WHAT!? NYT Rips Bill Clinton's Book.

[imported_Conrad]

Well, now this is a surprise- I'd expect them to be promoting it as much as possible. From the review:

"As his celebrated 1993 speech in Memphis to the Church of God in Christ demonstrated, former President Bill Clinton is capable of soaring eloquence and visionary thinking. But as those who heard his deadening speech nominating Michael Dukakis at the 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta well know, he is also capable of numbing, self-conscious garrulity.

Unfortunately for the reader, Mr. Clinton's much awaited new autobiography "My Life" more closely resembles the Atlanta speech, which was so long-winded and tedious that the crowd cheered when he finally reached the words "In closing . . ."

The book, which weighs in at more than 950 pages, is sloppy, self-indulgent and often eye-crossingly dull — the sound of one man prattling away, not for the reader, but for himself and some distant recording angel of history.

In many ways, the book is a mirror of Mr. Clinton's presidency: lack of discipline leading to squandered opportunities; high expectations, undermined by self-indulgence and scattered concentration."


More: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/20/books/20CLIN.html?ei=5006&en=b1de08dbc243a997&ex=1088308800&partner=ALTAVISTA1&p agewan (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/20/books/20CLIN.html?ei=5006&en=b1de08dbc243a997&ex=1088308800&partner=ALTAVISTA1&pa gewan) ted=print&position=

[ 06-19-2004, 09:16 PM: Message edited by: Conrad ]

[Donn]

ROFLMAO!!

[LeeG]

Bet GW knows a lot more baseball team scores.

[km gresham]

He's always been a self promoting prattler. The NYT is just catching on?

Better question, why are they slamming his book? Think they don't want the wind snatched out of Kerry's sails? Not that there's much wind in them, but NYT wants a democrat in office this time around and they don't want the clintons screwing up Kerry's miniscule chance by sucking all of the oxygen out of the campaign. ;)

[Donn]

Bill's got all 60 of "60 minutes" tomorrow, so I guess NYT is trying to do a pre-emptive strike. Dan Rather and Clinton for an hour. Can you imagine anything more fascinating? :D

[stan v]

I'm not believing this review, from the article:

The nation's first baby-boomer president always seemed like an avatar of his generation, defined by the struggles of the 60's and Vietnam, comfortable in the use of touchy-feely language, and intent on demystifying his job. And yet the former president's account of his life, read in this post-9/11 day, feels strangely like an artifact from a distant, more innocent era.

Lies about sex and real estate, partisan rancor over "character issues" (not over weapons of mass destruction or pre-emptive war), psychobabble mea culpas, and tabloid wrangles over stained dresses all seem like pressing matters from another galaxy, far, far away.

:eek:

Now, who wants to mention Haiti, or Somalia? :rolleyes:

[Meerkat]

Eleven Million Dollars later... the right is still talking about him! :D

He's also got the "ex-president speaking gigs" all to himself. Ford is retired, Carter only does humanitarian, Bush Sr. almost never does, so that leaves several million per year for Clinton.

[stan v]

Success....as defined by Fearkitty.

[Bill Perkins]

Conrad do you read the Times regularly ,or more often have its contents described to you by others ? An over hyped book got an articulate and dismissive review .That's about what I'd expect of the paper .

[Memphis Mike]

ROTFLMAO!

[stan v]

Bill, you'd expect THAT review, from THAT paper? :eek:

I don't think soooooo...

[imported_Conrad]

I was surprised Bill. It was hard for me to understand how a paper that spent 8 years with its nose up Bill Clinton's butt could write a dismissive review. But maybe they finally pulled out to have a breath of fresh air- and saw the light at the same time. ;)

And no, I haven't bothered reading the NYT for years. I understand they've had some serious credibility problems lately- so why bother? :rolleyes:

[ 06-20-2004, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: Conrad ]

[Meerkat]

I can hardly wait for the Shrub's memoirs - do you think a coloring book will sell well? tongue.gif :D

[JimD]

Originally posted by Meerkat:
I can hardly wait for the Shrub's memoirs - do you think a coloring book will sell well? tongue.gif :D Only if the crayons are included and Haliburton owns the crayon company

[stan v]

:rolleyes:

Weak.

Go polish up your humor...try some French jokes. Everyone laughs at them.

[JimD]

And with a 500 page forword by Dick Cheney

[LeeG]

Conrad, I had an intersting convsation with a fellow at the coffee shop,,like you he's sure that there's WMD in Syria or somewhere,,I asked what news sources he relies upon,,"Fox",,I asked if he ever followed the BBC,,"nope, they bash the US all the time". Why bother was his attitude as well. We went in so there's no use in considering conflicting information to the reasons given by the administration.

[JimD]

Go polish up your humor... Oh, sure. Just what the forum needs - more Polish jokes :D

[imported_Conrad]

Lee, I don't have a problem with conflicting information. It's the fabricated stuff that wastes my time. The NYT hasn't had any real credibility as a truthful and un-biased source for many years. Except if you live in New England. tongue.gif

[Meerkat]

Originally posted by Conrad:
It's the fabricated stuff that wastes my time. If fabricated stuff wastes your time, you should be really angry at the administration... :D Their stuff is a real killer! :eek:

Originally posted by Conrad:
The NYT hasn't had any real credibility as a truthful and un-biased source for many years. Except if you live in New England. tongue.gif The Shrub administration hasn't had any real credibility as a truthful and unbiased source for four years. Except if you're a neocon. tongue.gif :D

[ 06-20-2004, 10:19 PM: Message edited by: Meerkat ]