Former President Clinton on NPR Talk of the Nation- TAKING CALLS!

[Up2Late]

I don't know for how long , maybe 1/2 hour.

[Algorem]

1. talking Abu Graihb,Guantanamo

gonna take calls,said truth about Abu Ghraib&Guantanamo is somewhere between what Bush gang says and what Amnesty International says.

[CottonBear]

2. Link: http://www.npr.org/

http://www.npr.org/ (Windows Media live stream button at the link.)

He's on right now! It's 2:15PM EST. Cool! :)
They'll take calls in just a minute.
:popcorn:
First caller on now ("western liberal"):asking about American culture: are we more intolerant now? and about the influence of the cultural conservatives and religous right.

A. Many people join mega-churches because they are comforting and inviting safe-havens in a hostile world...economic insecurity makes people vote on cultural issues...primary issue that got * re-elected is that the majority has the opinion that they have the whole truth and should rule by a simple majority...time is on the your (caller's)side (for more moderate politics).

E-mail a question to: [e-mail]

[Up2Late]

4. Wow, that's cool, they don't put one of those "Listen Live" buttons

for just anyone. Thanks.

[Up2Late]

3. If you don't get the show locally here a list to stations that Stream

the show.

<http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=394>

[CottonBear]

5. Joe from Wash. D.C. asks if B.C. made any controversial comprimises

on the environemnt and welfare reform?

A. Best record since Teddy Roosevelt. Cleaner air and water. Primary architects of Kyoto accord. Proud of that. Couldn't get CAFE stds. past congress.

"I vetoed 2 Welfare bills because it would hurt the most poor.
He didn't like the actions against legal immigrants..almost all cuts restored by the time he left office. Middle class better off during (my) years.

[CottonBear]

6. Bill doesn't regret Don't Ask/ Don't tell as he proposed it

But he thinks that gays and lesbians should be able to serve...all Clinton guidelines have been removed and he does regret that those parts of the bill have been removed...

[CottonBear]

7. Answered Q about Defense of Marriage Act.

He thinks it should be up to states but NO constituitonal ammendment against "gay marriage."

[Up2Late]

8. Every time I hear President Clinton speak I can't help myself...

...from thinking, "Wow, this guy speaks in Complete sentences!"

And, "Man, I wish we had a President who's as smart as this guy!"B-)

[CottonBear]

14. I miss him He's not perfect but he can speak in complete sentences.

He's talking about stem cell research. He seems to support this.
He thinks that he should have done more (when he was in office).

Q. Ira's asking about health care and education and lack of jobs and how to address the big issues...after the break...taking calls and e-mails.
:)

[Up2Late]

31. But Clinton's not doing Hour 2, right?

or is he? They don't carry the 2nd hour here.

[CottonBear]

9. He's having/attending a conference (name) , he hopes * will come. n/t

I think it is Davos, Switzerland.

[Up2Late]

10. I think it's Davos (sp?) Switzerland

[MaineDem]

38. No, I think it will be in NY

Davos is a separate and larger event.

He hopes Bush, the VP, and maybe even members of the Cabinet will show up. My impression was that Bill didn't expect them but he didn't say that.

It was so damned refreshing to listen to a leader who can speak coherently and intelligently to any subject. I miss those days and I'm so embarrassed by the fuckwit we have in there now.

[CottonBear]

42. Thanks for the info! I'm embarrassed by * as well.

I missed the conference question and wasn't sure what he was speaking about.
Bill is loved across the world. We know he's not perfect, but damn, just look/listen to *.
:cry: I miss him.

[CottonBear]

11. Q. About China'a economy and our debt and trade policy

A. It depends. We should be happy China's economy is growing...but can the economy grow...and they have human rights...China wants to keep our dollar high...so that we can buy 30-40% of their exports w/ just 20% of world's wealth...debt is a cause of insecurity (for us...) We've gotta change our energy policy...

"Don't need tax cuts (for the rich) financed by debt sold to China."

[Lochloosa]

12. Yanni in NY

Rapid growth in China...what impact on US economy....

BC: It depends, should be happy with China economy. No right expect higher standard of living than other countries.

Human Rights, we expect China to loan us money to cover *'s tax cuts, so it's hard to work on that. Debt will lower our living standards.

Compete with 100 of millions of people at lower wages, must change our standards of education, to manage our standard of living.

[CottonBear]

13. We need clean energy, cleaner fuel and solar and alternative energy

development...great efficiency..."Republican congress likes the old energy economy."

"Oil was cheap and it was hard to...get more (energy policy reform)..make more progress"

(Hey y'all: I'm paraphrasing some here. :) CottonBear)

[CottonBear]

15. "Rising public awareness that we need to tackle energy, education

and health care." "Finally the country understands that we need to do what I talked about in 1993." "I'd like to study problems (costs...quality)...crazy way we insure... and high cost...and lack of price controls on medicines...FDA...defensive medicine...and lifestyle."

Cool: he's got over 300 solar panels on the roof of his library plus bamboo floors and cold/warm water tubing under floors for HVAC!

Caller Q.: How can we imporve our image in the rest of the world? (She's going to France.)
Bill's A.: Tsunami relief effort is great because it is for the right reasons...help people w/ no agenda...we have more in common than what divides us...

[CottonBear]

16. Q. "You're w/ us or against us (Ari). Comment

That was due to 9-11. We can change though. I have profound differences (Bill and *) but we need to work with everyone (somehow)...you need to make more partners and fewer enemies..."

Q. What do you do for fun (from an 8th grade middle school class)
A. I like to read books, go to movies , play golf anfd travel.. He likes to walk the streets of foreign cities...Bucharest, Dublin, Rome, Copenhagen and then to Asia...loves studying history and culture..."

Q. Re energy policy.
A. Spend much more money on alternate energy...and new energy economy (old energy is where the $ are due to policy and politics)...under-capitalized market for alternate/new energy...alternate energy on a large scale not individual projects.

[bgb217]

22. Given this and the Larry King interview...

Hilary's really considering running, I guess? I know a lot of people think she is, but with both of them playing both sides more than usual...

[CottonBear]

24. There was no mention of Hilallary by the hosts, caller or Bill.

I'm not thinking about Hillary running or anyone else running for that matter. I'm thinking about 2006 and how we are going to take back the congress.

The "Hillary" issue is being brought up by Republicans and no one else. It is an attempt to further demonize her for no good reason other than they hate her for being involved with the Watergate investigation and for being a smart woman.

[MaineDem]

39. Bill mentioned her

He was talking about bipartisanship and how Hillary had gone to an island north of Norway with two GOP Senators looking at energy. I didn't hear any other mention of her but he did say that.

[CottonBear]

41. Thanks! I missed that . I was on a work break typing like crazy! n/t

[Up2Late]

43. "...He likes to walk the streets of foreign cities..." Ouch! that was...

...a sharp Jab to the ribs of *, needing to almost clear the cities he visits abroad.

[icehenge]

17. CottonBear, thanks for typing out the interview

The interview isn't on NPR in my area.

[CottonBear]

18. You're welcome! He's still talking about alternate energy.

Now an e-mail Q about Darfur and why we do so little?

A. Rawanda is my greatest regret...it happened in 100 days..I was trying to get ready to go into Bosnia and we ewere just getting past Somalia...I should have gone...we missed the boat...Bush hasn't gone into Darfur...we have our military assets tied up in Iraq.

That's all folks! :) :) ;) Have a good afternoon! TGIF! :party::toast:

see http://www.npr.org/ for a possible link to listen to this on Talk of the Nation. You may have to go to the Talk of the Nation site (follow the links). It may not be up until tomorrow.

[Up2Late]

21. The on-line audio is usually at the website by 4:00pm EDT

Real Player, Windows Media Player, Audable .com and I think they are starting to PodCast too.

[Up2Late]

19. Man, that was the felt like shortest Hour I heard on the radio...

...in years (O.K. it was only 51 minutes, but still).:hippie:

[CottonBear]

20. Yep. It was good to hear from the Big Dog. :)

:woohoo: I feel better now.

[meppie-meppie not]

23. between his ass kissing of this administration and the shrubs and

his parsing of words it was a very on par Clinton interview, IMO.

[CottonBear]

25. I heard no "parsing or ass kissing".

He answered all of the questions thoroughly and honestly.
He was polite and presidential and spoke the way one former president speaks about another president. They are all polite to one another even when criticizing each other. He certainly could be rude (god knows he has reason to be furious with the Republicans), but then that would lower him to Bu$h's level.

[Up2Late]

29. I agree, it's called "being diplomatic," something * has no idea of

how it's done.

I was at the U.N. Headquarters in Switzerland last Summer(for vacation), and tried asking some tough questions to out U.N. tour guide, and wow, she was good at that type of answer.

The goal is to start off by making the questioner think you agree with them, but then you carefully twist it back into constructive criticism.

[CottonBear]

34. Coo! You got to go to the U.N. Headquarters in Switzerland.

I bet that was an excellent visit. I've just been to Bern for an afternoon on my way to Paris.
:) Cheers!

[Up2Late]

37. Yup, got to go to the ICRC too (International Red Cross/Red Crescent)

They're almost across the street from each other.

It's amazing how you can be told how beautiful Switzerland is, and then STILL be amazed when you get there.

[meppie-meppie not]

30. he's still busy wanting to be liked by everybody. I like the guy too

believe it or not I just don't see him in black in white terms is all. :)

[CottonBear]

33. None of us here "see him in black or white terms."

For the most part, however, we do respect his opinion, even if we all don't always agree with everything he says or writes.

You can also like someone personally and disagree with their politics. I happen to like Bill and most of his politics.
:) Cheers!

[meppie-meppie not]

36. very true, and to be honest ...

I always was HUGE Clinton supporter and I think that my absolute revulsion with the Bush family and Clinton's buddy buddying with them now has really brought out my angst, silly and small of me I know but I think it's spilling over onto him. But I still like him and think he's one of the best orators I've ever heard and one of the most brilliant chaps around (and I still think him terribly hot) Peace:-)

[RethugAssKicker]

26. I agree. I like Clinton

But hes too middle of the road for me!

[CottonBear]

27. Hey, we're a big party. I'm a way left Democrat but I like Bill.

You gotta love that he speaks in complete sentences, uses proper verbage and grammar, pronounces all words correctly, doesn't say "um" and expresses complex thoughts and ideas in a clear ans engaging fashion. I wish I could speak so well.

We Democrats have everyone from Green Party to Socialists to Independents to the whole spectrum of Democrats to Liberal and Moderate Conservatives on our side.

Cheers! :)

[meppie-meppie not]

28. that we do! the only thing we lack is balls..

[CottonBear]

32. You must be using the "royal we." I've got a big pair of ovaries.

:)

[meppie-meppie not]

35. LOL..oh me too...I was speaking in very figurative terms

:-)

[applegrove]

40. Link to today's Darfur Daily News: June 03, 2005 thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3780933#

[BigBearJohn]

44. Listened to the whole thing. Yep. I still love the Big Dog. Love 'em.