Clinton calls Blair’s government the ’envy’ of the United States

[ECH1969]

Speaking to a packed audience at London’s Guildhall, Clinton specifically responded to criticisms that British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Labour party were “long in the tooth,” or past their prime.

“If you live where I live and you look across the Atlantic, it does not look that way,” he said.

Clinton’s 45-minute speech on progressive politics and globalization, organized by the Smith Institute, a Labour-leaning political think tank, touched on a wide array of topics, including the war in Iraq, job outsourcing, the threat of communicable diseases and even the Danish cartoons that infuriated much of the Muslim world earlier this year.

Clinton briefly spoke about the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq during a question-and-answer session, calling it a delicate issue that, if handled incorrectly, could create a “launching pad” for terrorist regimes in the Middle East.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2006/March/theworld_March884.xml§ion=theworld&col=

[Greeby]

1. What has Bill been smoking?

:wtf:

[shain from kane]

4. This time he inhaled. n/t

[saigon68]

30. We should "envy" this piece of Crap?

[ananda]

2. peeuuukkke

He's got to be kidding.

[madfloridian]

3. Maybe he missed the memo....

the one that was on Hardball, CNN, and Olbermann last night..

[blm]

14. Remember when Letterman asked him about the Downing Street Memos and

he claimed he never even heard about them and changed the subject? And that was a MONTH after Kerry circulated a DSM letter of inquiry in the senate and Conyers circulated his letter in the congress. How is it that Hillary never mentioned it or he never read ANY article about the DSM from KnightRidder or UK papers?

[madfloridian]

25. Right, he changed the subject quickly.

I keep thinking how the Clintons and Blair were together in forming the Third Way in 1999. Now it is back. Here is the page telling of its formation. I think the logo on the new security program being presented at Raw Story today...is the logo from their old site. But I don't have it in cache. Well, I do, but I can't find it yet.

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=128&subid=185&contentid=880

DLC | Event | April 25, 1999
The Third Way: Progressive Governance for the 21st Century
By Roundtable Discussion

Click here to view the taped broadcast.

"President Bill Clinton led a roundtable discussion with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and DLC President Al From in a DLC forum, The Third Way: Progressive Governance for the 21st Century. Joined by honored guests British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok, and Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema, the event was a natural follow-up to the NATO conference. It focused on the common domestic implications of rapid changes in world economic and social trends, and the efforts of Third Way reformers to modernize the politics and policies of center-left political parties in Europe and the United States.

The Third Way philosophy seeks to adapt enduring progressive values to the new challenges of the Information Age. It rests on three cornerstones: the idea that government should promote equal opportunity for all while granting special privilege for none; an ethic of mutual responsibility that equally rejects the politics of entitlement and the politics of social abandonment; and a new approach to governing that empowers citizens to act for themselves.

Starting with Bill Clinton's Presidential campaign in 1992, Third Way thinking is reshaping progressive politics throughout the world. Inspired by the example of Clinton and the New Democrats, Tony Blair in Britain led a revitalized New Labour party back to power in 1997. The victory of Gerhard Schroeder in Germany the next year confirmed the revival of center-left parties which either control or are part of the governing coalition forming throughout the European Union. From Latin America to Australia and New Zealand, Third Way ideas also are taking hold.

This forum represented a continuation of an international Third Way dialogue begun in 1997 by Prime Minister Blair and Mrs. Clinton in London, and continued in 1998 at a conference in New York that broadened the Anglo-American discussion to include other European New Progressive leaders. It also reflected the reality that the Third Way is the most rapidly growing international political movement in the world, and the rising tide in center-left political parties throughout Europe."

[Tanuki]

5. What I envy

is that the Brits can call a vote of "no confidence" if Blair screws things up and kick him and his party out of office. I wish we had the same option!

[TheBaldyMan]

6. Unfortunately the Stepford Wives won't do it, turkeys voting for Xmas

[toopers]

10. We can . . . its called the presidential election.

[Tanuki]

13. Yes, but

we have to wait for 2008, unless he is impeached first.

[toopers]

15. Yeah, but we blew it in 2004.

[SemperEadem]

21. While I understand the impeachment tack

I don't know if I want Cheney sitting on the throne, being that he's next in line. That man is certifiably dangerous. He can shoot a man in the face and make the man appologize to him for being in the way of the bullet.. and yet, he's still running free... I guess money will buy you justice.

They need to get rid of Cheney, first, then impeach *.

[KoKo]

7. Oh Lord.....I wish he would just be quiet....so we could try to remember

him in his better days. I'm worried next he will be hugging Falwell....sheesh.

[kurth]

8. Yep. And Bush's poodle is a giant among leaders

Monica, HELP HIM!

[AndyTiedye]

9. He's Right, Because Bliar's Government Can Still Be Voted Out of Office…

…while we have


Republican Electing machinez

[OKNancy]

11. Please read the article before slinging mud Clinton's way

LONDON - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said on Tuesday that Britain’s economy, environmental policy and attempts at modernization were envied in the United States, where comparable policies under President George W. Bush were lacking.

[superconnected]

18. That clarifies it. Thank you.

[Tellurian]

29. Precisely Spot On. did you notice the omission of the salient paragraph

in the header:

LONDON - LONDON - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said on Tuesday that Britain’s economy, environmental policy and attempts at modernization were envied in the United States, where comparable policies under President George W. Bush were lacking.

and vigorously lobbied by the same people who
prefer listening to goat story while Rome burns!

[Wise Doubter]

12. I`m pretty sure he was referring to the No Confidence "envy".

we always want what we don`t have.

[pitohui]

16. bill is a tactful guy

i guarantee that the average american far from envying the blair gov't, they don't even know who tony blair might happen to be

[superconnected]

17. Actually I'm envious of the Canadians.

I keep think I would rather live there.

[oasis]

19. Blair's government doesn't have a stranglehold on the media of the UK.

That's the only thing I envy.

[Kelvin Mace]

20. Uh, guys, READ the article

President Bill Clinton said on Tuesday that Britain’s economy, environmental policy and attempts at modernization were envied in the United States, where comparable policies under President George W. Bush were lacking.

What part of this do you disagree with?

[Zhade]

22. Yeah, 'cause who doesn't want to be pinned down and shot in the head...

...for being the wrong color?

:sarcasm:

[Odin2005]

23. Blair is a Clintonite on domestic issues.

He's only *'s poodle in international afairs.

[Zimmy44]

24. Because it's a Parliamentary system...

...when you're down to 35% support, you get forced to call an election.

[Rex]

26. So he finally drank the kool-aid...

Poor Bill, if he morphs into a McCainbot I will PUKE my guts out!

[madfloridian]

27. Not surprising...Blair and Clintons are Third Way together.

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=128&subid=185&contentid=880

DLC | Event | April 25, 1999
The Third Way: Progressive Governance for the 21st Century
By Roundtable Discussion

Click here to view the taped broadcast.

"President Bill Clinton led a roundtable discussion with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and DLC President Al From in a DLC forum, The Third Way: Progressive Governance for the 21st Century. Joined by honored guests British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok, and Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema, the event was a natural follow-up to the NATO conference. It focused on the common domestic implications of rapid changes in world economic and social trends, and the efforts of Third Way reformers to modernize the politics and policies of center-left political parties in Europe and the United States.

The Third Way philosophy seeks to adapt enduring progressive values to the new challenges of the Information Age. It rests on three cornerstones: the idea that government should promote equal opportunity for all while granting special privilege for none; an ethic of mutual responsibility that equally rejects the politics of entitlement and the politics of social abandonment; and a new approach to governing that empowers citizens to act for themselves.

Starting with Bill Clinton's Presidential campaign in 1992, Third Way thinking is reshaping progressive politics throughout the world. Inspired by the example of Clinton and the New Democrats, Tony Blair in Britain led a revitalized New Labour party back to power in 1997. The victory of Gerhard Schroeder in Germany the next year confirmed the revival of center-left parties which either control or are part of the governing coalition forming throughout the European Union. From Latin America to Australia and New Zealand, Third Way ideas also are taking hold.

This forum represented a continuation of an international Third Way dialogue begun in 1997 by Prime Minister Blair and Mrs. Clinton in London, and continued in 1998 at a conference in New York that broadened the Anglo-American discussion to include other European New Progressive leaders. It also reflected the reality that the Third Way is the most rapidly growing international political movement in the world, and the rising tide in center-left political parties throughout Europe."

[Gloria]

28. Here's more...crossed picket line to do it

1//The Independent, UK Published: 29 March 2006

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article354253.ece



‘LIGHTEN UP’ AND TRUST YOUR CHANCELLOR, CLINTON TELLS UK

By Andy McSmith and Colin Brown



Gordon Brown's ambition to be the next Prime Minister has been boosted by Bill Clinton, who praised his handling of the British economy after both men crossed a union picket line to attend a conference at the Guildhall in London.

The former US President told his British audience to "lighten up" because, whatever their criticisms of Labour, the UK is better governed than America. He even joked about the Blair-Brown rivalry, saying both men deserve equal respect.

(SNIP)

In his speech at the Guildhall, Mr Clinton praised Mr Brown for what he called "your wondrous leadership of the economy and the Treasury, and your continued effort to find responses to the challenges of globalisation at home and abroad."

He added: "I've seen people say Labour is getting a bit long in the tooth. But if you live where I live and you look across the Atlantic, it does not look that way. You should see yourselves as others do.

"And ... I see a strong economy, fiscal responsibility, investment and low unemployment where the reverse is true in my country. I see you committed to fight global warming, in stark contrast to the policies in the US. So you should lighten up: you're doing really well. And if you went across the Atlantic and saw what was happening there, you'd think you were doing pretty well."

His comments were seen by Mr Brown's supporters as evidence that the Chancellor is as much an international figure as Mr Blair. Alarm bells rang in the Brown camp over the weekend when Mr Blair seemed to be implying that he was going back on his promise to stand down before the next election.

MORE

[Solly Mack]

31. Operation Pet the Poodle

Edit: to inform those who would assume otherwise

I read the article - and it's still a petting job.

Blair looks bad at home - Blair needed someone to remind the people that he's not George Bush.
In walks Clinton. Clinton pets the poodle. Blair, relying on the good will Clinton is known to generate, hopes the Clinton touch works to remind Brits that, even though Blair has attached himself to Bush and joined him in a tragedy of errors, that Blair is not in full agreement with Bush on every issue, and that is the reason why you simply must be grateful and appreciative of Blair - and if that wasn't enough, those rascally cousins across the pond envy you

Operation Pet the Poodle