There’s something weird about a convention of a bunch of people from alternative newsweeklies making national news. I guess it helps to have the former president—and husband of the potential next president—show up.
Bill Clinton’s speech was by far the highlight of the now-concluded Association of Alternative Newsweeklies annual convention. His speech started around 1:15 p.m. local time. It was well past 3 p.m. when he finally concluded the Q&A, and stayed for a while to chat, have his picture taken, shake hands and sign autographs. (I shook his hand and exchanged a word or two. It was, to use the vernacular of kids these days, “cool”). The remainder of the convention was thrown into chaos by the length of Clinton’s appearance (and for some reason, the hotel didn’t serve lunch until well after he was finished, meaning many of us didn’t eat), but we didn’t mind.
While the above linked-to AP dispatch hits some of the high points, two things stood out from the amazingly charismatic speech and Q&A:
1. At one point, during the Q&A, the subject of immigration—a subject Tucson knows all too well (and yet knows stunningly little about, in some ways)—and George W. Bush’s feelings on immigration came up. While cynics (myself included) express the belief that Bush is more moderate on the topic than he is on most other topics because he’s trying to protect the cheap labor pool for big business, Clinton had a different take. He said that immigration is the one issue Texas Republicans are less conservative on, because they get it. He also said that he feels Bush “believes in what he says, most of the time.” While I am not sure I agree wholeheartedly on Bush’s motivations, Clinton would know better than I would, and his perspective is fascinating.
2. The AP story touched on this, too, but I have to mention it: When Clinton bemoaned the fact that the media these days tends to turn public figures and issues into two-dimensional cartoons, I could not have agreed more. He chided the media for depicting his wife as a “left-wing nut,” when she’s not; for painting Democratic positions on the Iraq war with too broad of a brush; for making Sen. John McCain out to be a moderate when he’s actually quite conservative on many issues (something Arizonans have been reminded of by his support of the heinous Center for Arizona Policy anti-partnership ballot measure); and for mocking Al Gore and Hillary Clinton for being wonks. (“We need wonks. We need to know what the heck we’re gonna do,” he said to laughter.) He implored us to go beyond the two-dimensional cartoon, because these depictions obscure and hurt the ability to debate.
It was an amazing speech. I am impressed that he came and spoke to us (and we didn’t have to pay his huge speaker fee) and took the time to answer our questions and talk with us. Given the government’s propensity these days to try to keep as much information from the media as possible, it was a reminder of the good old days—a mere six years ago.
This article appears in Jun 15-21, 2006.
…I did stay and eat lunch that day. About half way through Bill’s talk…I realized he was going to go long…I remembered the looonnggg DNC speech he is famous for. Also I coined a new nickname for him…spread it around…he’s Mr. Google! Mention a word or topic and he knows the answer…ethnic cleansing in Africa, aids, global warming, using salt water to mine oil, world trade, Iraq, best BBQ, politics, anything. And then he’ll have a speech ready for the topic, too.
Mr. Google!
I have known Mr. Clinton for years from a far as just a normal citizen. Years ago he came and spoke at my church celebrating civic duty days around July 4. I have shook his hand many times, but never as a President. (Hey, but I have shook hands with Sam Walton and Mother Teresa).
I know many of his friends. After celebrating his first election night here in LR…and by the way it was a hectic night that night here at the office…a weekly trying to go to press in the a.m. hours of Wed. morning…readers told us we had better coverage than the daily here (whose press we were printing on at the time)… Anyway, the next morning, Bill, Mr. Prez was over at Carolyn’s house with his old high school buddies from Hot Springs. And Carolyn was cooking breakfast for them all. Her husband snapped the picture of the gang out on her porch that morning that made the world news. I know Carolyn real well. So I’m a FOAFOB…Friend Of A Friend Of Bill (verses just a FOB). Plus my sister-in-law’s sister was Chelsea’s nanny.
My one big wonderful moment with that eye to eye look Bill gives was a few years ago. His term as President was up. We were having a Best Of Arkansas party over at the Historic Arkansas Museum (did you make it to the fish fry Saturday night?) and Bill drops by. We heard he might and I called my wife to get over here with our daughter Joy, who was about 4 years old. She got here just in time, I put Joy on my shoulders…and here comes Bill right by me within seconds. I shook hands and then said “Bill, I was wanting to tell you if I ever got to meet you that I really did appreciate the adoption tax credit you passed.” Looking up at Joy and shaking her hand he grinned and looked at me and said “Thank you. It really looks like it meant a lot to you. (he paused) But just so you know, that was Hillary’s idea. I’ll let her know.” And you know, he probably did tell her…cause he’s that kind of guy.
I adopted our daughter from China. And a new law had just recently passed at that time giving a $5,000 tax credit for adoption. That’s $5,000 to the bottom line! Not something itemized. Later, before he left office, I think it went to $10,000.
Of course I wish the whole Monica thing had never happened. It IS a disappointment to the whole state. Kind of like you have a brother who gets out of prison for murder. He’s served his time…but you just can’t forget it.
-Ira
Production Mgr.
Ark. Times