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It used to be the custom that ex-presidents did not criticize their successors. Harry Truman, for example, is said to have despised Dwight Eisenhower, yet kept his opinions of Eisenhower private. George Bush the elder refrained from criticism of his successor, despite what must have been severe temptations to speak out about Bill Clinton’s performance.

But ex-president Clinton apparently doesn’t think that custom applies to him. In recent weeks, he has unleashed harsh criticisms of President Bush’s foreign policy and even predicted that the Bush administration is preparing to invade North Korea. Clinton has given two speeches recently in which he laid out his case against the Bush administration. For the most part, the liberal media have ignored both speeches, although Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post did wonder about the timing of Clinton’s public criticism of the Bush administration.

In early April, Clinton gave a speech at the University of Florida in which he charged that the Bush administration was preparing to invade North Korea. Clinton did offer some tepid support for the war in Iraq and the liberal media played up that part of his speech. But it ignored the main themes stressed by Clinton. A few days later, Arizona Senator Jon Kyl told WOR-NY radio host Bob Grant that Clinton’s comments about North Korea could undermine efforts to ease tensions in North Asia. Kyl said that North Korea’s leader is so paranoid that he might actually believe the U.S. intends to carry out Clinton’s prediction.

In Florida, Clinton charged that the Bush administration has rejected multilateral diplomacy in favor of a unilateral use of force to solve the world’s problems. Clinton claimed that the Bush approach to foreign policy could best be described as "We’ve got the power, we’ve got the juice, and we should do the job." Clinton pronounced himself "more in the other camp." He said "I think we ought to bend over backward to build a world where we are sharing responsibility, sharing benefits, and sharing values."

Then Clinton expanded and elaborated on his Florida critique at a symposium in New York. Initially, his remarks were reported only by Agence France Presse, but were later picked up by the Washington Times, the Fox News Channel, and even the Post’s Kurtz. Clinton charged that the Bush administration "mistreated" France and Germany before the war and that the White House is spending too much on defense. He said that the administration is unable to fight the war on terrorism and tend to domestic affairs at the same time.

He claimed that our policy is that if the rest of the world doesn’t quote "agree with us they can go straight to hell." He again emphasized that we live in an interdependent world and "you cannot kill, jail, or occupy all your adversaries." All this from a president whose foreign policy was a miserable failure and left his successor to fight terrorism, deal with North Korea, and finish off Saddam Hussein. Commentators on Fox News’ Special Report said that Clinton continues to disgrace the presidency and all agreed that the former president should just shut up and go away.

"But ex-president Clinton apparently doesn’t think that custom applies to him."

That is a problem with Slick and Hitlery...they never think that any rule applies to them. They consider themselves about the law and the rules of common decency.

Presumably the reason that the liberal press is failing to report clinton's remarks is that, unlike that pig clinton, they figure they would damage the leftist cause.

His speeches have been reported by the Washington Times, Fox News, and conservative outlets like FR. The exception is Agence France Presse, which like Chirac is so far out to lunch they don't realize that they are destroying themselves with this nonsense.

Commentators on Fox News’ Special Report said that Clinton continues to disgrace the presidency and all agreed that the former president should just shut up and go away

I guess Mara Liasson was out sick that day?

Clinton charged that the Bush administration has rejected multilateral diplomacy in favor of a unilateral use of force

Does the word multilateral action only mean dealing with the U-FU*****-N? We had around 40 nations backing us, Good lord man. Why can't people get it through their heads about this unilateral BS?

Clinton pronounced himself "more in the other camp." He said "I think we ought to bend over backward to build a world where we are sharing responsibility, sharing benefits, and sharing values."

And right there is his campaign slogan for the Presidency of the UN. This piece of garbage has always hated everything America stands for. He would rather pander to terrorists and despots than deal with the problems they cause.

Clinton charged that the Bush administration "mistreated" France and Germany before the war and that the White House is spending too much on defense. He said that the administration is unable to fight the war on terrorism and tend to domestic affairs at the same time.

I don't understand how you mistreat "allies" who stab you in the back? If anything we have been too light on them. And about not being able to do two things at once...did you ever find those launch codes Mr. Clinton?

He claimed that our policy is that if the rest of the world doesn’t quote "agree with us they can go straight to hell."

Sounds like a damn good policy to me. Most "rouge" nations understand the bottom of a boot better than the peace sign. Multiculturalism is going to destroy this nation one day. Slavery is wrong, Communism is wrong, Torture is wrong, Rape is wrong. I don't care one bit if the country that practices these things believes they are right or not.

If that sounds like I would be forcing my beliefs and morays on other people than so be it, the world will be a better place for it. He again emphasized that we live in an interdependent world and "you cannot kill, jail, or occupy all your adversaries." All this from a president whose foreign policy was a miserable failure and left his successor to fight terrorism, deal with North Korea, and finish off Saddam Hussein. Commentators on Fox News’ Special Report said that Clinton continues to disgrace the presidency and all agreed that the former president should just shut up and go away.