[Chefelf]

Bush welcomes Clintons for portrait unveiling
Monday, June 14, 2004 Posted: 2:13 PM EDT (1813 GMT) 

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush praised his predecessor's "energy and joy" Monday as the official portraits of former President Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton were unveiled in a lighthearted ceremony at the White House.



Former President Clinton inspects his portrait at the unveiling Monday at the White House.

The Clintons received a standing ovation from guests in the East Room of the executive mansion before the paintings by artist Simmie Knox were revealed.

"President Clinton and Sen. Clinton, welcome home," Bush said.

Clinton said it was a great honor for him, his wife -- now a U.S. senator from New York -- and their family to return to "this wonderful place we called home for eight years."

Bush's introduction, he said, "made me feel like a pickle stepping into history."

"The president, by his generous words to Hillary and me today, has proved once again that in the end, we are held together by this grand system of ours that permits us to debate and struggle and fight for what we believe is right," Clinton said.

Knox, a self-taught artist, also has created official portraits of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and several members of Congress. Clinton said Knox's life -- the painter was born in 1935 to a family of sharecroppers in Aliceville, Alabama -- is "a great American story." (Full story)

Bush said Mrs. Clinton is the only sitting senator whose portrait hangs in the White House.

"It is a somewhat daunting experience to have your portrait hung in the White House," she said. "It is something that really does, more than any other act, sort of puts your place in history in this building for all the ages and all the people who come through here to see and reflect upon."

Disparaged by many Republicans during his two terms in office and impeached over allegations he lied under oath about an affair with a White House intern, Clinton said he hoped to "live long enough to see us return to vigorous debates where we argue who's right and wrong, not who's good and bad."

"My experience is most of the people I've known in this work are good people who love their country desperately," he said. "And I am profoundly grateful that for a brief period I had a chance to be one of them."



The former president applauds at the unveiling of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's portrait as first lady.

Bush, who is facing a bitter re-election campaign, praised the optimism Clinton displayed throughout his political career. "After all, you've got to be optimistic to give six months of your life running the McGovern campaign in Texas," he said, referring to Clinton's role in the 1972 presidential race.

"Bill Clinton could always see a better day ahead, and Americans knew he was working hard to bring that day closer. Over eight years, it was clear that Bill Clinton loved the job of the presidency. He filled this house with energy and joy."

After a brief recap of Clinton's career, Bush added, "I could tell you more of the story -- but it's coming out in fine bookstores all over America." Clinton's memoirs are scheduled to be published June 22.

http://www.cnn.com/2...nton.portraits/

I would give anything, anything for either or both of those portraits.

[K1NGWARREN]

Ditto. Especially the one where Clinton's playing poker with some dogs.

[Ninja Duck]

But... but... why? What is there to gain from it? Is Bush trying to win Clinton's supporters? Are there people who actually believe those things deserve to be in the White House?

[jyd]

you canadians dont know jack, all you heard about clinton is his sex scandal, which may make him a sleaze but has nothing to do with his job and what he did. i believe he made a lot of progress towards peace in the middle east, as well as left our country with a money surplus (which is now gone...oops) so dont knock slick willie

[Chefelf]

Are there people who actually believe those things deserve to be in the White House?

I don't believe they belong in the White House... I believe they belong in MY house.

[J m HofMarN]

I liked both of them, the only problem with the Clinton administration was the continuance of the blockades on Iraq and Cuba and the republican controlled congress, which had a lot to do with the blockades. Clinton was a damned nice guy and the only thing he did wrong was to have sex with a woman who wasn't his wife. It is pure blasphemy for any republican to attack Clinton for his promiscuity. You give me a choice between an adulterer and a blood thirsty tight-wad and I'll take the adulterer any day.

And he smoked pot too, that gets him points in my book. He was just a really cool president and I'd take him over Bush or Kerry any day. Nader is the only man more preferable to me than Clinton.

[Ninja Duck]

And he smoked pot too, that gets him points in my book.

It's worth pointing out that he didn't inhale.

[Despondent]

pffftt, yeah. right.

At one of those Press Corps Dinners, Bush said something like: "I see William F. Buckley is here this evening, he's been credited with starting the 'Conservative Party.' We have something in common. When I was in school I started a party or two myself."

So he jokingly laughs at himself, then lauds Clinton with heaps of praise. He can't be THAT bad a guy.


btw, did you see the pic of Bill and Hil dozing at the Reagan funeral? The first time they've slept together in years

[jyd]

And he smoked pot too, that gets him points in my book

well damn not the first to quote that brillance (not sarcastic)

it really does score points because he knows what hes talking about, before i smoked i really knew nothing, so he knows how to deal with people a little better, and guess what it mellows you out, if bush took a drag every once in awhile i bet a bunch of people would be alive today who arent..vote nader

[Heccubus]

you canadians dont know jack, all you heard about clinton is his sex scandal, which may make him a sleaze but has nothing to do with his job and what he did.  i believe he made a lot of progress towards peace in the middle east, as well as left our country with a money surplus (which is now gone...oops) so dont knock slick willie

That is quite possibly the most ignorant thing you have ever said. My respect for you has officially plummeted into the red.
I am well aware of the good that Clinton did while in office, and I am also well aware that he did a lot of rotten things beyond the sex scandal(s). He may've left a surplus in the budget, but he also supported the death penalty, refused to ban land mine use, signed gag orders, prevented abortion funding, bombed FOUR different countries (Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yugoslavia), allowed a few conglomerates to own the majority of the media, and did nothing to help with class segregation, resulting in increases in homelessness throughout the US.
Granted, the Bush II administration began its term by overturning a number of Clinton's executive orders, but think about some of them for a second. One of them called for the reduction of arsenic levels in North America's drinking water, but that wasn't set to take effect until right around now, so Bush did no harm in taking away what wasn't really there to begin with. (I'd say chances are good that Bush will bring some of these back into effect leading up to election time, to win some more votes over last minute.) Basically, Clinton did his best to make Bush out to be a horrible monster (which he became soon after anyway, once the bombing in Iraq started again for no particularly apparent reason). Slick Willie indeed.
For 8 years, the Clinton administration resisted any and all efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions (and then Gore turned around and made "clean up our air" a campaign promise, but then so did Bush, who has increased government funding to several major oil corporations), and then one month before the 2000 election, they suddenly changed their tune. Again, Slick Willie indeed. (You know, that nickname was not necessarily given to him in the most friendly of circumstances.)
Also note that the Clinton/Gore administration was the FIRST administration in 25 years to NOT demand higher fuel efficiency standards from the automotive industry. Basically, during those 8 years millions of barrels of oil were refined for no good god-damned reason. Reagan (may he rest in peace), the absolute pinnacle of conservatism that he was, had a relatively decent environmental record under his belt by the time he left office, as his administration ordered that cars begin getting more miles to the gallon. Even Bush Sr. stiffened up those figures, demanding EVEN HIGHER mileage. Clinton? NOTHING.
He may have done good, but he did more than his fair share of bad as well, don't go singing his praises about making peace when he bombed the blazes out of more countries than Bush has so far.
Oh, and take note that no one who had posted when you wrote that was a Canadian.

[Laura]

[he smoked pot] so he knows how to deal with people a little better

How the hell do you figure?

That came out hostile, but I'm really bewildered by what you mean.

[Heccubus]

I'm somewhat curious about that myself, Laura.

I don't smoke the stuff, and I deal with people just as well, if not better, than my friends who do.

[Chyld]

Discounting my present six-week hiatus, I smoke a tonne of green, and believe me, I get on with everyone. I'd use the words "open" and "mind", but some silly person would flame me...

[Despondent]

Well, this creative has to pee in a cup now so I miss it.

But I used to argue with my Ultra-Christian Sister: At least I've tried it both ways. Stoned and not stoned. You've never tried it, so I have the benefit of experience in making my decision.

[Laura]

I don't believe that first hand experience is necessarily required for credibility; solid research could do just as well when said experiences are inaccessible for whatever reason (be they dangerous, unavailable, or simply undesirable). Specifically, in a discussion of the various pros and cons of substance use--whatever said substance may be--knowledge of the effects of the substance on the body and mind could be obtained just as well, perhaps better, from secondary sources.