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I wonder. I really wonder. What if . . . .
one of the most talented, gifted, energetic (even post-heart surgery), and intelligent persons to run for and win national office twice, you KNOW just how good he can be when his game is on. He made mincemeat of those who got in his way, yet he did it in ways that did not put the spectator seriously on edge. That was in the 90s. Even more amazing was his fantastic capacity to set aside a huge GOP attack effort, by both houses of congress, talk radio, and many in the media, and still continue to put the issues of the nation first. We may not always agree with every decision, and he clearly made many mistakes, policy mistakes, for which we are just now seeing the adverse impacts. (Welfare, NAFTA, and others)
Yet, despite rumors of his having a temper almost as big as his wife's, you only saw a red-faced, quiet, yet clearly energized person make his points clearly, logically, and deliberately. Even his enemies were amazed at how polished his performances were. On the other hand, his closest friends in Congress called him the best liar they had ever seen.
That is what he was capable of throughout the 1990s. That was not the Bill Clinton we saw over the past 6 months. To the contrary, his attacks made you feel edgy, as though there was something unsavory, unsatisfying, and unsettling about his words, deeds, posture, and goals. The harder he pushed on behalf of his wife, the less convincing he became. In fact, even the campaign now talks about Clinton Fatigue, not referring to her, but to him.
Their's was and remains a competitive, sometimes warm, often cold, but always complex relationship. Had Clint filmed/directed a western about it, that would have easily been named Good, Bad, and Ugly. Bill's habits and out of marriage needs were known for years, yet she had some sort of deal with him, a deal which some former insiders suggested led to her ability to control domestic agendas in his first term, her senate seat, and ultimately, to this election campaign. Her determination to make a name for herself led to HillaryCare, and destroyed any chance at bipartisan agreements on health care for a generation. Her other domestic decisions brought us Zoe Baird, Livingstone, travelgate, and other unnecessary times of stress and culture wars within in the Bloatway, but worse, played out over much of the media.
Given that Bill was/is so talented, so politically aware, so smart, is it even conceivable that his obvious excesses and often almost destructive actions (to Hillary's campaign) were not at least partly intentional, perhaps ego driven? Could it be that in his own complex personality, his ego, his drive to be the one on top, to be the alpha leader actually resulted in Bill ever so slightly pushing an envelope he knew should not be pushed? Could it be that Bill secretly, deeply, and almost imperceptibly took that extra sentence, that gesture, too strong of a word, in order to make himself the issue, and thereby take away from her campaign?
I don't suggest it was open, tacit, intentional, but far more subtle, internal, and complex.
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