Bill Clinton, crowd pleaser. (AP photo.)
by Mark Silva
Bill Clinton will be in the Oval Office today.
So will Hillary Clinton.
But not together.
The former president will meet with President Barack Obama after lunch in the Oval Office. The secretary of state and former first lady, who also was viewed as a frontrunner for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination until Obama stepped into the primary a couple of winters back, will meet with the president in the Oval Office mid-afternoon.
This got us to thinking today of something that Lee Hamilton, the former Democratic congressman from Indiana who served as vice-chairman of the 9/11 Commission, told us at breakfast -- (not exactly an intimate table, it was the Christian Science Monitor's breakfast of eggs, bacon and sausage, aka "the cholesterol club.'')
Every politician confronts people presenting problems that cannot possibly be fixed, Hamilton advised us. But the politician never says, "I cannot help you.'' Instead it's: "I'm on your side.'' Or, he suggested, in the case of one well-known pol, "I feel your pain.''
This relates to foreign affairs as well.
In the face of new terrorist threats, Hamilton maintains, the U.S. still hasn't gotten its relationship with the Islamic world right.
With the secretary touting development as one of the pillars of American foreign policy, along with diplomacy and the military, Hamilton suggests that the U.S. cannot solve everyone's problems either. But rather, it must be on the side of its friends.
"We want for them... an agenda of opportunity,'' he says of trouble spots in the world such as Pakistan. "I don't expect this sort of change in American foreign policy that will revolutionize the world... but if you agree with my assessment that threats are going to be coming at us from every angle, we've got to deal with the problem.''
Our relatsionship with the Islamic world, he says, is one of the challenges of our time. "We're on your side,'' he suggests, "but at the same time, we have to say to them,
'We can't solve your problem.'' We have to help them solve it.
Which brings us back to Bill and Hillary.
No telling what they'll be asking of the president today.
Or he of them.
But he will be on their side. And they on his.
(The Clintons at the Amsterdam News' 100th Anniversary Gala at Lincoln Center in New York on Nov. 30. Photo by Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)
Comments
I hope former President Bill Clinton behaves himself while he meets with President Obama. The Oval Office is where Clinton carried on with young interns. President Obama comes across as a good and loving family man who is very proud of his wife and young daughters. He probably does not want to hear about Bill Clinton's romantic adventures in the Oval Office.
Posted by: Depot- Jim | January 7, 2010 12:40 PM
Can’t think of a better time for Bill to pop in 1600. But Obama needs to get him chat time with Dems in Congress, too. And maybe a PSA on behalf of health care, etc…
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | January 7, 2010 12:41 PM
Two of the greatest presidents in our history meeting today. What great day for America.
Posted by: Bill Maher | January 7, 2010 1:49 PM
Two of the greatest presidents in our history meeting today. What great day for America.
Posted by: Bill Maher | January 7, 2010 1:49 PM
After I stopped laughing...I have to ask: Are you serious? If so, you are a certified kool aid drinker.
Mark, what evidence do you have that the Clintons have EVER been on anybody's side except there own? The Clintons are just like Obama. Toss you under the bus, if you are a liability.
Sure Clinton "feels" your pain, mainly because he caused it.
Posted by: Free to Watch Whatever I Want | January 7, 2010 2:13 PM
"The U.S. still hasn't gotten it's relationship with the Islamic world right."
~Lee Hamilton (D)
Another blame America first democrat living in la,la land. It's all our fault because we have a nation founded under Judeo/ Christian values and have a democracy.
These libs are clueless, but a big shout-out to our founding fathers!
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | January 7, 2010 2:55 PM
Paulo,
You used to be sarcastic and funny (in a really snivelling way). Now you're just an angry, shallow minded poster. What happened?
Is someone using your "handle"? You sound an awful lot like John D in your postings now.
Just wondering.
Posted by: kg123 | January 7, 2010 3:53 PM
I'm with Bill Maher, by far history will judge both Obama and Clinton as two of our best presidents ever. Both will certainly be in the top five.
Posted by: Charlie Carnaval | January 7, 2010 4:18 PM
Right on Bill and Charlie! I'd say they are both 1 and 2 but which one where? I always had Clinton as #1 but now with Obama, I'm not sure. Both are tied for #1, that settles it!
Posted by: Oscar Wilde | January 7, 2010 5:31 PM
1) Obama
2) Clinton
3) FDR
4) JFK
5) Carter
Without a doubt, the top five best presidents in our history.
Posted by: Stuart Chase | January 7, 2010 6:46 PM