By now, everyone has heard about former President (yes, this guy was once a sitting President of the United States) Bill Clinton's altercation with Chris Wallace on Fox News. The tantrum on national television brought joy to comedians and cartoonists, stress to the political aspirations of a number of politicians (especially a certain Senator for the State of New York), and additional damage to the supposed existence of a "legacy" for William Jefferson Clinton. I have no intention of addressing the specifics of the debate from that noisy interview, as others have already done so admirably, and in any case to advance the Leftist lie even through refuting it is not morally palatable. Besides, this article addresses that most elusive of Clintonian qualities, durable accomplishments. There is a way, actually, for Bill Clinton to ease memories of his less-laudable moments, and to establish something on which he may yet demonstrate that much-vaunted intellect and perceptivity. The road to that goal lies through the example of fellow former President Richard Milhous Nixon.
Yep, old "Tricky Dick" himself. Nixon actually did quite a bit during his two terms which was notable ands even worthy of some praise, but he blew it all away because of Watergate. Humorist Dave Barry once speculated that an enemy must have somehow installed a "stupid ray" in the White House, because every President has moments which are too stupid to explain in any normal way. In Nixon's case, Barry observed that Nixon was undone by secret tape recordings which proved what he was saying and thinking during the Watergate scandal. Barry pointed out how strange it was, to consider that Nixon was the one person fully aware of the taping and yet was the one person damaged the most by them. A brilliant man undone by an incredibly stupid chain of decisions. Nixon resigned rather than face certain impeachment. Clinton won't want to admit it, but he has a certain similarity to Nixon on that level, wouldn't you say?
But I am not here to heckle Clinton, seriously. You see, By the time he died, Richard Nixon had done quite a bit to rehabilitate his reputation, to the point that even Democrats were publicly accepting him as something of an elder statesman. Anyone familiar with the names and descriptions of Nixon circa 1975 would be amazed by that transformation. To be sure, the most rabid Nixon-hater never forgave him, but the average person did. This has figured in creating a legacy for Nixon which focuses on his Administration in a kinder light. No, he will not be thought of as a "great" President, but his name is not ridiculed and his reputation is actually above average. While he may grind his teeth to follow in the footsteps of a hated enemy, Bill Clinton may find that this way is the only viable course.
The first step is often the hardest, and this may be excruciatingly so for Clinton. You see, the first thing Nixon did after resigning was to go home and shut up. Nixon gave no interviews, wrote no books, and made no attempt to stick his nose into things for more than a decade after leaving the White House. He answered Presidents who called on him, yes, and he continued personal writings and research at home, and when the time was appropriate he did produce books and essays and interviews, but not while the emotions were still raw and the hatred still venomous. One of the biggest post-office mistakes which Bill Clinton has made, is to continue stoking those fires by shooting his mouth off at every opportunity.
You don't seem a bad sort, Mister Clinton. Lots of people find you likable and intelligent. But if you really want to have that legacy, you are going to have to learn when to shut up and sit down.
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I will point out that it wa... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Brian | September 30, 2006 4:49 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I will point out that it wasn't until the Wallace interview that Clinton said anything at all. So I wonder what "at every opportunity" refers to.
But he has stayed largely silent during the 6 years that you and others have blamed him for everything from terrorism to too-rough toilet paper, and called him a traitor, rapist, and murderer. I, too, wish he would have expressed himself in a more controlled manner. But after 6 years of enduring that abuse, I wonder how long I, myself, would have been able to shut up and sit down.
1. Posted by Brian | September 30, 2006 4:49 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 30, 2006 16:49
2. Posted by Xennady | September 30, 2006 6:56 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'd love to hear more from Clinton.For example, why his National Security advisor was stuffing classified documents down his pants.What's up with that, Bill?
2. Posted by Xennady | September 30, 2006 6:56 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 30, 2006 18:56
3. Posted by exo | September 30, 2006 9:22 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You Americans have such deliciously low standards. You actually would prefer a president who is a laughing stock, can't string two sentences together, is played for a fool by most of the world's dictators and is giving away America's future by the day. Please go ahead in your Bush worship. The world loves the fact that you are bleeding your treasury by billions every month while you go into deep Clinton bashing denial. It is interesting that a country founded on free speech just wants Bill Clinton to shut up and go away. You're discourse slides ever deeper into the mud. Keep going the world is egging you on. I wish Republicans the house, senate and presidency for the foreseeable future. It is your pre-ordained right to humble your country. Keep going. Great job. Keep bashing the Clintons all the way to recession and strife. You're doing such a smashing job of it.
3. Posted by exo | September 30, 2006 9:22 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 30, 2006 21:22
4. Posted by DJ Drummond | September 30, 2006 11:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Brian, you are a bad liar. Bill Clinton never said anything before? Geez, let's just pull out the summer of 2004 for a sample of his "silence":
June 18 2004 - Bill Clinton interviewed on the European television show "Panaorama"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/3829101.stm
June 20 2004 - Bill Clinton interviewed by "60 Minutes"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/01/60minutes/main620619.shtml
June 24 2004 - Bill Clinton interviewed by Juan Williams on NPR radio
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1972216
June 25 2004 - Clinton blasts the Bush Administration for nearly everything in an interview with Joe Conason of Slate magazine. This interview is also noteworthy because Clinton gets directly involved with campaigning for Kerry's run for the White House.
http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2004/06/25/clinton/index.html
July 7 2004 - Bill Clinton interviewed on television by Jim Lehrer
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/july-dec04/clinton_7-07.html
In addition, "My Life" by Bill Clinton hit bookstores that summer.
http://www.amazon.com/My-Life-Bill-Clinton/dp/0375414576
You, like Clinton, are a bad liar.
4. Posted by DJ Drummond | September 30, 2006 11:25 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 30, 2006 23:25
5. Posted by Jim Addison | September 30, 2006 11:48 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Oh, joy! A visitor from another land! We always try to warmly welcome our foreign visitors, no matter how inferior their countries of origin may be.
America offers boundless opportunity and much to learn for all. I highly recommend you begin with "personal hygiene." It makes you more socially acceptable in our culture.
Regular washing of self and clothes, combined with good dental hygiene, will help you assimilate much faster. Why, soon your recollections of whatever fetid, festering hole of a country you are from will be only dim memories.
5. Posted by Jim Addison | September 30, 2006 11:48 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 30, 2006 23:48
6. Posted by Brian | October 1, 2006 3:13 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Since you opened with the Wallace interview, and then later referred to Clinton "sticking his nose into things", I had assumed you were referring to his commenting on the Bush administration, which had nary a mention in those links you provided. Clinton did, of course, speak in defense of his own administration. If that's the crux of your essay, then I stand corrected.
6. Posted by Brian | October 1, 2006 3:13 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 1, 2006 03:13
7. Posted by Jim Addison | October 1, 2006 4:03 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
No, you didn't "assume" any such thing.
Your statement was "But he has stayed largely silent during the 6 years," which was clearly demonstrated to be false.
You were, in that post, suggesting that Clinton had NOT been speaking out.
We were fully prepared to accept your misstatement as an honest mistake, until you began lying to justify it.
7. Posted by Jim Addison | October 1, 2006 4:03 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 1, 2006 04:03
8. Posted by exo | October 1, 2006 9:36 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
h, joy! A visitor from another land! We always try to warmly welcome our foreign visitors, no matter how inferior their countries of origin may be.
America offers boundless opportunity and much to learn for all. I highly recommend you begin with "personal hygiene." It makes you more socially acceptable in our culture.
Regular washing of self and clothes, combined with good dental hygiene, will help you assimilate much faster. Why, soon your recollections of whatever fetid, festering hole of a country you are from will be only dim memories.
Posted by: Jim Addison at September 30, 2006 11:48 PM
HMM... ADDISON, A rather psychotic obsession with hygiene too! Do please keep at it! While you fester in a stew of impotent abuse China will be calling in those loans any day now. Don't forget to pay off your mortgage and settle the bill for Iraq in between your tourette's stream of consciousness abuse. By the way, is this all you Americans produce now, abuse? Has the gross national intellectual product come down to this? Tsk. Tsk. Very sad. STATE OF DENIAL.
8. Posted by exo | October 1, 2006 9:36 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 1, 2006 09:36
9. Posted by Michael | October 1, 2006 2:07 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Why do I think that exo is on the dole in his loser country?
9. Posted by Michael | October 1, 2006 2:07 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 1, 2006 14:07
10. Posted by Brian | October 1, 2006 2:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Yes, "silent" and "not been speaking out" about the Bush administration.
Geez, dude, I conceded I was wrong, and you want to turn that into an argument? Have a little class, will ya?
10. Posted by Brian | October 1, 2006 2:19 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 1, 2006 14:19
11. Posted by DJ Drummond | October 1, 2006 6:48 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You actually continued to promote the lie that Clinton did not attack Bush, Brian. That's what got you tweaked again. Those interviews I mentioned, especially the Salon interveiw, were by no means innocent or objective statements by Clinton.
Bill Clinton has been a Bush hater, and publicly so, for quite a while. That is only bringing him down, and pretending otherwise is just denial.
11. Posted by DJ Drummond | October 1, 2006 6:48 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 1, 2006 18:48