# Bill Clinton: My Life **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2004, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439 "2004-06-15T05:41:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/21 "2004-06-17T13:01:00Z")
The Moderator strikes a gong to get attention: **Milum** , your comments are (1) inappropriate for this forum, (2) factually incorrect, and (3) completely out of order. (1) Inappropriate for this forum: You cross the line on insult and innuendo. Personal attack or insult is not permitted in this forum. If you want to say things like that about someone, go to the Pit. (2) Factually incorrect: **cmason32** is a paid-up member, and that was far from his/her first post. (3) Completely out of order: If you find a link to a site that’s selling something that you think is inappropriate, your proper recourse is to hit the REPORT THIS POST button. That will attract moderator’s attention, and a moderator can decide whether it’s shilling or not. Not you. In fact, we have allowed links to Amazon before, since it’s the most well-known website for books. (3) Even More Completely out of order: Asking someone for their real-life identification is inappropriate. Consider this an Official Warning and Slap on the Wrist with a Ruler (OWSWR). Actually, since you have been warned about insults outside the Pit forum before, you may consider this your LAST AND FINAL WARNING. If you are uncertain about what belongs in what forum, either read the forum descriptions or contact a Moderator by email. And, as long as I’m being Official, I’d like to give **cmason32** an Official Thank You for your polite and restrained response. ---
**Author:** ![cmason32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@cmason32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmason32)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/22 "2004-06-20T23:56:00Z")
Thanks, **C K**. I watched Clinton on 60 minutes, and I have to say that he was remarkably open about his personal life. I can’t recall ever seeing a politician being so candid. ---
**Author:** ![Zap\_Rowsdower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3da27b/32.png) [@Zap\_Rowsdower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zap_Rowsdower)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/23 "2004-06-21T01:24:08Z")
I may, but I’ll get it from the library because that’s where I get most of my books. I also saw the 60 Minutes interview and he did very well and is a good speaker. But due to his track record, I take what he says with a ton of salt. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/24 "2004-06-21T05:10:15Z")
I’m looking forward to it, but if I bought every political book that I was looking forward to, I’d have no money left. Hopefully I’ll be able to find it at the library, or read it with a cup of coffee at B&N. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/25 "2004-06-21T10:07:21Z")
Lie to me once while shaking your finger in my face with your voice all quivery and I believe you, shame on you. Lie to me twice while shaking your finger in my face with your voice all quivery and I believe you, shame on me. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/26 "2004-06-21T11:14:57Z")
I’ll pick it up at some stage. [Not the best review I’ve ever read](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/20/books/20CLIN.html?ei=5006&en=b1de08dbc243a997&ex=1088308800&partner=ALTAVISTA1&pagewanted=print&position=) > [@](#): > > 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. I don’t know MICHIKO KAKUTANI so can’t really put this review in context. Anybody? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/27 "2004-06-21T13:47:50Z")
IMHO, and in the opinion of many others, there are only two memoirs by presidents that are worth reading as literature. One is Ulysses Grant’s memoir, and the other is _Crusade in Europe_, by Eisenhower. Neither one, though, is strictly speaking a presidential memoir. Both are more properly considered battlefield memoirs, written by great military leaders who were themselves astute military historians. They work well as such. Most of the rest are self serving drivel. Nixon’s memoirs were unreadable, and sold poorly. Reagan’s memoirs were quite readable, but told readers nothing new. I suspect Bill Clinton’s memoir will fall into the latter category. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/28 "2004-06-21T17:41:24Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > I’m still disappointed that he didn’t title it _Between Two Bushes_. Maybe _The President After Bush_ would characterize his actions more accurately. I won’t buy it because a) no way I’d intentionally put a dime in Bill’s pocket, b) we’re going to hear more than enough analysis ad nauseum from all the pundits in the weeks and months to come and, c) like **Mr. Moto** said there’s probably little new in there of any historical worth and the only reason to read it is if you actually were a fan of the person. He said the other day that ever since he was a boy he’d wanted to write a “great” book and wondered outloud if he’d just done so. GMAFB. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/29 "2004-06-21T18:29:27Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > I don’t know MICHIKO KAKUTANI so can’t really put this review in context. Anybody? Bitchy Michi? The _Times_’ bizarre, overly opinionated and frequently indecipherable book reviewer. I was disappointed when I read that review, then I saw, “Oh, Michi—feel free to ignore.” ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439/30 "2004-06-21T19:05:23Z")
I just saw the interview on “60 MINUTES” with Dan Rather. I waspuzzled about Clinton’s response to the question about the pardon of fugitive billionaire Marc Rich. Clinton seemed to be saying that he regretted it because of the negative publicity it garnered him? He really didn’t answer the question in any acceptable fashion to me. If he had said something like: -I knew that marc Rich had run afoul of US law. However, I MADE THE DECISION to pardon him, because by enabling him to return to the USA, this country would be strengthened and enriched by Mr. Rich’s activities. But no…Clinton just whined about how unfairly he was treated…which makes me dubious about the whole thing. Somebody who has read the book…what does Bill say about the Marc Rich pardon? 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-my-life/250439.md?page=1)