Clinton Should Focus on Others, Not Himself

Virginian Pilot ^ | 12-31-01 | Editorial Staff

[LiberteeBell]

Pity poor Bill Clinton. While the rest of the country is worried about the war on terrorism, he's agonizing over -- surprise! -- his own legacy.

Seems that Clinton gathered a bunch of former aides and Cabinet secretaries to his New York office last week out of concern that his accomplishments as president have slipped from memory. They agreed to organize a corps of supporters to talk up his achievements and keep his profile from disappearing.

``We have to remind people of what we did on the economy, what we did with the crime bill, what we did with terrorism,'' one Clinton adviser told the New York Times. ``They're trying to pin the bin Laden thing on us.''

It's not unreasonable to muster one pang of sympathy -- just one -- for the ex-president. Even in the best of Clinton days (before the Lewinsky escapade), his strengths -- such as balancing the budget to help point the economy upward -- went unrecognized by his frothing opponents.

But Clinton's time as president is over. His latest scheme showcases perhaps Clinton's fatal flaw -- his boundless, blinding love of himself.

Better he should take a cue from the last Southern Democratic president, Jimmy Carter. In the two decades since he left office, Carter established a foundation in Atlanta promoting peace and democracy worldwide. If he isn't building houses for Habitat for Humanity, he's monitoring elections in Guyana or Indonesia.

Clinton could do the same, devoting himself to one of the issues he embraced during his presidency -- perhaps racial reconciliation or national service. Aside from improving the world, Carter's post-presidential service has transformed his image from failed president to wise elder statesman. If Clinton looked beyond himself for a change, he might be able to do the same.

[aristeides]

George Will spoke before 9/11. I think it is now clear that Clinton was the worst president we ever had.

[YankeeReb]

You are correct that his enemies have a right to speak out. However I was responding to the article that suggested that Clinton should not speak out. Once somebody is attacked either in print or the electronic media they have a right to respond. If someone criticized you I think you would have a right to respond. If someone attacks Bush he has a right to respond. However, the author of the article is damning Clinton for responding to the various diatribes against him. Frankly I think the country has far better things to do than dwell on the sins of Clinton. His eight years are over. All of this was debated ad nauseum during the impeachment debate and he was found guilty of getting blow jobs beyond a reasonable doubt. My point is that it is time to move on to other things. I would prefer that both Clinton and his critics change the subject.

And since he attacked the history of this country in his speech to Georgetown, people have the right to set the record straight in him. He was found guilty of more than getting "blowjobs", the man was found guilty pf perjury , he was fined for contempt of court, and he was barred from practicing before the supreme court. If the republicans weren't such spineless cowards, and if the democrats put the country ahead of their party he would have been out.

[Moonman62]

Frankly, I think the case could be made that the balanced budget contributed to economic prosperity (less gubmint spending). But, the point is that balancing the budget was a conservative goal which x42 glommed onto as a part of his "centrist" marketing scheme. Remember him parroting this phrase over and over and over again during the campaign, "...it's paid for in my balanaced budget"?

I agree with your point that an efficient government is good for the economy, but a balanced budget is an effect, not a cause. Now the Dems are saying that a balanced budget is necessary for a growing economy, or even worse, saying a government surplus is necessary. Surpluses take money out of the private sector, and are eventually used to make the government bigger and more wasteful.

[harpo11]

The ex-pres #42 just continues to prove he is just a feckless disgraceful small man.

Most adults by his age would be able to ascertain what is right. What is good. What is true.

Nor would an adult need to constantly find himself in so many unsavory positions that the only recourse available to this person because he does not appear to possess a inner moral compass is to hire PR execs to create and polish an image solely for the purpose of his own pleasure of furthering his political and historic ambitions. Heck, so many liberals still revere him, swoon at the mere sight of him and with tears in their eyes wish he was still our president, so why does he even need to reestablish an image when he has so many duped?

Well, anyway, I wish him a Happy New Year and God Bless him and maybe he will find a wonderful happy fulfilling career using his gift of grab, er I mean gab, to help others more needful like President Jimmy Carter has been so graceful and successful at managing in his post presidential years.

[katykelly]

grin

[Ditter]

I think hating clinton on first sight back before the 92 election makes me a Charter Member of the club too. I didn't have to wait for the facts to come out. Yeah I'm psychic, somehow I knew he & hill were scumbags. I had never heard his name before & I knew.

[sandydipper]

Who woulda (coulda) thunk that America would have elected a worthless draft dodger for president the first time. I nearly fainted - same as the OJ verdict - I really thought there was a huge mistake. But there was no mistake, people then and even now suck up to the slim ball. I just don't get it.

I would not allow Clinton (nor OJ) to take out my garbage.

[Howlin]

Same here. And I was positive after that CBS "Stand by your man" interview. Never looked back.

[Paul Atreides]

First, you have to get him to understand the meaning of the word "honor".

[screed]

Tell me you didn't come to FR and put yourself in a position where you are defending Bill Clinton. My word man. I'm not sure it's possible to exercise LESS judgment than you have here.

[MrJoe]

"too bad they didn't see him for what he was in 92! It was clear to me he was a shameless phony! Keyword here is PHONY!" Go to Yahoo and do a search on the "Clinton Chronicles" It is a Video that foretold what we were getting into if he was elected to office in 92!

[newslady]

Thanks, Slyfox, for the exhaustive list of William the Impeached's crimes, misdemeanors, and misconduct in Post#2. I am going to save this list for posterity.

[desertcry]

I have looked long, and hard, but could not point my aging fingers to any solid examples of what clinton did, or did not do, that can be atributed the state of our economy in the early 90's to the end of that decade. If you remember, the economy started it's upswing before clinton took office, and started to go sour months before he left office. To be fair however, I can't blame clinton for the economy turning sour in early 2000 either. Maybe you have found some proofs of clinton's deeds which can be atributed to have a direct, or an indirect cause on the economy. Can you help?

[democratsstealvotes]

I love your name. Thanks for reminding us in detail of SOME of scumbag's crimes. I hope we never forget this list. Of course, his problems are pathological and diabolical. A once-in-a-millenium-type-guy. The only good thing about him is that he is mortal.

[pray4liberty]

There was another tale about when he hit on another mans wife and the man threatened to beat him to death, he ran like a whipped dog.

How about the time he hurt his knee by claiming he tripped over his own feet? It is well-known in women's self-defense that to disable an attacker quickly, kick him on the knee, particularly if you have to fight on the ground.

My theory--and it is only a theory--is that he groped the wrong woman and she really let him have it. I'd have given him a black eye--just to see how he'd spin that one.

[desertcry]

Clinton is again lucky, and perhaps indebted to bin laden for 9/11. President GWB can not afford to devide the country, and weaken the support of the American people of the war. Going after the clintons for their crime, will result in the democrats crying political harrasment, and would be divisive. Bush needs all the support he can get to succeed in this difficult war. I too would like very much to see this evil couple brought to justice, but bin laden is the 1st priority. Be patient, though their time will come.

[Slyfox]

I hope we never forget this list.

Ever so often I feel the urge to drag it out of my files. I began with around 15 offenses right after impeachment. And just kept adding. It is an incomplete list because everytime somebody turns over another Clinton rock, a few more come crawling out.

[Slyfox]

It is my distinct pleasure.

[Little Bill]

I'd have given him a black eye--just to see how he'd spin that one.

Didn't Hitlery do that one time? I remember seeing a pic of him with rather heavy makeup on his left(?) eye after one of their lovers spats.

[Nightstalker]

I'm not defending Bill Clinton. People who get $100000+ to give a speech don't need me. The original article was someone crying that Clinton was in the news too much. What I pointed out was that it was time to move past Clinton. A few month ago you only saw Clinton on a C-SPAN rerun at 3 A.M. However since 9/11 a lot of people decided to attack Clinton anew. This in turn brought Clinton back into the spotlight. I simply believe that it is time to move beyond Bill, Monica, Hillary, and Chelsea. Clinton can go on doing his thing and his enemies can find someone else too demonize. Way too much time has been wasted on Clinton since 9/11. He and those who freak out everytime they here his name need to occupy themselves with other matters.