The sleaze never stops with these two: Hilary is now having to explain why she swiped $25,000 in furniture from the White House. Bill is busy setting up in his $600,000/year Manhattan office digs (which he says we won’t have to pay for-maybe!). my question-why DOES he need offices in Manhattan? If some law firm is going to put him on as “window dressing”-why can’t they pay for him? We are already on the hook for this bum’s presidential library-why can’t he go back to Little Rock and rent CHEAPER quarters there? It isn’t as if we need more of the Clinton’s-why can’t they just accept the fact that we (the American public) are sick to death of him? As if this isn’t enough, he is now going on the road with his saxophone-GIVE US A BREAK, Bill-you’ve had your time-now IT’S OVER!!
Uhh huh. Right.
Yeah.
This ain’t the Pit. :wally
We’re paying for his office for the same reason we pay for Ford’s, Carter’s, and Bush’s office. I don’t know if Reagan still maintains his office (well, I know that he doesn’t maintain it, but I don’t know if it is still there).
The office part of the package for every ex-president. It is not for him to work whatever official jobs he may take following the presidency but rather it is an office from which the person can run the business of being a former president.
The gift grab isn’t anything new, though. The amount may be a bit high (but most of it is accounted for with a couple pieces of Chihuly glass) but it is standard practice. According to something I read yesterday, it may turn out that some of the gifts kept by the Clinton’s were actually intended for a 1993 White House remodelling. But that probably can’t be claimed on the Clintons but rather a clerical error.
There is so much to dislike about the Clintons, try to focus on the more legitimate issues.
Yes, he’s entitled to an office as the former President. However, I read that his was going to cost more than the last four presidents’ offices combined! Pretty arrogant, if you ask me.
Get over it. What are you Repugnican Clinton-haters going to do without your favorite whipping boy? I think you protest too much; in your heart of hearts, you are disappointed you won’t have him to vomit your bilious blather on. You might as well get used to it: Slick Willie is getting off scot free, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about. All you can do is misdirect public attention away from the Village Idiot you elected. Nice try.
I believe that Bush’s cost more than the 4 presidents before him, or was that reagan. anyway, get over it.
An article that appeared in my local paper quoted the annual costs to the government for each former president’s office. I don’t have the exact figures, but these are the general numbers:
Ford’s office in Grand Rapids - $90,000+
Carter’s office in Atlanta - $90,000+
Bush the elder’s office in Houston - $120,000+
Reagan’s office in Los Angeles - $250,000+
$250,000+ for an office for a man who is completely incapcitated! Talk about a waste of taxpayer money.
[sub]::try not to sound stupid, Sam::[/sub]
What exactly is the business of being a former president? Couldn’t it be handled from an office in his home?
Actually, we tend to expect quite a bit from our ex- Presidents - they’re at times called upon to represent our Nation at funerals and so on, and ya never know when some one will have to call up and ask “Hey Ronnie, where’dya put the can opener**???”
**[sub]Presidential code for “extra secret missil defense stuff” [/sub]
But frankly, I too, raised my eyebrow rather steeply at the amount being charged to Ron.
To the Pit with thee!
Looking at the prices, it is likely comparable to rent vs. cost of living in these places. Although I have heard that Atlanta cost a bit more than Houston. So Carter is doing the right thing. He was always the most honest. Coming from Houston, I have been inside in the building Bush occupies, my company has, or had, a client a floor below. It is very pretty, and in a tony neighborhood, but he could get more space cheaper.
Using Kepi’s numbers, however accurate they might be, the last four Presidents’ offices add up to $550K, while Clinton’s is going to cost between $600 and $750K alone. WTF?
To some of the other posters on this thread, John Ashcroft is AG, Gale Norton is Secretary of the Interior, George W. Bush is POTUS, and Algore is…gone. 
Well, first things that come to mind are the War Orders. Yup, every boss has his old version, and I’m sure that they are called on every now and then to give info and perspectives on what’s going on now. Like, I’m sure Bush would tap Clinton on the shoulder for help with the Middle East Peace Process. Reagan, as crazy as everyone says he is, I’m sure he’s got a clue or three left about the Soviets.
Second, they probably know where all the cool “Top Secret” toys are, and just need to keep 'em quiet.
Tripler
A WAG, but an educated WAG.
You know, Dogpatch is very close to Cecil Cove. I wonder if perhaps Mr. Clinton used the Dark Powers of the Elder Gods to gain office…nah. 
Will you people please stop picking on Bill and Hillary! They didn’t make all that bad a President.
If only we’d remembered to nail down the furniture…
egkelly, I feel your pain.
For eight years, I had to watch as our nation slid into the depths of unrivaled prosperity without special additional incentives for the wealthy. I had to sit back in front of a computer screen and make shitloads of money simply by having a better idea than anyone else, rather than by using my network of elite friends. I had to watch a wave of tolerance and acceptance wash over this country like a tide of tertiary sewage off of Huntington Beach, except that such things as sewage tides no longer happened in those eight years of strict environmental controls–which somehow coexisted with an era of profitability. I watched sovereign entities such as Indian tribes suddenly garner respect because for the first time the Federal Government failed to violate its own law and treated tribes as political entities instead of political footballs.
I know how you feel; the retarded, reactionary, zealot, knee-jerk, pissant, sexually repressed, racist, latent homosexual, uninformed, and calendarless part of myself is now begging for a President whose policy I can accept while simultaneously feeling antipathy for the ethics of the man himself. Instead, I’m left with a feeling of emptiness, as if all thoughtfulness, tolerance, and intellect has drained out of the White House like so much semen down the Oval Office sink. It is truly a shame.
But, in dischord, we can often find union. Let us come together egkelly, and let me bathe your face in the urine of forgiveness. Let us come together, as Americans so often do in times of crisis, with one putting his ignorant thick-skulled head in the oven, and the other helpfully dowsing the pilot light. Sleep now, my friend, in the solace of consolation. A better world awaits you just inside the flaming gates.
Sofa King- that was “simply marvelous”. The hatred generated for a man who could possibly be the greatest President since Truam is simply amazing. Note that Carter had even more liberal policies- but the hatred is for the SUCCESSFUL president. The try the “Big Lie” technique- they managed to get folks joking about Gores honesty- when just before Gore became the candidate he was regarded as TOO honest.
So Clinton got his knob gobbled in the Oval office- it ain’t the first knob that was gobbled there- and i don’t blame him a bit- so fucking what? And he lied about it- but what fucking right had anyone to know? Getting a BJ is not illegal in Wash DC.
But the Religous Right turned Bill into the antichrist- they accused him of murder, also. Well, folks- them Karma cookies come back on you- as the Speaker of the House learned- and as GWB will likely learn. Hatred always hurts the hater- more than it does the hated.
Now seated Presidents are not immune from Civil Lawsuits- boy that was a victory for the GOP. Hmm- there could be 4 years of legal action just out of the Florida elections alone. Anyone wanna take bets on how long it takes for the first papers to be served on GWB? I say- within a year. And since even “perjury”- a rather minor crime- is now a “high crime”- and since the Dems will run Congress in 2 years- how long before GWB is “impeached”?
No, but lying about it under oath is illegal. Which is why the rat bastard was censured by a federal judge and lost his law license.
Speaking of the “Business of being a former president”, apparently they are hired to give speeches. I’m going to see Former President Bush give a speech this Friday at a luncheon.
The Clinton Presidential Foundation is going to be paying half of the $600,000 rent. Given the cost of space in Manhattan, that brings the government’s portion in line with the $250,000 for Reagan’s office space.