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The Clinton Mystery

It's the marriage people have tried to explain for years. Now, a new take from author Sally Bedell Smith on the relationship between Bill and Hillary Clinton. How did they operate during the eight years in the White House, and what might Bill Clinton's role be if she were elected in 2008?

With Hillary Clinton the Democratic frontrunner, people are starting to evaluate the possible scenario of two Clintons in the White House. On the show this week, we interview Smith, who explores the complicated relationship between the Clintons.

Smith questions whether Bill Cilnton's stature would overshadow all else, and whether Hillary Clinton needs to explain now, how it might work if she were to win. Is Bill Clinton a positive or negative factor in Hillary Clinton's campaign? What role do you think he might play if she were elected?

Comments

How about another cigar incident. This time with his wife!

Ive read the Clintons were considering divorce in 1989 when Bill ran for the white house.
They stayed together for the family values votes. The Clintons are buisness partners, nothing more.
If Clintons get re-elected, they will do everything in their power to transform AMerica into Stalinist Russia.
Clintons believe ONLY they, know how to properly spend Your paycheck.

My goodness Robert, you really should be ashamed of this show. This is NOT a legitimate news topic. And I thought you were one of the last real journalists left on the planet. Silly me.

Shame on you....What has the personal lives of the Clinton's have to do with anything other then your perverse interest...Now you are a gossip columnist..???

I cannot believe that people would discount this as a topic. We have already had 8 years of the Clinton's and it was a tumultuous time. Can our nation afford at this time the distractions of the Clintons - Hillary or Bill? I do not think so. It is a scary thought to have Bill so close to the Oval Office as co-president. They don't work for me as the model of citizenship, marriage nor leadership for our nation or on the international scene! Bill and Hillary's marriage does not reflect real family values; it's political...

Maybe it is rather personal thing bewtween Hillary and Bill such as faith and forgiveness.Every human makes mistake and from a mistake they learn alot and I sure that was lesson of their personal life and seperation from their public life. I think Bill and Hillary will beat the odds of gossip and come out as a winner over all and public can't stand that a couple can be so strong and make a very powerful team.

I live in Alaska - considered the Pacific Northwest - and I and my family have NOT and will NOT support Hillary Clinton for President or any other office.

The Clinton's are a disgrace to our country.

They have their own agenda and it's obvious the marriage is a political one.

Thanks, P.J.

I think she was the president when Bill was in office. So you already know she isn't worth a Damn. The Clintons are a farce!!!! I HOPE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DON'T SWALLOW THEIR BULLSH* T

Thanks for the broadcast, now I know I do not have to buy the book it is all hearsay and are snippets of interviews and conversations with people other than the real subjects. This is why America is great: publish something semi credible and you make money, hehehe.

The other thing is that the Clintons stay together maybe because they have Politics in common which experience tells me are used for the good of the country and the world. I cannot say the same thing with the past 8 years and and the other 8 years before the 8 years prior to the past 8 years. Got it!!!If countries are ranked by national debt where would we be? Maybe still number one - just depends on how you look at it.

Robert- Bad report today. Since when is the personal lives or even the religion in a persons life the deciding point of what decides the office they hold. I think Hillary will make a wonderful president and if Bill Clinton takes part, who else has the respect of other nations and just might bring unity back to the world. How many presidents and first ladies have just not been caught? Most of the people who vote have experienced exactly what you have listened to today by hear say of third parties. We need to reunite with the world and I think Hillary and staff are just the people that can possibly do it, Bill included. We do not need to be under a dictatorship.

Good Segment on the Clinton's, Robert. The bottom for me is that I can't trust either of them. Who in their right mind would put someone in the White House that you can't trust.

I have never liked watching your program, but once in a while I go back and look to see if your journalism tactics have changed for the better , but as I saw today they have not. If I wanted to sit and watch a gossip columnist on TV I would, but I have better things to do with my time. You and your station should be ashamed of this kind of reporting. The media made us the laughing stock of the world when Bill was in the White House because everyone around the world knows that a country is run with the brain not the genitals of the individual, who Americans seem to think is more important that the good a man or woman does for whatever country they are elected for. Shame on the woman you had on today for considering herself a writer; she is nothing more that a gossiper and an embarrasement to the reporters and true writers of this nation. Ethically, the private life of everyone including past presidents and future presidents needs to be respected. As my grandmother use to say "If you have not been the pillow or the mattress you have no business talking about someone elses marriage."
You owe your regular viewers an apology for this program.

THANK YOU for presenting information we would never have time to research on our own! I do not want her her values or ethics leading our country. Adding husband Bill = asking for double trouble with power and control. That is actually scary.... Let's see, what would the vice-president do? Most assuredly he would have fewer assistants than spouse/Bill - just like Hillary had more assistants than Bill's vice president. Doesn't that manipulative double power base worry anybody???

I agree that this was not a standard of journalism that is worth the time watching (or reading) but is interesting the venom and angst that has been manufactured in this country through this type of "sideshow" media (including the coaching by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Michael Savage, et al) as demonstrated by the postings here. The same writers that lambaste the Clintons conveniently overlook the lies, graft, massive debt and loss of freedom under the past eight years of Bush, who has ultimately left our country weaker, ironically while cloaking themselves in patriotism and claiming to be closer to God.
I look forward to eight years of a Clinton presidency, I just worry it will take longer to undo the damage that this last roster of liars, cheats and war profiteers has done to our nation in the past eight years.

The "marriage" of Hillary and Bill Clinton, is important in this one way.

Does it "affect their ability to be a successfull President of the United States of America?"

The President of the United States is under tremendous pressure to make good decisions. Having a close partner, who you can turn to, allows you the emotional space to "recharge" yourself.

I personally feel that should include, a positive emotional and physical connection with a loving partner.

Presidend Bill Clinton made some very "questionable" foriegn policy decisions, during the stressed "Post Monica" phase of his Presidency. (See North Korea Negotiations)

If their "marriage" has acutally healed, and includes these parts. "Great".

But, if it is just a "political marriage", then, I do not want the person holding the "nuclear trigger", to be someone emotionally strung out, and constantly fighting with their spouse.

The press should do their part to let us know. (PS This includes Republican Rudy Gulianni, Barak Obama,

Oh come on! This is news? Are you going to do a show about any of other candidates personal relationships? Sexist blather.

Our country needs to stop electing the children or relatives of former presidents. We live in a democracy, not a monarchy!

The thought of another 4 years of the Clinton's in the White House scares the life out of me. Their marriage is a joke and certainly gives the wrong message to our youth. Do we want people running our country who have the philosophy,"We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."?

Robert, every marriage has its own unique character. I'm sure your marriage is unique and the value of it is not gauged by your neighbors' opinions. The Clinton's marriage works for the the two persons that matter the most - Bill and Hillary. They made a vow of marriage before God, not the latest public opinion poll. My goodness Robert is there no sense of personal privacy. What next, a public opinion poll as to whether Hillary finds Bill to be sexually satisfying? If so, do Americans agree? How does personal knowledge of that nature assist America in getting out of the quagmire in Iraq? How does it address global warning; help revive the economy; and/or bring affordable health care to Americans? There are so many more important issues to discuss yet this is the one that you find to be most in need or reporting. Sad, very sad. I see from comments above that others believe that the personal nature of the Clinton's marriage is relevant as an indicator of how the country will be run. If this is the winning logic that guided your decision to do this report Robert, I am waiting with baited breath for your report explaining the disfunction in GW and Laura Bush's marriage that could explain the mess that this country is in right now.

I can't believe all the hardcore right wing talk about the Clinton's. Bill may have had a little trouble on the personal front, but at least he can speak English. Something that Dubya hasn't mastered. And what was all this talk of being a tumultuous time? Those were the best years we've had as far as economic recovery. Doesn't sending our troops to war for an excessive amout of time count as being tumultuous? Just wait until George W is out of office and he ends up getting a divorce. That'll show you right wingers about the republican family values of "Mare-Ca". And one last thing - I have been scared out of my head for the entire time George W has been in office. I just can't imagine someone as dimwitted as him running this country. Good thing there are many others behind the scene to stop him from totally going Cowboy on us.

Simply put: Hillary Clinton is an illegitimate candidate from the git go.

A woman should run to be president on the basis of her own political achievements not on the willingness of New Yorkers to shove her down our throats.

When I was in the Air Force I was on the presidental support staff. We flew the white house equipment, limo's, comm, etc around the world. The secret service hated her. One said it was common for her to be throwing things at the pres. If you were to interfere then it could mean your job. She's not the nice person she would like the world to believe she is!

I can't believe in a time of crisis that the American people worry more about sexual, religious, and statis of a marriage as a reason to vote for the leader of our country. The last eights years have been a cluster with an elected thief in the White House. He stole the electrial votes more than once and you still continue to back him. He was involved in the S&L crisis, and you still voted for him. We are in Iraq because he wants to control the oil and line his pockets with the sweat, torture, and death of our Soldiers and Suvillians. Evidently I live in a country where it's ok to teach our children that it is ok to lie, cheat, and steal. No wonder so many of our children are in prison. If you would teach your children the morals that are expected of parents, it wouldn't matter what "Impessions" others are giving our children. Maybe they would make the right decissions. We are adults, let's start acting and thinking like we are.

Paul sez:"We have already had 8 years of the Clinton's and it was a tumultuous time. Can our nation afford at this time the distractions of the Clintons - Hillary or Bill?"

Where have you been for the past 7 years? We have not had peace or prosperity much less honest leadership in that time. I, for one, would like to try a new direction and Hilary is the best of the bunch at bringing consensus. If Republicans won't work with her, so be it, but you really don't expect Dems to work with Guiliani or Romney, do you?

I must agree, Robert, with those who complain that this topic borders on simple gossip column. This subject is the straw dog argument spawned by the Heritage Foundation, a Republican think tank against the Clintons. It has no basis in fact. It is purely to cater to the worst instincts of certain people and it doesn't belong within true journalism as it is no different than asking someone, "if he still beats his wife?"

Then I got to thinking of a famous quote I heard some time ago from a lawyer: "If the law's on your side; argue the law. If the facts are on your side; argue the facts. If you have neither; argue character."

This, of course, is the GOP strategy in most discussions, since almost no one would support their policy goals if they were honestly debated on the floor of Congress. For example, that is why a bill is called the Clean Air Act when, in fact, it allows more pollutants into the air and other nonsense and why would the Bush administration appointed a man to head the SEC who had sued the agency to eliminate regulation against corporate corruption just BEFORE the story of the Enron debacle broke? If our leadership has no respect for government; how can it function effectively?

Why do you suppose less than 30% of voters think the country is moving in the right direction? Could there be an overlap to the 30% who think the Iraqi war is winnable? Or the 30% who think "W" is doing a great job? The same group who wanted Bill Clinton impeached? The same bunch who think outing a covert CIA agent is "fair game" in politics. And the same percent who think the economy is just peachy right now?

You won't need to spend millions to get this crowd to vote for any candidate you choose, just put "R" after the name. Check substance at the coat closet.

By the way, most of the Dems I know are for fairer and lower taxes, smaller government and more honesty in government and peace for a change. What ever happened to Ronald Reagan's vision for conservatives? We have witnessed the fastest growth of Federal government in US history under the current administration. A huge budget surplus was squandered in the pursuit of W's legacy and for what; permanent war, destruction of our nation's credibility, and accelerated poverty? But at least we've contained terrorism, right?

I HAD RATHER IGNORED YOUR RNC APPROVED HATCHET FOR HIRE JOB ON THE CLINTONS. EVEN YOUR SLY INSINUATION THAT SOME HOW BIIL WAS BEING ELECTED VICE-PRESIDENT AND THEY WOULD BOTH HAVE ELECTED OFFICIAL STATUS. ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT YOU SHOULD BE FORMALLY ON THE PAYROLL OF RUPERT FOX THE FOLLOW UP YOU DID TODAY 11/25/07 WOULD HAVE DONE O'RIELY PROUD; DISCOUNT THOSE WITH THE BRAINS TO CALL YOUR COMMENTS THE BIASED TABLOID PAP NOT NEWS AND ONLY PLAY UP THOSE YOU PUT THE REPUBLICAN TERROR IN. I WOULD SAY SHAME ON YOU BUT YOU HAVE NONE OR NEITHER THE ORIGINAL REPUBLICAN PROPAGANDA NOR THE FOLLOW UP PAP WOULD HAVE BEEN AIRED. THE LAST TIME I WATCH YOUR PRO REPUBLICAN COMMERCIAL!!

You are so obviously right winged, I can hardly believe that they let you do this kind of news reporting.

Sally Beddell is a little gossip. I think Hillary Clinton will make a great president. All of this relationship stuff is really irrelevant. Think of FDR, Kennedy and Thomas Jefferson. The Clintons are the only ones qualified to get us out of this Bush quagmire.
Mary Magee

I just thought of something. What if Bill Clinton Tells Hiliary how to raise taxes? Just think if it went that way how high our taxes would be. Remember how high our taxes were when Bill Clinton was President? Too high for even my own mother to remember.

You are right, Bryant. Hillary will need to raise taxes otherwise our children will be forced to pay for the debt left behind by the Bush administration just like George H. W. Bush was forced to raise taxes after Reagan created debt during his tenure. By the way, under Clinton, our nation experienced the greatest economic growth in it's history despite the large taxes you describe and he created the largest budget surplus as well. I, for one, would love to have the economy of the 90's again. You can keep the current one. It stinks!

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