Now that's what one might call a heckuva coincidence. A handful of weeks ago, Bill Clinton disentangles his investment partnership with billionaire Ron Burkle, producing an estimated $20 million windfall. And now we learn that the suddenly flush Clintons are loaning Hillary's campaign $5 million from their joint assets to bridge it through a funding rough patch.
Talk about windfalls. This is a veritable bonanza not only for enterprising reporters and snoopy researchers, but also for any Republican candidate that could potentially face Hillary in November -- if she wins the nomination. That is, if she doesn't first drown in a sea of sleaze of her own making.
This newest episode in the Clinton finances opens up a field of questions that could make Whitewater and Hillary's long-forgotten but near-magical touch in commodity trading look like kid's stuff. And with a lot of time to kill between now and November, there's going to plenty of opportunity to rake through it all. Make that, parse through it, as it is the Clintons we're talking about.
It puts front and center the question of just how rich are the Clintons, and how did they get so rich? Current estimates of their joint wealth range from $10 million up to $50 million or more, a long way to come from when they first got married and they struggled to make the $14,000 mortgage on their first modest Arkansas home.
Quite a nice pay-off for a supposed career of 35 years, as Hillary repeats every day, "working to bring positive change to people's lives." While Clinton touts her decision to come out of law school and work not for Wall Street but rather for the Children's Defense Fund, the truth is that she spent only a year there. (And then omitted her mentor Marian Wright Edelman from among the 400 others she mentions in the acknowledgemets of her autobiography because Edelman had broken with her when Bill Clinton abolished the federal welfare saftey net in 1996).
For half of her professional career Clinton really worked not at all for The Little People, but rather for Arkansas'most elite business-connected law firm, representing big corporations and serving on their boards.
In fairness, though, the bulk of the money earned by the Clintons has been acquired since Big Dawg left office and started socking away huge book, speaker and, um, consulting fees. Indeed, their entire fortune has been made since leaving the White House. Renting out the Lincoln Bedroom was but a Ma and Pa operation compared to what came in its wake.
Let's be very clear about this. We're not just talking about Bill cashing in by smoking some cigars and telling some good stories to a bunch of banquet goers. It also means such smelly deals as him serving as an "advisor" to Dubai, when he coached their government on how to swing a port deal with the U.S. (that failed). That's after the oil sheiks shelled out $300,000 in 2002 to have Bill address one of their summits (There was also a direct link between Dubai and the investment fund with which Burkle and Clinton were partnered).
Then there was that revoltingly sleazy little deal revealed by The New York Times in which the former president served as a broker/fixer between a Canadian mining entrepreneur and the dictator of Kazakhstan, greasing through a multi-billion dollar uranium deal. Mr. Clinton's fee? A previously undisclosed "donation" of more than $30 million to his charitable Clinton Foundation from the grateful Canadian capitalist.
A honcho at a Canadian bank specialized in mining said the deal was a result of a "fantastic network" with Bill Clinton at its top.
None of this illegal, we think. And the money given to Clinton's foundation is not supposed to be the same personal funding that was used as a bridge loan to Hillary's campaign. And there's nothing against the law about a former president serving as a high-end errand boy for Arab Sheiks. Nor is it illegitimate to make a stack of dough fronting for dictators, pushing ghost-written books, or serving as hired jester for private corporate banquets. Except with the Clintons, of course, there's always the slippery questions of definition. Whose money is whose? Where does Bill's end and Hillary's begin? What's the line between personal funding and political funding? Charitable versus political donations?
One might also argue that what Bill does is not necessarily what Hillary does. Except that Hillary has based her entire campaign on being a faithful offshoot of his legacy.
What we know for certain is this: When Barack Obama said yesterday that we can expect Republicans to find a "whole dump truck" of dirt on Hillary, he knew what he was talking about. She just pumped $5 million worth of fuel into its tank.
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This article is much to do about nothing.
Their estimated net worth you say is between "10 and 50 million."
Big Deal.
What you should be asking is, how OBAMA made 45 million dollars last year?
Elitists for Obama
The People for Hillary
If you're curious about how Obama made his money, check his tax returns, since he's made them a matter of public record to head off comments just like yours.
But, hey, it's a reader-thread at HuffPost, so why let facts get in the way of a good flame?
Game, set and match to SamH.
In today's Hartford Courant there is a letter to the editor that explains why voters decide to change their votes from Hillary to Senator Obama:
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/hartford-courant/TG8A2BJFAH6ODK39U#lastPost
Hey Coop, when are you going to bless us with another column advising Obama to drop out of the race for the good of the party? I guess when it's your horse it's not really good for the party.
I'm really tired of all the mysogeny in the media. Since she was a graduate at Harvard she has been known to bravely stand up for the disenfranchised and speak truth to power. Her 35 years of service is nothing to sneeze at. What has Obama done but deliver inspirational speeches? Get a grip you guys....you're all under the spell of your emotions and the elixer of hope. She is the one who knows how to fight for us and can make things happen. What has Obama done? Pretty speeches can only get you so far.
Yeah, like how she fought for the little guy while sitting on the board of Wal-Mart, as Wal-Mart fought the unions...
Whoops! Another inconvenient fact about Clinton.
As a woman, this is what I'm tired of. I'm tired of women crying misogyny or sexism whenever someone criticizes Hillary. She's in a political race ladies. Come on!
This is what we were fighting for for decades, the right to be IN the fight, the reality that we are just as good as any man, that we can take the punches too.
Her record as well as her husband's is under the microscope just like all the other candidates. Period.
Why are shooting ourselves in the foot???
THANK YOU! Clinton plays any card that she thinks will get a point or two.
Yale baby not Harvard. That shows how much you know about both candidate.
Mike Bloomberg went to Harvard.
If people are looking for real change, a post-partisan candidate, expertise in economics, and a competent and expereinced executive, they should give Michael Bloomberg a look:
http://www.runmikerun.com
A social liberal, and a fiscal conservative.
The Republican attack machine has broken down, and yet we still cower in fear. Hillary evokes it as a reason why we should support her (she's supposedly fortified against them) and now Obama is evoking it as a reason why we should support him.
It's an incredibly stupid reason to choose a candidate, and it also invests magical powers that has kept Democrats and liberals (yes liberals) from asserting their power. Let's get off the fear train.
(Yes, I'm an Obama supporter, but I think this is a losing argument for both candidates).
The Repub attack machine; maybe Obama should be a little more frightened by the Clinton attack machine, right?
I too would much rather have a Clinton in the Whitehouse than a Bush! But, when there is a chance to move in another direction, why would we move backwards??
I am sick of drama and Clinton scandals not to mention Hillary has once again FAILED FAILED FAILED.
Do you think the economy or healthcare will improve when SHE COULD NOT EVEN manage her own campaign?????? She looks like Rudy asking people to work for free!
Now no matter how anyone tries to SPIN those FACTS or whomever she try to blame, the BUCK STOPS with the person in CHARGE.
Hillary's finance FAILURE is a REAL PROBLEM!
But then again, where did she get all of these millions of dollars from to "donate"?
And to ask people to work for nothing? Is she a Republican or what?
She didn't "donate" it's a loan, it's probably even earning interest! No surprise that she dumped her mentor Marian Wright Edelman. Remember when she and Bill dumped Lani Guineer, their friend of twenty years... They haven't spoken since. All pols are self serving, but she and Bill are extreme.
Barack Obama would have voters believe that he is the victim. But to charge as he did that Hillary Clinton is vulnerable to a "whole dump truck" of dirt without stating a single fact in support is the essence of dirty politics.
It's astounding that Marc Cooper or any other Obama supporter would voluntarily associate themselves with this type of underhanded attack.
Amen.... Even with his Keating scandal background, McCain will have this issue overwhelmingly in his favor
Also the fact that Jonathon Pollard-the man accused/convicted of baing an Israeli spy who sold military secrets to the Chinese raises questions about Vince Foster also.
Pollard was a Rose Law Firm alum-along with HRC and Foster-at the same time I believe.
What exactly IS the Rose Law Firm-and who did they represent?
US military corps perhaps?
Were there others besides Pollard-possible Foster selling secrets as well?
More ultra weird conspiracy theoretising
Notice how you never see Bigfoot and Hillary Clinton in the same room at the same time? It's no coincidence...
Maybe they loaned the $5 million from the total estimated $20 million they were paid (Bill $12 million and HRC $8 million) in advances for their bestselling books... Could that be? Is that so sleazy? Bill gets paid big bucks to give speeches... is that sleazy too? What about Obama's sleazy dealings with Rezko? Why don't we investigate that?
I'm sorry to tell you all that Obama isn't the second coming of Christ, nor is Hillary Satan's best gal. After 15 years and millions and millions of taxpayer dollars pissed away on nothing, people like Cooper still try to swing the dead cat of Whitewater... What a pathetic joke.
Unbelievable!.........
The script writers may be on strike, but you are obediently acting on the SCRIPT that the MSM has written for you a year ago!
United we stand, divided we FALL!
No wonder Howard Dean is worried about the conference!
Does any one else remember the scientific experiment done in the 60's ( probably govt. funded)? They put too many rats in one cage and allowed them to breed.
They ate each other! The rats in the uncrowded cage DID NOT!
READ NAOMI KLEIN'S Shock Doctrine; about disaster capitalism!
I am so disappointed that the democratic party is being taken over again by the wing of elites and pacifists.
I don't want Obama on the ticket at all. Look, alot of old people like me would feel safer with McCain having the red button than Obama. Hillary is my first choice for having the red button. It is all about making us feel safe.
There is little chance Obama could beat McCain. There is a reason the media and republicans are pushing the idea that Hillary has too many negatives - they don't want to have to run against Hillary. They know they can beat Obama because of old people like me.
So Obama saying he can get my vote is a bunch of whoee.
Or are the "old people" just not going to vote for a black man?
Yeah, yeah.
Whatever.
The nominee will win the big blue states of CA, NY and MA without your vote. It's reality. Get over it.
Hillary has no shot at states like KS, IA, VA, and GA. Obama has a great shot to win those states.
Now go cry fowl as you Clintonistas always do.
Veeve:
I live in Georgia, and I am a democrat, Georgia will be the first state to go to McCain. Just as it did in 2000 and 2004.
Georgia used to be a Democratic state until the civil rights movement, and then it turned Republican.
Jimmy Carter won Georgia, but he was the candidate from Georgia.
Republicans by the very nature of their belief system, are not going to 'get behind' the "#1 most liberal candidate. 99% of republicans will get behind 'their' candidate on the day. KS,IA,VA... forget it.
Obama hasn't won any big BLUE States yet, with the exception on Illinois. He won Conn. with the help of cross-over Republicans, but most of his wins have been in States that won't be delivering any electoral votes in November. Utah, Alabama, South Carolina, Idaho and Alaska are RED States in November, no electoral votes there. Hillary is winning the BLUE States, MA, NY, NJ, MI, CA, and FL that you have to get in November. Obama is weak, he skips tough votes or votes "Present", or he will claim he hit the wrong button on tough votes. Do you really want to support someone lacking the TESTICLES to be the DECIDER?
Why are Clinton supporters so willing to deny reality? Barack and Hillary are not equals with respect to honesty and integrity, though some would argue that...they sound like republican ditto-heads.
Clinton supporters, the ends do not justify the means!
Considering Obama has not been at the receiving end of the Republican attack machine, and has relatively little national exposure (outside of this campaign).. I think your conclusion is based on a limited sampling of Barrack Obama.
He is a clean slate- that doesn't make him honest, or mean he has integrity.
He is fresh, and untested.
He hasn't made any dissappointing deals that we know of- only because he's never been in the thick of it. You may get your candidate elected- but I think you will be sad to learn, Barrack will cut a deal with the best of them.
Right-wing talk radio anti-McCain-iacs are promoting their listeners to donate money to the Clinton Campaign since she had to loan her own money to it. All of a sudden she seems to be pulling in donations.
So much for the "vast right-wing conspiracy"
Sure seems like they want her to be the nominee. RE: Ann Coulter "Strange bedfellows and all of that."
Update--RUSH LIMBAUGH says,
"We've got to make sure she's the nominee if the Republican Party is to be unified. What more loyal thing could I do than to run a fundraiser for Mrs. Clinton?
"the reason for raising money for Hillary is because that my party is relying on fear and loathing of Hillary to get the nomination, to unite Republicans."
"if Obama is the nominee, we are doomed."
Yes- and Rush is so smart.
When you have to stoop to using "A honcho at a Canadian bank" as a source and end by concluding "None of this illegal, we think", which completely negates everything you say, you doing some major league journalistic bottom-feeding.
What of the Louis Farrakahn connection to Obama? The Nation Of Islam connection could prove fruitful for the Republican Smear machine. If Obama wanted his street creds validated did he have go to using cocaine and hanging out with Black Muslims? He needs to remember he is half white and stop worrying about proving himself to his other half.
First, Obama's connection, if any, to the Nation of Islam, isn't very much, or I'd have heard about it, and this is the first. Second, Obama admitted long before his political career that he had tried cocaine, but didn't develop an addiction.
And finally, what's it matter that he's half white? What's it matter that he's half black?
Obama has no connection to Louis Farrakhan and Black Muslims and the vast majority of cocaine users in America are as white as his mother.
You don't understand that ex-Presidents make boatloads giving speeches and that BOTH Hillary and Bill made millions off their books. Is this an example of the Obama partisans trying to create artificial scandals the way the Repugs did?
The Obama camp can go after superdelegates but what if???
Since Hillary won the popular vote on Tues, what would happen if she won the popular vote (even without MI/FL) and Obama won the pledge delegates overall... It REALLY would not be a fair representation if Obama won the nomination without the popular vote?
Everyone is now saying the superdelegates should not count but if they want to change the rules in the middle of the game then why should the pledge delegates count either? OK, let's make it about the popular votes (with or without MI/FL) ... I believe Hillary will continue to win the popluar vote in TX and OH anyway. OBAMA, Let's really make it about the people now!! The popular vote should rule!
Why do States like Utah and Idaho even get votes? They are ALWAYS REPUBLICAN STATES at election time. Just look at where Obama wins, in Republican states, Utah, Idaho, Alaska, South Carolina, Alabama. Hillary wins the DEMOCRATIC STATES, Califonia, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida, Mass. even having Teddy kennedy and Kerry supporting Obama there. Hillary is winning the popular vote too and crushing him in the blue states, she will take Texas and Ohio and Penn., More Blue States.
Posted February 7, 2008 | 01:28 PM (EST)