HA! I knew it, she just couldn't manage to make it all the way through without a deep dig at W.

[Old anti feminist]

I wonder if he mentioned his black son from a prostitute, he encountered . Someone has the likeness. He is the image of Clinton. Clinton has no core values. He is a genius at creating one, based on what he thinks will cover up his emptiness. He has done this amazingly well. He didn't cry at MLKs march, he created the facade, like everything else to try to make something out of nothing. Sad, but Hillary is the same.

[itsahoot]

Scary, isn't it? What's scarier is that he was voted President of the United States not once, but twice. Also scary is that many people say his personal character and behavior had nothing to do with his effectiveness or ability as a President. If that's what people think, why do we ask what is wrong with America?

Bingo!

And we don't think Hillary could win. Whistling past the graveyard always made me feel better, but offered no real protection. Trashing Hillary gives me that same feeling. We need a real defense not just whistling.