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Ärende: The Clinton
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http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050919/19presidents.htm?track
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9/19/05
He's Not the retiring kind 
Bill Clinton is building on Jimmy Carter's example and creating a new 
paradigm for ex-presidents 
By Kenneth T. Walsh 

They're ba-aack. Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush, America's political 
odd couple, are teaming up for another big roadshow, this time to raise 
money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Last week, they stood shoulder 
to shoulder with President George W. Bush in the Oval Office, the 59-
year-old Clinton now completely gray and looking a bit fragile, and the 
81-year-old Bush looking stooped and a bit weary. Later the pair 
appeared together in Houston, chatting with evacuees at the Astrodome 
and the Reliant Center Arena. Their goal was to demonstrate unity at a 
time of calamity.

But the re-emergence of the 41st and 42nd presidents was more than a 
photo op. The elder Bush and Clinton are pioneering a new, more active 
role for ex-presidents, who for much of American history have been sad, 
even forlorn figures, often considered politically useless by their 
successors, with little or no role in public life.

This week, Clinton will take the concept of an activist post-presidency 
to another level when he convenes up to 1,000 world leaders at a 
Sheraton Hotel in New York. His aim, in what he grandly calls "the 
Clinton Global Initiative," is to bring together the best and the 
brightest in government, nonprofit organizations, science, religion, and 
business to accomplish a fourfold mission: End extreme poverty around 
the world, lessen religious conflict, reduce global warming, and promote 
good government in new democracies. The initiative will revolve around a 
series of discussion groups, many of them led by Clinton. Among the 
expected participants are British Prime Minister Tony Blair, United 
Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, U.S. Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, General Electric 
Chairman Jeff Immelt, and investor George Soros.

Not a bad lineup, made all the more impressive because of Clinton's 
determination to use the initiative to remain a player on the world 
stage. "He doesn't think in terms of 'I'm going to pioneer a new way to 
have a post-presidency,' " says a Clinton confidant. "But that's in fact 
what he is doing. . . . He wants to make a difference."

For his part, Clinton told U.S. News: "I am going to ask every private-
sector and [nongovernmental organization] person who comes to make a 
specific commitment to take some action." Clinton tells friends that in 
the 21st century, NGO s will be among the biggest catalysts for change 
in the world, and he believes he can be a "walking catalyst" himself. 
The charismatic Clinton is able to get heads of state and CEO s to chat 
with him and help take on his projects, as he did in convincing 
pharmaceutical firms to cut prices for AIDS drugs in African and 
Caribbean countries.

All in all, the undertaking appears to be audacious. At the same time, 
says a former Clinton adviser, there's a danger that the conference will 
feature too much "yak-yak" and not enough action. But Joe Lockhart, who 
was Clinton's press secretary, says the former president "has as good an 
understanding of the forces of globalization as anyone. . . . And 
Clinton, like no one else, can marshal a broad array of government and 
nongovernmental interests to reach his objectives."


Toward a better world. Clinton is building on a model established by 
Jimmy Carter, who redefined post-presidential activism after losing the 
1980 election. "When I left office, I was in a quandary," Carter told 
U.S. News in a telephone interview. "I was 56 years old, and I knew I 
had a life expectancy of 25 years or more. I began to wonder what 
Rosalynn [his wife] and I could do in the international world." He 
created the Carter Center in Atlanta, where he has focused on projects 
to alleviate poverty, improve healthcare, and resolve conflicts in poor 
nations, especially those in Africa. Carter has decided to focus on 
projects that no other major organization is working on, such as 
eradicating river blindness around the world. He also builds houses for 
poor people in the United States through Habitat for Humanity.

Many [presidents] espouse humility and service and compassion, but they 
don't ever find a way to put it into practice," Carter said. "When you 
run for public office, you're trying to figure out, 'What can I say . . 
. that would be beneficial for people who might vote for me?' That's the 
prime motivation in the political world. It's not easy for anybody to 
cross the natural barrier between the folks who have everything in life 
and the folks who don't have everything."

For George Herbert Walker Bush, the recent forays into a more public 
role have been something of a delicate dance. The elder Bush has told 
U.S. News in the past that he did not want to be very visible, out of 
deference to his son, the current president. "Hell," he said, "I'm out 
of it," adding that "I don't need to complicate the life of the 
president." But he will take on missions when his son asks, as he has in 
regard to hurricane relief and an earlier joint effort with Clinton to 
help tsunami victims.

Clinton's objectives, by contrast with other ex-presidents, are 
sweeping. "Carter is more hardscrabble and missionary in approach," says 
historian Douglas Brinkley. "He will spend a week sleeping on a cot in 
Togo or Zimbabwe and working directly to dispense medicine for Guinea 
worm. Clinton is taking a more wonkish view on how to deal with world 
questions. He wants to create a new position for himself and be a sort 
of global gadfly." There is endless speculation in political circles 
that Clinton's dream job would be secretary general of the United 
Nations. He tells friends it's a fascinating idea, but he doubts it 
could ever happen because of anti-American resentment worldwide.

As always, Clinton's interests and his desire for visibility know no 
bounds. After quadruple heart bypass surgery in September 2004 and 
follow-up surgery last March, he called attention to his experience to 
promote regular exercise and better nutrition. Now he preaches against 
the dangers of obesity.

Clinton, a saxophone player, has even gotten into the music business; he 
recently authorized production of a CD, The Bill Clinton Collection: 
Selections From the Clinton Music Room ($15.95, with proceeds going to 
charity). It features 11 of his favorite songs performed by various 
artists, including "My Funny Valentine" by Miles Davis and "Chelsea 
Morning" by Judy Collins (after which his daughter, Chelsea, was named).

Globe-trotter. His travel schedule is far more hectic than that of 
predecessors such as Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford, who spent most of 
their time in leisurely pursuits. In fact, he may be busier than any ex-
president except Theodore Roosevelt, who traveled abroad, hunting, 
fishing, and hiking, and who campaigned unsuccessfully for president 
after having served nearly two terms.

Clinton isn't an outdoorsman like TR, but he has set a strenuous pace, 
visiting nearly 70 countries since leaving the White House in January 
2001. In July alone, he went to Mozambique, Lesotho, South Africa, 
Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda. His access to world leaders remains 
unparalleled, which will again become clear at his CGI conference in New 
York (cleverly timed to coincide with a United Nations meeting in 
Manhattan). Last week, he met with senior officials in Kazakhstan, 
India, and China to drum up support for AIDS prevention, democracy, and 
free trade. Clinton also makes two or three speeches a month, sometimes 
for up to $250,000 each, and has become a millionaire.

Clinton remains a divisive figure among conservatives. Many haven't 
forgiven him for his affair with former White House intern Monica 
Lewinsky, which was one reason for his impeachment by the House of 
Representatives. The Senate acquitted him, but the episode remains a 
blemish on his record.

Yet he has a knack for disarming his adversaries. He has cultivated 
George H. W. Bush to such an extent that his onetime adversary (whom he 
defeated in 1992) invited Clinton to stay at the Bush estate at 
Kennebunkport, Maine, in June. Bush took Clinton for a speedboat ride, 
and they played golf at Cape Arundel Golf Club.

Bush the elder tells friends he never really knew Clinton until he began 
traveling with him for the tsunami relief effort eight months ago after 
devastating floods in Asia; that initiative has raised $11 million. 
Clinton ingratiated himself by deferring to his 81-year-old predecessor 
on everything from seating on their plane to who got to speak first at 
joint appearances. Bush admired his range of intellectual curiosity. 
Both of them thought their public friendship could, in some small way, 
show that civility was still possible in politics.

And in this, there is resonance with Gerald Ford, now 92, who is 
particularly proud of how he and Carter settled old scores from their 
1976 campaign after both left office. "We demonstrate that political 
adversaries need not be political enemies," he said in a written 
statement.

Clinton's political interests remain deep, which will come in handy if 
his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, runs for president in 
2008. But the former chief executive points out that she faces re-
election in New York next year. "One of my rules is, 'Never look past 
the next election, or you may not get past the next election,' " he 
says. There's no doubt that if she runs for the White House, the former 
president will be one of her most valued political advisers. (Mrs. 
Clinton generally spends weekends with her husband at their home in 
Chappaqua, N.Y., when the Senate is not in session, aides say.)

Clinton splits his time among traveling, Chappaqua, and his office in 
Harlem, with periodic trips to his presidential library in Little Rock, 
Ark. In Chappaqua, he often strolls the town's streets and stops 
regularly for yogurt and juice at the local Starbucks. On one occasion, 
someone standing in line congratulated him for his post-tsunami effort, 
and Clinton began a discourse. A crowd gathered. "It became like a 
classroom," recalls Starbucks employee Josh Dreisacker. "And my 
supervisor, not knowing it was him, comes out and says, 'Who's the old 
man holding up the line?' " Dreisacker says Clinton "seems more like a 
relaxed hippie, sort of, who comes here to chill out."

Chilling out, however, is the last thing on Clinton's agenda.

With Krista Reese, Stephen Sawicki, Marty Graham and Thomas Omestad


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