I Wish This Version of President Clinton Had Been in the White House

Before there was "Bush Derangement Syndrome" and "Palin Derangement Syndrome", there was "Clinton Derangement Syndrome". I am ashamed to admit that I was one of the chief sufferers of the latter malady, and that I wasted 8 years of my life (and arguably a relationship with the woman to whom the Church says I was never married) by obsessively hating William Jefferson Clinton. A word of advice to the haters on the left and the right: it will eventually eat you up inside.

Since old Billy Jeff left office, however, I've gotten a little bit of a soft spot in my heart for him. Here are a couple of examples of why that is:

"Clinton: 'I get why Palin is hot' "

Bill Clinton has said he understands why middle America thinks Sarah Palin is "hot".

The Republican vice presidential candidate appeals to the heartlands of America because people relate to her life, he told reporters yesterday.

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"I get this," Clinton said. "My view is ... why say, ever, anything bad about a person? Why don't we like them and celebrate them and be happy for her elevation to the ticket? And just say that she was a good choice for him and we disagree with them?"

And then there's President Clinton's conciliatory remarks on The View (click on the image):


People can and do change. I certainly hope that I have. And I believe President Clinton has, as well.

Some might cynically view his softened rhetoric toward those he opposes politically as an attempt to undermine Sen. Obama. I choose to believe that he, too, has learned the lessons of being overly partisan and engaging in the politics of personal destruction. In the examples I've provided above, he gives those with whom he differs politically the benefit of the doubt and recognizes the good qualities within them (something I wish I had done for him while he was in office).

I have been pleasantly surprised at how President Clinton has certainly proven to be a more gracious former president than President Carter has.