A Clever Fellow, to Be Sure, but Clueless About Character

The Los Angeles Times ^ | June 24, 2004 | Max Boot

[quidnunc]

"Survivor: Little Rock" — the reality TV show with only one contestant — is back. Bubba Bill is once again transfixing the nation with the psychodrama that is his life and times. The ex-prez wants us to know that he's been trying to figure out the source of the "demons" that led him into a dalliance with Monica Lewinsky. Not surprisingly, he's located the wellsprings of his childish behavior in his childhood. That's nice for him. But he still doesn't have a clue why he became every right-winger's favorite piñata.

Asked by Dan Rather why so many people hate him, clueless Clinton replied: "I've always tried to change things. And people who try to be change agents are going to make people mad against the changes you're trying to make."

Change things? What was it exactly that Bill Clinton tried to change? He came in with grandiose plans to nationalize healthcare and allow gays to serve in the military. Neither one got anywhere, and, in the case of healthcare, it was hard to tell whether Bill cared that much; that was Hillary's deal. Thereafter Clinton became the status quo president. He presided over a bunch of micro-reforms engineered by Dick Morris — feel-good ideas like encouraging school uniforms and discouraging teen smoking. This was grandly known as "triangulation," or the Third Way.

-snip-

[Howlin]

"Survivor: Little Rock" — the reality TV show with only one contestant — is back

LOL.........LOL.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

The Best thing about the Clinton Presidency

The best thing about the Clinton Presidency is that it will be forgotten by history, a mere footnote. If it weren’t for an eccentric billionaire he wouldn’t have had even that much. Absent Ross Perot’s help there is no chance that Clinton could have beaten President Bush (41) and it is questionable if he could have even beaten the inept candidacy of Senator Robert Dole.

Without any major accomplishments the only note worthy event will be impeachment. By his demonstrated lack of respect for the Truth, the Rule of Law and the Judicial Branch of our Government Clinton may have inadvertently achieved a minor historical legacy.

[Deb]

I love Max Boot, but "triangulation" is not "the third way". Triangulation is lying about your intentions to avoid responsibility or criticism for them from one side or the other. The perfect Bill Clinton technique. The Third Way is Socialism.

[elbucko]

"But he still doesn't have a clue why he became every right-winger's favorite piñata."

LOL! (where's a stick?)

"...And people who try to be change agents are going to make people mad against the changes you're trying to make."

Especially when the changes are not for the better. Whether concerned Americans had to stop your "changes" by electing a Republican Congress or use his own faults to impair these changes by impeachment, Bill Clinton had to be kept in check for the countrys own good.

[elbucko]

...the Clinton Presidency is that it will be forgotten by history, a mere footnote.

True. Clinton's presidency won't even make an entry in an appendix.

[Nonstatist]

there's a basic divide between people who value character in their president and those who prefer cleverness. .. At the risk of over-generalization, conservatives like character, liberals like cleverness.

Thus Clinton drove the right bonkers with his smooth evasions and brazen lies .. And now Bush drives the left equally bonkers with his verbal gaffes and moralistic views ...Clinton-haters are voters who worry about how sinners will fare on Judgment Day; Bush-haters are voters who think there's no greater sin than being judgmental.

It's not the economy, stupid. It's the culture. And if Clinton hasn't figured that out yet, he's not as clever as everyone thinks he is.

Pretty good article by Boot. Only, that lying Clinton would have been real dangerous if the Democraps didnt lose the Congress..

[quidnunc]

Deb wrote: I love Max Boot, but "triangulation" is not "the third way". Triangulation is lying about your intentions to avoid responsibility or criticism for them from one side or the other. The perfect Bill Clinton technique. The Third Way is Socialism.

A very nuanced point!

[Mr. Jeeves]

Change things? What was it exactly that Bill Clinton tried to change?

He did try to change things. He tried to mainstream the behavioral excesses of the 60's counterculture. And he was far more successful than he deserved to be.

[Xenalyte]

Clinton replied: "I've always tried to change things. And people who try to be change agents are going to make people mad against the changes you're trying to make."

Who wants to be a change agent? I want to be a secret agent. I REALLY want a cool theme song.

[skinkinthegrass]

Without any major accomplishments...a minor historical legacy.

Not true...He has credit for popularizing a SEX ACT during his term..."B.J.C." and/or "Lewinsky".

[NavySEAL F-16]

I'll just be glad when we never have to think about what he was capable of. All I think of is that if 9/11 had happened right before the election of 2000, I fear what this guy would have done to retain control.

[gargoyle]

...Changing the chumps, chimps are sitting in their smokers lounge, with the thousand yard stare, murmuring, huh? I passed geometry. Don't try piscatorial retoric with reasoning primates...

[kcar]

He sure changed the complexion of Congress. Clever guy - what a legacy. But his real legacy could be futureward and even more heady stuff than the Monica thing.

He may be remembered as the guy who killed that 20th Century Democrat Party.

[mrs. a]

Thanks for the clip - love the song. My little sister used to sing, "Secret Asian man, secret Asian man..."

[kcar]

Funny, my brother used to sing that Paul Simon song "Momma don't take my clothes and throw em, woo-oo-oo-oo, Momma don't take my clothes and throw em awayyyeay."

[Xenalyte]

Any time! It's from a site that has scads of TV theme songs.