Bill Clinton: Purdum a "Sleazy" "Slimy" "Scumbag"

Click below to listen to audio of Bill Clinton on a ropeline discussing "The Comeback Id," Todd Purdum's controversial Vanity Fair article.

MILBANK, S.D. -- Former President Bill Clinton today unleashed a salty stream of epithets to describe former New York Times reporter and current Vanity Fair writer Todd Purdum, calling him "sleazy," "dishonest," "slimy" and a "scumbag."

The former president made the comment at a local campaign event after I asked him if Purdum's much-commented upon Vanity Fair story was weighing on his mind.

Tightly gripping this reporter's hand and refusing to let go, Clinton heatedly denounced the writer, who is currently married to former Clinton White House Press Secretary, Dee Dee Myers.

"[He's] sleazy," he said referring to Purdum. "He's a really dishonest reporter. And one of our guys talked to him . . . And I haven't read [the article]. But he told me there's five or six just blatant lies in there. But he's a real slimy guy," the former president said.

When I reminded him that Purdum was married to his former press spokesperson Myers, Clinton was undeterred.

"That's all right-- he's still a scumbag," Clinton said. " Let me tell ya-- he's one of the guys -- he's one of the guys that propagated all those lies about Whitewater to Kenneth Starr. He's just a dishonest guy-- can't help it."

Purdum's piece, featured in this month's edition of Vanity Fair, included former advisers criticizing former President Clinton for bringing negative attention to Hillary Clinton's candidacy and for surrounding himself with friends who might discredit her campaign.

The former president's tirade continued:

"The editor of Esquire-- he sent us an email yesterday and said it was the single sleaziest piece of journalism he'd seen in decades. He said it made him want to go take a shower and he was embarrassed to be a journalist when he read it."

"You know he didn't use a single name, cite a single source in all those things he said. It's just slimy. It's part of the national media's attempt to nail Hillary for Obama. It's just the most biased press coverage in history. It's another way of helping Obama. They had all these people standing up in this church cheering, calling Hillary a white racist, and he didn't do anything about it. The first day he said 'Ah, ah, ah well.' Because that's what they do-- he gets other people to slime her. So then they saw the movie they thought this is a great ad for John McCain-- maybe I better quit the church. It's all politics. It's all about the bias of the media for Obama. Don't think anything about it."

"But I'm telling ya, all it's doing is driving her supporters further and further away-- because they know exactly what it is-- this has been the most rigged press coverage in modern history-- and the guy ought to be ashamed of himself. But he has no shame. It isn't the first dishonest piece he's written about me or her."

"Anytime you read a story that slimes a public figure with anonymous quotes, it oughta make the bells go off in your head. Because anytime somebody uses those things-- he wrote the story in his head in advance, and he just goes around and tries to find some coward to say whatever they want to say, hoping to get some benefit out of it. It didn't bother me. It shouldn't bother you."

"Thank you, Mr. President," I said attempting to end the conversation.

But Clinton continued. "He can't help it," he said. "He still hasn't apologized to me for Whitewater."

Update: President Clinton's spokesman Jay Carson issued a statement in response to this article: "President Clinton was understandably upset about an outrageously unfair article, but the language today was inappropriate and he wishes he had not used it."

Update: Esquire spokesperson sent the following statement. "David Granger did not send an e-mail to Bill Clinton about the Vanity Fair article. One of the editors on staff sent a personal note about the piece to Doug Band, who was written about in the article. That was a private e-mail, and Band has since apologized to Esquire that it became public."

Comments

[kassandrasduplex]

Beware of repetitive attempts to dehumanize Mr. Clinton. Daivd Brock advised us a long time ago that there really was a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy to hunt the president. It hasn't ended. The man took over a country run into the pit of despair by the Reagan Bush Team of treasonous criminals. AIDS patients were dying on the streets, crack was epidemic, the economy was in the toilet and the national debt was tripled. The media have relentlessly attacked Clinton as they have the Kennedys for a very long time. If he explodes on a rant over what this reporter clearly called a "hatchet job" let him be. He deserves to vent.

[vippy]

Bill was more a rightwinger and he was tight with Bush1, so is Hillary. For them to declare themselves DEMS is just a ploy to get what they wanted. I am still waiting for the lawsuit to be
settled Paul vs. the 3 Clintons. Seems like nothing ever sticks to them and we will probably find
out why. Anyone who is clean does not have that much trouble with the press.

[concern4civility]

Your assumptions are not based on knowledge. It's best for us not to judge people by press coverage. And calling people names does not push us closer to the Truth. Remember..­. the press jumped on false allegations that led us into war with Iraq.... a rather costly "mistake".

[moreauja]

Damn, I love this man! I know you far-left, Obama lovers won't admit it - but BC has a RIGHT to be upset. Or do you also condone sleazy journalism when its aimed at the Clintons?

[steamboat]

Damn right he has a right to be upset.....­..........­.......and isn't it amazing these same far-lefties going after Bill now were the ones siding with him during his Monica mess.

[whitey7]

Will you please read up on the topic first? He deserves what he gets. He has been pre selling influence all over the world to some pretty despicable people and now the pidgeons are coming home. What do think would happen to the Clintons in a campaign against the Pubs?

[marymansour]

"....do you also condone sleazy journalism when its aimed at the Clintons?"

No, we do not condone everything. I am an Obama supporter and I just blasted Mayhill Fowler for both the recording of Obama's 'bitter' remark and the sneaky approach to Bill Clinton when she didn't identify herself as a reporter - and I use the term reporter loosely when its is applied to Mayhill.

[StrayTalk]

" And I haven't read [the article]"

Sorry Bill, you sound like our current President or his fellow thugs when you criticize something without SEEING it, HEARING it or READING it.

[imsosure]

Bill ought to know what he's talking about, he sees in others exactly what he is.

[kicksave7]

To quote Livia Soprano, "Poor You!"

[ggmome]

Where is Bill's denial of any of the facts stated in this article. Just as Bush has made no denial of anything his former Press Secretary wrote in his book, or for that matter anything, Clarke wrote in his.

Normally, wouldn't legal steps be taken along these lines if anything was a lie printed?

[Fathoms]

Dear Bill,
Be Quiet,
Go Home,
We have an election to win,
We have a supermajority to install,
We have a Nation to rescue from a huge assortment of afflictions,
Including NAFTA . . .

[catswatching]

"Sleazey, Slimey Scumbag" ..
Hmmmm...
Just think! 2 days ago, that's what I thought about Hillary Clinton's campaign.
What a coincidence!

[John51]

Why did Mayhill Fowler characterize the Vanity Fair article as a, "Hatchet Job," while initially soliciting President Clintons opinion of the article?

[celticjag]

I think that Bill was describing the title of his autobiography! "Slimy, Sleazy, Dishonest, Scumbag"

[ssaz]

I actually agree with Bill's comments. It's one thing to make assertions without backing up your comments with hard journalistic references. It's quite another issue altogether to simply impune the President without giving him the benefit of addressing those comments. While I don't agree with the way the president handled the situation, I can certainly understand his feelings and frustration. Let's not forget that Bill Clinton was a great president and Hillary (his wife after all) has been beating up on her. Any husband would feel just as miffed as he as demonstrat­ed... I say give him a break and throw the heat at the journalists that practice reckless journalism.

[cadawa]

Old Bill has been embarrassing himself lately. Perhaps his heart condition has been depriving his brain of oxygen or perhaps he's entered his declining years a bit early.
He is a tragic figure. He left office with a huge amount of politcal capital and he has squandered it on his wife's political and dynastic ambitions and sidling up to dark side.
When you compare Carter, who left office with his tail between his legs, and Clinton, the story becomes even sadder.
Clinton could have acted as a leader in preserving our Constitution and holding the criminals in the White House accountable but instead chose to make nice with them.
He hasn't done a single worthwhile thing since leaving office. His silence on many critical issues is shameful.

[andrushka]

I whole heartedly agree with your post!

[marbiol]

This just confirms why I only vote "D" for local and state elections!!!!

[saintswriter]

For all he did and didn't do, Bill Clinton was a legendary icon. He survived so many horrible scandals, mostly because of the American public's love for him. He could do no wrong. During his impeachment trial, his ratings soared to 70%. I hated many things Bill Clinton did in office, but he was still, in my mind, one of the great presidents of the 21st Century. I hated his legislation, but loved his vision -- real or not. He fooled me, and I let him, and I didn't mind at all. And I think the American people are now very angry with Bill Clinton because he tarnished his legacy. They are angry with Hillary Clinton for allowing him to tarnish his reputation for her campaign . People are angry with Barack for snatching the nomination from Hillary. They are angry with him for having no obvious flaws thus forcing the Clintons to futher tarnish their legacies by joining the "vast right wing conspiracy" in order to damage Obama with petty "guilt by association" tactics.. They are angry that Barack took the high road, making the Clinton's low-road more obvious in contrast. Bill Clinton has allowed this campaign to take away our illusions of his greatness and give us, not just a glimpse, but a long, hard look at his smallness. And it makes one want to run up to Clinton, like the kid ran up to Shoeless Joe, and say "Say it ain't so, Bill."

[marijam]

I don't want to see either Hillary, or Bill, campaigning for Obama. I want her to go quietly into the night and not be seen or heard from again. Same goes for Bill. If that means that the Democrats lose this one, so be it. I reached my limit of Clinton fatigue today, and this time it was from the left. I've had it, no more Clintons.

[jrterrier]

In your honor, I made my first ever contribution to a Republican this evening. I came on here to see what party unity looked like and you convinced me.

[strifeknot]

I can smell your petulance through my 'puter monitor.

[ivorytower54]

If you contributed to McCain then you don't belong in the Democratic party. hundreds more years of senseless war, Taxing medical coverage offered from your job as income, making the tax cuts permanent. If you contributed to that, then your acrimony over the campaign has deranged your senses. If you have taken leave of your senses and have drank the coolaid, then please stop feigning indignity and just get on with your conversion. Yoda says that fear of loss is a path to the dark side. His wisdom is correct for Anakin and Hillary.

The Clinton's have used down in the gutter politics to wage campaign as if it was war. Obama took the high road and has done nothing but respect her. If she does love this country she'll endorse him. She doesn't have to conceed, hey the assasination argument is repugnant, but valid. But she should endorse, campaign for, and move on.

[saintswriter]

According to your profile, you are a staunch Hillary supporter and the only party unity you have sought in post after post is that Dems get united behind Hillary. Perhaps you're one of the "if Hillary doesn't get it, I'll vote for McCain" kind of loyal Democrats?