Obama's Gone, But The Big Dog's Here

WASHINGTON -- Former President Bill Clinton spoke this afternoon at a moving memorial service for industrialist and Newsweek co-owner Sidney Harman, who died last month at the age of 92.

Clinton spoke only briefly on the stage at the (appropriately named) Harman Center for the Performing Arts. But participating in the event -- and seeing an audience full of old friends in politics -- evidently got Bubba's old campaign juices flowing.

Leaving the center, the president first bumped into Chris Matthews on F Street, the old (and now revived) downtown D.C. business corridor. A 10 minute schmoozefest ensued.

Then Clinton spied the long line of valet parking attendants, and decided to shake hands with each, ask their names, etc.

Now geeked up on handshaking, Clinton informed his Secret Service agents -- much to their chagrin -- that he "wanted to take a walk." It was a nice sunny and not too humid day in the District.

Clinton promptly set off west on F, headed in the general direction of... the White House. By this time, it was about 5 p.m. Offices were letting out, and day-shoppers finishing their voyages.

According to one source who talked to the Secret Service, Clinton shook more than 1,000 hands on the way to the vicinity of the White House plaza on Pennsylvania Ave.

President Barack Obama of course is in Europe. Clinton resisted the temptation to go to the Northwest Gate and say, "do you know who I am?"

Then Clinton was hustled into his car, and he was off...

Comments

[Thumbody]

04:23 PM on 05/26/2011

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

[Dhammaflame]

04:21 PM on 05/26/2011

Ever since Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and now Barack Obama, what we've learned is law means nothing to the executive branch in the US. They don't obey our own laws; they don't obey international law; they violate all the civil liberties and buried the principal of habeas corpus and the ability for a defendant to be legally represented.

[Osmona]

04:10 PM on 05/26/2011

So Fineman what EXACTLY are YOU implying?

[Hope Not Fear12]

03:59 PM on 05/26/2011

I for one would like Mr. Clinton to clarify his 'Give Me a Call' to Discuss Medicare with Paul Ryan!

[xalto]

04:33 PM on 05/26/2011

He's pathetic.

[rosegarten]

02:48 PM on 05/26/2011

Chance 1946: I will take either Clinton over Obama. He knew how to work with the Republican
---------------------
That's because Bill was "one of them" if you get my drift. It's amazing how so many think Nr. Obama has the problem when white males refuse to work with people that don't "look like them.".

[TRex86]

02:45 PM on 05/26/2011

Enjoy you old age, Bill. Ya did good. It's tough to have an upside down career, leaving high office when still youthful. Clinton did a decent job when president but in hindsight can be faulted for deregulation and welfare reform. The former was based on dubious economic theory (and forgetting history); the latter was pure opportunism. Nonetheless, he left office with 26 million new jobs, a budget surplus and well on the way to paying down the federal debt by 2010--until the Bushies gave it all away and ruined the economy in the process.

I'm certain that WJC regrets that his sexual proclivities made possible the Bush "selection" in 2000. If he hadn't wagged that finger and denied having sexual relations with "that woman..." We all knew the impeachment was political guerilla warfare to keep him out of the next election, with no possible chance of sucess once it got to the senate. It amazes me how the American public learned nothing from that episode. Lying about extra-marital sex couldn't remotely be construed a high crime and misdemeanor (and a deecade after iran-Contra no less!). The take home lesson, which has been strongly reinforced, is that the Republicans will do anything to win an advantage.

[Fidel Kabassu]

02:19 PM on 05/26/2011

President Obama is the big dog. Bill and his wife were beaten fair and square by the Big dog.

[BuffaloAjax]

02:46 PM on 05/26/2011

Don't follow you. He beat Hillary. It's been 20 years since old Bill lost an election. Then the next one was simply POTUS x 2. Don't get me wrong b/c I am also a huge Barak fan and voted for him in '08.

[Fidel Kabassu]

10:32 PM on 05/27/2011

If you followed the elections at all, it was Bill/Hillary vs Obama.

[Joy4u]

02:02 PM on 05/26/2011

Bill, why so chummy with Ryan? It'll be interesting to see how you spin this to make it look like it benefits the dems.

[NaaJane]

03:12 PM on 05/26/2011

it's sad to see bill advising the other team. with friends like these....

[dorzic]

01:55 PM on 05/26/2011

Apparently Mr. Fineman is aiming to be a weatherman where the big news is.

[paulwl]

01:48 PM on 05/26/2011

BHO did not get a B-Job, so he does not have to RE-BUILD his image!

[Sh00Fly]

01:39 PM on 05/26/2011

It's kind of fun having a petParasite.

Mine is named LaughingMan, what's yours?

[king totoro]

01:26 PM on 05/26/2011

more like, when the cats away, the mice will play? Clinton is pretty awesome, no doubt, really likeable (REALLY) hehe snicker.. but Obama has done more to push a modern agenda then Clinton ever imagined possible.. I agree, without Bill, Hillary may very well have neen our Pres right now.. all fell into place though..

[polkarde]

01:22 PM on 05/26/2011

Big Dog or nothing but a Hound Dog...folks,you decide?..

[wrightthewrong]

01:17 PM on 05/26/2011

Sorry, I just cannot get the picture out of my head of Clinton at the Pete Peterson Institute bumping into Paul Ryan and schmoozing about the importance of cutting entitlement benefits to decrease the deficit. Then my thoughts wander to the signature on Graham/Leach/Bliley act, doing away with Glass-Steagall, all those trade agreements that cost us so many jobs, cutting welfare. A true republican's republican/democrat.

[ShanaJuly]

01:54 PM on 05/26/2011

Yep, more than Obama will ever be...Thanks Bill for helping the republicans repeal legislation that had worked for over 70 years to keep banks from doing exactly what they did in 2008...thanks again Bill...

[Bon1042]

01:39 AM on 05/27/2011

thank you ! I post that fact a lot.... but only knew that Graham had a lot to with drafting the legislation. Also, think I read that Robert Rubin, Clinton's Treasury Sec urged him to sign it or had something to do with it. Democrats had no thought as to what wld happen and let this thing happen. They're just as guilty as the Republicans. Only Byron Dorgin of one of Dakotas stood alone, on the Senate floor, and predicted exactly what wld happen.

I remember Rubin being on Charlie Rose one night in fall of 2008. The first thing Charlie said to him was a question.... "WHAT happened??" And Rubin sat there acting all helpless and puzzled and said he didn't know. Yet HE, Lawrence Summers and Greenspan were the 3 on Frontline doc who hostilely marginalized Brooksley Born and then fired her, head of Commodity Futures Trading Commission.... she saw it all coming and tried to warn them.

[dieselis]

01:10 PM on 05/26/2011

Well lets start our own publicly endowed Health insurance non profit. Now only staff and administration expenses would be the only basic overhead and that will sure up plenty of money for healthcare cost. Then lets start diagnostic clinics that concentrate on the simple most cost effective ways to define an individuals ailments and the same path for the most cost effective remedies and treatment. Put medicine in the patients hands that allows them the best bang for the buck. We'll make it too big to fail and make the government subsidize the publics contributions times two. A 500 dollar annual membership and monthly payments that average 2-300hundred for average incomes lets say 40,000 dollars or less for single payer 5-800 for family plans and for higher salaries some increases but not monumental. 50 million single payers and 30million family plans. Thats 40 billion in membership fees 80 billion in federal subsidies. 16 billion in monthly billing and thats an average of 200 dollars per month each policy. So thats a 120 billion dollar cash reserve and 16-25 billion a month intake to operate off of. It may sound far fetched it isn't it cuts the profits out and redirects them to healthcare and healthcare cost will be cut in half. Coops are the only solution to these corporate raiders who can't get enough money with their absurd profits while the average man suffers.