Molly Ivins: The hopeless hillbilly and the American Dream

[Dudley_DUright]

I like Bill Clinton's book. I feel as though I should immediately apologize for saying that. I mean, it's gotten a bunch of bad reviews -- all sorts of superior people have peed all over it and pointed out he shouldn't have said this, or he should have said that.

Let me get my claim to intellectual superiority in here right away: I was prepared to dislike the book. I was prepared to find it self-serving, inadequate, insufficiently groveling and all that other good doo. Actually, I think it's well written, interesting and informative. I'd recommend it to almost anyone who's interested in politics, including young people with any inclination toward public service.

<snip>

There's two reasons I'm an easy target for this book. One is I love political stories, and Clinton, who is a pol-to-the-bone, does, too. The Arkansas stuff alone is worth the price of admission. Doesn't matter who you are or what your politics are, if you are interested in how it works and what it takes, you cannot afford to miss the first part of this book.

Furthermore, I don't care who you are, you have to just stand back and admire the sheer American dream arc of this hopelessly hillbilly kid.

Now that I think about it, Clinton might resent that -- and he might be right. He became governor and then president in the most meritocratic way: He was smart enough. No money, no privilege, no entitlements, no big-deal family, no ticket into Yale. His description of his intellectual development is fascinating and should be well noted by those who have debated the merits of the Japanese and the American systems.

more...

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=17280

[lanparty]

1. This is why the pukes are scared of Edwards as well ...

Edwards has a pretty similar background as Clinton. He also has the same charisma.

The Pukes take about "pulling yourself up from your bootstraps" and "horatio alger stories" all the time. But very few among their numbers exemplify them. Bill Clinton DID. John Edwards DOES. Wesley Clark DOES.

[spooky3]

2. I love Molly Ivins' heart as much as her writing.

[Lisa]

3. Clinton portrays himself as a nerdy klutz ...

I've only gotten as far as his high school years, but I was amazed by how many times he describes getting injured (2 months in hospital after falling down and breaking his leg -- getting stung by a nest of bumblebees -- knocked down by a ram). Maybe this is why he's so focused on health insurance issues?

And then describing being teased because he was fat, and because he played in the band instead of being a jock. All in all, he comes across as pleasant and approachable, rather than self-aggrandizing. Bright without being intimidating. I know people have criticized Clinton for trying too hard to please (e.g. "his favorite color is 'plaid'"), but he seems to have a real sense of self (without being arrogant about it).

[Lugnut]

6. I agree with your assessment

I am thoroughly enjoying this book! Bill Clinton is a great story teller and he has a good heart. I've enjoyed the colorful anecdotes from his life and growing up in Arkansas.

[49jim]

4. I'm 150 pages into the book...

and I've impressed so far...especially how BC remained connected to his roots and tapped many of the people in his youth later as Gov. and Pres.

[Miss Authoritiva]

5. This is what I always admired about Clinton.

"Gee," he more or less says as he wanders along, "Lookit this."

I have a soft spot for people who look around and think, Wow.

I don't get that with Bush. Even on his campaign stops, he does the mental equivalent of his father's famous gaff of looking at his watch during a crucial presidential debate. Is it over yet? Can I leave now?

On a campaign stop at the Oak Ridge Laboratory the other day, when an employee was importantly showing him some piece of equipment, you could just see Bush thinking, Yeah, yeah, yeah, a chunk of metal. Is it over yet? Can I leave now?

[Lisa]

7. what really got me was the moon rock episode ...

In the book, and in interviews before leaving office, he describes keeping a piece of Apollo mission moon rock on his desk...


"Whenever arguments in the Oval Office heated up beyond reason, I would interrupt and say, “You see that rock? It’s 3.6 billion years old. We’re all just passing through. Let’s calm down and go back to work.” That moon rock gave me a whole different perspective in history and the proverbial “long run.” Our job is to live as well and as long as we can, and to help others to do the same. What happens after that and how we are viewed by others is beyond our control. The river of time carries us all away. All we have is the moment. Whether I had made the most of mine was for others to judge."


He really appreciated what that rock meant. (I doubt that George W. would think anything of it, aside from it being a trophy.) I know that there's a policy against giving away moon souvenirs, but if I were in charge of NASA, I'd have given Clinton that piece of rock on extended loan (to revert back to the USA after his death).

[pfitz59]

8. Bush keeps Saddam's pistol in the Oval Office....

Bush jibe: "Calm down, or I'll shoot you!.....Just kidding, heh ...heh!" World's apart.....

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.