# How's the Clinton / Trimble spat playing in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 28, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081 "2008-03-28T18:42:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/1 "2008-03-28T18:42:39Z")
One of Hillary’s aides, James Rubin, called Nobel Peace Prize winner David Trimble a ‘sexist’ and a ‘crankpot’. [BBC link](http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2008/03/clinton_aide_slurs_david_trimb.html). [Belfast Telegraph report with MSNBC video](http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article3555980.ece?service=print). ---
**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:** [March 28, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/2 "2008-03-28T21:11:30Z")
It hasn’t hit here yet, from what I can see. But I don’t see where remarks like that are terribly helpful to Hillary Clinton’s cause. It seems a strange thing - boosting your candidate’s credentials in bringing about peace in Northern Ireland by picking a fight with one of the men instrumental in bringing it about. That’ll surely work. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/3 "2008-03-28T21:20:57Z")
From a comment in the bbc cite: > [@](#): > > And as for Hillary being an “instrumental” part of the peace process, I can only snigger into my coffee at the mere suggestion. This campaign of hers is getting more and more desperate. A lot of us agree here in the USA with that statement. Recent notable Pat Leahy… ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/4 "2008-03-31T23:53:58Z")
It’s still unknown over here. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/5 "2008-04-01T00:52:46Z")
I think the general play is: “who called who what?” ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/6 "2008-04-01T01:51:23Z")
90% of Americans wouldn’t know David Trimble from a cold, dead stump in the ground. 99% of Americans wouldn’t know Ian Paisley from a cold, dead stump in the ground, but that’s not too surprising. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/7 "2008-04-01T02:00:10Z")
I’ve heard of Paisley, but this is the first I’ve heard of Trimble, or the spat referenced in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/8 "2008-04-01T02:24:39Z")
[QUOTE=Punoqllads] Ian Paisley…cold, dead stump in the ground [/QUOTE] From your keyboard to God’s monitor… ---
**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:** [April 1, 2008, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/9 "2008-04-01T04:50:30Z")
Trouble with Trimble, huh? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/10 "2008-04-01T05:12:33Z")
Well played, Sir Geek! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/11 "2008-04-01T18:37:12Z")
Given that it was a Clinton aid it might have been a mis-communication. Rubin may have called Trimble for some sex and drugs. Look for promises of early withdrawal and assume nobody will inhale. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-clinton-trimble-spat-playing-in-the-us/443081/12 "2008-04-01T18:44:11Z")
1.) Havn’t heard a word about it. 2.) “cra **N** kpot” ??? ``` I don't think that's a word on either side of the pond. ``` 3.) I’m ashamed to admit that I wouldn’t know Trimble or Paisley from a stump. But, to be fair, I wouldn’t know Rubin from a stump, either.