March 19, 2008
Hillary Clinton's Life Inside The Bubble
Washington Post: Minute-By-Minute Accounts Reveal So Much, And Yet So Little About Her Time As First Lady
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Clinton Pushes For Redo
Hillary Clinton is pushing for a redo of the disputed Michigan primary as Barack Obama continues to question her foreign policy experience. Jim Axelrod reports on the Democratic race.
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Hillary's First Lady Papers
After months of pressure, Hillary Clinton's campaign has released schedules chronicling her years as First Lady. But they reveal little about what she may have accomplished. Bill Plante reports.
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Then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton outside U.S. District Courthouse after giving Whitewater grand jury testimony, January 26, 1996. (AP)
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William Jefferson Clinton
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Hillary Clinton
A look at a life and career full of firsts.
From Our Partner:
So this is what life inside the bubble looks like, in tedious, mind-numbing detail.
In the 11,046 pages of Hillary Clinton's White House schedules released yesterday, every minute is scripted, down to when she takes her seat on a bench, when she is presented with a gift (1:35 p.m.) and when she makes a speech accepting it (1:40 p.m.), when she is escorted to an elevator and by whom and on what floor.
But not why. Never the why.
This is the briefest outline of a life, all mechanics and no feeling. If there are any insights here into the presidential candidate's interior life, they are between the typewritten lines and the reader's imagination.
On Jan. 21, 1998, the day several major news outlets first reported a possible liaison between Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky, there was this on the first lady's schedule:
A private one-hour meeting with attorneys Bob Barnett and Cheryl Mills, along with several people from ABC News radio. Traveled by Metroliner to a convocation ceremony at Goucher College, near Baltimore, where FLOTUS made a speech, took part in a VIP reception and conducted a Q&A with students. She received a gift basket sometime between 3:45 and 4:35 p.m., if all went according to schedule. Then she went back to Washington for 25 minutes of [REDACTED], followed by a black-tie dinner with POTUS, complete with receiving line and champagne.
What was really interesting, in the light of history, wasn't on the schedule. It was when Clinton spoke briefly to reporters on her way back from Goucher, telling them she didn't believe her husband had had an affair with an intern, saying, "I have seen how these charges and accusations evaporate and disappear if they're ever given the light of day."
Real life upsets the best efforts of the schedulers.
Almost nothing in the first lady's life is left to chance. The weather forecasts for Washington or wherever she is supposed to be are listed in her schedules, down to the details ("Wind southerly 10-20 knots"). When Hillary Clinton flies to Copenhagen, a notation points out that while local time will be 2:10 a.m., Clinton's "Body clock time" will be 8:10 p.m.
A chat with her husband is not a chat with her husband; it's a "PVT MTG W/THE PRESIDENT" in the Oval Office, and it is duly allotted minutes, and the president's chief of staff, Mack McLarty, is listed as scheduled to attend.
The schedules reveal the scaffolding under a savvy politician's exterior. Here are all the tips and hints that a first lady and her staff use to placate supporters and show respect to colleagues. In February of 1993, Clinton meets with Wally Kunicki, the speaker of the Wisconsin state assembly, for a 10-minute photo op. The event listing includes a note: "Wally Kinicki [sic] was a very early supporter." ("Thank you, Wally," we imagine her saying. "You were such an early supporter.") For one event, the schedule attempts to avoid an awkward incident by noting the pronunciation of then-Rep. Kweisi Mfume's name: "M-foomay."
What must it be like to live inside such a script? It's as close as we mortals can get to being able to predict the future. Walking into a children's hospital, Clinton (or her handlers) would have already known that she would be "escorted to rocking chair by 4 patients who will sit next to her." This is comforting or this is maddening, depending on your point of view. For Clinton, whose poise and preparation are legendary, the bubble might be a lovely place. So cushioned. So controlled.
"You know, I think I'm probably the most transparent person in public life," Clinton said Tuesday, talking about the release of all these pages upon pages from her White House days. She went on to note how many books had been written about her, 60 by her estimate.
As a matter of fact, there's a difference between being transparent and being scrutinized. Clinton is one of the most studied figures in public life, but she's also one of the most opaque. This is why the release of these documents seems like much more of the same. Just paper. We know what she did on any particular day -- we might even know where she stood -- but not what she felt. Not what she said to her husband, the president. Not what she thought about it all.
All mechanics. On Dec. 19, 1998, the day Bill Clinton was impeached by the House, Hillary Clinton's schedule made no mention of the fact that she and her husband would take to the South Lawn to criticize the vote and to vow to stay in office. It noted that she visited the House Democratic Caucus in the morning but not that she told members there that she loved her husband.
The last item on the schedule that day was a black-tie holiday dinner for 500 guests, slated to run from 7:40 to 9:30 p.m. Every detail was spelled out: The Clintons would be announced, the president would make "brief welcoming remarks" and dinner would be served at 7:50.
And then, this note, and perhaps she was glad for the rare instance when the script left a line up to her discretion:
"Upon conclusion of dinner, the President and First Lady have the first dance (optional)."
By Libby Copeland
© 2008 The Washington Post Company
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See all 189 CommentsWHERE DOES AN ARKANSAS BRED NY SENATOR GET $5M DOLLARS BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND NOW WITHOUT STEALING FROM CAMPAIGN FUNDS?
ANY WIDE HIP HILLARY SUPPORTER CAN ANSWER THAT?
THAT IS STEALING,
THAT IS FRAUD,
THAT IS HILLARY CLINTON!!
CHINESE WEB SPAMMERS SAY $5M COMES FROM BILLS BOOK DEAL, B S!
LETS SEE THE FINANCES HILLARY!!
NOW, SHOW ME, PROVE IT%u2026 LETS SEE HILLARYS FINANCES!!!
ITS WHITEWATER ALL OVER AGAIN SETTING UP,
THE DISTRACTION LIKE BILL CLINTON, WHILE REPUBLICANS ARE RIPPING YOU OFF!
BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON ARE CLOWN CON MEN (HILLARY IS A SHE-MAN)!
HILLARY FLIP FLOPS AFTER 100% SUPPORT OF GW BUSHS IRAQ OIL WAR!
HILLARY WAS HOME ON ALLEGED DAY OF SLICK WILLIES HUM JOB!
HILLARY HAS FAILED EVERY ATTEMPT AT HEALTH CARE!
EXPERIENCE? AT WHAT, BEING A LIEING FAILURE?
Someone else planned out every minute of her day, and she calls that experience?
Voting for Obama is a mystery vote, you have no idea what he''ll do.
McCain, too liberal for most conservatives, but the only sensible option.
AMEN!
Voting for Obama is a mystery vote, you have no idea what he''''ll do.
McCain, too liberal for most conservatives, but the only sensible option.
Posted by logicgal1 at 11:31 AM : Mar 20, 2008
This is how I see it as well, but I wonder if McCain is really a reasonable choice either.
Posted by zootallures2 at 11:36 AM : Mar 20, 2008
leafsintrees, is that you?
Get back on your meds.
Get back on your meds.
Posted by deemsnyd at 12:13 PM : Mar 20, 2008
Oh, so socially conformist of you mr. baboon.
Something for you to ponder.
If you got one bananna and you put it into nothing, would that bananna then either be nothing, or if you can''t do it, still be a nice yellow chiquita to shove up your arse? I ask your expert monkey opinion.
You have every right to question her qualifications to be president but at least be fair about it. Assuming you are truly concerned about the necessary qualifications to be president, I suggest you pursue Obama with as much relish and persistence as you do the Clintons.
The queen of spin is done....
Economy & Health - REZCO the scumlord
Religion & Unification - WRIGHT the racist
Military - FARUZ the muslim
Well, yes and no. What it DOES show, is the extent to which she is willing to debase herself and the humiliation she is willing to endure in order to preserve her political objectives. Beyond that, it would appear to have nothing to do with the current race.
Posted by demslie at 11:31 AM : Mar 20, 2008
Well, look what they have to work with. They aren''t miracle workers...
Posted by BLKPRESIDENT at 10:19 AM : Mar 20, 2008
And you will be in a single bed...
It is more interesting to note how Obama supports a bigoted racist minister who hates whites. Now that is worth wondering about Obama, where does he really stand and believe?
Something for you to ponder.
If you got one bananna and you put it into nothing, would that bananna then either be nothing, or if you can''''t do it, still be a nice yellow chiquita to shove up your arse? I ask your expert monkey opinion.
Posted by zootallures2 at 12:25 PM : Mar 20, 2008
That''s "Ms. Baboon" to you and you still don''t make any sense.
The queen of spin is done....
Posted by Andrew1003 at 12:46 PM : Mar 20, 2008
Stop and look what is in the WH now.
An AWOL dry drunk who says god talks to him.
And you are upset about a BJ...
If you really are from another country, the operative word being "IF", could you please find something else to do concerning your own country?
Posted by zootallures2 at 12:38 PM : Mar 20, 2008
So...how long have you been obsessed now?
It is more interesting to note how Obama supports a bigoted racist minister who hates whites. Now that is worth wondering about Obama, where does he really stand and believe?
Posted by cmp271 at 01:02 PM : Mar 20, 2008
Exactly. And don''t forget the Jews, he hates them most of all. Heaven help Israel if he is elected, because the US sure won''t.
An AWOL dry drunk who says god talks to him.
And you are upset about a BJ...
Posted by IOWEIGN at 01:05 PM : Mar 20, 2008
When did he say that God talks to him?
And who cares about her finances? Why is that even important? Every politician in Congress has money from many places. We don''t know. Why do we care? Short of her stealing it out of my bank account, it makes no difference how she made her money. You can find a scandal with every politician in Washington.
Everything Hillary has done, whether a failure or not, led to learning and experience. And I suppose everyone posting here has always gotten it right when attempting to do something. Give me a break.
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Posted by deemsnyd at 01:15 PM : Mar 20, 2008
Several times. Go read up.
Good Gawd, what a bunch of classless imbeciles trying to find some dirt to spew!
People get a clue!
almost everyone and people from every country appreciated this speech almost no criticism..
its dishertening that only in USA his speeech has been criticized by some ..
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