from Truthdig.com
Bill Clinton was on The Daily Show last night to talk about the Clinton Global Initiative, which raises money and enlists commitments to working on projects addressing four issues: Global warming, the alleviation of poverty, global health challenges and religious and racial reconciliation. He also talked about the woman who, as Stewart noted, could let him know she was running for President via post-it note on the fridge. But we'll get to that; in the meantime, a great interview, and a galvanizing one for the audience, it seemed; Stewart knew to let Clinton say his piece (and drop some nice tidbits along the way, like the fact that he's working on a 'global climate initiative' with Barbra Streisand and Rupert Murdoch ).
There was an interesting discussion about what effect politics and partisan agendas have on getting things actually done (a big theme in Stewart's questions and a meme he brings up often on his show). Clinton was diplomatic about working with the current White House (he said tactfully that he "disagreed" with the White House on certain matters), and emphasized the importance of doing the most you can do wherever you are: "I think I'll have to live a long time 'til I can do as much good as a former President than I did as a President," said Clinton. "When you're president, you can get up every day and really do things that affect millions of people. On the other hand, you can also be paralyzed by events. When 
you're a former President, you can have a bigger impact in a narrower field." His point is to do what you can wherever you happen to be: "There will [always] be a gap between what is and what ought to be. So people like you and me, private citizens, have more power to do good than ever before and we should step into the gap." (In other words, "you have to bloom where you're planted"). He then encouraged everyone watching the Daily Show to give ten or fifteen dollars to alternative fuel sources, they could make a huge impact. Said Stewart, archly: "You might want to cast a wider net"; replied Clinton, laughing: "My daughter says that it's the new source of choice now for all discerning young people." Huge applause from audience, no doubt comprised of apathetic, undereducated slackers that don't bother voting
But of course the juicy stuff was about Hillary, handled deftly by Stewart and even more masterfully by Clinton : "Mr. President, Hillary Clinton may be running for president. If so, what is the key to defeating her?" After cracking up, Clinton offered: "Get more votes." Then came the meat:
Stewart: Is she running for president?
Clinton: I don't know. She's not now running for president. I don't know if she will or not &mdash I don't , and that's the truth, and I think I'd know if she were, if she'd decided.
Stewart: There'd be a post-it on the fridge.
Clinton then dipped into an aside about Ann Richards ("I loved her very much and so did Hillary") and then said, seriously, he didn't know. But this much he knew:
Clinton: I know this: If she did run and win, she'd be great. She'd be really good. I do not know if she's gonna run, I don't know if she'll win if she does. But if she ran and won, it'd be good for America.
