Bill Clinton: "I'll Do Whatever They Want"

The New York Observer reports:

Bill Clinton said he'd do "whatever they want" with respect to the vetting process and information he'd have to disclose to the Obama administration to help Hillary Clinton become Obama's secretary of state.

Standing on stage and signing autographs after a ceremony to rename the Triborough Bridge after the late Robert F. Kennedy, Clinton was asked about the vetting process.

"Whatever they want. This is a deal between Senator--" he corrected himself, "President-elect [Obama] and Hillary," Clinton said. "You should talk to them. I'll do whatever they want."

That jibes with reports this morning that the former President had offered "several concessions" as part of the vetting process.

Comments

[edwarvir]

Bill all you and Hillary have to do is hand
over all OF your papers and tell President O's vetting
team the truth. That's all. No concessions needed.
JUST ALL OF THE PAPERS AND THE TRUTH.

[SENATORCALLENBOWE]

THATS WHAT THEY WANT U 2 HEAR.....

[Yermammy]

WHATEVER YOU SAY SENATOR! SENATOR! CAN YOU HEAR ME! HUH? SPEAK UP SENATOR! (geeyaaah, you want to turn it down a notch, Rage against the Machine?) LOL.

[Yermammy]

What's Chelsea got to promise? After the hedgefund thingy, she's been selling blackmarket arms to the Saudi's. Does that mean she has to quit?

[CBella]

It's terrible how negative some of you are... Clearly, some of you have no idea what PE Barack Obama means by "Change". He does not speak simply of changing the R to a D, or changing the faces or a few policies. He is also speaking of the way we he wants to change the way we work together to find solutions for the greater good.

You say that you want change... but you continue to act the same as you did over the last eight years and beyond. Give him a chance. Stop beating down the Clinton's.­.. they are on your side, remember?

Have you ever heard of projection? Wether you believe in it or not. Whatever you put out there, is what will be. For two years now, he has been trying to teach hope not fear, positive not negative. The way he ran his campaign. When will all of you stop creating more negative.

[wagthedog1001]

Thank you. A sane comment for a change.

[CBella]

Your welcome... they don't get it. Eight years under a dark cloud wasn't long enough or dark enough to change their ways. It is easier to remain resentful and pessimistic than to turn towards HOPE! Negativity Rules...

[StevenBolstad]

I have stated here before that I love Bill Clinton. And that I am a big Hillary fan too.
I was actually for Hillary before I switched to Obama. Now I love Barack.
That said, here is my opinion:
Hillary should be the New Ted. Senator Kennedy can pass the torch to her.
This is a job where she has garnered and grown respect from all sides - Senator.
She could be one of the most influential senators for many many years to come.
The Secretary of State position would be short lived compared to the Lioness of the Senate.
Bills need to be crafted and passed. Policies need to be explained.
Hillary - become the greatest Senator.

[dct1999]

99 US senators do NOT agree with you.

[Yermammy]

Hear hear! I second that motion.... now, move to dismiss HRC Silly Notion 8832, the "dreams of SOS" Bill. All in favor, say AYE..... BAM! ..... the AYES have it!

[partyofone]

Actually, insiders say Hillary has no real influence in the Senate, and will have less have failed badly in the presidential bid. She is very likely to have only 4 more years to serve. New Yorkers feel used.

[Angelic11]

failed; yet not soooooooo badly. Still don't trust them or their motives though...h­ear that Michelle? Watch his back.

[ReportThis]

Speaking as a life-long Democrat and a New Yorker -- I hope she goes away. Sooner rather than later. This country has had enough of the grasping, cheesy Clintons.

[dct1999]

Co-signing

[wagthedog1001]

Life-long Democrat? hmmmmmmm.

[kimmmmmmmmm]

I think Bill has alway gotten the short straw
from the media and the republican congress
I have always felt his heart was in the right place---even when his other organs were somewhere else!

[wagthedog1001]

I tend to agree. We forget sometimes how extremely intelligent and successful his administration was. The Republicans threw so much mud about blow jobs and cigars it still gets in the way of a clear focus on what was accomplished.

[partyofone]

What lasting benefit to the nation and the world came from the Clinton years. The economic bubble burst, al qaeda flourished, NAFTA gutted American jobs and flooded the nation with undocumented workers, and Bill himself signed into law the deregulation of the financial industry that openned the door for the mortgage crisis and financial collapse.

Bill Clinton wasted his presidency for a cheap thrill, and its is very sad. No amount of pretending that it was anything but a waste will change history.

[benne]

And, we're really stupid or naive if we don't think the Republicans are gunning for Obama. Fortunately, they let the independent counsel law lapse. Wonder why? What would have happened if we were forced to have independent counsels on these real crimes?

[Yermammy]

Jayzus! How many organs does he have? Soooo... THAT'S the problem! AAAaaahhhhh!

[Cynth]

Whether one supports Hillary Clinton for this post, he would do well not to comment on the process, since it seems self-serving and hardly in line with no-drama style Obama. Moreover, characterizing this as a "deal" between Obama and his wife diminshes the appointment and undermines the President-Elect. So much for "serving at the pleasure of the President.­"

[benne]

We need to remember that Obama has admitted that his people are leaking too much. I say that Obama better get this leaking under control. Or maybe the Obama team wants to make it look like they're going to offer Hillary the job so that when they're "forced" to rescind the offer, they needn't bother with choosing any more high-profile women. They seem to like their cabinet and advisors good and male.

[Pegi]

After living through 8 years of bush, I cannot believe there are dems on this site trashing Pres. Clinton and Hillary. You certainly have short memories. My president elect wants her, that's good enough for me!! Bill will do whatever he has to do and the final decision is Hillary's. I will support her decision no matter what she decides and I trust Pres. O's judgement!! I would trade the last 8 years of bush for 8 years of Clinton in a heartbeat, with all the drama and scandals included and you would too!! After all the laws bush has broken and lies they have told, I could care less about affairs and a billion dollar b w job!

[Melizzy]

Google clinton scandals and clinton illegal behavior. He was definitely better than Bush in many ways, but the drama doesn't need to be revisited. If we had had the internet back then and the flow of info we have today, his presidency would have been quite different.

[Pegi]

I agree to a point, but my philosophy after 8 years of bush TRAUMA, is who cares? I had a good job, a new car, plenty of money and prices held at fair prices. People were happy and optimistic. That's what I care about.

[notconfindtweenhatnboots]

Ditto.

[NotMcCain]

The problem is....Bill has really BAD financial entanglements.

Not just through all the hidden donors to his Foundation.

But also the library donors. The 2007 tax return (missing still). Kazakhstan uranium deal. Burkle. $500,000 to speak to CEOs (and dictators). Clinton Family Fund. $800,000 from Colombia to lobby for CAFTA.....­the list goes on and on and on.

I don't want Obama--so idealistic and ethical--to get entrapped by Bill and his greedy (and shady, imo) wheeling and dealing. That is NOT someone you would want to be entangled with if you are bringing back "ethics in government­"....

[trudem2]

I was living darn good under Bill Clinton...­.so was the rest of the country.

Don't know what universe you were on....may the Republican Universe.

[KGinSanFrancisco]

I have the same concerns but I think that Obama being so smart there's something in this choice that we can't see yet. My guess is that this is a way ( by Hillary's apptm) to keep Bill with a leash so that he cannot go on the deep end with his deals and risk his wife losing her job. Obviously Hillary wants this badly and Bill will have to forgo millions of dollars in speeches(influence peddling) and curtail his activities. Maybe this is what Obama wants: have the two Clintons under surveillance. For her the deal is prestige and finally something considerable in her resume if she performs well.

[vippy]

Economy was good during Clinton but like everything it takes time for a bad policy to take hold and we see the results. Remember when the gas prices rose and the news
kept saying that just as many people are driving, must not have hurt at all, and then it
crashed. Clinton started to de-regulate the banks and that is why we are in the situation
now.

[slaxx]

quite shady indeed.

[wagthedog1001]

Just exactly what do you really know about President Clinton's finances?

Nada, zilch, zip.

[Demi-Crat]

Me too

[Yermammy]

He not a KING. He's a public servant. Man, the Bush years done hip-mo-tized your meat. It's patriotic and your civic right to lobby for what you want. It was never intentioned for Corporations. I will exercise my right to criticize (lobby).

[Mildmannered]

reminds me of when Kobe bought that big diamond ring for his wife

[swyftdahoe]

lol Uncanny! Can't believe you caught that!

[AtheistUS]

Hillary is surely not the best candidate for the Secretary of State job. But, hey, we are just starting to depart from society where presidency should be passed from father to son and from husband to wife... and relatives get big offices, like governor or senator.

Gradually, we may get to at least moderate democracy where relatives could get some government offices but not too large offices.

[wagthedog1001]

She is qualified and with her husband you get two for the price of one.

Real nepotism means totally unqualified people get jobs. Don't think this is the case here.

[Revolt916]

Wow, Bill you must have gotten alot of money when Hillary said that she was running for POTUS. I bet money was pouring in like water from foreign countries. Sorry Bill, you don't fool me, you may fool the rest of America, but not me. That AIDS program you run is nothing more but a front and you know it. That's why you were pushing so hard for Hillary because of the money you pulled in for her. I aways wondered why you had to go overseas and command tons of money for a speech that last less than hour. Bill you had that Idealism at one point in your life i give you that. However, you have allow money to corrupt your mind. I must say you have worked really hard on Obama for allowing your old guards back into the White House. We are watching.

[BonoX]

geeezz.. so Clinton global foundation is a bad thing now! which dustbin are you from??

[Yermammy]

You don't know the half of it, bub.

[RobertAndropolis]

Why don't I believe anything that comes out of Bill Clinton's Teflon mouth? He could/would not stay out of his wife's limelight during the primary, and he will not be able to control himself in the face of ALL THAT POWER that comes with his SoS wife's position. "Gawd daym, back on the international stage!" Early in the primary a reporter asked Sen. Clinton if Bill wanted to be her vp candidate. She said no, then coyly added: "A former president cannot be vice president. He checked, believe me." Laughter all around at the expense of Bill's Machiavellian tendency. Okay, more than a tendency. How about a core component of his psyche? I wonder if those opposed to the possibility of Sen. Clinton's elevation to SoS are in actuality scared to death by Bill's rogue heat-seeking missile ego.

[Melizzy]

You could have left the word "ego" off that last sentence . . .

[wagthedog1001]

LOL

[mky267]

lol!

[slaxx]

i too am worried about intereference from bill. i don't want to hear anything he has to say.

go away bill!

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

so after hillary stuck it out with bill all this time for political gain, who knew--after his success, of course--that he would be such a drag on her future political aspirations?

so the question is....why is she still married to him???? he doesn't bring anything to the table anymore and he would be able to do whatever and whomever he pleases without the constrains of this fake marriage

[Melizzy]

He makes a lot of money. And she has all the perks of a retired president. Not a bad life. Besides, rumor has it, he has his dalliances and she has hers. Why leave?

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

there is such a thing as dignity...­..but what do i know?....i­'m too naive (see above poster)

[notconfindtweenhatnboots]

I think you have a very naive definition of marriage, if you think their marriage is "fake". They both have s@crificed for the other over the decades. After 30+ years together, they still are able to work together and have not gotten divorced.

Anyone who thinks this is a "fake marrage" doesn't really believe in the sanctity of marriage, and the "de@th do us part" vow. They should be commended for making it still work in spite of challenges. The ones who criticize Bill and Hillary for staying together are the real reason that family values are endangered in this country.

[boitexas]

It's all about Bill -- AGAIN!

As for Hillary, I don't think she has the qualities to be an effective Secretary of State. An international stage requires a person who can get themselves out of the way for the sake of the US interests and I don't get that from Senator Clinton. I think she has a fabulous career as a senator and can make such a huge impact on domestic and international issues from her senate seat.

[moveover]

He says he'll do anything .... Bill, how about moving back to Arkansas and doing what you were really born to do.... run a nice used car lot?

[notconfindtweenhatnboots]

With the way Bush handled the economy ever since the Clintons left, those are the only cars that anyone will be able to buy soon- as no new ones will be made.

When Clinton left office, the Big 3 were in great shape financially and almost everyone could afford a NEW car.

[Yermammy]

Umm Hmm and while you weren't looking, all of our heavy industry was being shipped overseas. All technologies were being outsourced. The Telecoms and Banks got deregulated. But, don't let me stop you. You had a pretty good rant, going there. Please, continue.

[BonoX]

yeah, but dont tell that to 17yr old pajama wearing freaks... what do they know about the peace and prosperity of the 90s.

[Demi-Crat]

You are amazing..w­hat a jerk..thin­k you could do better!!!

[moveover]

What part of Bubba's administration did you like best? The last two years where he brought the government to a standstill when he raised his hand to tell the truth and then knowlingly lied and lied and he was then impeached? How about that 9 month period in '98 and 99 where he hid and wouldn't answer questions and continued to lie and lie .....was that the part you liked best? And, by the way, you're right. I am amazing. Thanks for the compliment.