Bill and Tony's excruciating adventure (Clinton and Blair were not the buddies they seemed to be)

THE AUSTRALIAN ^ | September 30, 2003 edition | Philip Webster,The Times

[Liz]

Tony Blair and Bill Clinton were not the close pals they appeared to be, a new book about Mr Blair's relations with George W. Bush and his predecessor reveals.

Mr Blair and Mr Clinton had several rows, one of them lasting 90 minutes.

Mr Blair found the president "weird", and his team was heavily uncomplimentary about the Clinton contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process. As for his successor, Mr Blair bombarded Mr Bush with a stream of confidential advice, particularly in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the US.

The messages, comparable with those sent by Churchill to Roosevelt during World War II, have remained a secret but are revealed in the book Hug Them Close by Peter Riddell, chief political commentator with The Times.

British officials, anxious to avoid the image of the Prime Minister seeming too close to the President, have said little or nothing about them. The book reveals that Mr Blair wrote them frequently, in a familiar jerky style, highlighting areas for action. Many are thought to have been messages about Mr Blair's world travels as he tried to keep the international coalition together for action against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Charting the Blair-Clinton relationship, Riddell says that in the early days Mr Blair seemed overawed by the elder man's pyrotechnics. The relationship always had an "edge", according to an adviser who was present at all their meetings and saw it as "master and pupil". But after Mr Blair became Prime Minister in 1997, he asserted himself and was never entirely at ease with Mr Clinton when they were both in office. He did not like playing the junior partner and told a senior civil servant he found Mr Clinton "weird".

According to a senior minister, Mr Clinton's role in Northern Ireland was "hugely exaggerated". The two men fell out during the Kosovo conflict in 1999. There were several clashes and what Sir Christopher Meyer, the former British ambassador in Washington, told Riddell was a "very angry" 90-minute phone call between the two. There was a "huge, monumental explosion" from the president about a British briefing and an article in The New York Times that suggested British unhappiness at Mr Clinton's reluctance to consider ground troops.

Riddell was told by a senior civil servant Mr Blair would have liked to have been a president.

[Liz]

Mr Blair found the president (Clinton) "weird".........

You and several million Americans, Tony.

[DoctorMichael]

Bump.

[smiley]

Wonder if Slick Willie was "high" on his encounters with PM Tony Blair....wish I was a fly on that wall......maybe not..

[Wait4Truth]

Bump! Sounds like something we would enjoy reading.

[Liz]

More likely Clinton was making moves on Sheri Blair (/sarcasm).

[nickcarraway]

ping

[mountaineer]

Hey baby, you busy after the banquet?

[Hildy]

That's exactly what I thought and posted on another thread here. It's an odd choice of word..."WEIRD." It truly leaves it open to interpretation. My first thought was drugs, also.

[Liz]

A great "Caption This" pic.

My caption: "Get outta here you pervert. Wadda you think I am. Another Paula?"

[Liz]

UK's Tony Blair thought Clinton was weird. Didn't we all?

[boothead]

UK's Tony Blair thought Clinton was weird

Thought?? Think

[NotQuiteCricket]

Main Entry: 2weird
Function: adjective
Date: 15th century
1 : of, relating to, or caused by witchcraft or the supernatural : MAGICAL
2 : of strange or extraordinary character : ODD, FANTASTIC - weird·ly adverb
- weird·ness noun
synonyms WEIRD, EERIE, UNCANNY mean mysteriously strange or fantastic. WEIRD may imply an unearthly or supernatural strangeness or it may stress queerness or oddness . EERIE suggests an uneasy or fearful consciousness that mysterious and malign powers are at work . UNCANNY implies disquieting strangeness or mysteriousness .
Courtesy of m-w.com

I'd say: freakish or queer. Preferring - egomaniacal, psychotic, pathological

[Liz]

I'd say: freakish or queer. Preferring - egomaniacal, psychotic, pathological...

Yep.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Mr Blair found the president "weird"...

You're not alone in that opinion, sir...you're not alone.

[Old Sarge]

oh, let's have a go, shall we?

HIM: "Say, darlin', howja lahk to improve innernational relations?"
HER: "Get stuffed, you toejam-breath nutter!"

[VOA]

Riddell was told by a senior civil servant Mr Blair would have liked to have
been a president.

Since Churchill is mentioned in the article...can't help wonder if he isn't
"half-American" like Winston.

Even if I do disagree with some of his socialist leanings.

[CARepubGal]

Klintoon wierd...ya think? Could it be SATAN was Klintoon's most trusted advisor?

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks! I just read this on another website. Hilarious!

[Lady In Blue]

ping

[Liz]

Wouldn't surprise me in the least.