CBS/AP/ June 18, 2009, 6:28 PM

Bill Clinton Vs. Vanity Fair

Add to former President Clinton's regrets this campaign season a stream of invective while commenting Monday on an unflattering article in Vanity Fair magazine.

"President Clinton was understandably upset about an outrageously unfair article," Jay Carson, a spokesman for Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, said after her husband's remarks appeared on the online Huffington Post, "but the language today was inappropriate and he wishes he had not used it."

Huffington Post writer Mayhill Fowler reports that she approached the former president while he campaigned for his wife Monday in Milbank, S.D., and asked for his reaction to the article "The Comeback Id" by national editor Todd S. Purdum in the July issue of Vanity Fair.

Purdum mulls the state of Clinton's mind given the wealth he has amassed in recent years, the negative impact he has had at times on his wife's campaign, his negative comments about her rival, Barack Obama, the company he keeps with jet-setting millionaires, and his health after heart surgery in 2004. In analyzing Clinton in more than 9,500 words, which include those of anonymous sources, Purdum asks, "What's the matter with him?"

Clinton had no doubt about what's the matter with Purdum, whom he called "sleazy" in the Huffington Post interview.

"He's a really dishonest reporter," Clinton said during the tirade that followed, according to Fowler's report. "And I haven't read (the article). There's just five or six blatant lies in there. But he's a real slimy guy."

Reminded that Purdum is married to his former press secretary Dee Dee Myers, Clinton responded in part: "That's all right - he's still a scumbag." The former president added: "He's just a dishonest guy - can't help it."

Clinton went on to observe: "It's all politics. It's all about the bias of the media for Obama. Don't think anything about it. But I'm telling ya, all it's doing is driving her supporters further and further away - because they know exactly what it is - this has been the most rigged coverage in modern history - and the guy ought to be ashamed of himself. But he has no shame. It isn't the first dishonest piece he's written about me or her."

"A lot of Clinton people believe that she's been treated very unfairly by the media," CBS News Senior Political Correspondent Jeff Greenfield noted on the "Early Show."

A call to the New York office of Vanity Fair for comment Monday night was not immediately returned.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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homjett says:
The MSM seems to be selective as to what they say is "truth". As long as it is NOT against Sen Obama, then its all true, no proof, just someone telling a story, putting out no facts to back them up that one can prove. This applies to the Vanity Fair story an the McClellan Book. Trashing a Clinton or Bush is in an sells. One might get use to this throughout the next months. The MSM cut McCain''s speech off, an showed Sen Obama''s speech in full, maybe 4 times that nite. Granted it was historic that he was the first Black to be elected to run for a Major Party. But, why did the election in MT an SD be so important to cut away from Sen McCain. Hillary should run as a independent.
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medmom04 says:
psychiatrist. try ''troll''.
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stn_sage says:
I''m getting tired of hearing Bill & Hillary Clinton whining about how the press is unfair to them!

BALONEY!

He''s the one in public who''s ''putting his foot in his mouth''! No one is ''holding a gun to his head'' and forcing him to do it!

Likewise, no one has forced her to make the gaffes she''s made in public, either.

As far as his philandering goes, has he ceased operations? Who knows?! But, I could care less

But with the Clintons, it comes down to, if the press reports to the public what they want and surpresses the negative stuff, THEN they''re happy and being treated fairly! Otherwise, they complain!

As human beings and politicians, they have degenerated a lot over the past few years, sadly!
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lorinkundert says:
To know a scumbag you need to be a scumbag, therefor Bill Clinton is more than qualified to make that judgment.
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hungryman9 says:
DO YOU WANT TO BE NUKED??? If so, just put John McCain into office. John McCain will do further invasions to initiate the NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST!!!

If Hillary Clinton loses the PRIMARY, John McCain will win in the GENERAL ELECTION!!! Then, further invasions and another round of BUSH will be realized!!!

IOWA was fixed!!! There is no question about this!!! The election was manipulated to put John McCain into office for the purpose of initiating a NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST to get EUROPE alone. Currently, this is NOT supposed to happen, and this is a waste of time!!! All that will happen will be a significant mess!!!

Posted by oil666
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oil you are a joke!
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hungryman9 says:
Shame on the Media!

Even every dumb Hillbilly from Arkansas knew about all these facts in Vanity Fair, We knew LONG before Bill was elected President AND the MEDIA knew it too!!!

Has anybody ever heard of the Clinton chronicles LOL these facts were there for anybody who wanted to find out about Bill Clinton long before he was elected!!!

The MEDIA loved Clinton, he could do no wrong even when these same facts were all over the place back then!

Now if we could only get the MEDIA to tell the TRUTH about Obama! The MEDIA knows all about him (and the person he really is) but just as Clinton they WORSHIP him too!

NOT FUNNY THAT THE TRUTH never gets told BEFORE someone is elected!

Shame on CBS news for not letting this information out before Clinton became President! This also proves that the MEDIA elects presidents - not voters!!!

Will God Bless America Again?

Posted by ppcusa
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The Republican party will let out everything on Obama. There will not be anything the media can do.
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randynason says:
Bill Clinton is certainly entitled to his opinion. He is just another citizen, now. A wealthy citizen to be sure, but just a citizen.
He should put his diplomatic skills to use and mediate.
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ppcusa says:
Shame on the Media!

Even every dumb Hillbilly from Arkansas knew about all these facts in Vanity Fair, We knew LONG before Bill was elected President AND the MEDIA knew it too!!!

Has anybody ever heard of the Clinton chronicles LOL these facts were there for anybody who wanted to find out about Bill Clinton long before he was elected!!!

The MEDIA loved Clinton, he could do no wrong even when these same facts were all over the place back then!

Now if we could only get the MEDIA to tell the TRUTH about Obama! The MEDIA knows all about him (and the person he really is) but just as Clinton they WORSHIP him too!

NOT FUNNY THAT THE TRUTH never gets told BEFORE someone is elected!

Shame on CBS news for not letting this information out before Clinton became President! This also proves that the MEDIA elects presidents - not voters!!!

Will God Bless America Again?
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rob416 says:
What is wrong with the language Bill Clinton used to describe the Vanity Fair reporter? The trouble is we expect our presidents and ex-presidents to not be human. If what the Report wrote is not accurate and/or true, then why should President Clinton not have let him have it. Good for you Bill Clinton!
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one-american says:
If Obama picks Hillary for VP, just think of the mess Bill Clinton will make of things...
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