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Posted on 11/18/2004 9:41:32 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
LITTLE ROCK, United States (AFP) - On the eve of the opening of his presidential library, Bill Clinton (news - web sites) voiced lingering bitterness Wednesday over what he sees as the political and personal persecution he suffered in office.
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In a wide-ranging interview with ABC News, the former president discussed his health following open heart surgery, offered his take on the Iraq (news - web sites) war and praised the political acumen of President George W. Bush (news - web sites).
But his most passionate comments were reserved for a biting indictment of Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel whose efforts were largely responsible for Clinton's impeachment on charges of lying about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
"No other president ever had to endure someone like Ken Starr indicting innocent people, because they wouldn't lie, in a systematic way, and having respectable news outlets treat them like they were serious, and parroting everything they leaked," Clinton said.
"No one ever had to try to save people from ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, and people in Haiti from a military dictator that was murdering them, and all the other problems I dealt with, while every day, an entire apparatus was devoted to destroying him," he added.
While acknowledging the "terrible public-personal mistake" he made over the Lewinsky saga, Clinton insisted that he had paid his dues many times over, and he insisted that he had never let the American people down.
"And I had more support from the world, and world leaders, and people around the world, when I quit than when I started," he said.
Clinton's impeachment features in his library's permanent exhibition, although the focus is firmly on his partisan struggle with the Republican-controlled Congress, rather than on the salacious details of his liaisons with Lewinsky.
President Bush (news - web sites) will speak at the formal dedication of the library on Thursday, and Clinton had some measured words of praise for the man who succeeded him in the White House.
"He's a really good politician," Clinton said. "This compassionate conservative is a great idea. It's like saying ... I will give you everything Bill Clinton did with a smaller government and a bigger tax cut. I mean, he's very good."
Of his recovery from a quadruple bypass in September, Clinton said he still got tired easy but was managing to walk a mile uphill every day in an effort to build up stamina.
"I'm more alive to just the pace of daily life than I used to be, and I'm very grateful for things that are easy to take for granted," he added.
Bill, you had better "put some ice on it."
An absolute pathological liar with some major denial issues.
A fraud through and through.
Age does not bring wisdom.
I think that Clinton's biggest regret is that the WTC towers were not attacked on his watch.
Oh... wait a minute... they were.
Age does not bring wisdom.
All age brings is white (or no) hair, and wrinkles. Just look at Slick's hair. White as snow. He is going to be a dirty old man now!!! Har har har
To say that President Bush, "is a really good politician..." is a huge insult.
What a self-righteous slubberdegullion.
He cheats on his wife, we won't even TALK about the cigar issue, lies in court, lies to the public, and HE'S STILL ANGRY??? What the H E double hockey sticks does HE have to be angry about??
Full of it as usual.
That CABG took a lot out of him...that pic makes him look old and sallow.
The rumours of his slow recovery seem true.
obviously the anethesia hasn't worn off! He's still dreamin'!
My God, the narcissism is so pronounced it is doubtless terminal.
Did Clinton ever find his legacy? It must be somewhere in the library among all those billions of documents. Has anyone looked in the impeachment room?
"Clinton insisted that he had paid his dues many times over, and he insisted that he had never let the American people down."
Saying it doesn't make it so, bubba! YOU - and YOU alone - are the reason I became a Republican. So, in a way, I should be grateful you are such a low-life scumbag! Thanks for being such a loser and for taking your party down the toilet with you.
Dittos. As the detective on Law and Order: SVU said the other night, "You believe your own lies! You've conned yourself."
He looks terrible. He is starting to look like Carter does today. He will age badly.
Un-friggin'-believable. In The Bent One's mind, *everything* in life revolves around him...
Unfortunately the number of civilians he killed in Serbia rivaled or exceeded the number of civilians "ethnically cleansed". An entire nation was destroyed to create an Al Queda vassal state in the heart of Europe.
"and (save) people in Haiti from a military dictator that was murdering them"
Unfortunately the dictator he replaced became a dictator himself who had to be deposed, as so many of us predicted he would.
THESE are the "accomplishements" which he HIMSELF cites? It is a damning indictment of the disastrous failure that was the Clinton Era.
In earlier interviews reflecting on his impeachment, Clinton said he "successfully defended the Constitution." I believe he sincerely believes his own bilge that he single-handedly stood in the gap to defend America from the abuses of the Right. Our hero......
Wrinkles, white hair, balding, red and bulbus nose.....me thinks it's more uncle teddy!
The whoremonger is suprised. Tsk, Tsk.
my thoughts also..he looks terrible in that picture...I was shocked.
That's why conscientious public officials resign when they get caught porking their interns.
I'm still angry too. All the political integrity the U.S. government bled to attain when we let Nixon go was squandered when Clinton and his decided that party was more important than perjury.
I think his Whiny Pathological Liar Rewriting History routine is not good news for Hillary's ambitions. I hope and believe that a lot of Americans wish he would just go away... what an embarrassment to the country he is. I suspect "Clinton fatigue" may sink Hillary, especially with all this library coverage giving him a podium for this fantasy life....
The longer this complete scumbag continues to deliver his lies and denials, the longer we can be secure than no one like him or his vile scum party will ever again darken the halls of the White House or Congress. Let this scum spew. He loses every time he does. Wonder when he'll do an OJ infomercial. Ha!
I hate him. I hate him so very very much. I just hate him.
Imagine - that for the remainder of our time on Earth - the majority of the visitors to this "library" will be cracking jokes looking for stains on the rug in the Oval Office mockup - asking where the side door is where Clintigula received his services and where the sink is where he pleasured himself. That will be his legacy and that's what he deserves.
What a petty. little man.
"No one ever had to try to save people...from a military dictator that was murdering them, and all the other problems I dealt with, while every day, an entire apparatus was devoted to destroying him."
This is a VERY apt description of President Bush's first term
Funny how the liberal media forgets to mention that Clinton was not only IMPEACHED, but he was also DISBARRED.
Of course you had support from other world leaders, you dumba$$ ... you were playing right into their hands! You were serving as President of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA , and your responsibility was to represent OUR interests, not the rest of the world's!
If Chirac, Schroeder, Kofi Anon ,et al support what you are doing, you are likely doing something that is WRONG FOR AMERICA!
Better get used to his looks. We are going to be seeing a lot more of him in about four years as he runs for co-president in '08.
The devil incarnate would be Hitlery.
He feels like he was abused? What about abusing Paula Jones? You know Bill, the woman you paid almost a million dollars to, even though you denied ever whipping it out and telling her to "kiss it". Or what about abusing our judicial system by lying on the stand or what about abusing the trust of an intern or abusing the trust of the public or abusing the respect of the Oval office, an office built brick by brick by the blood of men and women who gave their lives for that office, by appearing in gym shorts and a tee shirt, or abusing Arlington cemetary by burying a twit for cash who never served in the military, or abusing your power of pardon by pardoning 17 FALN terrorists to buy votes for your wifes Senate campaign, or pardoning the biggest tax cheat in US history for cash.... Bill Clinton, the definition of abuse saying he was abused. This is a hoot.
Bill Clinton has a very, very dark side, and he's restrained only by the fear of its revelation.
He looks like Yassir Arafat........Didn't they party together in 1996?
Oh, get over it, bubba. Dontchaknow all that rage will give you a heart attack?
"Clinton insisted that he had paid his dues many times over, and he insisted that he had never let the American people down."
This scumbag hasn't yet begun to pay for his criminality against the American Republic and the rule of law.
When your legacy is documented lies, impeachment and the label "First Rapist", that would keep anybody eternally angry...
Well good.
I'm glad he's still angry.
I am still disgusted.
Why is this news?
This guy's irrelevant.
He really is beginning to look like Carter. There is frankly not much difference between them
On another note, I'm just delighted that it's pouring rain during his ceremony. It's very fitting!
HE was persecuted? WE were persecuted by having to put up with his sorry self for 8 years.
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