# Bill Clinton Has a Hissy fit! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 25, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067 "2006-09-25T14:24:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/261 "2006-09-27T23:02:41Z")
Hey. If you want to start a debate in this thread, go ahead. It could use the _something_ like a debate to make it worthwhile. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/262 "2006-09-27T23:05:16Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] > [@](#): > > As none of the more politically educated people in this thread ( **Bricker, Trunk, yojimbo, Bryan Ekers** , etc.) have pointed out any factual errors in his reply, I feel fine assuming that he “won” fairly, as well, and now I feel more educated about the incident and his administration, as well. **I** pointed out that he was lying when he claimed that he was criticized by all the conservatives for being obsessed with Osama Bin Laden. I found **NO** ranking republicans making that charge, and only one or two that criticized him during the Wag the Dog thing. The majority expressed strong support for him [there were different takes among Republicans. House Speaker Newt Gingrich stated plainly the assault “was the right thing to do.” And Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, remarked, “We should all back the president of the United States.”](http://www.salon.com/news/1998/08/21newsc.html) Anyway, I didn’t find anybody who criticized him for being obsessed with OBL, as he claims. For that matter, I can really find no evidence of him obsessed with OBL. As far as I can tell he may never have mentioned him publically. So, it’s pretty clear that he was just lying out his ass. What else is new? ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/263 "2006-09-27T23:11:12Z")
Oh shit! We got moved to the pit? See ya. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/264 "2006-09-27T23:23:14Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] I found NO ranking republicans making that charge, and only one or two that criticized him during the Wag the Dog thing… [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > …Exceptions came in the forms of Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) – who said “There’s an obvious issue that will be raised internationally as to whether there is any diversionary motivation” – Sen. John D. Ashcroft (R-MO) – who said “there is a cloud over this presidency” – and Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN) – who said: “The president has been consumed with matters regarding his personal life. It raises questions about whether or not he had the time to devote to this issue, or give the kind of judgment that needed to be given to this issue to call for military action.” … [http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2006/09/the\_truth\_about.html](http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2006/09/the_truth_about.html) So, technicly true depending on how you define “ranking”, and I’m pretty sure I know how you will. > [@](#): > > …The majority expressed strong support for him… No such evidence offered. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/265 "2006-09-27T23:29:50Z")
Elucidator: So where in that quote was Arlen criticizing Clinton for being obsessed with OBL? Can you quote me that part? (Oh, and Clinton said that they “all” criticized him for it, so I’ll be looking for you to provide quotes from “all” conservatives, neocons, bushistas, etc) Or, you could save yourself a lot of trouble and a lot of weaseling and just admit that Clinton of the unusually long finger (now I know why girls like him,) was just lying his ass off. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/266 "2006-09-27T23:40:21Z")
Well, what did Rush Limbaugh say? Sean Hannity? Hugh Hewitt? What makes you think this is necessarily restrained to elected officials? > [@](#): > > …(Oh, and Clinton said that they “all” criticized him for it, so I’ll be looking for you to provide quotes from “all” conservatives, neocons, bushistas, etc)… Lord love a duck, do you even know when you’re embarassing yourself anymore? Hell, you’re embarassing _me_ just being on the same page. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/267 "2006-09-27T23:40:58Z")
Long fingers have nothing to do with it. It’s how deep their voices are. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/268 "2006-09-27T23:41:44Z")
[QUOTE=Shayna] What you have said is proveably _false_ with your very own cite as evidence. Sucks when that happens, doesn’t it? [/QUOTE] See what I mean? You can’t win a rational argument with an irrational person. **Shayna** reads my posts, but she can’t “hear” them. So she argues with the voices in her head. So, for the last time as far as this thread goes, _:shrugs:_ Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/269 "2006-09-27T23:45:45Z")
Man oh man, **Shodan** what a dramatic exit! Divaville! Very impressive! You should do it more often! And sooner! Much, much sooner! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/270 "2006-09-27T23:46:13Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Hey. If you want to start a debate in this thread, go ahead. It could use the _something_ like a debate to make it worthwhile. [/QUOTE] Hey, I’m doin’ my best, here, asking for evidence and reasoned arguments and whatnot. It’s a pity (Pit-y?) this got moved, though an understandable one, because it blows off _any_ chance of thoughtful analysis of the interview. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/271 "2006-09-27T23:59:51Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Well, what did Rush Limbaugh say? Sean Hannity? Hugh Hewitt? What makes you think this is necessarily restrained to elected officials? [/quote] Did any of them say Bill was obsessed with OBL? Actually, all that I remember Rush saying was that the only reason Clinton would need to defend himself from “wag the dog” attacks was because he made himself vulnerable to them by his own actions with a subordinate intern, but if you think he said Clinton was obsessed with OBL by all means produce the quote. > [@](#): > > Lord love a duck, do you even know when you’re embarassing yourself anymore? Hell, you’re embarassing _me_ just being on the same page. What Bill said was “And I think it’s very interesting that all the conservative Republicans, who now say I didn’t do enough, claimed that I was too obsessed with bin Laden. All of President Bush’s neo-cons thought I was too obsessed with bin Laden.” **That’s** embarassing. As far as I can tell, **nobody** made that claim. **Ever!!** I’ve been waiting since page 2 for somebody to produce such a claim of obsession, or concede that old Smeagol hands was lying. Anyone? Anyone? BTW, I’ll again state that I really don’t have any issue with Clinton’s actual actions regarding OBL as Pres. I think he acted pretty appropriately. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/272 "2006-09-28T00:36:16Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] I’ve been waiting since page 2 for somebody to produce such a claim of obsession, or concede that old Smeagol hands was lying. [/QUOTE] I’ll concede he was exaggerating, probably conflating this issue with the natural amount of Republican congressional obstructionism any Democratic president might face (or a Republican president facing a Dem congress). In Clinton’s particular case, I’d have to say the natural friction with Congress was at the high end of average. Somewhere in there, I can easily imagine Clinton getting hassled on some minor points regarding OBL and a decade later remembering this resistance as far greater than it really was. Yes, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt. If that’s a sign of unreasonable partisanship, please let me know. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/273 "2006-09-28T00:40:23Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] What Bill said was “And I think it’s very interesting that all the conservative Republicans, who now say I didn’t do enough, claimed that I was too obsessed with bin Laden. All of President Bush’s neo-cons thought I was too obsessed with bin Laden.” [/QUOTE] This may be a smaller group than it first appears. If we look only at “all the conservative Republicans who now say I didn’t do enough,” who are we actually looking at? (Note that the comma in the transcription may or may not have been in the spoken line.) * * * > [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > It’s a pity (Pit-y?) this got moved, though an understandable one, because it blows off any chance of thoughtful analysis of the interview. Actually, there is still room for a serious debate in **GD**. If it starts out with a serious premise and avoids the silliness that knocked this off track, based on the OP, it might survive for quite a while (provided a few emotional folks who cannot post except in terms of black and white and red emotion all over will restrain themselves). ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/274 "2006-09-28T00:45:41Z")
I’m amused that, having read what **Airblairxx** posted, could still make a big deal about Clintonista WH vandalism on the way out the door. > [@](#): > > The GAO report does persuasively show, with some corroboration by former Clinton staffers, that the most extensive damage came from the juvenile idea of popping the “W” key off computer keyboards, rendering them unusable. > > The GAO affixed a $4,650 cost to replacing 62 keyboards (which, at $75 a pop, is about six times what a basic keyboard runs for at Office Depot). It’s unclear whether all 62 keyboards that were replaced actually had the missing “W” – the White House bookkeeping is unclear on this point. > > It’s also a mystery what happened to 26 cellphones and two cameras, which the White House says it spent $2,769 to replace. Add to that a $1,150 cleaning cost, and some other costs that seem negligible ($221 to replace 15 TV remotes, for example, that some Clinton staffers told the GAO never existed), the GAO came up with a $9,324 total “spent to repair and replace items that were observed broken or missing in specific locations” where complaints of vandalism had been made. Lessee: that’s the 'popping of the W’s - $4,650 (even in 2001, keyboards didn’t cost $75 a pop) disappearance of 26 cellphones and 2 cameras - $2,769 cleaning - $1,150 TV remotes - $221 Other unspecified - $534 Total: $9,324 In a medium-sized operation like the White House where people aren’t exactly asked to account for a company cellphone every time they take it off the premises, 26 disappeared cellphones in 8 years is actually impressively low. TV remotes? Cry me a river. Anyway, neither of those is vandalism, whatever it might be. And $1,150 can easily be spent on a thorough, professional cleaning of an ordinary suburban split-level. Puh-leeze. That leaves the 62 missing 'W’s and the unspecified $534 as the ‘vandalism.’ If they’d paid $20 a keyboard, that would have been a total ‘vandalism’ cost of $1774. Anyone who’s saying the Clintons trashed the place on the way out, well, don’t bogart that joint. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/275 "2006-09-28T00:49:50Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] See what I mean? You can’t win a rational argument with an irrational person. **Shayna** reads my posts, but she can’t “hear” them. So she argues with the voices in her head. So, for the last time as far as this thread goes, _:shrugs:_ Regards, Shodan [/QUOTE] Aw. Don’t go away all crazed and in a hissy fit. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/276 "2006-09-28T00:50:27Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] I’ll concede he was exaggerating, probably conflating this issue with the natural amount of Republican congressional obstructionism any Democratic president might face (or a Republican president facing a Dem congress). In Clinton’s particular case, I’d have to say the natural friction with Congress was at the high end of average. Somewhere in there, I can easily imagine Clinton getting hassled on some minor points regarding OBL and a decade later remembering this resistance as far greater than it really was. Yes, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt. If that’s a sign of unreasonable partisanship, please let me know. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but Newt Gingrich backed him up on this. As I remember it, the majority of Republicans backed him on this and disavowed the wag the dog thing. Of course, they did so for political reasons. To support the President on this made them appear magnanimous, impartial and even-handed. They could point to this as evidence of fairness while preceding to crucify him with the Lewinsky thing and display the appearance of even-handedness. That’s the way I remember it. So, no, I’m not inclined to give Billy a pass on this utter fabrication. Your opinion may be different but it doesn’t make you unreasonable. I’d just hope you’d consider whether my viewpoint has merit. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/277 "2006-09-28T00:53:52Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] I’m amused that, having read what **Airblairxx** posted, could still make a big deal about Clintonista WH vandalism on the way out the door. Lessee: that’s the 'popping of the W’s - $4,650 (even in 2001, keyboards didn’t cost $75 a pop) disappearance of 26 cellphones and 2 cameras - $2,769 cleaning - $1,150 TV remotes - $221 Other unspecified - $534 Total: $9,324 In a medium-sized operation like the White House where people aren’t exactly asked to account for a company cellphone every time they take it off the premises, 26 disappeared cellphones in 8 years is actually impressively low. TV remotes? Cry me a river. Anyway, neither of those is vandalism, whatever it might be. And $1,150 can easily be spent on a thorough, professional cleaning of an ordinary suburban split-level. Puh-leeze. That leaves the 62 missing 'W’s and the unspecified $534 as the ‘vandalism.’ If they’d paid $20 a keyboard, that would have been a total ‘vandalism’ cost of $1774. Anyone who’s saying the Clintons trashed the place on the way out, well, don’t bogart that joint. [/QUOTE] I am willing to grant and concede everything you say, with the exception of the TV remote thing. Have you ever not been able to find your TV remote and stayed up all night looking for it? Do you remember how annoying that is? No right-thinking Conservative would misplace his remote. Fucking liberals. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/278 "2006-09-28T00:59:56Z")
One day, jack-booted UN thugs in blue helmets will break down our doors and confiscate our remotes. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/279 "2006-09-28T01:00:48Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] This may be a smaller group than it first appears. If we look only at “all the conservative Republicans who now say I didn’t do enough,” who are we actually looking at? (Note that the comma in the transcription may or may not have been in the spoken line.) [/QUOTE] He also says: " All of President Bush’s neo-cons thought I was too obsessed with bin Laden." and: "They had no meetings on bin Laden for nine months after I left office. All the right-wingers who now say I didn’t do enough said I did too much — same people. They were all trying to get me to withdraw from Somalia in 1993 the next day after we were involved in Black Hawk down, and I refused to do it and stayed six months and had an orderly transfer to the United Nations." Which isn’t really how I remember it, either. And let’s not forget the poking. The Dude was seriously off, though probably pretty smart. Doing something like this prior to the ABC movie puts his response to it in the public eye a lot more than if he hadn’t made a scene. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067/280 "2006-09-28T01:04:11Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] One day, jack-booted UN thugs in blue helmets will break down our doors and confiscate our remotes. [/QUOTE] Fucking A! WHy do you think all the conservative talk shows are on Sunday morning? Liberals can’t find their remotes until noon. Let’s us operate under the radar and that’s the real reason we’ve been able to stay in control and win elections. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-has-a-hissy-fit/374067.md?page=15)