Clinton Memoir Timing
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James Joyner | Tuesday, April 13, 2004 |
NYT: Timing of Clinton Memoir Is Everything, for Kerry [RSS]
As Bill Clinton seeks to finish his memoirs, leading Democrats are voicing concern that the book could overshadow Senator John Kerry’s presidential campaign, diverting attention to Mr. Clinton’s outsize legacy of scandal and achievement.Many Democrats said they wanted the book published as far as possible before the election and, certainly, before the Democratic National Convention in late July. They fear that the book will embolden Mr. Clinton’s foes to turn out and vote for President Bush.
Mr. Clinton, for his part, has increased the nervous speculation about the book in Democratic circles by making a habit of picking up the phone to regale friends with long passages and even chapters of his prose. Mixing boyish enthusiasm with a craving for approval, people who have received the calls said, he has proudly narrated excerpts about everything from college antics with his pals at Georgetown to his 1995 standoff with Republicans that led to a government shutdown.
Some of Mr. Clinton’s friends say he should hurry up.
“It’ll get a lot of air space and I think it’s kind of imperative that happen in front of the convention,” said John D. Podesta, a chief of staff in Mr. Clinton’s White House. That way, he said, “Kerry’s benefited by having a clear shot, clear air space, from the convention through November.”
A close associate of Mr. Kerry, offering a personal opinion, said: “If it comes out any time before the election, it’s not particularly good for us because he takes up a lot of oxygen. It’s less that he’s a negative and more that he’ll be out on his book tour and he’ll be the story of the week rather than John Kerry.”
Amusing.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.
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Dammit, Bill, you're not being subtle enough. You can't make it too obvious that you're monkeywrenching Kerry's campaign. You want to go back to the White House in 2008, right?
Then don't get sloppy.
I'm having trouble believing that Clinton's book will have any relevance for those Kerry still wants to persuade. After all, the "mushy middle" won't really be paying attention until October or so ;)
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