CREDIT CAD
Ex-prez Bill Clinton has let it be known that if
his services are truly needed, he wouldn’t think of taking a dime
for his services. This point is made several times in Newsweek’s
current cover story on Clinton. But while Clinton doesn’t
necessarily want to be paid, he definitely wants to take credit,
even if there is no evidence he deserves any — or even if there is
evidence that big money exchanged hands . Case in point: the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
In February, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince
Abdullah floated a Israeli/Palestinian peace plan during
an interview with longtime New York Times columnist Thomas
Friedman. The gist: the Arabs would recognize Israel in
return for land being restored to the Palestinians. Not a radical
idea by any means. But not to Clinton. He told Newsweek reporter
Jonathan Alter that it was his actually idea and that he gave it to
Abdullah during a visit to Saudi Arabia a week before the Friedman
interview was made public. “He deserves credit for this,” says a
longtime Clinton associate. “The president has been talking up this
deal for months and for Friedman and the crown prince to get all
the credit is just unfair. President Clinton has been much more
engaged in this thing. Give credit where credit is due.”
If that’s the case, don’t blame Crown Prince Abdullah if he
thought he’d purchased the idea from the ex-president. After all,
Clinton’s main reason for traveling to Saudi Arabia was to raise
money from the prince. According to a staffer with the Clinton
Library in Little Rock, Arkansas, the Saudi royal family
contributed a huge amount to the library in the wake of the
February meeting with Clinton. “It’s one of the biggest donations
we’ve received to date,” says the staffer. “We’re still unsure of
the actual amount, but it’s big, more than $10 million.”
RANCH DRESSING
All of this money Abdullah is throwing around has to have President
Bush thinking about their upcoming meeting. The Crown Prince is
expected to visit the United States in late April. And the White
House is expecting that Bush and Abdullah will spend at least a day
on Bush’s ranch in Texas. Is it too early to start raising funds
for a George W. Bush Presidential Library?
On a more serious note, the Bush administration is hoping that
the Abdullah visit will give them some indication, albeit belated,
as to just what their options are in the Middle East. It’s expected
Abdullah will also meet with Vice President Dick
Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell and National
Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice while in the U.S.
The White House is considering bringing in longtime Bush Sr.
nemesis and Clinton emissary George Mitchell for a
visit too, as the so-called “Mitchell Plan” appears to be another
option the Bush foreign policy team is considering.
SHOCK TREATMENT
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals probably won’t name
Bill Clinton Pet Owner of the Year any time soon. In Newsweek he
brags that his late dear pal Buddy had learned to
jog two or three miles with him. It’s a miracle the poor creature
didn’t die of heat stroke or a heart attack.
In May, a new chocolate lab is expected to move into Clinton’s
Chappaqua, New York home. Because Buddy was killed by a passing car
after running off the Clinton property, the ex-president is
seriously considering having invisible fencing installed on the
compound. Will he feel its pain? The system shocks the pet when it
crosses over wiring buried or posted on the borders of the
property. In happier news, Clinton’s new dog is being housetrained
before arriving at its new home.
*****
But what will the new Clinton dog be named? Send your
recommendations to: Bill’s New Friend c/o Reader Mail (click
below). All entries final. Please don’t stigmatize the animal by
naming him after David Brock.
