Those Were the Days
Will nostalgia sweep the Clintons back into the White House?
By John Fund
The Wall Street Journal
ASPEN, Colo.--There's no doubt who was the star at this year's Aspen Institute Ideas Festival. Bill Clinton strode onto the stage of a huge music tent Saturday and received a standing ovation from thousands of well-heeled, overwhelmingly liberal festival attendees. The Clinton magic clearly still works for many people. The question is whether it can rub off on the candidacy of Hillary Clinton, the mention of whose name elicited a much more muted response from the crowd.
Mr. Clinton, who sported a large "Hillary 2008" label pin, made it clear that he has "switched positions" with his wife. "I'm doing the kind of things Hillary did for 20 years" he said, and claimed he was happy to attend to board meetings of his foundation while he was in Aspen, where his wife was holding campaign fund-raisers. "I hope she wins," he said. "I think it'll be good for the country."
When onstage interviewer Rick Stengel, editor of Time magazine, asked Mr. Clinton what he wanted to be called if he became the first husband of a president, he replied, "My Scottish friends suggested 'First Laddy,' " which would "be easiest to relate" to his predecessor. (Laura Bush is famous for having brought her Scottish terrier, Barney, to the White House.)
By John Fund
The Wall Street Journal
ASPEN, Colo.--There's no doubt who was the star at this year's Aspen Institute Ideas Festival. Bill Clinton strode onto the stage of a huge music tent Saturday and received a standing ovation from thousands of well-heeled, overwhelmingly liberal festival attendees. The Clinton magic clearly still works for many people. The question is whether it can rub off on the candidacy of Hillary Clinton, the mention of whose name elicited a much more muted response from the crowd.
Mr. Clinton, who sported a large "Hillary 2008" label pin, made it clear that he has "switched positions" with his wife. "I'm doing the kind of things Hillary did for 20 years" he said, and claimed he was happy to attend to board meetings of his foundation while he was in Aspen, where his wife was holding campaign fund-raisers. "I hope she wins," he said. "I think it'll be good for the country."
When onstage interviewer Rick Stengel, editor of Time magazine, asked Mr. Clinton what he wanted to be called if he became the first husband of a president, he replied, "My Scottish friends suggested 'First Laddy,' " which would "be easiest to relate" to his predecessor. (Laura Bush is famous for having brought her Scottish terrier, Barney, to the White House.)
posted by Andy W. Rogers | 8:06 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home