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American Morning

Clinton's Move To Defend His Image Not Unusual

Aired December 21, 2001 - 09:24   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Remember the last president? Bill Clinton that would be. Well, there is word this morning that Mr. Clinton is trying to sprupe up -- let's try that again -- spruce up -- there we go, I knew I could get it if I tried it twice -- his tarnished image.

The "New York Times" reports that the former president is frustrated by the battering his image has taken recently. In particular, over his administration's failure to bring bin Laden to justice, and he is now actually devising ways to remind the public of his accomplishments. Earlier on our show, I asked Senator and former vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman to comment on that report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: So, I think history will speak well to the Clinton years, obviously there were parts of it that were not so -- not so popular, but that's all part of history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: Joining me now to talk more about this is the cohost of CNN's CROSSFIRE, Bill Press. Good to see you, thanks for joining us this morning.

BILL PRESS, CNN CO-HOST, CROSSFIRE: Hey Paula, good morning, good to be with you.

ZAHN: All right. So Bill, let's talk a little bit about what was stated in the "New York Times" piece, that apparently the president summoned a bunch of his aides and even some former cabinet secretaries to get on the phone and try to come up with a way to remind the public of his past accomplishments, and one of the fears, I guess, that was expressed in this article by one of the unnamed participants is if this went public, they were concerned that this would make the president look unpresidential, obviously, and maybe perhaps too preoccupied with his legacy. What do you make of this article?

PRESS: I tell you what I would call this, Paula. I think it is classic Clinton spin. In fact, I think instead of this "war room" they ought to call it, actually, the "spin room," because they were very adept during the campaign, as you pointed out, of taking bad news, turning it around, and spinning it as good news for candidate. They did the same thing -- I'm talking about James Carvel, Paul Begala, George Stephanopoulos during the White House, and now, Bill Clinton realizes that he has to do that after the White House because he's getting blamed for everything.

He's getting blamed for Osama bin Laden. He's getting blamed for the recession. He's getting blamed for the weather, and there's nobody out there defending him, so they feel they have to have an active spin operation. I think it's appropriate and necessary and you know, all former presidents have done it.

ZAHN: Appropriate and necessary. Why?

PRESS: Well, because if you leave the field to somebody else, you are just going to get hammered. You know, it's like in football. The best defense is a good offense. Look. Richard Nixon was able to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse. I mean, he left the White House in disgrace, and he ended up being considered a statesman.

Well, if Nixon can do it, certainly Clinton can do it, and he just does -- I think he's tired of standing on the sidelines and getting battered without having anybody speak up for him, and so he's just saying, you know, guys, we got to get out there. We go put the word out about the good things that we did, and not just sit here and get hammered all day.

ZAHN: All right. Well, you mentioned how this historically been done, but in this piece, someone was quoted as saying no modern president ever mounted such an aggressive and organized drive to effect the agenda after leaving the White House, and they talk about the president even wanting to play a central role in setting an issue agenda for Democrats.

PRESS: There is nothing --

ZAHN: That's a first, isn't it?

PRESS: No. Absolutely not. Look, I saw Jimmy Carter on another network the other night pumping his latest book of poetry. He's spinning himself as the wise man of Plains, Georgia who knows more about foreign policy than anybody else. I mention again, nothing that Clinton will do will match the scale of Richard Nixon's very well orchestrated campaign to restore his image. I think it is important. Joe Lieberman mentioned earlier its history.

Clinton, like all former presidents, are concerned about how history will judge them. Well, if you leave the Republicans to paint that picture, and blame Clinton for everything, history's going to remember him for bringing us Osama bin Laden and Monica Lewinsky, and what Clinton is saying is -- bringing his people together -- you know, hey guys, we're not even out there right now. I think we've got to be active. You know, Paula, the most interesting thing I thought about the article was that Al Gore was not present, and nobody from Al Gore's campaign was involved in that call. I think they feel --

ZAHN: Well, come on, Bill. That doesn't surprise you, does it? I mean those guys didn't kind of like each other too much at the end of that campaign, did they?

PRESS: Well, you know, supposedly they had kissed and made up. I think this shows that Clinton still feels betrayed by Al Gore, and I think his feeling about Al Gore is okay, buddy, you didn't defend me during the campaign. Now you're on your own, organize your own spin room. I've got organize my spin room.

ZAHN: And, of course, we have our own spin room here, don't we? Well, actually, that show was on the air, right? Bill, you were a part of that.

PRESS: We had a "Spin Room" for a while. We have a great show called CROSSFIRE, and by the way, I talk a lot about this art of spin in the new little book I wrote where I talk a lot about Bill Clinton's spin, and it continues as we see.

ZAHN: Actually, I have a copy of that book. I like it. I'm about halfway through it.

PRESS: Good for you. Thanks for the plug.

ZAHN: All right, Bill. Thank you for coming in this morning. Appreciate it. So --

PRESS: Merry Christmas, Paula.

ZAHN: Merry Christmas to you as well.

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