Dave and Bubba
Well I just watched the TiVo recording of President Clinton on Lettermen September 11th.
Now, I know that President Clinton wasn't perfect. I do still remember being embarrassed and ashamed by his lying to the American people. Despite all that though I have to admit that he is so charismatic and such a good speaker that I really miss him being in office.
Watching him on Letterman it occurred to me that there is really a big difference in the role he saw himself in as President and the way President Bush, or possibly even Gore or McCain, sees the role of the Presidency.
I believe that, to Bill Clinton, the Presidency's primary role is to see where we should be heading, see what's holding us back and then, to inspire and motivate the populace to make real progress in that direction. In short to lead, rather than to manage.
It would certainly explain his propensity to collect the best thinking of others and then package them up and use them to try to encourage action. Of course his critics always claimed that he was 'stealing' other people's ideas and claiming them as his own.
I'm not really sure what Bush see the role of the Presidency's as. I do know that, even if you hate President Clinton (and it's amazing how many people still vehemently do), that President Bush will never be able to inspire the country during a talk show interview answering questions unrehearsed. By contrast, even if you dislike President Bush, or really like President Clinton it's important to remember how ineffective he had become becuase of his stupid behaviour and stubborn inability to admit to it.
Dave was great during the interview. He was totally intimidated by President Cinton (he let an initial comment go by without making what would have been a great joke at President Clinton's expense). Despite being intimidated he did still manage to ask some tough, probing questions that allowed President Clinton to touch on some interesting areas. Of course with the way he enjoys talking, Dave could have just asked him "what time is it?" and he would have gone on for 30 minutes.
