Oh, what a year for the 42nd president

Former President Bill Clinton dominated both political and humanitarian arenas.

As BC-Talk predicted, former President Clinton will take spots of relaxation and decompression where he most enjoys it: on the golf course. Last Sunday, the former President challenged the links with newly re-elected President Obama at Joint Base Andrews. And according to Sports Illustrated’s Golf.com, BC has booked tee time at Trump International Scotland this summer.

Well-deserved, Mr. Clinton! After sustaining months of tireless, frenzied campaign stumping and speaking hoarse for Dems during the election cycle, as well as continuing his CGI and Clinton Foundation social work efforts, the former President certainly needs time-off to unwind and rest his body, and in particular, his larynx.

Bill Clinton News and Notes

OutdoorLife.com reports that a newly discovered species of darter fish has been named after the former POTUS. Biologists named Etheostoma Clinton after BC because of all his work on environmental issues.

Foreign Policy magazine has named both Bill and Hillary Clinton among their 100 Top Global Thinkers of 2012. The highly regarded publication saw fit to list the duo as tied for the number three spot.

The Clintons recently traveled to Ireland where Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was honored, along with husband Bill who was given the title “Freeman of Limerick,” and a statue of his likeness put up at a golf course in Belfast.

In other news, President Clinton takes an important and impressive stand on the “War Against Drugs” in a new documentary that details how the failed efforts of the U.S. to combat this insufferable problem were derailed from the start. BC admits that he “got it wrong” for the most part, and narrates his segments with compelling honesty and insights. You can watch the documentary for free here: Breaking the Taboo film.

And lastly, a note and nod to the President for snagging a Grammy nomination in the Spoken Word category for his audio book recording of Back to Work.

Not sure how 2013 will be for Bill Clinton by comparison, but it's always exciting to think about.

Giving thanks, Bill Clinton style

Clinton volunteers for Hurricane victims.

With the holiday season in full swing and Thanksgiving a few days away, many of us will start to reflect on our blessings through a clear and thankful lens that strips away our assumptions and takes stock in how fortunate we really are. On Sunday, the former President called upon those more fortunate to participate in clean-up and relief efforts for New York residents hit hard by Hurricane Sandy.

Bill Clinton and 1,000 volunteers hit Queens area neighborhoods to help residents remove debris and flood waters in the aftermath of Sandy. Both BC and daughter Chelsea Clinton rolled up their sleeves in the effort that was coordinated by the Clinton Foundation and CGI in executing A Day of Action for New York.

On Tuesday, Clinton announced a new initiative his foundation will be undertaking: The Clinton Health Matters Initiative, which will commit to closing health and wellness gaps that are based on income, education and race. The Initiative will begin in California’s Coachella Valley and is so far sponsored by Verizon, GE, Tenet Healthcare and NBC-Universal.

The former POTUS was just named Honorary Chair of the National Breast Cancer Coalition whose goal is not just to cure breast cancer, but to end it by January 1st, 2020. President Clinton likes the organization’s deadline-driven approach, and accepted the position by stating, “It’s time to give breast cancer a deadline.”

While Bill Clinton gives shape to the year ahead, we wish him a happy and restful Thanksgiving celebrated with family and friends.   

 

A collective sigh of relief

For Bill Clinton, stump stress is over. Now what?

This just in: Former President Bill Clinton was discovered sleeping in his New York home late afternoon Friday. That’s right, folks. He was actually sleeping.

There is little dramatic license taken in the above opening. After watching Bill Clinton’s fast and furious campaigning efforts, it’s hard to believe the former President needs sleep at all. In fact, observers might easily conclude that Bill Clinton runs on a form of high-yield biodegradable fuel not found in the rest of us.

While the raw numbers lie with the Obama campaign and perhaps the Harry Reid Agency (BC’s representatives,) a cursory look would put his personal appearances over the last three months in the four-figure range. Easily.

The former President helped seal the deal for the Commander-n-Chief and countless other Dems across the nation. Now that it’s over, those of us who not only marveled at Clinton’s relentless, often furious pace, but who also worried over how such extended activities might affect him physically can breathe a collective sigh of relief. 

Time to decompress: Bill Clinton style

What will Clinton’s schedule look like going forward? More importantly, what will he do with all that high-octane energy and post-election free time? After pushing the pedal to the metal for so long, President Clinton is certainly in need of sleep followed by some serious unwinding.

Maybe this Clinton quote in Golf Digest magazine provides a clue as to how BC plans on decompressing after his tour-de-force:

“One of the reasons my late stepfather lived to 89 and lived as well as he did was because he played a lot of golf.”

If hitting the links is the relaxation and wind-down cure for the former POTUS, then Bill Clinton Talk hopes the President gets plenty of time out on the greens!

The Clinton Foundation and its future

Bill Clinton’s plans to ensure the Foundation’s future.

It has been 11 years since Bill Clinton launched the Clinton Foundation. The substantial successes of the Foundation’s philanthropic programs and sustainable initiatives thus far is a testament to the former president’s hard work ethic and high-octane energy, and to his unparalleled talent in bringing people together in collaboration.

To understand how important the Foundation and this work is to Clinton, you need only look at the increasingly important role his daughter Chelsea Clinton is playing in the Foundation these days.

According to a variety of reports as well as comments from Clinton himself, President Clinton is grooming Chelsea to eventually head up the Foundation and putting substantial thought in to models that will ensure the Foundation’s many programs and efforts continue long after his demise.

One such model was to bring the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) out from under the Foundation’s umbrella to act as a standalone nonprofit separately funded by corporate sponsors and independent donors.

Getting daughter Chelsea to pledge her life to being the future face of the Clinton Foundation is likely a key part of BC’s overall strategy to ensure the rest of the programs and charitable work will go on.

Work like the Clinton Health Access Initiative that has greatly benefited underserved health populations in the U.S. by teaming up with the American Heart Association is a prime example. Knocking out childhood obesity in America by 2015 is the current commitment of the partnership.

Chelsea Clinton has been publicly active in CHAI’s efforts, such as this appearance at a California elementary school. Earlier in the year, she helped her father host the Humana Challenge.

She has also been traveling far more frequently with her father on various statesman-like trips, as when the Clintons went to South Africa to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s birthday.

Chelsea Clinton was a featured guest at the Foundation’s 2012 Millennium Network event, and has spoken on stage at the last two annual CGI Meetings. She is more accessible to the media, gives on-camera interviews and even blogs for the cause.

If Chelsea Clinton continues to accelerate at top speed, maintains that pace over the long run and loves every minute of it, she will fulfill her father’s wishes in becoming the highly capable head of the Clinton Foundation and ensure the continuation of her father's most valued life's work.

The many (nick) names of Bill Clinton

Former President Clinton has most monikers of any U.S. Prez

Former President Bill Clinton is still hot on the campaign trail, stumping and fundraising for Democrats across the country. According to CBS News, Clinton has hosted two private fundraisers for Obama in Los Angeles, spoke at rallies for four California Dems, rallied for the President and Senatorial candidate in Nevada, then went to Arizona for another Dem-Sen rally; then stopped in Iowa and Indiana to rally for more candidates, all in one week.

With high-octane energy like that, it’s no wonder Clinton has been dubbed the party’s “Surrogate-in-Chief,” a nickname journalists are fond of when referring to Bill Clinton’s relationship with the current White House administration.

But Surrogate-in-Chief to the Democrats is not the only nickname bestowed upon Bill Clinton; in  fact, over the years, Clinton has received numerous epithets from a variety of origins.

During his first presidential campaign, Clinton was given the coveted moniker “Elvis,” because he was perceived as the King of Campaigning.

Once elected, Bill Clinton’s Presidential code name was “Eagle.”

When Clinton first landed in political hot water, he was dubbed “The Comeback Kid.”

Standup comedians quickly took to calling him “Bubba.”

A.k.a. “The Big Dog,” and “Big Dawg,” President Clinton actually was awarded this title early in his political career when he campaigned relentlessly and was quoted saying he’d stay in the race “Until the last dog dies.”

In his two-term Presidency, many Washington insiders called Bill Clinton a policy “wonk,” a term still used by many journalists today.

Many journos have also headlined Bill Clinton as the “Political Rock Star” of our time.

Some bloggers, myself included, have captioned BC “the Explaininator,” and President Obama famously gave Bill Clinton the title of “the Secretary of Explaining Stuff.”

And during Hillary Clinton’s run for the White House, the press dubbed the power couple  “Billary.”

Last and absolutely least, Republicans came into the nicknaming fray with “Slick Willy” and “Big Billy.”

New Bill Clinton Blog

Plus Clinton schedule updates

By now, the world is well aware of former President Bill Clinton’s extraordinary communications abilities, and although speaking is topmost on the list, Clinton is also a prolific writer.

To further his efforts to bring together the global community of “private citizens doing public good,” Bill Clinton launched a blog on the Clinton Foundation website. The blog is simply titled: Up Close, and features relevant content regarding Foundation work written by staff, volunteers and of course, Bill Clinton himself.

Also no surprise is the blog’s largest tag category: Africa. While the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) works to solve problems in countries that span the globe, including CGI America, Bill Clinton has made African countries a priority, and the nation of Haiti a personal focus.

A visit to Clinton’s Up Close blog provides detailed stories containing interviews, photos and videos in many cases that reveal the most recent work the Clinton Foundation is doing in this region.

It is interesting to read about how the Foundation operates on its principles, and many of the posts educate readers about the concept of sustainable initiatives at work quite well by using accessible language that reads easy.

Programs like the Haiti Development Fund that withhold profits in order to advance sustainability and grow jobs in communities are quite inspiring. Reading Up Close features like these instill confidence alongside hope that countries hardest hit by today’s global challenges will not just persevere, but triumph in time.

Bill Clinton Schedule Updates

As a world-wind ambassador and statesman, humanitarian and surrogate to the Democratic Party, Bill Clinton finds little rest these days.

Noteworthy Item   The Clinton Foundation Millennium Network held its annual fundraising event on Oct. 8th at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. Clinton hosted A Night Out with the Millennium Network that featured performances by The Ruse and Robin Thicke, and honored guests Chelsea Clinton and LL Cool J.

Oct. 10 –Tempe, AZ – Bill Clinton will stump at a rally for Arizona Senate candidate Rich Carmona held at Arizona State University, 9 p.m. Register for this public event here.

Oct. 16 –Baltimore, MD – President Clinton will engage the audience as a featured headline of the Baltimore Speaker Series. The sold-out event begins at 8 p.m.

Oct. 19 –Fayettville, AR, - Bill Clinton lends his voice to narrate a new documentary film about Fayettville, Arkansas where the Clintons once called home. The Fayettville Library will host a gala premier event for the film.

Bill Clinton Calendar: news and notes

See where Bill Clinton will be next.

As the former president ramps up his support and campaign efforts for Obama and other Dems in the fast-approaching elections, it is once again time to check-in with Bill Clinton’s calendar of activities.

News and Notes

First, a few notes on recent Bill Clinton events. As previously posted in Bill Clinton in the Media, the former president made television appearances on talk shows across various channels last weekend.

Among the most commented upon were his appearances on The Daily Show, Face the Nation and PBS’ Charlie Rose. It should be noted that all appearances (except The Daily Show) were taped at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, where BC convened his foundation’s annual conferences for the global good.

Speaking of CGI, this year’s event hosted business, government and non-governmental leaders from across the globe to raise funds and join efforts in addressing and solving many of the world’s most pressing issues.

According to the Clinton Foundation, CGI 2012 forged over 150 commitments valued at $2 billion. For a really nice video roundup of the 2012 CGI Annual Meeting, visit the Daily Beast’s CGI highlights page.

Bill Clinton Calendar

Oct. 3 –Durham, NH – Bill Clinton will stump for President Obama at the University of New Hampshire at 12 p.m.

Oct. 3 –Boston, MA – The former POTUS will fundraise for President Obama at a private roundtable event for big-donor attendees beginning at 5 p.m.

Oct. 3 –Boston, MA – The former President will appear at the Boston Symphony Hall at 8 p.m. as part of The Boston Speakers Series.

Oct. 4 –Beaver, PA – Clinton will stump with Congressman Mark Critz at a campaign rally. RSVP required for the 5:30 event.

Oct. 4 –Pittsburgh, PA – President Clinton will speak at the Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts. The sold-out event begins at 8 p.m.

Oct. 8 –Los Angeles, CA – An estate fundraiser for Obama will feature President Clinton, Julian Castro and host Michael King for a breakfast event.

Oct. 8 –Philadelphia, PA – The Associated Press reports that Bill Clinton will fundraise for Dem-friend Kathleen Kane at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia.

Oct. 10 –TIME magazine – Bill Clinton will grace the cover of TIME magazine’s October 10 issue.

Nov. 17 –Limerick, Ireland – BC will be a guest of honor at the annual All-Ireland Scholarship awards ceremony at University Concert Hall.

Dec. 3 –Denver, CO – An Evening with Bill Clinton will be held at 8 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Theatre at the Colorado Convention Center.

Dec. 4 –Sacramento, CA – Clinton will engage the audience with his speech on “Embracing Our Common Humanity” as part of the Sacramento Speakers Series. Tickets are available for the 8 p.m. event.

Bill Clinton in the media: part II

Bill Clinton now at his most "favorable."

Trying to keep up with Bill Clinton’s media appearances is like trying to count the number of coffees you drank in a week. Fortunately, BC’s appearances are akin to visiting a Starbuck’s; each visit is like a rich indulgence for the senses.

The former President is also mentioned in the media at high-volume rates. For instance, a journalist wrote of her experience meeting Bill Clinton for the first time in the Herald Tribune in January.

He also got an interesting mention on the television show The View when host Sherri Shepard excitedly blurted that she’d received a letter from the former POTUS wishing her lots of luck in her efforts as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. This instance counts as a two-fer, since BC was first mentioned on the show, which was subsequently reported on in the New York Post.

Former President Clinton has been on the Piers Morgan show, the Golf Guy show, Fox News Sunday, The Bill O’Reilly show, Ellen and CBS Sports, to name but a few television outlets.

The former President, it seems, is in high demand these days. Aside from the obvious spike in his appearances brought about by his elections efforts this fall, former President Clinton’s popularity will no doubt always have him in-demand.

A recent Gallup Poll showed Bill Clinton is now at his most popular in the U.S. with a favorability ranking that is at an all-time high for BC since taking the Oval Office. In addition, a separate poll that included republicans showed he is at an all-time low for unfavorable rankings.

This all leads to conclusive proof that former President Clinton is one very likable guy. Perhaps the strongest of explanations for these favorable views comes from his after-office work in humanitarian efforts to improve the lives of those less fortunate throughout the world.

Watching Bill Clinton at his finest is found in these efforts, such as convening the Clinton Global Initiative meetings. An outstanding speaker, orator, and communicator, BC knows how to get his message, hopes and goals across to any audience. This year’s CGI Annual Meeting was held on Setember 23rd, and you can watch a feed of Clinton’s address here.

Bill Clinton saves Washington State from the Republicans?

Follow Bill's lead and support Jay Inslee for Governor of Washington State

Bill Clinton is NOT dead. I know that you think he is because you read it in the Enquirer at the grocery store on Tuesday. But I know for a fact that he is not dead because I had the immense privilege of seeing him speak on behalf of Jay Inslee at a gubernatorial fund raiser in Seattle last Saturday afternoon. 

The Washington State gubernatorial race is the most-watched race in the country. It’s like a twist on the Rolling Stones song, “The Republicans see a blue state and they want to make it red.” This race is so important that even Bill Clinton is getting involved. 

Jay Inslee, who is a congressman from Washington State and the Democratic nominee for Governor, introduced his pal Bill Clinton with a bit of a slam. He praised the special guest speaker to no end for the amount of sacrifices the person had made on behalf of the American people and for the international community. Then he (Jay Inslee) mentioned what a shame it was that Hillary couldn’t be in attendance. 

 

Bill Clinton’s visit for Jay Inslee raised $750,000 for the campaign, which is a significant amount of needed cash given the amount of money that Republicans at the national level are throwing into the race. The Republican money is really scary because Washington State is known as a strong blue state with good, solid liberal values that value both people and the environment. And the Republicans want to take all of that away from us. 

 

I’m glad that Bill paid Washington State a visit, but the Jay Inslee campaign is going to need more money to fight the Republicans. 

 

Already Washington State is losing social services because the state budget, which must be balanced, does not have enough money. I don’t know about you, but I’m terrified of what could happen with a Republican at the helm of Washington State. 

 

I seriously have nightmares about becoming homeless because of a lack of jobs and a lack of social services if the economy does not improve. Other people I know have nightmares about losing their homes and their good jobs. Still others are worried about funding education at all levels. 

 

If the Republicans take control, the economy will get better for the richest people and not for anyone else. 

 

If you have any of the same nightmares, please give either your money, your time, or your vote to the Jay Inslee for Governor campaign. If you are not registered to vote, register to vote. Get involved and make your voice heard. 

 

Bill Clinton in the media: Part I

Plus, DNC speech reviews are in

Former President Clinton has had an illustrious political career, a statement of fact that no one will ever dispute. Such a life grounded in politics and public service carries with it a media component that some in the political arena are not very good at handling.

Many argue that the current President is one such politician, and so, in his fight for reelection, Obama called upon the one Democrat who always has his media grove on: Bill Clinton.

That Clinton spoke on the President’s behalf and nominated him at the Democratic National Convention was a historical first. No former president has acted in this role before delegates at a convention. Then again, not since FDR have we had a Democratic president as successful as Bill Clinton was, so it seemed to make perfect sense.

Clinton’s DNC speech was widely watched and viewed by pundits and politicians as a soaring success –a success weighed and measured as such on both sides of the aisle. But after watching Clinton speak, I had a very different view.

While I’m certainly no pundit, and definitely not a political writer, as someone who has followed and admired the former POTUS throughout his political life and who readily admits to voting for him twice; in my view, both his delivery and message at the DNC seemed a bit forced, labored, and at times, mechanical.

Bill Clinton in the media

This judgment is easily reached given the mountainous body of Clinton speeches from which we can draw comparisons (more on this in Part II). Overall, whenever Bill Clinton is speaking on camera, viewers get the sense he is firmly connected to what he is saying. He talks in a natural, forward flow that serves to authenticate his message and beliefs.

One didn’t really get this sense from his DNC performance. Perhaps it’s because Clinton was not there to give a “belief speech.” His role, as handed to him from the Obama campaign, was to explain, as in “Lucy, you got some splainin’ to do.” The laundry list of Obama Administration points and explanations to be covered are found in BC’s prepared speech text here.

Even though Clinton is extraordinarily capable of speaking about his own failures in the media, the task of speaking to someone else’s is an arduous task indeed.

Here’s but one prime example of President Clinton in action. The YouTube video depicts a segment from a Fox News Sunday interview wherein Clinton is at once explaining a failure while fiercely defending his right to have erred (jump to 7:17 in the full video.)

Part two of this post will pull some more examples of Bill Clinton in the media that demonstrate just how effective his communication skills are.

Pages