Posted on 05/10/2002 12:36:17 PM PDT by finnman69
Friday May 10, 2002; 2:57 p.m. EDT
Clinton Still Rejects Bush Election Victory
Nearly a year and a half after President Bush won more electoral votes than Al Gore in the 2000 election, ex-president Bill Clinton still doesn't believe he was the legitimate victor.
"There's a lot of people who know we won the popular vote last time," the top Democrat told National Public Radio's Tavis Smiley in an interview broadcast Friday.
He then added, "A lot of us think we won in Florida last time - I'm one of them. I'm one of them."
Clinton's ongoing skepticism about the legitimacy of Bush's presidency comes despite numerous media recounts showing that Gore would have lost Florida even if the U.S. Supreme Court hadn't halted official recounts requested by Democrats in four of the state's counties.
In addition to disputing the election result, Clinton inexplicably claimed that he currently spends at least 50 percent of his time serving the public.
"Look," he told Smiley, "I spend more than half my time right now on public service."
The ex-president interjected the comments about the 2000 race's results after Smiley asked whether he thought his former vice president would be the Democrats' best candidate in 2004.
"I talk to (Gore) every few weeks," Clinton said. "I have a good relationship with him. He hasn't told me yet whether he's going to run. If he does, of course, at the outset he would be the front-runner."
But then Clinton added, "I think he recognizes that, under these circumstances, like every other Democrat, he'll have to make his case."
The ex-president's suggestion that Gore would not automatically get the nomination comes as polls continue to show that his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, is the next most popular presidential candidate among Democrats.
Clinton also addressed reports that he was negotiating with NBC to host a TV talk show.
"The appeal of it would be that I could speak about the things I care about in an environment where people would be free to listen."
Such a show, he said, would afford him the opportunity to address "larger numbers of people than I can speak to" at the $125,000 speeches he gives around the country.
Clinton said he was uniquely qualified to explain to the American people that the world is changing.
"We live in a world with open borders and free travel and spreading information technology and it's very good but it makes us vulnerable. That's what we learned (on Sept. 11).....
"I think one of the things that I can do because I was president - no one else can do - is try to explain this to the American people in a way that will help them be better citizens and help them make better judgments."
Clinton said that such a talk show may not be commercially feasible and might conflict with his busy schedule, given all the time he currently spends serving the public.
"Look, I spend more than half my time right now on public service. And I've got a book to write and I've got to finish raising money for my library."
"So, I don't know if I could do (a TV show). This would radically change my life. But I would talk about it," he added.
I expect a lot of posts to this one.
This is public service? It sounds like he just wants to make money. $50 million for the talk show? I think he is being less than honest about what drives him.
$$$$$ and Chicks!
Blacks will believe this, too.
It's a misquote. What he actually said was: "I spend more than half my time getting serviced in public."
I DEMAND A RECOUNT ON THAT LAST STATEMENT
This world would be a much better place if not for all those ignorant, freedom loving people everywhere.
Thank the gods we have Bill to explain things for us. Go back to Mt. Olympus. We are not worthy.
Arrrrgh! The unbelievable ego of this guy! Worse yet, there are people out there (DUh's for one) that worship this guy and really don't think they have enough intelligence to make a decision without him.
Every time Rush gets on some T.V. show he should show the clips of Clinton crying crocodile tears at Ron Brown's funeral and the time Clinton cursed out the aide at his first Easter Party. That clip of Clinton cursing out some working class guy would show the true Clinton to the American people. It was savage.
I'm so glad he's over that arrogance phase.
He is such a special man. Only he can explain to the little people how to make better judgements. There is no one else to guide us. Save us Bill! You must do it ... for the children!
BTW, I'm sure that he can ignore the fact that he was impeached but guess what? He's still a liar and a sack of dodo.
I know, I know I'm just a bit cranky.
This statement really says it all. He always has to feel that he is somehow unique or different or special. He needs the gratification that can only come by declaring oneself legendary when no one else will. It's even more ironic that he should question the legitimacy of the president when he won an election with a lower percentage of the popular vote than GWB received. His lack of insight is amazing and makes him publicly look like a fool. I would say that he "suffers" from a narcissistic personality disorder but, in fact, it's eveyone else that suffers as a result of his personality disorder.
No other ex-president has ever tried to undermine his successor as Bubba is doing. He is despicable! UGH!!!!
Yet another lie. The best public service he could do right now is to shut up.
I thought it was an unwritten rule that former presidents don't undercut their successors, at least not outside of the period most reasonable people would consider the campaign season. Of course, Klink never let courtesy or honor or doing the right thing get in the way before.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.