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."
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Excuse me, but apart from hearing more of Bill Clinton's silly, out-of-control comments, peppered with his usual casual disregard for the truth--I couldn't help noticing that Mayhill Fowler's questions weren't exactly those of an objective reporter. She sounded pretty much like a suckup, in fact, particularly when she was agreeing with Clinton's defamatory statements about the VF writer--even though she also said she hadn't read the story either.
gosh the clintons are tiresome. I do hope Obama doesn't get pressured into letting Hillary on the ticket because then they truly will never go away. If Bill couldn't share the spotlight with his own wife, how would be be able to take a back seat to President Obama? answer: he couldn't.
aaargh. enough already.
I have read many supporters of Barack who discount the mistakes he made during this campaign. The issue with Canada and free trade. The Samanta Powers issue of drawdown from Iraq, the uncle liberating the Jews when it was the Russians who did it, campaigning in 58 States when even children know better than that .The Rev. Wright and the priest. He said he could no more disavow the Trinity church or the Rev. Wright than he could his own flesh and blood then he goes and disavows both because he said he was running for president. When Rev . Wright suggested that was the reason he was disavowing him he went ballastic and denied it in the most strong terms.Then he admits it was the reason "Now that I am running............"So lets be honest shall we?Lets not stonewall or rationalize lets just admit the facts and get on with winning the presidency. I was a Hillary supporter and will now support Obama as my Democratic candidate. I will not attempt to defend the indefensible nor to deny the undeniable.Barack is my candidate ,flaws and moles,and all I will support him as such. I will not however be able to march with the banner of absolutism and infallibility that so many run with. To me he is my candidate, human and error prone just like Hillary and I will defend him like I defended her.And I will vote for him just like I voted for her.
Sure gonna miss him.
BHO 08!!
Bill, i am sorry but in matters of sex and the truth, you lost me a long time ago.
Not you again! I will never forget what you did.
Give me a break this language is used in grade school. You'd have to be
a very prissy sort to find these remarks shocking. I've certainly read worse
language on this sight. Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Check out LBG and Nixon tapes if you want an earfull.
Bill really seems to "know" exactly how the slime machine works. He is so confident with his "insights" on how people get other people to slime other politicians. He speaks as if he knows first hand how exactly it works. It's sort of like saying "no Obama is not a Muslim, as far as I know." Or the coded language of comparing Jesse Jackson to Barack Obama on no other basis than the color of their skin. Bill is the slime bag.
Who knows "scumbag" better than our lamented former President? Something of an expert on the subject, don't you think?
"Who knows "scumbag" better than our lamented former President?" Mayhill Fowler.
I challenge any of us, even Mayhill .If that article was written about any of our readers even your husband Mayhill;without facts or evidence,just as it was written;would you not consider the writer a scumbag?It certainly won't win no noble prize for literature.What reputable magazine would print such an unproven and unfounded story about anyone? Let he who is without sin amongst us cast the first stone.
I just read the Vanity Fair article. It's such poor journalism; that's why it's in VF and not the NYT or Washington Post. It was really more worthy of The Enquirer. And, although I once was, I'm no longer a fan of Bill or Hillary. They have conducted a shamelessly brutal campaign. Those of you who think Obama got a pass during this campaign didn't watch enough Fox TV. It's been 24/7 Reverend Wright, 60's radical, Tony Resco (sic), and now that Catholic priest shenanigans. Sometimes I think Sean Hannity is going to pee himself with frustration because he can't believe the lack of impact he is having with his whiny agitprop.
See M.S. Bellows, Jr.'s Profile
Though Vanity Fair has had some ridiculously good journalism in recent years, much to my surprise.
Typical VF. Mostly garbage on top of garbage masquerading as journalism. Do they actually SPEAK to the individual that they report on?
Still, it is like the pot calling the kettle......
Classic hit job by journalist. Very little information; most of it suspect; no back up; lots of fluff.
What was the point, if not to attack Clinton and his many associates? Why should not WJC defend himself? What was Myers thinking when she married this guy?
I used to admire Bill Clinton and he was a good president. Why couldn't he have found a lttle grace within himself at this critical time? Trashing one writer does not erase the many mistakes he and his wife made durng this endless primary campaign.
Bill's legacy has taken a hit. Why do so few politicians know when to leave the stage?
Yes it has. In fact, I believe he has killed his so-called "legacy." It was Democrats like me who gave him his hight % numbers, and who voted for him twice, in spite of the embarrassment he caused to us during his time in office. Never again, however. I wouldn't vote for him for "dog catcher!" He is finished in my book, and so is she. They are ruthless, heartless, and completely narcissistic, and they deserve nothing from the American people or the Democratic Party after their vicious escapades! They especially deserve nothing from President Barack Obama, who beat them at their own game, despite all obstacles and their fat cow machine!!!
Obama cinches the nomination and Madge gets her face back.
What a narly day!! Tommy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM84PuLJgY4
Bill Clinton is telling the truth here. This guy is a "scumbag" and many others in the media are. Bill Clinton also told the truth in South Carolina (I was there) the race card was being played big by the Obama campaign.
NO, it is Bill Clinton who is the "scumbag," as you so delicately put it, and it was HE who played the "RACE CARD!" But it backfired, big time, as we all now know, and as it will be recorded in the history books!!!
Does Obama really need to vet the Clintons? I. Don't. Think. So.
Totally agree! Why WILL they not go away? Obama needs her as VP like he needs Leiberman.
I'd like a politician that for once calls someone out as a "scumbag" and doesn't apologize. Sometimes a scumbag is a scumbag.
- Go Hillary
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