Politics
Bill Clinton:
GOP Can’t Be the Party of ‘No’
By Jim Meyers
The most popular
that “an overwhelming portion of
Democratic president
the intensely demonstrated animos-
A
MONG THE MOST ACTIVE FOR- ity toward President Barack Obama
mer presidents in history, Bill
in a generation
is based on the fact that he is a black
Clinton has devoted much of
his time to global charitable works,
recently sat down with
man, that he is African-American.”
Clinton’s assessment of the com-
but that doesn’t keep him from stay-
Newsmax CEO
ment: “I wouldn’t have said what he
ing current with — and opining on
— the hot political issues.
Christopher Ruddy
did in the way that he did it because
I believe that, while it is true that
On the eve of the fi fth annu-
for a Newsmax.TV
some of the most extreme opponents
al Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
meeting that coincides with the
interview.
of President Obama may also still
have racial prejudice, I believe that
U.N.’s September General 100 percent of those who are
Assembly, Clinton took time opposing him now would
out to chat with Newsmax be against him if he were a
CEO and Editor Christopher white Democrat.”
Ruddy. Some of Clinton’s most
From race, to health- interesting comments were
care, to rebuilding the GOP, about the heated political
Clinton is quick to share atmosphere of today, which
savvy advice forged during he agrees is reminiscent of the
his own tumultuous eight 1990s when he faced attacks
years in the White House from conservatives, including
and tempered by his decade Newsmax’s Ruddy.
of transition to citizen-states- Clinton offered advice to
man on the world stage. Obama and the Republicans
“When I got out of the White Doug Band, it has garnered 1,400 on how to avoid a repeat of the 1990s
House, I was the second-youngest pledges valued at $46 billion, fi nanc- and its divisive political environment.
person to leave the job,” Clinton tells ing programs as diverse as educa- He says the president should not
Newsmax. “I had a fair number of tion, poverty alleviation, health, and close his ears “to honest criticism.”
years left, and I had been given an climate change. The programs have As for the Republicans, he advises
incredible life by the American people. improved the lives of some 200 mil- that they should shed the “party of
“I had experiences and knowledge lion people in 150 countries. no” label.
that no one could have had, just In the wide-ranging, one-on-one He recalled former House
because of the job session with Ruddy, Clinton offered Speaker Gingrich and the Contract
I had. And I had advice to both Obama and the with America that helped the GOP
Bill Clinton
an obligation to Republicans on how to avoid the divi- gain control of Congress in 1994.
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shares his use [those experi- sive politics of the 1990s that marked When the elections were over that
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sage advice
ences] for some his administration. And he revealed year, Clinton noted, surveys showed
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with Ruddy.
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good purpose.” strong disagreement with former that the independent voters who
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See video at
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www.newsmax.com/SeeTV
The philan- President Jimmy Carter’s decision voted for him in 1992 and then voted
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C
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thropic CGI’s to bring race into a discussion of the for the GOP in 1994 remembered L
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four-day summit hosted 1,200 partic- Republicans’ criticism of President above all that the Republicans had a
WA
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ipants, including President Obama. Barack Obama’s healthcare policies. plan and the Democrats didn’t.
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Since the initiative began in 2005, Clinton took particular issue with “I don’t think the ‘just say no’
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as the brainchild of top Clinton aide Carter’s declaration in September strategy is enough,” he says.
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42 NEWSMAX / NOVEMBER 2009
42_POL_ClintonB.indd 42 10/1/09 9:17 AM
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