# Clinton Global Initiative bites the dust **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 16, 2017, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294 "2017-01-16T05:15:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/21 "2017-01-16T20:33:02Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > No no, Obama is the scapegoat for when Trump can’t fulfill any of his promises, it’s all due to the awful state that Obama left the country in. Of course the state that Bush left the country and the middle east in is completely irrelevant to Obama’s pathetic failures /s Republicans turned on Bush the second Obama took office. As of January 21st, 2009, I haven’t met a single Republican who supported him. So good luck trying that “gotcha” on them. I guess all the Republican voters from 2000 and 2004 have died. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/22 "2017-01-16T20:39:15Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > George Bush, former President of the United States, was earning around $137k to make speeches. Bill Clinton, former President of the United States, was earning $500k to make speeches. Just saying “Well, they were both being paid to make speeches.” is disingenuous. One is a much better speaker than the other, with more interesting things to say. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/23 "2017-01-16T23:29:44Z")
Not everybody is ready for GeeDubya’s “edgy” humor. Too hip for the room. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/24 "2017-01-17T02:34:13Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > One is a much better speaker than the other, with more interesting things to say. Do you honestly believe that President Clinton makes a half a million dollars per hour because he’s articulate and interesting? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/25 "2017-01-17T02:57:04Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Republicans turned on Bush the second Obama took office. As of January 21st, 2009, I haven’t met a single Republican who supported him. So good luck trying that “gotcha” on them. I guess all the Republican voters from 2000 and 2004 have died. :dubious: Well they might not support Bush but I have ran into plenty of the “Obama is a failure types” that insisted that the situation on the ground in Iraq when Obama walked into office is completely irrelevant to Obama’s lack results and the creation of ISIS. So they want to have the magical ability to trash Bush while not accepting that any of his actions had lasting consequences for the middle east. I fully expect those same types to blame every failure of Trump on Obama. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/26 "2017-01-17T05:10:14Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Do you honestly believe that President Clinton makes a half a million dollars per hour because he’s articulate and interesting? No, I believe he is bribed to use his massive power over the Republican Party. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/27 "2017-01-17T14:19:52Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Do you honestly believe that President Clinton makes a half a million dollars per hour because he’s articulate and interesting? I remember when Bill Clinton gave the keynote address at a Microsoft convention I attended. He was neither interesting nor articulate and thinking about how much of our registration fee went to pay him is disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/28 "2017-01-17T14:58:56Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I remember when Bill Clinton gave the keynote address at a Microsoft convention I attended. He was neither interesting nor articulate and thinking about how much of our registration fee went to pay him is disappointing. My experience at a Dell conference was different than yours. I thought that President Clinton was interesting and well-spoken. He got a little huffy when answering a tongue-in-cheek question about Al Gore inventing the internet but other than that, he was fine. Overpaid to be sure but they all are IMHO. The next year, to balance things out I guess, they had Bill O’Reilly. He was interesting as well. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/29 "2017-01-17T16:43:47Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Then why close it? Why establish, to begin with, a second charity with such a nebulous mission, “to make connections”? \ Hmmm, I wonder… > [@naita](#): > > The Clinton Foundation’s wrongdoings are greatly exaggerated, but the US is not the only country where public opinion matters when governments decide how to spend money. > > The Clinton Foundation’s work is to a great extent independent on the political clout of Hillary, but her meteoric descent is still going to influence the efficiency of the Foundation. So better to move the charitable contributions elsewhere.\ Nah… I find it much more likely that Hillary Clinton, a person running for president of the US and thus under under intense and media scrutiny, somebody that has had the objective lens of the media shoved into the most personal aspects of their lives for over 20 years, was actually running a completely illegal scheme to use charitable contributions to fund their presidential campaign. Yah, that makes more sense. > [@Grumman](#): > > George Bush, former President of the United States, was earning around $137k to make speeches. Bill Clinton, former President of the United States, was earning $500k to make speeches. Just saying “Well, they were both being paid to make speeches.” is disingenuous. Yes, and the Donald was making 1.5 million, so what? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/30 "2017-01-17T17:36:38Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > George Bush, former President of the United States, was earning around $137k to make speeches. Bill Clinton, former President of the United States, was earning $500k to make speeches. Just saying “Well, they were both being paid to make speeches.” is disingenuous. And Bruce Springsteen tickets cost more than Meatloaf tickets. Your point? ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/31 "2017-01-17T18:39:17Z")
That _Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad_? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/32 "2017-01-17T21:13:57Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Republicans turned on Bush the second Obama took office. As of January 21st, 2009, I haven’t met a single Republican who supported him. So good luck trying that “gotcha” on them. I guess all the Republican voters from 2000 and 2004 have died. :dubious: It’s like that old joke (paraphrased because I can’t remember enough of the actual quote to search), “Nickleback has sold 23 million albums in the US…name one person you know that has one. See? No one.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/33 "2017-01-17T21:21:44Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > …I guess all the Republican voters from 2000 and 2004 have died. :dubious: Shhh. They haven’t caught on yet. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/34 "2017-01-17T22:28:26Z")
> [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](#): > > Nah… I find it much more likely that Hillary Clinton, a person running for president of the US and thus under under intense and media scrutiny, somebody that has had the objective lens of the media shoved into the most personal aspects of their lives for over 20 years, was actually running a completely illegal scheme to use charitable contributions to fund their presidential campaign. Yah, that makes more sense. Which is why, clearly, neither Richard Nixon nor Anthony Weiner should be suspected of the things they were accused of. As I asked **elucidator** , why do you think that the Clintons decided that charity is no longer a worthwhile task right at this moment in time? ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/35 "2017-01-17T23:01:33Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > As I asked **elucidator** , why do you think that the Clintons decided that charity is no longer a worthwhile task right at this moment in time? Is that really what they decided, though? As I understand the reporting, the Clinton Global Initiative is closing shop, but the Clinton Foundation is continuing its charitable work. Do you have a cite that the foundation itself is closing? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/36 "2017-01-18T04:50:52Z")
Isn’t this whole thing about insisting on facts just another way to limit free speech? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/37 "2017-01-18T05:00:02Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > [The Clinton Foundation Shuts Down Clinton Global Initiative](http://observer.com/2017/01/the-clinton-foundation-shuts-down-clinton-global-initiative/) > > What the hell happened to Bill Clinton’s political savvy? This kind of shit should have waited until they had both retired from active politics. But greed won out and Hillary paid the price of being seen as grabbing for the cash with both hands while she campaigned for those less well off in society. Maybe Hillary and Bill are clearing the way for another run at the Whitehouse? Or maybe Mayor of NYC? Hillary for 2020. Woohoo! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/38 "2017-01-18T05:19:21Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > Is that really what they decided, though? > > As I understand the reporting, the Clinton Global Initiative is closing shop, but the Clinton Foundation is continuing its charitable work. Do you have a cite that the foundation itself is closing? Exactly. It’s almost like this thing wasn’t a charity. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/39 "2017-01-18T06:12:56Z")
For a while, I worked for a foundation. Talk about “right livelihood”, giving away dead rich folks money! That’s where I first encountered the least exciting publication in Known Space, the Chronicle of Philanthropy. That’s where you get the hottest gossip and the juciest stories about the world of charitable foundations, yowzah! Look, your eyes have _already_ glazed over, and you’ve never even seen one! The IRS is supposed to be the watchdog, but really, its them. And they have consistently found the Clinton Foundation to be grade-A, pure D _kosher._ I’ll take their word for it, because that way, I won’t have to read it. Ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/40 "2017-01-18T06:23:58Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > The IRS is supposed to be the watchdog, but really, its them. And they have consistently found the Clinton Foundation to be grade-A, pure D _kosher._ I’ll take their word for it, because that way, I won’t have to read it. Ever again. This wasn’t the Clinton Foundation. That still exists. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294.md?page=3)