The Clinton Crack-Up: The Boy President's Life After the White House | R. Emmett Tyrrell

The Clinton Crack-Up: The Boy President's Life After the White House | R. Emmett Tyrrell | More sad than insightful

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The Clinton Crack-...

	The Clinton Crack-Up: The Boy President's Life After the White House R. Emmett Tyrrell Thomas Nelson, 2007 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 41 reviews view larger image
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What the Clintons have been up to since they left the White House

R. Emmett Tyrell Jr. is not only the founder of The American Spectator, but according to Hillary Clinton he is one of those at the center of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. This amuses Tyrell to no end (even though the Clinton attacks have cost him plenty) and he explains why in this book. Yes, there is no love lost between the author and the Clintons. He loves to talk about what goes on behind the carefully crafted public façade and they like to rail at him for distortions and rehashing material that is old news. This book does go over some of the old stuff in passing, but most of it focuses on what Bill and Hillary have been doing since their co-Presidency ended in 2000.

If you are a Clinton supporter or at least one who accepts the public image of him as a wouldabeengreat President if not for the Republican attacks, you should avoid this book unless you enjoy getting riled up. If you are a true believer in the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and do not want to hear or accept evidence to he contrary, again, avoid this book.

If you enjoy reading about more Clinton activities and what they usually imply, well, you will certainly enjoy this book. Especially if you enjoy hearing Bill called things like, "the most low-grade lout ever elected president" or "the white-haired and shrunken Clinton is a forlorn figure, irritable, melancholy, and anxious to be remembered well" this book will be just what you want. It isn't exactly vicious or full of bile, but it isn't dispassionate either.

For me, the portions of the book worth the price are the appendices. The first lists all of the speaking gigs and the fees received by Bill from Feb 2001 through the end of 2005. Millions upon millions earned in speaking fees from all over the world and from some folks who really aren't friends of the United States. Does anyone recall the apoplexy of the Democrats when Reagan made money from speaking in Japan? The second appendix lists the pardons and commutations that Clinton gave. It reads quite strangely. I found myself wondering why rolling back an odometer was something that deserves the attention and pardon of the President of the United States of America.

I think most of the people who read this book will have their minds made up before they turn to the first page, but it is worth reading through just to catch up on what the Clintons are doing. It is hard to get that from TV and the newspapers because most of them are completely focused on either helping getting Hillary nominated and elected or undermining her. They never get into the level detail that is covered here.

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More sad than insightful

Tyrrell describes how Bill Clinton, after leaving the White House, has physically deteriorated and became a tortured soul. However, the book ends up making a person sorry for Clinton more than anything. It's like kicking someone when they're done - it's not fun and it's not fun to watch.

Here are the key claims of the book....

* Mr. Clinton's 2004 autobiography, "My Life" "missed deadline after deadline," and ultimately became unreliable.
* The story behind the "Pardongate" scandal, including Mr. Clinton's pardon of federal fugitive Marc Rich.
* Reports of Mr. Clinton's purported post-White House womanizing.
* The "Clinton curse," which Mr. Tyrrell says has doomed politicians and others whom Mr. Clinton has supported.

In the end I'm not sure this is a book that needed to be written. Possibly the more compelling book would have been one that tried to balance Clinton's charm, and charisma with his serious lack of moral values. Why is he so liked? Why was he so influential? Why are many people devout in their allegiance to him? Those are questions Tyrrell doesn't touch.

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