Jewish World Review June 24, 2004 / 5 Tamuz, 5764
Joe Scarborough
Clinton keeps reminding America why he is still our most divisive political figure
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You know, one hopes that Bill Clinton understood that the book tour that he is on to promote his $10 million book wasn't going to be the political equivalent of a victory lap. But now the former president has to know he remains the most divisive figure in American politics since Richard Nixon. Maybe that explains why TV hosts from Oprah Winfrey to the BBC's David Dimbleby continue to ask tough questions about Monica Lewinsky long after Bill Clinton is ready to move on to other subjects.
After a tough line of questioning from BBC's Dimbleby, Mr. Clinton accused the BBC reporter of "helping the far right, because you like to hurt people." And after running a segment on Mr. Clinton's book on my TV show, SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY, I did a quick check of my e-mail, and it confirmed my worst suspicions. After an hour of going fairly easily on the former commander in chief, half of the e-mails I received were personal attacks against my character for being too tough on Mr. Clinton.
The other half blasted me for going too easy on Mr. Clinton and questioned my love of G-d, country, and everything pure in the universe. In all, I had not been recipient of such vicious e-mails from the right or the left since, well, since impeachment.
Bill Clinton continues to be the fault line in an American political civil war that grows with every Bubba sighting. Here's hoping that he does all that's required to get his $10 million advance and then he goes back to the quiet task of burnishing his image as America's next elder statesman. Now, that job isn't going to pay as well as this one, but it's got to be more rewarding than answering yet another question about Monica Lewinsky.
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Former Congressman Joe Scarborough (R-Fla.) hosts Scarborough Country, 10 p.m. ET, weeknights on MSNBC. Comment by clicking here.
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