Senator Bill Clinton?
OMG:
In an op-ed column last week in The Washington Post, journalists Karl Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac urged Paterson to "send Bill Clinton to the Senate."
If that happened, Clinton would become the third former president to go from the White House to Capitol Hill.
President John Quincy Adams lost his re-election bid in 1828. Two years later he returned to Washington after winning election as a congressman from his home state of Massachusetts. He served in the House of Representatives until his death in 1848.
President Andrew Johnson also served as a Senator from Tennessee in 1875, 7 years after the Senate acquitted him of impeachment charges. He died a few months after taking office.
Adams actually became a very effective congressman after leaving the presidency, and he supposedly loved that job much more than his one term as chief executive. Johnson - well, like it says, Johnson died like two seconds after returning to the Senate.
How would Bill Clinton do?There's a part of me that actually really wants to see this happen, and it actually makes sense for the Obama administration on a few levels: the biggest impediment to Hillary Clinton's nomination, and theoretical confirmation, as secretary of state, has been the (shady) international work of her husband since leaving the White House. Bill has been involved in a number of... entanglements... overseas, and had to undergo a ridiculously thorough, and probably invasive, vetting process in order for Hillary to be cleared for takeoff.
What better place to keep him out of trouble than to stick him - way down in seniority - in the United States Senate?
Think about it: the way it stands right now, Bill has a bunch of restrictions on him regarding his work with the Clinton Foundation and Clinton Global Initiative, so much so that he won't really be able to continue his work abroad as long as Hillary is heading the State Department. I don't know about you, but the thought of Bill Clinton just sitting around looking for something to do kinda freaks me out. He's liable to do something - dare I say - Clinton-like under those circumstances.
But if you put him in the Senate, give him a new challenge he's bound to excel at, put him on a committee or two working in concert with the Obama administration on a big issue of the day - say, health care or economic stimulus or something like that - and he could not only excel, but he'd be able to avoid the kind of entanglements that would get him into trouble with the White House. He's much less jeopardizing to his wife's new job if he is one out of 58 (or 59, or 60...aahhhh!) Democratic senators who will, by and large, be working with President Obama & Co. on pulling the country out of its mess.
I don't expect it to happen, and I don't really know if it should, but it sounds so crazy that it just might work.
It does sound crazy but in a scarily attractive way. Even as a junior senator Bill would carry a lot of weight. The idea that he would be 'contained' is not without merit. That as a senator he could actually do some good is a real bonus.
Honesty makes me own up to another reason I find this idea attractive. It would make republicans go absolutely ballistic. It would absolutely put them in orbit. I would so love to see this happen for that reason alone. Were Governor Paterson to even float this idea would have entertainment value exceeding any Hollywood movie ever released. Where do I sign the draft Bill for senate campaign sheet?
December 2, 2008 5:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
In spite of my obvoius glee at the thought of republican dismay over Bill being in the senate there are good reasons why this should happen.
Bill has a proven track record of actually being on the side of working Americans. It is quite possible he may even care a little less about money at this point in his life than he does about the country.
Another reason is we need someone to replace Ted Kennedy. Kennedy won't be with us much longer and I can't think of anyone who I would rather see replace Kennedy than Bill. Bill is a natural fit for this. And I seriously doubt if he had the seat being vacated by Hillary he would ever be challenged. No sane person would even try.
Lastly, Bill is the consumate politician and in the senate he could accomplish things no other sitting senator could even hope of accomplishing. His political stature as an ex-president would be enormous. And I've no doubt he would dearly love to mix it up with certain other senators of republican persuasion and would have few qualms of stomping their sorry asses when appropriate. Even as a junior senator he could tell them to take a flying leap without risk of serious repercussion. The knowledge of knowing where all the bodies are buried would give him huge leverage. Republicans would just hate having to deal with such a formidable foe but would have few options.
This is an idea whose time has come. I hope Governor Paterson has the brains and balls to do this.
December 2, 2008 6:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
This to me is a non starter idea. And before some get all in a twist that this is all about Clinton hate, it is not.
One Bill wouldn't replace Kennedy no matter if he was the former president he would still be the junior Senator from NY and as such would not get a committee chair or leadership role. A hard place for a for someone who likes to be out front as much as Bill. The Senate would also truly take him off the world stage again not so sure this is something Bill would want.
Finally, would Hillary want him there, my gut says no. (Pure conjecture)
My guess is we will see Bill being put to work by the Obama administration as a special envoy.
December 2, 2008 8:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
jsfox I think you're probably right about what Bill's role will actually end up being, but the idea of him in the Senate still intrigues me. It might actually be a perfect way for him to restore the bit of his legacy that he's lost over the last year (although if he's working for Obama as an envoy, that would be another way to get his groove back).
Even if he makes it to the Senate, I don't think he'd be the new Ted Kennedy. For one thing, there is only one Ted Kennedy, and he's still there for the time being, and God willing will be there for a while. But Bill could still be an elder stateman/wise man without having a committee chairmanship or much seniority.
December 2, 2008 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm gonna go with my gut here and say, Hell No! I'm not a Clinton hater, but a blaring alarm went off when I read this post.
December 2, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
how come?
December 2, 2008 10:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Please, New Yorkers really need their own Senator. If someone wants to make Billy a Senator, can't they do that in Arkansas or the State of Narcissism?
December 2, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
What is this stupid shit about "keeping him out of trouble". He is out of trouble - he's running a huge charity helping out the world. When Obama or any of your other heroes has accomplished 1/10th of what he has, come back and discuss what possible trouble Bill might be calling.
But tearing down your own party and its most effective leaders is a really stupid fucking thing to do. Looking for a Republican comeback in 2010?
December 2, 2008 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dan, I think its a great idea. Bill is one of the greatest Democratic Party politicians we have seen in the last 50 years and it would be a shame not to see him gainfully employed in our domestic political arena again. I am all for it.
December 2, 2008 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll just keep it simple and say no thanks. Despite the obvious reasons many might not want him in the Senate, it seems a little ridiculous to imagine Bill actually accepting it.
December 2, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
President Clinton said no thanks.
December 2, 2008 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why on earth would Bill Clinton want to be a junior senator from New York?
December 2, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
because he's a man who loves politics?
December 2, 2008 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink