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CNN Live Today
Clinton Signs Books in New York
Aired June 09, 2003 - 11:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), AUTHOR, "LIVING HISTORY": I could hardly breathe. Gulping for air, I started crying and yelling at him -- what do you mean? What are you saying? Why did you lie to me? I was furious and getting more so by the second. He just stood there saying over and over again, "I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I was trying to protect you and Chelsea."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: That's the voice of Hillary Rodham Clinton on tape, on the books on tape, and you might want to call it memoir mania. Senator Clinton will be signing copies of her just-released book "Living History" at a Barnes and Noble book store in Manhattan today. The store is expecting heavy crowds, and already the crowd is pretty intense. They will, in fact, be passing out wrist bands to the first 250 people in line. CNN's Jonathan Karl is there, and Jonathan, what is with the wrist bands?
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, this is the kind of hype that most politicians only dream about. This event kicked off here at the Barnes and Noble on 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan. Some people have been waiting on line as late -- as early as 9:00 last night, waiting to get on line in time to get one of those first 250 copies.
The former first lady, the current senator from New York is in there right now, signing copies here at this Barnes and Noble. She kicked off the book tour with a brief press conference before she started signing books. I started off by asking her, given that this book talks so personally about her anger with her husband after the Monica Lewinsky episode, has he read the book yet, and what does he think? Here is what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLINTON: Way in the back. I see -- I see a familiar face. Mr. Karl -- Jonathan?
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
CLINTON: He has read it, and he's urging everyone to buy a copy and read it.
QUESTION: Senator Clinton, (OFF-MIKE) CLINTON: Just as we have now for more than 30 years, he has helped me and read the drafts as they were going forward. I have been reading his book. So, I think that it's the continuation of what we have always done together.
QUESTION: Whose book is better?
CLINTON: Well -- may I say that I'm excited about my book being published, and very grateful that we can start it right here in New York with this book signing, and I know that a lot of people have been waiting, I'm told, many hours, and I'm looking forward to seeing them and signing their books. And I think you will get a chance to talk to him next year when his book comes out.
QUESTION: This is just a book -- are you surprised by all the attention it's getting?
CLINTON: Well, I think that with all first ladies, we have a unique perspective on our times in the White House, and I have always found the memoirs of my predecessors to be interesting and insightful, and I hope that readers will find mine to be of interest as well.
QUESTION: Senator Clinton, there is some controversy that your version of events, the time line you give of when your husband told you about the Monica Lewinsky situation, is at odds with Sidney Blumenthal version, and also Peter Baker of the "Washington Post," and I was wondering, did you change the events for better drama, or...
CLINTON: Well, actually, you know, this is my story and I think -- I don't see anything inconsistent with Sid Blumenthal's book, and as to anyone else -- I think that both I and David Kendall have said that, unfortunately, relying on anonymous sources was not accurate, and what I put forward in this book is the experience that I had.
QUESTION: I think that somebody else had told you as opposed to your husband.
CLINTON: That's not true.
QUESTION: Senator Clinton, those are your fans out there (ph) ...
(CROSSTALK)
CLINTON: Yes, I know. We're about to get started so they can get in.
QUESTION: ... they are all saying they would love (ph) to see you as president (ph). I am not putting words into their mouth, that is what they are saying. A lot of women out there are saying they would love to see you run in 2008.
CLINTON: Well, that's obviously flattering, but I have a wonderful job that I'm very proud to have, which is representing the people of New York in the United States Senate, and that's the job I have. That's the job I want to continue doing to the best of my ability.
QUESTION: Have you found it difficult, Senator Clinton, to have to, during this media tour, relive some of these painful personal moments?
CLINTON: Well, I think that these were obviously, personal and private moments that unfortunately were made public for partisan, political purposes as part of the ongoing politics of personal destruction that was so much a part of our country's life, and certainly our time in the White House. I had to address what was public in my memoir, and I tried to do so in a way that might provide some insight, and information to the reader.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks.
CLINTON: Thank you all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need to get started.
CLINTON: How do we do this now? Oh, hi...
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KARL: Well, there you have it. An amazing crush of media attention here for the senator's book. This is something she hopes she can sustain. After all, this is an $8 million book contract. They have printed, Simon and Shuster suggests, nearly a million copies for the first run, so they will need all the attention they can get. Now, as for the former president, we heard back from his spokesman, Jim Kennedy who says, Yes, the former president, Bill Clinton, has read the book. In fact, he claims to have read it five times cover to cover. And no surprise here, he says he likes the book.
WHITFIELD: What, trying to edit -- trying to help edit, I suppose? Now, what are the restrictions on purchasing? All those people are standing in line. They can't go in there and buy an armful of books, can they? Only a couple at a time?
KARL: That is right. Well, what they have done here is they have said two books per customer, two books that she will sign. She cannot do any personalization of the books, will simply sign her name, 250 people is where they will cut this off.
There will be more books available, but no, at this point, two per customer.
Fredricka, if you have got a minute, I have got somebody who just joined me here on the street here.
WHITFIELD: OK.
KARL: Sidney Blumenthal, who of course, is another veteran of the Clinton years, and who has his own book out. Now, Sidney Blumenthal, you have got your book. Is this going to interfere with your sales? SIDNEY BLUMENTHAL, AUTHOR, "THE CLINTON WARS": Absolutely not. I think they are completely complimentary. My book, "The Clinton Wars" and Hillary's book cover many of the -- covers much of the same ground, the story of the great wars that we fought for a progressive presidency and how we struggled to achieve things for the American people together.
KARL: Some people are suggesting inconsistencies between your book and hers. I know we will be talking to you later today, and we'll hear what you have to say about that.
BLUMENTHAL: Well, they are completely consistent, and I'll come back to you, Jon, about that.
KARL: OK. Thank you, Sidney -- all right, Fredricka, back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jonathan. When we hear from you again, I look forward to hearing what some of the folks standing in line have to say about the book so far.
KARL: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right. Look forward to that. Thanks a lot, Jonathan.
Well, the public interest in her story could turn into political gains for Senator Clinton, say many. The question is will she parlay the exposure into a run for the presidency?
CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider joins us with more on that, and Bill, what are your predictions?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, she clearly in her interview with Barbara Walters on ABC News last night ruled out running in 2004. Her name has been floated, even though there are nine -- count them -- nine Democrats now running. She didn't rule out 2008 however. It's an interesting phenomenon because the correct answer that she might have wanted to give was, I expect a Democrat to elected president in 2004, and if he or she becomes president, then I expect that Democrat to be renominated for a second term in 2008.
Nevertheless, a lot of Democrats think it is going to be tough for a Democrat to get elected in 2004. The nomination will then be open in 2008. And in just about any poll or anything you do, when you talk to Democrats around the country, you ask them, who do you really want to see become president, it's not Al Gore, it's Senator Clinton.
WHITFIELD: Well, she certainly didn't rule it out completely. Now, what else did you find rather striking about her conversation with Barbara Walters last night?
SCHNEIDER: Well, there was a very striking moment when Barbara Walters asked her about her husband's record, and she gave one of her more emotional answers. I think we have it here on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: ... my heart that in two and a half years we have gone back into huge deficits and debt and jobs are down and people are falling back into poverty. I just find that heart breaking, but those first four years were tough but very good for the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: What she is making is an emotional plea. She is saying that under her husband's administration, the economic policies delivered prosperity, 23 million jobs were created, and clearly she feels, as she put it, it breaks her heart to see that the economy deteriorate under George Bush, clearly laying the foundation for what could be her candidacy in some time to come, but not in 2004.
WHITFIELD: Bill, I watched that interview, and it seemed like she really went into it knowing exactly what she wanted to say, and what she wanted to avoid saying. How did you call it?
SCHNEIDER: Well, I think she was clearly maintaining a distinction between her husband's private behavior and his public performance. I was struck when -- this is something out of her book -- she said, "He was not only my husband," she said -- she wrote, "he was also my president, and I thought that in spite of everything, Bill led America and the world in a way that I continued to support. I knew his failing was not a betrayal of the country."
That was interesting because she's maintaining the distinction that most Americans kept to during the impeachment period, that his private behavior was shameful, it was deplorable, and he was answerable to his wife and his daughter. You see them leaving the White House here on the way to their vacation in August of 1998 just after he confessed to his wife and to the country, but they did not think that it represented a betrayal of the country, which should have led to his removal from office. She maintained that distinction very clearly last night. His private behavior was deplorable, and she -- he begged her for forgiveness. An extraordinary scene, the president of the United States begging his wife for forgiveness and her refusing to speak to him for a long period of time. But she adds that had nothing to do with his public performance. That distinction between public and private is something she made and something that is very much in line with the public's view.
WHITFIELD: Well, she painted a very clear picture -- and she also painted a very clear picture of how chilly it was when they made their way to Martha's Vineyard and how Buddy the dog was really Bill Clinton's only friend.
SCHNEIDER: That is exactly right.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bill Schneider. Oh. Go ahead.
SCHNEIDER: Sure -- no, I was going to say that a lot of people criticized Al Gore in 2000 for trying to distance himself from President Clinton, who had selected him. In this case, I think Hillary Rodham Clinton does distance herself from the president, describing her sense of emotional betrayal and humiliation, but I think it probably did her some good because she needs to put that distance between herself and her husband's private behavior, but yet associate herself with her husband's public record.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bill Schneider, thanks very much for the insight.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 9, 2003 - 11:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), AUTHOR, "LIVING HISTORY": I could hardly breathe. Gulping for air, I started crying and yelling at him -- what do you mean? What are you saying? Why did you lie to me? I was furious and getting more so by the second. He just stood there saying over and over again, "I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I was trying to protect you and Chelsea."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: That's the voice of Hillary Rodham Clinton on tape, on the books on tape, and you might want to call it memoir mania. Senator Clinton will be signing copies of her just-released book "Living History" at a Barnes and Noble book store in Manhattan today. The store is expecting heavy crowds, and already the crowd is pretty intense. They will, in fact, be passing out wrist bands to the first 250 people in line. CNN's Jonathan Karl is there, and Jonathan, what is with the wrist bands?
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, this is the kind of hype that most politicians only dream about. This event kicked off here at the Barnes and Noble on 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan. Some people have been waiting on line as late -- as early as 9:00 last night, waiting to get on line in time to get one of those first 250 copies.
The former first lady, the current senator from New York is in there right now, signing copies here at this Barnes and Noble. She kicked off the book tour with a brief press conference before she started signing books. I started off by asking her, given that this book talks so personally about her anger with her husband after the Monica Lewinsky episode, has he read the book yet, and what does he think? Here is what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLINTON: Way in the back. I see -- I see a familiar face. Mr. Karl -- Jonathan?
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
CLINTON: He has read it, and he's urging everyone to buy a copy and read it.
QUESTION: Senator Clinton, (OFF-MIKE) CLINTON: Just as we have now for more than 30 years, he has helped me and read the drafts as they were going forward. I have been reading his book. So, I think that it's the continuation of what we have always done together.
QUESTION: Whose book is better?
CLINTON: Well -- may I say that I'm excited about my book being published, and very grateful that we can start it right here in New York with this book signing, and I know that a lot of people have been waiting, I'm told, many hours, and I'm looking forward to seeing them and signing their books. And I think you will get a chance to talk to him next year when his book comes out.
QUESTION: This is just a book -- are you surprised by all the attention it's getting?
CLINTON: Well, I think that with all first ladies, we have a unique perspective on our times in the White House, and I have always found the memoirs of my predecessors to be interesting and insightful, and I hope that readers will find mine to be of interest as well.
QUESTION: Senator Clinton, there is some controversy that your version of events, the time line you give of when your husband told you about the Monica Lewinsky situation, is at odds with Sidney Blumenthal version, and also Peter Baker of the "Washington Post," and I was wondering, did you change the events for better drama, or...
CLINTON: Well, actually, you know, this is my story and I think -- I don't see anything inconsistent with Sid Blumenthal's book, and as to anyone else -- I think that both I and David Kendall have said that, unfortunately, relying on anonymous sources was not accurate, and what I put forward in this book is the experience that I had.
QUESTION: I think that somebody else had told you as opposed to your husband.
CLINTON: That's not true.
QUESTION: Senator Clinton, those are your fans out there (ph) ...
(CROSSTALK)
CLINTON: Yes, I know. We're about to get started so they can get in.
QUESTION: ... they are all saying they would love (ph) to see you as president (ph). I am not putting words into their mouth, that is what they are saying. A lot of women out there are saying they would love to see you run in 2008.
CLINTON: Well, that's obviously flattering, but I have a wonderful job that I'm very proud to have, which is representing the people of New York in the United States Senate, and that's the job I have. That's the job I want to continue doing to the best of my ability.
QUESTION: Have you found it difficult, Senator Clinton, to have to, during this media tour, relive some of these painful personal moments?
CLINTON: Well, I think that these were obviously, personal and private moments that unfortunately were made public for partisan, political purposes as part of the ongoing politics of personal destruction that was so much a part of our country's life, and certainly our time in the White House. I had to address what was public in my memoir, and I tried to do so in a way that might provide some insight, and information to the reader.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks.
CLINTON: Thank you all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need to get started.
CLINTON: How do we do this now? Oh, hi...
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KARL: Well, there you have it. An amazing crush of media attention here for the senator's book. This is something she hopes she can sustain. After all, this is an $8 million book contract. They have printed, Simon and Shuster suggests, nearly a million copies for the first run, so they will need all the attention they can get. Now, as for the former president, we heard back from his spokesman, Jim Kennedy who says, Yes, the former president, Bill Clinton, has read the book. In fact, he claims to have read it five times cover to cover. And no surprise here, he says he likes the book.
WHITFIELD: What, trying to edit -- trying to help edit, I suppose? Now, what are the restrictions on purchasing? All those people are standing in line. They can't go in there and buy an armful of books, can they? Only a couple at a time?
KARL: That is right. Well, what they have done here is they have said two books per customer, two books that she will sign. She cannot do any personalization of the books, will simply sign her name, 250 people is where they will cut this off.
There will be more books available, but no, at this point, two per customer.
Fredricka, if you have got a minute, I have got somebody who just joined me here on the street here.
WHITFIELD: OK.
KARL: Sidney Blumenthal, who of course, is another veteran of the Clinton years, and who has his own book out. Now, Sidney Blumenthal, you have got your book. Is this going to interfere with your sales? SIDNEY BLUMENTHAL, AUTHOR, "THE CLINTON WARS": Absolutely not. I think they are completely complimentary. My book, "The Clinton Wars" and Hillary's book cover many of the -- covers much of the same ground, the story of the great wars that we fought for a progressive presidency and how we struggled to achieve things for the American people together.
KARL: Some people are suggesting inconsistencies between your book and hers. I know we will be talking to you later today, and we'll hear what you have to say about that.
BLUMENTHAL: Well, they are completely consistent, and I'll come back to you, Jon, about that.
KARL: OK. Thank you, Sidney -- all right, Fredricka, back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jonathan. When we hear from you again, I look forward to hearing what some of the folks standing in line have to say about the book so far.
KARL: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right. Look forward to that. Thanks a lot, Jonathan.
Well, the public interest in her story could turn into political gains for Senator Clinton, say many. The question is will she parlay the exposure into a run for the presidency?
CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider joins us with more on that, and Bill, what are your predictions?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, she clearly in her interview with Barbara Walters on ABC News last night ruled out running in 2004. Her name has been floated, even though there are nine -- count them -- nine Democrats now running. She didn't rule out 2008 however. It's an interesting phenomenon because the correct answer that she might have wanted to give was, I expect a Democrat to elected president in 2004, and if he or she becomes president, then I expect that Democrat to be renominated for a second term in 2008.
Nevertheless, a lot of Democrats think it is going to be tough for a Democrat to get elected in 2004. The nomination will then be open in 2008. And in just about any poll or anything you do, when you talk to Democrats around the country, you ask them, who do you really want to see become president, it's not Al Gore, it's Senator Clinton.
WHITFIELD: Well, she certainly didn't rule it out completely. Now, what else did you find rather striking about her conversation with Barbara Walters last night?
SCHNEIDER: Well, there was a very striking moment when Barbara Walters asked her about her husband's record, and she gave one of her more emotional answers. I think we have it here on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: ... my heart that in two and a half years we have gone back into huge deficits and debt and jobs are down and people are falling back into poverty. I just find that heart breaking, but those first four years were tough but very good for the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: What she is making is an emotional plea. She is saying that under her husband's administration, the economic policies delivered prosperity, 23 million jobs were created, and clearly she feels, as she put it, it breaks her heart to see that the economy deteriorate under George Bush, clearly laying the foundation for what could be her candidacy in some time to come, but not in 2004.
WHITFIELD: Bill, I watched that interview, and it seemed like she really went into it knowing exactly what she wanted to say, and what she wanted to avoid saying. How did you call it?
SCHNEIDER: Well, I think she was clearly maintaining a distinction between her husband's private behavior and his public performance. I was struck when -- this is something out of her book -- she said, "He was not only my husband," she said -- she wrote, "he was also my president, and I thought that in spite of everything, Bill led America and the world in a way that I continued to support. I knew his failing was not a betrayal of the country."
That was interesting because she's maintaining the distinction that most Americans kept to during the impeachment period, that his private behavior was shameful, it was deplorable, and he was answerable to his wife and his daughter. You see them leaving the White House here on the way to their vacation in August of 1998 just after he confessed to his wife and to the country, but they did not think that it represented a betrayal of the country, which should have led to his removal from office. She maintained that distinction very clearly last night. His private behavior was deplorable, and she -- he begged her for forgiveness. An extraordinary scene, the president of the United States begging his wife for forgiveness and her refusing to speak to him for a long period of time. But she adds that had nothing to do with his public performance. That distinction between public and private is something she made and something that is very much in line with the public's view.
WHITFIELD: Well, she painted a very clear picture -- and she also painted a very clear picture of how chilly it was when they made their way to Martha's Vineyard and how Buddy the dog was really Bill Clinton's only friend.
SCHNEIDER: That is exactly right.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bill Schneider. Oh. Go ahead.
SCHNEIDER: Sure -- no, I was going to say that a lot of people criticized Al Gore in 2000 for trying to distance himself from President Clinton, who had selected him. In this case, I think Hillary Rodham Clinton does distance herself from the president, describing her sense of emotional betrayal and humiliation, but I think it probably did her some good because she needs to put that distance between herself and her husband's private behavior, but yet associate herself with her husband's public record.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bill Schneider, thanks very much for the insight.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
