Clinton Global Initiative is a pretentiously named mechanism
aimed to provide the adulation-demanding ex-president a continuing
international platform and political eligibility in world
affairs.
Other than having a keen desire to avoid military service in
Vietnam, and a penchant during his year in Oxford, England for the
town's pubs, Bill Clinton showed no previous interest in world
affairs until becoming president. Even his initial White House
years were marked by relatively short weekly briefings by his
national security advisor, Tony Lake, who as a result rather
quickly retreated back to academia.
Last week just as his wife dashes toward the Democrat
presidential candidacy, Bill played host to the third annual
gathering of his eponymous organization. Tying his name to the word
initiative suggests that he will be the catalyst for a host of
altruistic international activities. Just what Bill wants: To be
loved by all. George H.W. Bush fell for it, so why not everyone
else.
To be invited to attend Bill Clinton's bash at the New York
Sheraton, one had to donate a conspicuous sum or otherwise give
impetus to fighting some social ill. Of course global warming was a
popular target in spite of its having been invented -- or
discovered -- by Clinton's former friend and vice president, Al
Gore. Poverty was also a big seller, though education in Africa and
other disadvantaged regions were more than well represented by
Angelina Jolie and her husband, Brad Pitt.
Ms. Jolie usually doesn't need to go to these do's with her
muscular mate, but this was, after all, a William Jefferson Clinton
occasion and even though the beauteous and bright Ms. Jolie can
karate kick quite well, the Clinton reputation for aggressive
action with the opposite sex could not be ignored. (Perhaps a cheap
shot, but certainly worth taking.)
On a more serious critical note was the format of the gathering
itself. Maintaining the impression of his "attention to detail,"
the original Slick Willy personally called out the names of each
major donor/activist, read their accomplishments, and led the
applause. According to an astute waiter (among others a source for
this article), it was exactly like a gathering for any one of a
number of competitive giving events he had worked in the past. (The
UJA were far and away better tippers, he said.)
While it is never mentioned, of course, the Clinton Global
Initiative provides Hillary with the useful implication that the
Clinton tandem if elected already would have built broad ranging
contacts in the international business and political world
dedicated to solving global crises. One can envisage Willy selling
the entire package to his wife as a win-win deal.
From Hillary's standpoint Bill Clinton swanning about the world
laughing it up with world leaders keeps him out of her hair. The
problem is that Bill has never been able to resist taking whatever
it is just one step further. Not content with holding a benefit for
impoverished Cambodian temple dancers, the ex-prez conceivably
might want to put his two cents into anything challenging that he
can find elsewhere in Asia. Pity the poor Secretary of State in a
Clinton family presidency.
BACK TO LAST WEEK in New York City: After finishing up with his
high toned three days of self-congratulations by the collection of
international business and political stars, Bill departed for the
Apollo Theater in Harlem on Saturday night for a rousing panel
discussion on youth activism with the intellectual giants Bono,
Chris Rock, Shakira, and Alicia Keyes. One can smell the
reinvention of the Peace Corps with a distinct rock beat about to
burst forth. The limos with the celebrities from the downtown bash
mixed with those of the uptown smash. Now that's real democracy in
action. Naturally, a party followed.
In a way this entire exercise would be tragic if it wasn't so
obviously contrived. William Jefferson Clinton has nothing to do
and no place to go. His public life is finished if his wife doesn't
extend it; and he doesn't have the intellectual firepower to
compete other than as a business front man.
Bill Clinton now is a professional public figure and that's all
he is, although Alan Greenspan commended him as "a quick study." He
can talk glibly, and when he gets enough sleep looks presentable.
He might be able to teach a course on the pitfalls of public
service, but that's about all. He makes a fair amount of money with
his personal appearance gigs. Perhaps he should work on his golf.
One thing is certain: Without a boost from Hillary's presidential
ambitions, Bill Clinton will soon find fewer and fewer high level
potentates coming to his spectaculars. Of course there will always
be Bono.
topics:
Education, Bill Clinton, Business, Global Warming, Military, Africa
