Clinton Camp Pounces On Vanity Fair Article: "Tawdry," "Attack Piece"

Politico.com:

The Clinton camp responded today to Vanity Fair's long article on Bill with its own 2,244-word memo, which includes attacks on the magazine's "penchant for libel," on editor Graydon Carter, and on writer Todd Purdum and his wife, former Clinton aide Dee Dee Myers.

The memo (after the jump) calls the piece "journalism of personal destruction at its worst" and singles out, among other things, Purdum's suggestion that Clinton's heart surgery changed his personality.

Purdum "is not an MD" the memo points.

The memo, provided by Clinton aide Jay Carson, also singles out Myers for this unexplained criticism:

Purdum's disclosure of [his marriage] in the piece does not, as Vanity Fair apparently concluded, remove the obvious conflict of interest. It's a conflict that would likely not be contemplated at more reputable publications, especially considering that, as a result of this relationship, at least one source's anonymity was revealed to others.

The memo also lists Bill Clinton's post-presidential accomplishments.

"Most revealing is one simple fact: President Clinton has helped save the lives of 1,300,000 people in his post-presidency, and Vanity Fair couldn't find time to talk to even one of them for comment," it says.

Full memo after the jump.

Read the whole story: Politico.com

Comments

[messstower]

Ladies of Clinton have taken this to a whole different LEVEL!

This is not about a candidate this has become the woman scorned my man treated me wrong campaign! There is a FLOOD of emotional crying women, BUT---what does this have to do with electing a President. They chant It is our time now, we will not be ignored. What, this is more about a group of women Marching for their cause of being Dumped by men passed over in a job situation by men, Lovers cheating and lying. Yes, Hillary knows how you feel!!! But this is a campaign for President not the scorned woman of the year!!!!

What do the chants and threats have to do with the ECONOMY and the WAR are NOT?? The issues these women chant, we will never forget, DENVER, DENVER, (revenge mode) this reference to or conversation is about --IT IS MY TURN, my question, your turn for WHAT??????

[tedbear]

The point of the article was not to point out Bill Clinton's good works. The point was to point out his deficiencies, which should be of great concern to the country, because his wife is running for a high office. Even if she finally yells uncle, there is still that nasty talk of her being nominated as VP. The stakes are too high to have a liability like Bill and Hillary Clinton in the White House again in any capacity. They are dirty and their lives need to vetted again. If Obama can be hounded over his pastor and associates, why are the Clintons so shocked that their lives are being investigated?

[PuppaX]

Hey lawyers -

Could incorrectly accusing a magazine of a "penchant for libel" constitute an actionable libel claim?

[AnnieinOR]

an additional Vanity Fair article on Bill Clinton's third term bid available only online:

http://www.vanityfair.com/ontheweb/blogs/daily/2008/01/bruce-feirste-1.html

[OMauriceS]

I had to smile after reading these words from Bill Clinton's book...Giv­ing:
“So much of modern politics is focused not on honest differences of policy but on personal attacks. So much of modern media is dominated by people who earn fortunes by demeaning others, defining them by their worst moments, exploiting their agonies. Who’s happier? The uniters or the dividers? The builders or the breakers? The givers or the takers? I think you know the answer.”
How hypocritical considering the negative campaigning, race-baiting, "bittergate" strategies they used against Barack Obama.

[LRM216]

While never being a Clinton "devotee," I still feel he has been, and continues to be, one of the most charasmatic people ever born.

[scorpioleidy]

Bill Clinton is a m a n w h o r e.

[dadw5boys]

The guy who wrote the article was on the Today Show said " There is no proof any of it is true", then "I wrote the story to let the Clintons know what people in Washiington are talking about".

So he wrote LIES !!!!!
Admitted it on T.V.
JOURNALIST ETHICS AT WORK!!!!!!!

[bookerone]

Bill Clinton is worth 10thousand Bushes and thier ilk. At least when he ran the country our economy was stable and we were not at war.

[burnt]

bzzzt... Oh, I'm sorry... your time is up. "A smarmy, lying, disbarred, self-serving, impeached ex-President who disgraced his political office?" The correct answer is Who was Bill Clinton?..­. or we would have barely accepted "Bubba".

Never voted for any of the Clintons..­. I am so very glad that the Dynasty has come to an end. Grab your empty carpetbags and enemies list *and go home*... sorry, no consolation prize either.

Hillary and Bill - putting the "nasty" in Dynasty since 1992

[borderorder]

Everybody's out to get Bill. It's part of vast bi-wing conspiracy.

[ObamaEdwards]

Oh dear. Bill Clinton is starting to look like Colonel Sanders! Maybe he should sell fried chicken and just get out of politics altogether.

[MrKnuckles]

Pheww! For a moment there I though the headline said that Bill had pounced on a tawdry piece.

[ObamaEdwards]

LOL LOL

[cnick]

How unfair, Dee Dee Myers has been an advocate for the Clintons. Now she can join the trail of discards they leave behind.

[ratuff]

Bush's people must have written the memo, it sounds just like something the WH would put out......d­eny, blame and smear the writers of the article. Wonder what Dee Dee's response to the vitriol was.
Also what 1,300,000 people did Bill personally save?!

[Bpeirce]

I'D like to know what the two x presidents (Bush1&Clinton) worked out on their world wide charity fund raiser. Could they have possibly cut a deal for continuing the war if help was given to get Hillary Elected??

[gladys46]

Think about it!! And, about PR's governor (an Obama supporter) being suddenly indicted ... timing very suspect to moi!

I put no covert thing beyond Hillary's capacity!