The week when it all came together for the Clinton two-for-one package |
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Posted By gamahuche
3 months, 3 weeks ago
in Political News
Hillary tours Africa while Bill defies critics by rescuing journalists from North Korea
It's been 17 years since Bill and Hillary Clinton offered themselves up to American voters as a two-for-one package deal, and began adjusting notions of the role of the personal and the political in public life.
But in all those years – his scandals, her pillorying by the right, his jet-setting for the Clinton Global Initiative, her slog through smalltown America as a presidential candidate – it's hard to think of a week when the partnership worked as expertly as it did in the rescue of two journalists from North Korea.
Here was Hillary Clinton, embarking on a seven-country tour of Africa as secretary of state, while her husband, the former president, successfully carried off an ultra-sensitive mission to one of the world's most recalcitrant regimes.
It's an even more impressive piece of choreography given the other outsize political figures – each with their own personal histories with the Clintons – involved in this week's homecoming of the journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling.
There was Barack Obama, of course, who had brawled with both Clintons during the Democratic primaries. Obama also had to weigh Clinton's history of difficulties in sticking to a script, knowing that a stray remark or mis-step from the former president could expose him to attack from the right, which is opposed to dealings with North Korea.
Then there was Al Gore, the journalists' employer as head of Current TV, who had to bury his resentments that Bill Clinton's affairs in the White House may have cost him the presidency.
For many, the seemingly flawless execution of the plan to free the two journalists, who had been sentenced to 12 years' hard labour for briefly straying into North Korean territory, demolished the notion that, in choosing his former rival as secretary of state, Obama was getting not so much a twofer as trouble.
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Submitted By:
gamahuche
"I would rather be a square peg than fit in a pigeon hole" -
an essay which won me the "Lamb Essay Prize" at the Religious ...
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gamahuche3 months, 3 weeks ago
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I like it!
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Of course.
Connecting with people is Bill's forte - and you can spare the salacious comments about that!
It will be very interesting to one day find out what behind-the-scenes negotiations took place to finesse this meeting on terms that were honourable and with effectiveness of purpose that hardly appeared Asian in style..
He demonstrated his people-handling skill absolutely brilliantly when he came to Prague in 1994, a time when encouraging noises were being made for the Czechs to join NATO but Clinton charmed the Czechs by a) playing his saxophone at the Reduta Jazz Club - the "Jazz Section" was an anti-Communist hold out - and even more by his meeting with Bohumil Hrabal, the most profoundly loved Czech writer, in the latter's favourite watering hole,U ZLATÉHO TYGRA.
Bush's visit to Prague?
The whole city shut down. 10,000 Secret Service men deployed. The whole nation well and truly P***ed off. Oh and that was just before he helicoptered in to the garden of Buckingham Palace, destroying the Queen's plants - and even worse frightening her flamingos. She was NOT amused. -
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gamahuche3 months, 3 weeks ago
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Obama and Michelle also did well in Prague [as well as totally charming the Queen, of course] as much for whom they DIDN'T waste their time on - e.g. our lame duck President who just disgraced us totally with his lacklustre - O.K. stinking awful! - Presidency of the EU and the leader of the Civic Democrats who had just been deposed.. They chose to have a quiet night together and skipped a couple of functions rather than be embarrassed later by these meetings.
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And kept their powder dry for the main event - an outdoor speech at Prague Castle and then a private meeting with iconic ex-President Havel. -
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cowboygrandpa3 months, 3 weeks ago
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Will:
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"I always wanted Hillary to get Attorney General.. Hell hath no fury.."
LMAO hahahahahaaaaa !!
Bush is so happy she didn't, Laura had to hide the bottles again !!!
Cheney was getting his quail gun out again !!!!
And Gonzales was wetting his diaper. Hahahhahahaaaaaa
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cowboygrandpa3 months, 3 weeks ago
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I'd just like to commend all the fine people who worked this out.
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Nice to see Mr. Clinton again using his ability to charm people, for a purpose other than personal gain. ;~))
Ya know what was really nice about this ??
It wasn't an arms for hostages deal like the actor Reagan pulled. Then tried to say, that the hostage takers were afraid of what would happen to them if they didn't release the hostages. Yeah, like what ??? He'd check his horoscope to see what day would be good to ask again ???
I am completely befuddled and bewildered by the moronic notion of the "conservative" base that discussion is out of the question. What did Bush acheive ???? Many dead, many wounded, many homeless, a destroyed economy world wide, a loss of integrity for America, etc. etc. ...
Yeah it is real hard to see why Americans voted for change huh ??? ROTFLMAO hahahahahaaahahaahahaaaaa !!!
Hey all you birthers out there, question this. Why is Obama so much more effective than Bush ????
One simple answer, he can see all the crap, having lived his life without the silver spoon that Bush had stuck somewhere. LOL
Get a clue, America is tired of the lies, we want to win again !!!!!! -
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georgiadipirro3 months, 3 weeks ago
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Thank you G for this! Bill Clinton has a powerful technique and finesse with people of all walks of life. Just to listen to him speak so eloquently - his passion Touches my heart. Same with Obama and Michelle very impressive with their way with people -- their hearts in the right place. I feel. I love it and I agree. G thank you so much for the inside knowledge that you bring – Great Post
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